Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

Official Statements Concerning Cuba's Awful Condition. THE MESSAGE OP GEHERAI LEE. tTnited States Consuls Describe the Effects . of Weyler*s Inhuman Policy of Concen? tration-Hundreds of Thousand* Dead and the End Not Yet-Spanish Troops Starving. The consolar correspondence which ac? companied tbe president's message was prepared in response to a resolution of in? quiry adopted by both the h duse and sen? ate. The correspondence, was preps red for transmission to congress just before the blowing np of the Maine, and. having been held op since, now includes com? munications np to April 1. It covers the mmunications of Consol General Lee Havana, Consol McGarr at Cien fuegos, Consol Brice at Matanzas, Consol Hyatt at Santiago de Coba and Consol Bi.rker at Sagua la Grande. In preparing ? Jie cor dence for transmission to congress era ble portions of the im portar: t communications, and especially those marked confidential, are omitted. Gen? eral Lee's correspondence rons over the period frorn Nov. 17, 1897, to April 1, 189a It was on ."Nov. 23 that Consul General Lee made his first report fcTtbe depart? ment of stets on the condition of affairs m Coba. It is as follows: Autonomy a Failure. "SIR-I have the honor to briefly submit statement of what appears to ba tho present condition of affairs in this island. _ "First-The insurgents will not accept autonomy. **Second.- A large majority of tie Span? ish subjects, who have commercial and business interests and own properly hero, T wfiino* accept autonomy, bot pr if ar an? nexation to the United States rather than an independent republic or genoine auton? omy under the Spanish flag. "Third.-The Spanish authorities are sincere in doing all in their power to en? courage, protect and promote tho grinding of sogar. The grinding season commences in December. "Fourth.-The insurgent leaders have given instructions to prevent grinding wherever it can be .done, because by di , Tarnishing the export of sugar the Spanish government revenues are decreased. "It will be very difficult for tho Spanish authorities to prevent cane burn:hg, be? cause ono man can start a fire cit night which will bum hundreds cf acres, jost as a single individual can light a prairie by throwing a single match into the dry "Fifth.-I am confident that General Blanco and Pando, his chief of ((taff, as well as Dr. Congosto, the secretary- gener? al, with all of whom I have had conversa? tions, are perfectly conscientious :In their - desire to reiieve the distress of those suf? fering from the effects of Weller's recon? centration order, but unfortunately they have not the means to carry; ont e ach be? nevolent purposes. In this city matters are assuming better shape under charita? ble committees, eta Large numbers now ?'; are cared for and fed by private su bscrip , tiona. "I witnessed -many terrible scenes and saw some die while I was present. I am told General Blanco will give??100,000 to the relief fond.M Xov. 27 General Lee sent to tho depart? ment the communications of two gen ti e ?|jnen whose names he says are sur pressed - for obvi?os reasons bot whom he knows personally as standing high in tie com? munity concerning the condition in los fosos (tho ditches) in Havana. In Heaps Uk? Animals. . The-communication says, among other ? things: "Four hundred and sixty women and children thrown on the ground, heap? ed pellmell, as animals, some in a dying condition, others sick, others dead, with? out the slightest cleanliness or the least help, not even able to give wate:.* to the thirsty, without either religious or social - help, each one dying wherever chance laid Mm." The communication goes on 'to state that the deaths among these reconcentra? dos average 40 or 50 daily, and that on an average "there were bot ten days of life for each person. It says that these unbap py creatore!) received food only alter hav . lng been eight days in the fosos, during which time they were obliged to subsist upon the bad food which the dying had re? fused. Some horrible instances of the dis? tress witnessed are given. ^ "Among the many deaths we saw," says the communication, "there was seen one. impossible to forget..-There is still alive the only witness, a young girl of IS, whom we found seemingly lifeless on the * ground. On her right side was the body of a yoong mother, cold and rigid, bot with her young child still alive and clinging to her breast. On ber left side was the corpse of a woman holding 'her son ixt . a dead embrace. A little farther on ? dying wo? man, having in her arms a daughter of , 34, crazy with pain, who, after 12 or 14 days, died in spite of the core she re? ceived." Further along the communicaldon says that if any young girl came in who was good looking she was infallibly condemn? ed to the most abominable of trafics. The communication says that 1,700 persons had entered the fosos sioco August, and of these bot 243 were then living. It places the number of deaths among the reconcentrados at 77 per cent On Dec. 3 General Lee sent to the state department a