The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-16

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likely to be given. 1t is possible that
the committee on rules may wait to
see If any disposition is made of the
message in the senate and then ar
range special order for it's consid-
| Grafton in the house. Today the man
ayers Of the house had not come to
any conclusion about the matter, say
ing that the message had not yet ar
rived, and that its contents should best
be known before any definite determi-
nation was arrived at relative to it's
consideration.
WASHINGTON, May 15.-In consid-
| ering ways and means Of affording
substantial relief to such American
citizens in Cuba as are in real dis
tration has hit upon a plan which
| may be put in operation if it is sanc-
toned by the united judgment of the
United States consular officers in Cuba,
who, being on the ground, are sup
| posed to be best qualified to judge of
the efficiency of the proposed relief
measures This plan is to give notice,
through the American consuls, to all
American citizens in Cuba, that the
government will undertake to remove
them from the island to the United
! States if they so desire. To do this
will require action by congress, not
necessarily a specific authorization Of
the removal, but merely the limita-
ton of the appropriation to the gen
eraI terms of one for the relief Of
American citizens in Cuba. A course
similar to this was adopted with more
or less benefit in China during the
rioting incident to the Chinese-Japan-
csc war, and during the Armenian
troubles. Mr.. Terrell, the United
States minister, was authorized to un-
dertake the conveyance Of American
citizens to the coast cities, where they
might have suitable protection. The
| proposition as to Cuba goes a little
| further than the measures adopted in
| the case of China or Turkey, in that
it contemplates the removal of the
Americans from the island. Probably
the reason for this is the belief, found
ed on reports from United States Con-
sui General Lee, and other United
States consular officers. that the war
has so thoroughly exhausted the agr1-
cultural resources of the island that
it will be a long time before it win
be again in condition to maintain it's
| population, and meanwhile, the Ameri-
cans who are dependent upon the soil
for their livelihood, will suffer.
The consequent suffering can be re-
lieved by the governments furnishing
| the unfortunates supplies, and medl-
cines, but Gen. Lee takes the view
| that this relief must be continued
probably for a long time. The pro-
| posed American exodus from Cuba
must be purely voluntary, and it is
not even proposed to present the alter
native of denying supplies If destitute
| Americans refuse to leave the Island.
It is simply proposed to give them an
opportunity to leave the island If they
| believe they can better their condi-
ton in the United States. It is the
belief of Gen. Lee that many persons
will avail themselves Of such an OPP
| portunity, and 1t Is possible that his
| Figures are not obtainable as to the
number of. American citizens in Cuba
| who are in actual distress, and in need
| of food or clothing, as the result OF
Weyler's order bringing them into the
towns. The state department is now
in correspondence with it's consuls, by
telegraph, seeking to get this informa-
ton as the basis for any message the
president may send to congress on the
subject of relief. But so far as Of
| ficially known to the department,
through the reports of the consuls,
made up to this time, the number OF
Americans in this condition is between
| $50 and 200.
In explanation of this small number.
it is said that most of the Americans.
natives, living in Cuba, are employed
in the higher branches of industries
or professions and are not actual
| workers Of the soil. The sufferers are
| mostly naturalized citizens, holding
| small parcels of ground upon which
| they have depended heretofore for "a
| livelihood. 1t is not doubted that there
| are more OF this class in, need than
| are yet known to the department, but
| it is hoped in the course of a few
| days, to have a fairly accurate census
| Of them. The agencies to be used to
| relieve those people are the United
| States consuls in Cuba, and it can be
| stated that the Spanish government
| through it's minister here so far from
| opposing the exercise Of such charit-
| able offices by the consuls has pro-
| fessed its readiness to assist in every
| proper way in the distribution of re,
| lief, which Is taken to mean that 1t
will guarantee safe conduct for the
| transportion parties over the island
| All the information which the state
| department Is receiving from official
| and unofficial sources confirms the pub
| lished reports of the restitution exist
| Ing in Cuba among those who are
penned up in the towns. Absolute
starvation is threatened owing to the
| lack Of food supplies. Reports also
| confirm the statements that many Of
| the sufferers are American citizens.
most of them, Of course, naturalized,
| but there are also others who are ma
| tive born Americans. It is learned that
| the administration, when the facts as
| to the existing restitution In Cuba
| first came to the knowledge Of the
| president, was disposed to move eau
| tiously as it was feared that precipitate
action might irritate Spain and posi-
bly, endanger the lives of our consular
/ officers when the character Of their
| reports became known to the Spanish
| authorities and the loyal subjects Of
Spain in Cuba. The Spanish minister
| Dupuy de LONE, however, on behalf OF
| his government, said that Spain would
be glad to welcome any relief which
| could be granted to those who were
in need in Cuba, and he suggested that
| any relief provided for by the United
States should be undertaken through
/ the agency Of the American Red Cross
This suggestion was viewed very IA
i yOrably In the beginning but some OF