New-York tribune., 1901-02-03

things not 10 be done by giving Cuba
| blank check for her to fill out as she pleases
! not even though Senator Teller believes il would
| be prOPerly filed out and has received tacit as
surances from individual Cubans 10 that effect
The question of Cuban debts is raised by Sen
atOr Teller in two forms. lie protests against
| the United States having any supervision over
/ Cuban finances. lest il should thus find itself
! saddled with the $40OOOOO0O or $500, 900 of
Spanish debts which Spain tried TO throw upon
Cuba Our impression is that such fears are
| quite groundless despite the rumOrs which pre-
vail in Washington. as our correspondent there
informs us, that various European nations are
looking to this country for payment OF that
debt. The matter was pretty thoroughly
threshed out two years and more ago in Paris.
and the Spanish Peace Commissioners not only
were unable 10 secure from the Americans the
slightest acknowledgment of the validity of
such claims against either Cuba or the United
States, but they finally agreed to the treaty in
full realization of the fact that the American
Commissioners explicitly and irrevocably de-
MED the validity of them. Since that time, we
believe. the world has come 10 agree with the
American Commissioners and with Senator
Teller that, the Senator says. there is moth
ling in plain honesty or in international law
making this debt binding upon the Cuban peo-
y
States either. AS for Senator Teller's other
point. that this country ought not 70 attempt TO
say with whom or to what extent Cuba may con-
tract public debts, it Is sufficient to observe that
few things could be more deporable. or, in
deed. more intOlerable 70 this country, than
for Cuba 10 run heavily in debt 10 some Euro
pean country and then have that country resort
to military and naval occupation Of the island
10 collect its claims.
There was much wisdom in the letter from
the Hon. Frederick W Seward upon this mat
ter which we printed yesterday. in which he
properly urged that while 1t was desirable 10
settle the case promptly, 1t was much more de-
sirable 70 settle il right 1t will be far easier
to secure the right settlement at the outset
than to do so by future negotiations. If the
Cubans were unwilling 70 recognize and 10
guarantee our just rights at this time they
would certainly be no less unwilling in future,
after we had withdrawn our control from the
island This country does not want to retain
its present control Of Cuba any longer than is
right and necessary, hut before IL relinquiShes
IL il wants 10 make sure that there will be no
need Of its again intervening in the island and
re-establishing such control. Cuba has cost the
United States in the last seventy-fve years en-
tirely too much. in treasure and in blood, for
this Nation TO run any more risks concerning
H. Since the days OF Monroe the United States
has maintained certain reasonable vantage
ground with respect 10 that island. and less
than three years ago IL sealed its title thereto
with the blood of many OF its bravest and hest
sons That ground is not now gratultously 10
be abandoned in shadowy hope Of reGaining it
in some far of .'mahana" This Nation will
look before II leaps out Of Cuba.