New-York tribune., 1908-02-04
NO PAYMENT BY CUBA
Cost of Occupation Likely To Be
Borne by United States.
From The Tribune Bureau ]

From The Tribune BureauI
Wa,hinxton. Feb. 3-The chances OF toS Oh'-oo
States recovering from Cuba the cost OF the present
oec,,pstion of the island extremely remote. ac-
cor5,ne tn the authorities In executive branch
of the government When the urgent deficiency niit
was under consideration n the House recently rep
resen,ative Clayton. Of Alabama. INQUIRED Why soe
portion of the 600. 900 already expended oy fns
United States for the army in Cuba had not beer
returned the treasury. and pointed out thAt the
report OF Governor Masoon had Indicated naancs
of ST. 0O0 o0s In the Cuban treasury "nereupoa
Representative Tawney, chairman OF the Appfo-
priations Committee. announced that he had A.
ready taken steps 10 ascertain the fepiy 10 MI
Clayton's question
When Mr. Tawney receives that reply IL may IN
aicate condition OF affairs radically different from
the expectations OF the leaders IN the House II IL
true that is s12. 100000 In the Cuban treas
ury but il is doubtful II the adu'in'serafion VIII
dem II proper to ask the Cubans TO pay tne eooi-
,.onaI cost incurred by country Cor garrsoninS
the republic The bili now amounting 70 ss-poo.-
600 makes the cost OF each soldier sent TO CUBA
and maintained there for Sfteen months aoouI
81 o0O That sum would have sutfced to bring an
army corps from Germany. II Is explained az ms
War Department that this great expense IS que -
the fact that when the necessity OF garrtsoninB
Cuba arose this country was In no position 70 carry
out the obligations imposed on it under the fla''
amendment For instance, it was found that every
army transport IN the Philippines and great
expense had incurred tn ctlartern8 vessels TO
transport the troops Moreover. two entire req
rnents had be brought back from the PHILIPPINES
and sent to Cuba These items figure In the bill! OF
IS 00O Oo0 but IL questionable IL they can prop
eriy be charged to Cuba
Moreover Congress has provided that the e1-
pense of maintaining the army In Cuba may D
charged 20 that republic II IL will not cripple ths
prospective administration. but there Is reason 10
believe that II would For instance. the scheme
of highway improvement instituted By Governor
Magoon, which sadly needed and which has
elected the utmost praise from the Cuhans. viii
mean an initial expenditure Of N3.0Oo00 and
annual expense after the first year OF S.oO.om
There is no question Of the necessity of this work.
but II will not leave extensive balance In the
treasury
the State Department regards essential to the
sists, Is incumbsnt the Cubans under the Piatt
amendment. That Will aggregate expense
OF not less than $i.o00.0oo. and should ic be de-
ctded that the Cuban federal government shall pay
half that will add another e. 0Oo.0o0 20 the pros
pective demands the treasury There other
pressing needs Of the Cuban government and.
this country to deduct the S.0eo.0oS already
expended for the army. say nothing of tls atds-
tonaI disbursements for ssas purpose IN the year
beginning with the LIST OF this month. would
that the new administration when it took
charge Of Cuban Affairs would be confronted with
a depleted treasury. II not with a deficit
Under these circumstances the Administrations
Will not be disposed to collect from Cuba cost
ot the army of occupation and will probably do
only IN the event that Congress BY specac lexis
lation shall demand IL. and perhaps then only after
an enactment passed over the President's veto.