The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-03
CUBA'S ONE GREAr ERROR.
The Claims FOR tho Payment OF Soldiers OF
the Revolution.

nied that Cuba \ course i'm the matter Of the
payment Of the claims of her soldiers Of the
revolution ia not at all 20 her credit,
In the early days Of the revolt Of 1895, il
was agreed by the leaders that those who
joined the ranks of the army OF liberation
should be paid IL the movement was sue
cessful. Liberal. and even eEtravagant
allowance was made to officers. and pri-
Yates we're to receive 81 day The finan-
cial obligation thus incurred was recog-
nized in the Cuban Constitution. and pro-
vision for the discharge OF the obligation
has been subject Of active discussion
during every session Of her Congress.
In the summer Of 1902. proposals were
made for the creation of a national debt OF
s35, 900 900, out of which. certain other pay
mcnts and obligations being provided for. a
remainder OF about s23 ,000, 900 should be
devoted to n full and final discharge Of the
soldiers claims. The sum was satisfactory
to the claimants and few voices were raised
in objection. Steps we're taken to effect the
loan, and system of taxation was devised
and put into operation. 10 cover the inter
est and the amortization. even before the
loan was actually placed.
committee. with Gen. Maxine Gomez
at its head, appointed to review the army
lists and determine the sums lawfully duo
TO tn @ individual claimants, reported in
August. 1909, list of nearly $1,000 nameH'
and showed total Indebtedness Of approx
imately sjT, 900 600 All satisfaction with
settlement for a total OF s23. 900 ,Ooo at once
went over the fence. and grand scramble
was instituted for the larger sum.
The s3i. 5OoO 900 realized on the loan ef-
fected early in 1904 became merely a pay
ment on account, and n campaign was
started for the borrowing Of an additional
sum Of nearly $50 900 900 for the payment of
the claims in full. serious objection to
this proposal lay in that fact that s57 ,Oo0
900 was a sum greatly more than the original
agreement Practically, the proposal to pay
the army was expressed in the terms of
Spanish silver money. One dollar per day
was one dollar in Spanish silver, worth at
the time about 20 cents on the dollar in
American gold. The total to which those
included in the Gomez list can possibly lay
either legal or moral claim is a little less than
$40, 900, 900 in American gold
More than s3l 10000 Of this was realized
from the s35 900 900 loan already effected
some Of il has been paid to the claimants.
Any payment beyond the remaining bal
ance Of less than $4,000 600 would seem to
be an immoral and illegal footing of the
Cuban treasury II would also be a viola
ton Of the national Constitution, nnsmuch
as no such debt or obligation was incurred
by the officials of the revolution Every
day that any such project is entertained il
a stain on Cuba's national integrity The
final eXtinguishment Of the soldiers claims
is most desirable but the amount paid
should not by single dollar exceed the
sum lawfully due
Two proposals will come into the discus
sions of the Cuban Congress when it reas-
sembles on Jan. 8. One Of these involves the
borrowing Of "A sum Of 100000 20 Si5-
OOo 600 for the final discharge Of the balance
due the army. and II the larger sum il
taken. the use Of the ST. us for works of
public utility. This solution Of the matter
is open to no valid objection, and the prompt
adoption of the project should he urged by
every friend OF Cuba.
The other proposal involves the borrow
ing Of nearly $50 600 600 in addition to the
loan Of s3j 900 900 already placed IL can
probably be obtained but no friend Of the
island can advise her to borrow so large "A
sum for the purpose Of paying claims which
ara without lawful foundation. pro-
posal which meets with altogether too much
favor in the island looks toward the ssu-
ance of what the Cubans call interior
bonds
This proposition appears to rest in an
idea that the issuance OF a domestic bond
acknowledging indebtedness and bearing
interest does not constitute a debt. II is not
easy TO see the essential difference between
n national bond negotiable in the markets
OF the world and an interest bearing o. L.
for local circulation so far a. il concerns
the creation of national obligation But
tho important point lnS In the proposal TO
acknowledge and pay an invalid and I'M
constitutional claim. The utter absence
of warrant for any consideration OF the
larger amount should lead to the prompt
rejection OF a measure to which President
Palma ha, given "A regr ettabie measure of
encouragement.
Another unfortunate feature il that
traffic in soldiers claims has been carried
on with great activity by spectators. most
of whom are foreigners, many OF whom are
Americans. Several million dollars worth
Of claims have been bought up at ruinous
discounts. and the dilatory methods en-
poyed in the disbursement Of the sum de-
rived from the first loan and the uncer-
tainty which exists regarding second loan
have contributed directly toward the har-
vest Of tho buyers The result Of it all is
that Cuban taxpayers must pay millions Of
dollars for which they will receive no shadow
Of benefit directly or indirectly.
Cuba's Government has made mistakes.
"a all Governments do. In the matter Of
its handling of the loan and the payment
Of the army, it has failed utterly and miser-
ably The only retrievcment which now
seems possible is the prompt repudiation
of the SIS. 900 900 proposition. the realiza-
ton Of a loan which would discharge the
lawful obligation remaining unadjusted;
and such a speedy disbursement OF the
entire sum to its rightful beneiiciaries as
would put an immediate end TO the usnrious
traffic in unpaid claims
Cuba cannot afford to una erwrite the
convictions of those who have declared her
incapable of proper conduct OF her affairs.
The Japanese tn New York.
4 JqpaurNs Mi5sfon1ry i'm Christian ~.
The number OF Inc japanese on tho Atlantic
Coast IS small. compared with that on the Phcinc
Coast. Th-rc are about two thousand Japanese
In the Greater New YORK and lis surrounding States
about two hundred arc Christians In New York
a.