communication referring to a cipher dispatch he bad sent two days previous, in which be informed the de? partment that he had learned ::rom the United States consol at Matanz.is cf an "extensive and dangerous conspiracy on the ex-governor of tho province, di against Americans, action against ?es? to be contingent on the movement of tho United States government in favor of the independence of Coba." A Flea For Warships. General Lee stated that rumors had been more or less frequent regarding the riot? ous intention of some of the dissatisfied elements against American citizens there and in other parts of the island. Such demonstrations, ho said, must cene from Spanish noncombatants or from volunteer forces. He did not think there was any danger from the former, many o ! whom seemed to favor annexation rather than autonomy or the independence of the Coban republic. "1 am inclined to think," says he, "that if General Blanco can manage the volunteers, as yesterday he said be could, the trouble from that source ls diminishing. The origin of the mobs in this eily in tho past has always j beer?.teated te t?A-.?rJr*?C th?'*.l<2?t I ipers, wb? alono" bave organization "i arms." ID conseqnenco of the assurances t American lifo and property would be j. tected General Lee said that ho had dined to make application for the pi enco of one cr more warships in Havi harbor and had advised Americans v had wives and children not to send th away, a* least for tho present. "I still thinkT" continued General I i "that two warships at least should be ? Kev West prepared to move at short rice, and that more of them should be I Dry Tortugas, and that a coaling stat: should bo established there. Such proce ings would seem to be in line with tl prudence and foresight necessary to aff< safety to Americans residing on the isla and to their properties." Under the same date General Leo ser another communication containing 1 statements of Senor Canalejas, the edi of the Madrid El Heraido, who had ji returned from Pinar del Rio province a er the conflict between tho Spanish fon under General Valasdb and the Cub forces under Diaz, in which Canalejas vs quoted as saying that tho Spanish fon had displayed their usual valor, but tr. the province was not pacified; that out 14,000 Spanish troops only between 3,0 and 4,000 were able to operate, tho balar being sick at hospitals, or in garriso and towns; that he believed au ton or premature and was inclined to the adc tion of energetic military action for t purpose of pacifying the province; tb the truth, should be known in S pa i where public opinion and the press h been deceived regarding the annihilate of thc war and the so called pacification the western provinces. Cats Uaed as Food. Under date of Dec. 7 General Leo sent communication to the department rogar lng the measures for the relief of the i concentrados, much of which is not ma^ p?blic. In the portion given oat Goner Lee says: "I see no effect of the governmental di trlbotion to the reconcentrados. I am i: formed that only $13,500 in Spanish silv has been dedicated to the Havana pro ince ont of the $300,000 said to have be? set aside for the parp?se of relieving the: on the island, and that reports from a parts of the province show that 50 pei coi have already died, and that many of tho left will die, and most of these are won en and children. I am informed an ord? has been issued in some parts of the i land suspending the distribution to recoi centrados. "The condition of these people is simpl .terrible. I hear of mach suffering in th Spanish hospitals for want of food. I her also that the Spanish merchants in som parts of the island are placing their est?t lishments in the names of foreigners t avoid having their provisions purchase on credit by the military administration. "In some parts of the island I am toi there is scarcely any food for soldiers c citizens and that even cats are used fo food purposes, selling for 30 cents apiece It isa fair inference to draw from existin, conditions that lt is not possible for th governor general to relieve the presen situation with the means at his disposal. * 4 Frrz-HuGH LEE. ' ' Dec. 13 came the following: "SIB--I have tho honor to make the fol lowing report: The contest for and agains autonomy is most unequal. For it thor are five or six of the head officers at th palace and 20 or 30 other persons here ii the city.. Against it, first, are the insui gents, with or without arms, and the Cu ban noncombatants; second, the grea mass of the Spaniards bearing or non bear ing arms-the latter desiring, if then most be a change, annexation tc the Unit ed States. Indeed, there is the greates apathy concerning autonomy in any form No one asks what it will be or when o: how it will come. "I do not see bow it could bo even pul ioto operation by force, because as long a? the insurgents decline to accept it so long, the Spanish authorities say, the war must continue." Half the li^concentrados Dead. Dec. 3 4.General Lee sends another com munica ti on saying that the total n umbel of reconcentrados in Habana province wil] reach 