The Red Cloud chief., 1897-05-21
AMERICANS in CUBA.
PRESIDENT CALLS FOR
$50, 900 FOR RELIEF.
The Money Required to Relieve Several
Hundred Citizens OF h Coun-
try Destitute In Cuba, or to Help Them
to Leavc-Din,cuItIcs Arise.

VAbHIN6TOS, May Is. After o long
conference with Secretaries Sherman,
Gage, Alger and Long and Attorney
General McKenna, during which Sem
ator Davis, chairman of the Senate
foreign relations committee, was ad.
mittcd, the President sent the follow.
ing message to Congress, which was
read ct the opening OF the session Of
sach house:
ITO the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentativcs Of the United States: OH.
Mal information from our consuls in
Cuba establishes the fact that a large
number Of American citizens In tho
island are In q state of restitution, sui.
fering for want Of food aud medicines.
This applies particularly to the rural
districts Of the central and eastern
parts.
1.-THE agricultural classes have been
forced from their farms into tho near
est towns, where they are without
work or money. The local authorities
OF the several towns, however kindly
disposed, are unable TO relieve the
needs OF their own people and are
altogether powerless to help our cit
izens.
"The istest report Of Consul General
Lee estimates that from six to eight
hundred Americans are without means
Of support I have assured him that
provision would be made at once to
relieve them.
ITO that end I recommend that Con-
gress make IN appropriation Of not
less han $50, QUO, to be Immediately
available for use under the direction
OF the secretary Of state. Il is desir-
able that O part Of the sum which may
be appropriated by Congress should,
in the discretion of the secretary Of
state, also be used for the transporta-
ton OF American citizens who, desir-
ing to return to the United States, are
without means to do so.
civilian MCKINLEY.
Before the Senate met the commit
tee on foreign relations held q coufer.
cnce and decided to report O resolu-
ton carrying into effect the Presi.
dents message in regard to Cuba.
After tho Presidents message had
been read the resolution introduced by
Mr.. Gallinger last Thursday, appro.
priating $50, 900 for the relief of desti.
tute citizens of the United States in
Cuba, was presented with amend
ments. IL provides for the expendi-
ture Of $500 DOC, under the direction Of
the President, in the purchase and
furnishing of food, clothing and medi.
cines to such citizens and for trans
porting to the United States such of
them 10 . desire and are without
means to transport themselves.
Mr.. Davis asked for immediate con.
sideration Of the resolution and there
was no objection. The only speech
was that Of Mr.. Gallinger. He said
that he had been impressed at the mass
meeting attended by 1900 people yes
terday with q statement made by q
correspondent who had travelled
through the stricken district Of Cuba
that the real trouble was that the
Cubans were herded in the towns and
prevented from going out to get the
food. The most effective relief would
DO . demand by the President and tho
government hat the Cubans be re-
leased from their bondage in the towns
and permitted to go where they could
secure food.
The resolution was then passed
unanimously, there being no response
TO the call for the nays. II had taken
exactly eighteen minutes for the read.
ing Of the message, the presentation
OF the committee report, the brief
speech and the final passage of the res
olution.
In the house Mr.. Hill Of Illinois
asked for the immediate consideration
OF . bill to appropriate $50, 900 for the
relief Of distressed Americans in Cuba,
but Mr.. Bailey Of Texas said that he
must object, unless an amendment
embodying Senator Morgan's resolu-
ton for recognition Of the insurgents
DO added. Mr.. Dingley objected to
the amendment, whereupon Mr.. Bailey
objected TO the bill and the Cuban ques-
ton wa sidetracked.
The plan to send relief to Cuba hal
given rise to some objections. Some
senators and representatives believe
that the bulk of supplies would reach
persons other than those for whom In
tended. The difficulty OF successfully
carrying out the scheme was presented
by Senator White thus: This propo
sition to relieve suffering American.
in Cuba presents some difficult ques'
tions. 1t establishes q precedent and
we cannot DO too careful about EN-.
barking on any totally new line Of
policy. There arc some serious prac.
ticsl difficulties presented by this prop
osition Arc we to go into a crowd Of
. thousand starving people and pick
out the few American citizens that
may DO among them and give then
food and say TO the others: You may
dep Are we 70 say to Consul General
Lee: Mr.. Consul General, whatever
YOU do. do not. give . morsel of food tc
q starving Cuban or o starving span
lard" Where arc we to draw the linz
in the distribution OF supplies? II
Is d difficult matter to deal with"