Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-06-22
QUEER ATTITUDE OF
CLAIMS COMMISSION
Spanish 0utrages on Americans In
Cuba justified by Chandler
and Colleagues.
DIFFER FROM STATE DEPARTMENT
Before we Iuherited Them From sPsin'
tic Ola ms In Question Were Deoiareu
Just by tho Latter and Attempt
Made to Collect Them.

New York June 1.-THE suns
Washington correspondent; says'
The Spanish war claims commission
has placed itself in a remarkable at
titude. by it's official rulings IL mas
become the advocate OF Spain, and mas
repudiated the United States.
In the treaty of peace with SPAN,
The United states agreed to assume the
payment OF all claims for damage on
the part Of Its citizens for the VIOLA
ton Of treaty rights by Spain while IN
possession OF Cuba. Most OF THESE
Claims arose during the cuban fnsur-
r~ection, ana nave been passed upon py
the department of state. Ex-senator
chandler. OF New Hampshire, Is the
! chairman OF the commission, and, IN
his present position, he is reversing nlH
record made while n United states SEN
ator. 49,
The commission In considering tho
claims hat were passed upon ny tHo
state department, has refused 10 ucS
cept the conclusions Of the secretary oh
state, and, in most instances, has tax
en- the position which Spain occupies
when II contested the claims. Inc sec
rotary of state in each instance mace
a thorough investigation, ana. aL.ea
being satisfied that treaty provisions
had been violated, took up the prosecu-
tton of the claims against Spain.
The commission has thrown aside all
these voluminous records, and MT.
Chandler has repeatedly
/ officially as chairman of the committee
that he did not care a rap what the
secretary Of state thought; that tho
question was before the commission,
which had q right to reach Its own
/ conclusions. Claims that were sus-
tanned by the department or state
against Spain for treaty violation the
commission has precipitately thrown
out on the ground that the CLAIMANT
had violated the neutrality laws.
Says Spain Was Right.
The department of state, before tho
SPANISH war, by voluminous corre-
spondence and direct mmunlcauo
with the Spanish minister at Washing
ton, attempted to collect claims against
Spain, giving them the official stamp
Of this government. The same claims
are thrown out by the Spanish war
claims commission. which In substance
SAYS that Spain was right In refusing
70 pay them, and that our government
was wrong In trying to collect them.
The sentiment which resulted In the
declaration of war against spain was
kindled In part by the action
OF the S%paniards in Cuba, who, withont
respect 10 treaty obligations, maltreat-
ed Americans, confscated their proper
ty. and In numerous instances, tor
tured them. Americans were axe
prisoners by Spanish guerrillas, SUB
initted TO oil sorts Of ~indignities, n
then hacked to pieces by machetes
without trial or an opportunity 10 MAKE
q defense.
mission takes the broad ground that
the citizens got no more than they de-
served; that Spain was JUSTIFIED In
cruelty treating them; that they Vlo-
lated som law in going to Cuba, and
were not entitled to protection. ana
that our secretary of state was exceed.
ing his authority in attempting 10 noid
., Spain responsible. The ruling, Whlcn
= has aroused so much Indignation, In
substance holds that Spain was right
and tina the United States In going TO
war for humanity's sake was wrong.
!, khoe on tho Other Foot.
The trouble Is that, whereas former
ly the United States was trying to col
lect the claims OF American citizens
against Spain, the United States is
now the defendant, and 1t makes a
great deal Of difference whose OK Is
gored.
7 When the commissioners Of the Unit
: ed States agreed to article 7 OF the
+. treaty OF Paris, by which the United
/, States ~relinquished all claims upon
!; Spain and agreed to settle the claims
Of its citizens against Spain, they put
our government IN IL moSl eiIipaIiaSs-
ing position. 1t is now necessary to
repudiate our own records or else pro-
! mote the cause of those who are try
= ing to get money out Of the United
; States treasury.
Another ruling OF the commission
which is being discussed is the deter
/; mination to conduct the proceedings
under rules of practice prevailing In
our courts Of justice instead OF under
rules similar to those followed by the
department Of state In the matter OF
claims. All previous claims commits
sions adopted them.
The ruling makes a vast difference
In the prosecution Of cases, as an en-
Q tirely different procedure is necessary
in preparing the briefs ard In submit
ting evidence. In short, the rulings OF
, the commission to date warrant the
inference that It's purpose is to avoid
the payment OF damages wherever II Is
possible by %ecourse to technicalities
~