350,000, and that the death rat( from starvation alone would bo over 5C per cent For therelief of these people, he says, $32,500 in silver has been set aside, " so that if every dollar appropriated reaches them tho distribution will average about 17 cents to a person, whioh, ol course, will be rapidly exhausted, and as I can hear of no further succor being af? forded lt is easy to perceive what little practical relief has taken place in the con? dition of these poor people." Dec 23 General Lee makes the first communication about the new scheme of autonomy. He says that ho bas been in? formed that the authorities are engaged in forming an autonomist cabinet, arrang? ing for the members to take the required oath on Jan. 1, and "also for aa election 30 days thereafter. * * * My present in? formation is that most of tho Spaniards will refrain from voting and nearly all the Cubans. . * * "Tho feeling in Havana, and, I hear, in other parts of the island, is strong against it, the Cubans desiring an independent republic, and the Spaniards preferring an? nexation to the United States rather than autonomy. "On the night of the 24tb inst, there seems to have been a concerted plan over the island tc tes ti fy. the disapprobation of tho people to tho proposed autonomistic plan of the Spanish government." [He gees on to describe bow it culminated about 2 o'clock on the morning of the 25th, when a mob assembled in tho prin? cipal square with cries of "Death to au? tonomy!" and ;<Viva Weylei!" He 6ays the men in tho mob had stones in their pockets and some were armed with weap? ons.] "They made a demonstration, too, against the office of the Diario do la Ma? rina, a paper published in this town favor? ing autonomy, but were dispersed by the military police and soldiers. * * * I am, etc., FITZ-HUGH LEE. ' ' The Awfal Death Bate. The same day General Lee acknowledges the receipt of President McKinley's procla? mation calling upon thc people of tho United State", to make charitable contri? butions for the reliof of the distress in Cuba. Other telegrams follow during the text few days os to the class of contribu? tions which would be most valuable in re? lieving the suffering. Jan. 8 General Loe makes the following report: "SIR-I have the honor to state, as a matter of public interest, that tho 'rccon- j centrado order' of General Welyer, former? ly governor general of this island, trans? formed about 400,000 self supporting peo- i pie, principally women and children, into I a muititudo to bo sustained by the con- ? tri bu ti ons of others or die of starvation or ? of fever? resulting from a low physical ; condition and being massed in large bodies without change of clothing and without food. "Their homes were burned, their fields and plant beds destroyed and their livo stock driven away or killed. .^^i-j^Jtevtbai mr>h?*.blx 8(W)00. of the rural " population' in the province* Pinar del Rio, Habana, Matanzas t Santa Clara have died of starvation from resultant causes, and tho deaths whole families almost simultaneously within a few days of each other and mothers praying for their children to relieved of their horrible sufferings death are not the least of tho many pit ble scenes which were ever present, tho provinces of Puerto Principe and S: tiago de Cuba, where the 'reconcentra j order' could not be enforced, tho gr? mass of the peoplo are self sustaining. * "A daily average of 10 cents' worth j food to 200,000 people would bc an expel j iture of $20,000 per day, and of cou; j the most humane efforts upon tho part ! our citizens cannot hope to accompli such a gigantic relief, and a great porti of these people will have to be abandon to their fate. * * * I am, eta, "FITZ-KUGII LEE." ? General Lee inclosed in this commui cation an editorial from the Diario de Marina, which vigorously denounced t "seditious tumult" of the day before af victory for Gomez and thc enemies Spain. On the same day ho also sent the departmenb some statistics about t mortality in Santa Clara, showing th while there were o, 4S9 deaths in thattov in the seven years previous to 1S07, whi ircluded 1,417 in one year from an e] demie of yellow fever, there were in 18? owing to the concentration order, 6,9 deaths out of a total population of 34.0C The death rata increased monthly from in January, the month before tho conce tration order went into effect, until Decei ber, when there were 1,011 deaths. Ja 12, 13, 14 and 15 General Lee sent bri cablegrams to the department with i gard to tho r ioting and demonstratio: against autonomy and . Blanco and t three newspaper offices. The Cause of the Riots. Jan. 13, he said, 6cmo of tho riote threatened to go to the United States co sulato. "Ships," he said, "aro not nee ed, but may be later. If Americans are : danger, ships should move promptly f< Havana. Uncertainty and excitemei widespread." Thc rioting ceased tho ne: day, and General Lee reported all quiot On the 18th General Leo sent a dispatt marked confidential regarding the rio lng. It-follows: "SIB-The recent disorders in this eil are to be primarily attributed to a grot