The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-16
American Citizens are in The ScYorest
Straits.
OBJECTIONS
Madrid Newspapers my tho Govern.
m"nt afSI,uin SHOULD Never Parent,
INC waited States 40 Take Surh n
Sicp-Thn President viii nccn,.
mend Appropriation For Relief
Washington. MAY Il 1907

ne dehnite announcements was ,nndn
al me capitol to day that a message on
'he Cuhan question will he Sent Ia Can
sreSS py the President next MONDAY If
VII dchl specifically with the question
u ~ .ne oeprivnti"Ls to which American
et'i~ens are subjected In Cuba. and II viii
recommend an appropriation for NAV
relief ~ 80 'neif
IN considering ways and means Of
"iiuroihE substantial relief TO American n
clti|ehs In Cuba who are In distress
H"'hS 70 the war, the admins trat!on
uas ,Ia q pan Whicn may be put in opera
non II II is sanctioned by the Judgment
OF me United States consular officers in
ChDa, who. being on the ground arn
supposed 10 be best aiincd To Judge nf
ma elhcacy OF the proposed relief mems
lIrcS.
WILL BRING TlTt!M HOME.
rms plan Is In give notice ,hrourh
me american cnnsuls to all Americas n
of,iI"hS IN l'rha that the government,
M,ai 'i',aertake 10 remove Them from The
Island To the United States ir thew ca a,
sire. To do this will require action nv
I"hEreSS NOT necessarily in speciflc a,-
elo' i"a tlon OF the removal. but merely
me limitation OF the appropriation to the
senerai terms Of one for the relief OF
:thlerican - citizens In Cnba similar
man was adopted with hencnt I'm China
during he riutng incident 10 tbo rbi.
hesc-Ia panrse war and during The Ar
hCl1iLa troubles In Turkey
ne reason for this belief founded on
reports from Uniicl STATES Consul Con
cril' Lee and other United States CON
sular officers is that the war has 50 ,hcr.
"uShiF exhausted the agricultural re-
sources Of The island that II win ne q
'nne tlme before it vii! again in con-
oit!on to maintain It's population.
MIST RE, V0IfT\, INV
The proposed American exodus from
CuGa must he purely voluntary ana n
IS rot even proposed TO present the al
tentative OF denying supplies If dcstI
ute Americans refuse 10 leave the island
II Is the belief OF General Lee that MANY
persons viii avail themselves Of such an
opportunity. SO far as officially knayyn
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
or this small number It Is sa Ia that the
most OF the Americans Ewing In Cuba are
mpioyed in the higher branches OF in
"hStrS or professions and are not nc
'ua! workers OF the soil The sufferers
are mostly naturaiizca citizens. holding
small Parcels Of ground upon wh.ch they
nave depended upon heretofore for live
'1h'nd. IT Is not doubted that there are
more Of this class in need than are vet
Nh'NH 70 thc department., but II Is hoped
In the course of a few days TO have q
census OF them. The agencies to be used
to relieve these perple are the UnIied
states consu!s IN Cuba and the Spanish
government through It's minister here
has prnfessed eadlness to assist In the
distribution OF relief.
ABSOLUTE STARVATION.
Al! the Information which the State
Depart mont Is receiving from official and
unofficial sources confirms the published
reports OF the dcstiiulion existing in
Cuba among those who are porneh uD IN
the towns. Absolute starvation Is
threatened owing 10 the lack OF food sup
plies The reports also confirm the
statement tha. many Of the sufferers are
American citizens, most Of them, OF
course. naturaiized, but there are also
native born Americans. 1t IS learned
that the administration. when the facts
as 10 the existing destItu,ion In Cuba
first came 10 the knowledge Of the
PreSdcn, was disposed to move eau
tious!y. as It was feared that prccipi,aic
acton might irritate Spain and possibly
endanger the lives Of our officers when
the character OF their reports became
known 10 the Spanish authorities and
the subjects Of SEpn in Cuba.