of Spanish officers who are incensed at a tides appearing in three of the newsp; pers of Havana-Reconcentrado, La Di cusion and El Diario do la Marina. It probable that the Spanish officers wei first provoked by tho denunciations c Weyler in the columns of ono of these pi pers and determined to stop it, and afte: ward being supported by tho mob turne the demonstratim into an antiautoncmh tic affair. "I send today an analysis of the autor omistic plan. Tho intense opposition to i on the part of tho Spanish arises from tl: fact that the first appointments of tho offi cers to put into form its provisions wer made generally outside of their party i order to show the Cubans in arms that at tonomy was instituted for their benefi and protection. "The intelligent Spaniards * * * seo n prosperity in the future, but rather othe wars and more confusion, in thc same ol attempts to make the waters of commerc flow In unnatural channels. Tho lowe Spanish classes have nothing in mini when autonomy is mentioned except th Cuban local ru-al population ; hence thei opposition. * * * FlTZ-HUGH LEE." Jan. 21 General Lee transmitted a cop, of tho decree which established the auto nomic regime on the island ot Cuba. On Jan. 15 tox 22 General Leo rcportet by cable daily that all was quiet in Hava na, and that tho recent rioting had cause* some delays, but that no difficulty was ap prehended as to the landing of supplies. Feb. 4 he reports the receipts of money! from various sections of the United State for relief purposes and the manner ii which it is being distributed. Feb. 10 he telegraphed the stato depart ment as follows: "Captain general return ed yesterday. Met with no success of anj 6ort. Spaniards overywhere unfriendly. Rumors of coming demonstration against him here. I think him an excellent man, but in an unfortunate position. Three so rious combats reported within a week. Ir each insurgents victorious." The same day he sent to the state de partaient a statement of the condition ii the towns in the neighborhood of tho cit; of Havana, made by a person ho had sent to those plaoes for the purpose of inspect? ing the number and condition of tlx starving. The Mayor Powerless. The statement covers four towns in the neighborhood of Havana and is largely a repetition of the awful tale of suffering which carno from the other portions of the island. At Melena del Sur, the state? ment says, it is impossible for the mayor, owing to tho unhealthy conditions prevail? ing and the want of resources, to relieve tho miserable people, "who die in great numbers from starvation, fever and small? pox. Thore are other towns in the same condition-for example Gui?es, Catalina and JSadruga-whose situation could be in Komo degree relieved if the country people were allowed to leave tho town freely in search of food. "In some towns this is entirely prohib? ited; in others thoy aro obliged to pay a tax. Not having anything to cat, how can they pay a tax? In every town the first thing noticed is tho unhealthy condition of the men and their total lack of physical strength." At Catalina de Gui?es tho statement re? ports the condition of the reconcentrados as sad and desperate. There aro, it says, "no zones of cultivation," and tho recon? centrados are not allowed to leave tho town in search of work or food oven with a military pass. "Food is so scarce that one must walk four or five miles beforo finding a sweet potato. In these districts tho relief given to tho reconcentrados by General Blanco is a farce." The land near the town comprised in tho zone for cultivation, the statement says, has been rented by four Spaniards tho have wealth and influence, and they unploy the few reconcentrados who are able to work at 30 or 40 conts per day, but nobody can leave the town without a pass good for a month and which costs 20 cents. The workmen have to leave at 6 in tho morning, and, not being able to tako meals with thom, aro obliged to work un? til 6 in tho evening without food. The women who leave in search of vegetables aro sometimes deprived of them on their way back by guerrillas, in 15 days 200 re? concentrados have died in Gui?es from starvation. "Ono of the few protectors of the recon? centrados-in fact, a heroic ono," says tho statement, "is a young man named Jose Amonedo, whose father and mother died attending the suffering poor, and who himself has given up eight houses belong? ing to him as dwelling places for tho re? concentrados, all tho contents of a gro? cery store which ho ]>ossesscd, and who is as destitute aa they aro, but always attend? ing to those wbc suffer." Mar^h 1 Con; r? v \A' ,? report?. ?5??o.V. distribution of food, ?neCicInes rw?d ci?: lng to thc destitute is proceeding satisfi tori ly. The work, ho =ays, has been w organized and systematized under thc ? j pervision and direction of Miss Clara B? j ton, president cf thc Red Cross society j the United States, and her active, able a experienced assistant. He says that thou umber of tho poor a destitute is so large that it is impossil . to relieve largo cumbers in each localil j but that ho can state with confidence th j under the present system of distribu ti j the supplies are not lost or wasted, b . reach those for whom they are intended j March 14 he incloses a letter from Cc i sui Barker of Sagua, who requests hfc? j transmit tho following letter, which is ? I dressed to bim (General Lee): "DEAR SIR-I will thank you to COJ j municate to tho department as quickly j possible the fact that tho military coi ? mander and other military officers po ! tivcly refuse to allow the reconcentrad j to whom I am issuing food in its ra j state to procuro fuel with which to co< j the food. "In addition, they prohibited this cia of people-I am only giving food to abo I one fifth of tho destitute, thc antboriti j have quit altogether-from gathering ve i etables cultivated within the protection the forts, telling them, 'Tho America] propose to feed you, and to tho America: you must look. ' * * * "WALTER B. BACKER, Consul." March 24 Goncral Lee cables that tl work of relief is progressing, and giv details about the distribution of supplie and adds, "Have been greatly assisted I Mr. Klopsch." March 28 General Leo reports that "i: structions bato been givon by tho civ government cf Havana that the alcald and other authorities shall not give oi any facts about the reconcentrados, and any of the American relief cemmitre should make inquiries concerning ther all such inquiries must bo leferred him." General Lee's dispatches concludo wil a dispatch under date cf April 1, tran mitting the decree of tho governor goner terminating tho concentration order. From JIcGarr and Brice. There is one communication from Owe McGarr, consul at Cienfuegos, under da of Jan. 10. informing thc department tbs the sugar mills in his district had bee grinding since thc 1st of tb* month. ? says tho utmost diligence is required 1 j prevent the firing of the caneiielda an j concludes: "Tho 6Ugar crop is tho support of a classes, especially the laboring class, au j should it be destroyed a famino would t i inevitable." I Tho communications from Mr. Bria i consul at Matanzas, number only sevc j or eight, and most of them are brief. Tb j correspondence from him begins with th j 17th of November last and closes with th j 8th of February. Probably the most strit I ing feature of Mr. Brice's communicatio: ! is a distinct article written on tho 18th c January lasi and devoted to Cuban desi: tution. In this ho notes the receipt cf a circula ? letter of the state department dated te days before. "This," ho says, "intimate that help is to be extended by the Unite States to the starving people cf Cubs The news of this relief has been known,1 ho continues, "for the past two weeks ant has extended all over the province. Th i consulate has been overwhelmed wit] people of all classes asking to be remem bered when this relief comos." Mr. Brice then gives a number of fact [ illustrating tho suffering in tho province j He says there aro in Matanzas provino . 00,000 peoplo who are in on actual starv ; ing condition and require food, clothing ! and medicines. Continuing, bc says: j "In addition to the above are thousand: of families of tho better classes and for merly well to do who today are living ci one meal a day, and that very scant. The] j have sold or pawned furniture, jewelry j clothing, etc., to eke out an existence, un ! til all is gono or nearly so. Too proud t( j beg, they suffer in silence, and many di< ? of starvation. The daughter of a forme] I govornor of this province was seen beg j ging on the streets of this city. "Many of these people call on mc pri ' vatcly at my residence asking and praying ? for God's sako to be remembered when j this relief comes from tho United States. , One has to bo here, know and mingle j with these people to fully realize thc terri I ble destitution and misery existing in Cu : ba. It ls to be hoped that this relief from j tho United States r. Iii como quickly, foi hundreds are dying daily of starvation. . Conditions aro dreadful, and no relief is afforded by tho Spanish authorities." Dead Before His Door. In his flrstj communication of the series, dated Xov. 17, Mr. Brice stated that nei? ther the Spaniards nor Cubans of that sec? tion were in sympathy with the proposed autonomy and reforms. He notod the is? suance of the order to municipal authori? ties to give out rations, and clothing, but says that no attention was paid to it. In this communication ho places the death rate at over 80 porsons daily, nearly all of whom were dying for want of food, medi? cines and clothing. "As I write this," he 6ays, "a dead negro woman lies in the street within 200 yards of this consulate starved to death. Sho died some time this morning and will lie lhere maybe for days." Mr. Brice also notes tho issuance of an order allowing tho reconcentrados to re? turn to tho country, but ho says tho re? strictions in tho order aro such os to prac? tically prohibit. "If they went," he says, "what can they do without money, food or shelter?" adding: "Only those who can obtain employment on sugar plantations can livo. Insurgents say no one will be allowod to grind in tho province of Ma? tanzas. Thc situation is indeed deplor? able, and I am free to soy no real help can bo expected from tho Spanish government, and tho fate of thc remaining reconcen? trados is slow, lingering death from starvation." Writing on tho 17th of December, Mr. price says that thc rcliof offered to recon? centrados and other poor people by the Spanish authorities is ineffectual. "I have," ho says, "personally visited the head masters of distributing stations. Two thousand rations were given out for a few days only to 8,000 persons. There are more than 12,000 starving peoplo in this city to? day. Ono out of four or six receives two ounces of rice, \ lA ounces of jerked beef and sometimes a small piece of bread per diem. Even this ration of food has been discontinued since tho 11th Inst." Mr. Brice mentions several instances of distress, among others t!;o following: In | a family of 17, living in nr old limekiln, j all wero found dead except three, and they j barely alivo. Ho says again that General j Bianco's ordorollowing thereconcentrados j to return and cultivate thc crops is in- ! operative and of no avail. Writing on the 17th of January, he says: J "The people are shut up in tho cities and ' towns, liko rats, to starve. We have 15 or j 18 families of American reconcentrados ; who o*sn property in tho country, ond, j were they allowed to go to their homes, j could moko a good living. All theso have j ben;7/vi.?.nd-..n.ler*t"Ur?J? ..th/.. tv*\?,:,ti?? Apeler Bianco's order to go ?riTTwere every case refused." Consul Barker's Report, j Consul Barker covers tho condition < isting in Santa Clara province in a nu ber of communications, beginning on t 20tb of November, 1397, and closing > the 24th of March last. His letters cc siituto one long story cf distress-of sic ness, destitution and death-until indc the picture, even as drawn in tho pla language of official communications, is J vol ting. On Jan. 10 Mr. Barker snggosls th the United States shall offer her gc off ces to Spain with a view of securing : armistice of 90 days' duration for t purpose of discussing terms of scttleine I between Spain and the insurgents, t United States to be tho umpire. Pendil negotiations, he would have all troo quartered and held in thc large fortifi ! coast towns in order that tho reconcenti ? dos may return to the country and to ei I ployment. He adds that tho relief fro I the United States must be continued the people must starve so long as there an armed Spanish soldier in tho countr "since these people, for fear of being mt dered, do not go to their country homes On the 15th of January Mr. Barker say "In this consular district a reign of tc ror and anarchy prevails which tho a thorities, if so disposed, are utterly powc less to control or in any measure subdu Aside from the suffering and desperat? caused by tho unparalleled destitution, regard the situation as rapidly assumii a critical stage. As stated heretofore, no way have the authorities departed fro the policy pursued by the late but not 1 mer3ki$ General Welycr. Spanish troor. as weif as tho guerrillas, under the cru chiefs Carreraz, Clavarrictta and Laz continue to despoil thc country and drem it with the blood of noncombatants. A though the 'bando' of the captain gener provides that laborers may return to c tates, it restricts their operations to tho having a garrison. Last week a numb belonging to the 'Santa Ana' estate, 1 cated within a league of Sagua andown< by Mr. George Thorndike of Newport, 1 I., were driven off after returning and r fused permit as a protection by tho mil tary commander, Mayor Lemo, one of tl trusted officers under tho Weyler regime. Feeding the Starving. On March 12 Mr. Barker states th? ! from Feb. 15 to March 12 he cared f( j 1,200 persons, increasing tho number c j the relief list after that date to 2,000. L j then details the work done by the Rc i Cross society, the various local commi I tees and others, to each cf whom he give ! duo credit. Having done this, Mr. Bark? j states bis opinion to be that if provisio ! could bo made to care for 25,000 porsor ! in that province, whatever might be lc. { would manage to survive. Ho though ; that to keep 25,COO persons alive woul ! require SO tons of provisions a month. H i then stated that of tho 5,000 utterly desti j tute persons in that city tho mayor had i ! a manner relieved about one-third of th number with rations of rice and beans. I this communication Mr. Barker indicate that tho Spanish local authorities wei willing to accept aid from tho Unite States. On the 24th of March Mr. Barker ir creased his estimates as to the amount c food necessary to keep life in the people c that province. He said that 50 tons wer needful for that time, and that tho dis tress was far greater than his former rc ! ports had shown. In the communicatio; j of tho 20th of March Mr. Barker says: "The distress is simply heartrending Whole families, without clothing to hid nakedness, aro sleeping on the bar ground, without bedding of any kind without food, save to such aswc?hav been able to reach with provisions sent b; our own noble people, and thc most dis I tressing feature is that fully 50 per c i are ill, without medical attention or med icine." Mr. Barker adds that if ?5,000 could b< telegraphed to Consul General Leo blan .kets, cots and medicines could be purchas ed there in tho several towns adjacent and thus savo thousands who must die ii compelled to await the sending of these supplies from the United States. "I have,' ho says, "found that tho civil governor ? willing to lend every aid in his power, bul ho admits that ho can do nothing but as sist with his civil officers in expediting re? lief sent by the United States. The mil? itary obstruct in every way possible." Bianco's Order of No Avail. In the earlier portion of his correspond? ence Mr. Barker indicates tho reasons why General Bianco's orders relieving tbe roconcentrados must provo of no avail. He says that while tho first article of tho order grants permission to tho starving class to return to tho country, the third article abrogates this permission in exacting that the places to which they go must be gar? risoned. This condition alone, he says, will preclude over ono-nalf of these poor unfortunates, for their homes aro in ruin, and the sugar estates ablo to maintain a guard can care for but a small percentage of tho whole. Mr. Barker says that while he does net questiou the good intention of those now in power, yet "it is a se1! evident fact that the authorities are utterly helpless to ex? tend any relief to those who have thus far survived the pangs of hunger." Mr. Barker says that his observation does not bear out the statement made by the cap? tain general through a letter to tho Span? ish minister that "extensivo zones of cul? tivation hav3 been organized, the daily rations are provided by the state and that work is furnished." Mr. Barker also points out the impracticability of grinding cano under the present conditions. He says in bis letter cf tho 20th of November that he bad interviewed most of thc large planters in his consular district, and they had stated that unless assured of immu? nity from the insurgent chief, Gomez, they would not attempt to grind, as by doing so they would jeopardize their property. He adds that it is "an unquestioned fact that tho military arc powerloss to give this necessary protection." Spanish Soldiers Companion Victims. Mr. Barker places tho mortality figures for six of tho principal cities of his dis? trict for tho period beginning with Jan. 1 and ending Nov. 15, 1397, at 30,539. He 6ays this is tbe official record, and that fully 25 per cent should be added to cover deaths cf which no record was kept. "Un? doubtedly," ho says, "one-half the concen? trated people have died, and today Span? ish soldiers are companion victims of the surviving noncombatants. This appalling death roll is mute yet convincing proof of thc terrible destruction of life of the main policy pursued In attempting to subjugate the island. The suffering among the troops as well as tho reconcentrados simply beg | gars portrayal, while discontent ripens j daily." On tho 13th of December Mr. Barker rc- j Jatos the particulars of a visit he made to j five of the principal railroad towns in bis consular district. In Santa Clara, Cruces, Esperanza, Jicotca and Santa Domingo he says "tho destitution is simply too har? rowing to recite and must become intensi? fied ^och day. The death rato for last j mon iii shows an increase of about 25 per i ~?:it. Iv.th.?*? tvwncT.sKit.iuvinformation f..,-.->?> adSSb - Ai*-?- . . ????<-? **?.\ ** *???-~> Zrow the mayor * ' '.och. Frotf'fheiu I learned while theT was an issueof food running from three to five days, begin? ning on the 8th ult., consisting/ of six ounces of bacon or jerked beef ?nd si: ounces of rice for adults, with ha?i this allowance for children under 14 yeajis, tbe pittance given was sufficient onlyjor one fourth to one-tenth of tho starving. Ko further relief has been given uj^ito date, and the mayors of these tewnsaresautbor ity for stating that the capfain general had ordered discontinunnetfof food tor^p concentrados." : This order from thc consul general was ' apparently given because of the insuffi? ciency of the food supply for the Spanish soldiers. Consul Hyatt's Report Frcrn Santiago. The reports on tho condition of affairs at Santiago are made by Consul Hyatt, beginning cn the :5th of November last. Among property holders, whether Amer? icans or citizens cf ether nationalities, ho says, there is but one sentiment. This sentiment is "hands off" or such active intervention as will speedily terminate the struggle. They, he says, greatly dep? recate the constant agitation which makes tho governing classes enemies to American interests and brings no corresponding ad? vantages. On the 2Gth of November Mr. Hyatt wrote : j "Tho text of the new autonomy, as pub - lished here, is not meeting with favor by tho most ardent friends of Spain. There is, however, a feeling of relief ?hd safety since the change in tho captain general I ship." A portion of this dispatch is withheld by the state department. Writing cn the I 6th of December last, Mr. Hyatt ssid: j "Tho reconcentration order is relaxed, ' but not removed, but many people have I reached a point whero it is a matter of en j tire indifference to them whether it is re moved or not, for they have lost all inter? est in the problem of existence. A census of the island taken today, as compared with one taken three years ago, I feel con? fident, would show that two-thirds of the residents aro missing, and the Spanish army would make no better showing." On the 14th of December Mr. Hyatt wrote: "I givo it as my opinion, an opinion i that is not biased in favor of Cuba, that Spain will be compelled to prosecute a far moro vigorous war than has yet been done if^he conquers peace in Cuba. I^think I speak advisedly when I say that in this end of tho island at least there are many thousand square miles where the foot of the Spanish soldier has never trod. Within this zone the insurgents have their fam? ilies, corral their horses and cattle and raise their crops. Why Spain, with a large body of as obedient and brave soldiers as ever shouldered a gun, has not penetrated these grounds and scattered to the four ! winds the comparatively small body of I men who are there is a question I will not { attempt to answer. As I write, a man is dying in tho street in front of my door, tho third in a comparatively small time." Mr. Hyatt's letter of the 21st of Decem? ber deals largely with the sickness and the death rate on the island, which he characterizes as appalling. Smallpox and Yellow Fever. He also reported smallpox: and yellow fever as prevailing, and said that out of a total of 16,000 soldiers recently sent to Manzanillo, nearly 5,000 were in hospitals or quartered on the people. On the 12th of January Mr. Hyatt inclosed a transla? tion of an order issued by General Gomez forbidding the grinding of the sugar crop for the years 1897 and 1898. He adds that in that part of Cuba all idea of making sugar crop is entirely -abandoned. He mentions the inhibition on operating the Pampo mines of manganese ore, and in? stances several sugar estates which are held up and which, he says, are becoming more worthless than before. ? He closes with a brief but thrilling pic? ture of the conditions on the island. "It is," he says; "beyond the power of my pen to describe tho situation in eastern Cuba. Squalidity, starvation, sickness ! and death meet one in all places. Beggars I throng our doors and stop us upon the streets. The dead in large numbers remain j over from day to day in the cemeteries un? buried." I On the 31st of January Mr. Hyatt men? tions the destruct ion of a railroad train by [ dynamito bombs near Santiago at the time I of General Bianco's visit, saying that lt was believed that insurgents were respon? sible fer the destruction because they be? lieved General Blanco to bo on tho train. Two cars were shivered in atoms, iivo pas? sengers were killed outright and 22 badly wounded. In ene portion of his correspondence he refers to tho effort of a Mr. Rigney, an American sugar planter, near Manzanil? lo, to prepare for ame grinding during the coming season. "A few nights since," he says, "the insurgents fired seven con? non shots among his buildings, one ball passing through tho roof cf his bouse. Americans were hopeful that they would bo allowed to make their crop, but tho ac? tion cf the insurgents toward Mr. Rigney gives tho problem a doubtful aspect, lt may have been a persoual matter against Mr. Rigney." Consul ?Tova's Statements. John.F. Jova, vice consul at Sagua la Granu;?, under date of Nov. ll, 2897, gives bis view of tho autonomiste policy prom? ised by Spain. He takes strong grounds against it, saying that an autonomist par? ty ia that district could not exist. "In the meantime thc concentrados," he says, "continue perishing. It is impossible to describe the extent and intensity of such tremendous suffering, of such iniquitous, unjust and sinful inquisition, to annihi? late thousands of women and children If this godless combination could be ac? curately represented, it would seem an ex? aggeration induced by stirred fellow feel- 3 ing, with sensibility of heart. ? Moving among tho unceasing crowd of famished beggars, one can scarcely do more than commiserate the undeserved misfortunes. No history in the world, ancient or mod? ern, saw an instance of this frightful, dreadful suffering. Perhaps civilization has not seen its like. In conclusion I beg to state that in my humble judgment the efforts toward tho enforcement of the re? form of autonomy will provo altogether . futile." PATENTS ?Caveats, and Trade-Marks obtained and all P%t (ent business condacte? for MOOERATC FEES. >OUR OFFICE IS OPPOSITE U. S. PATENT OFFICE ?and wc can secure patent in less time than these (remote from Washington. Send model, drawing or photo., Vfith descri; > tion. We advise, if patentable or not, free < (charge. Oar fee not due till patent is secured. ? A PAMPHLET, *' How to Obtain Patents," with [cost of same m the U. S. and foreign countries sent free. Address, C.ASNOW&CO, OPP. PATENT OFFICE, WASHINGTON. O. C.