The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-23

ficials for the food they were compelled
to buy in certain places. Within a
week, a leading Spanish merchant
slapped the former mayors face, after
taxi2g him and the former governor
with this and other stealings.
EXAMPLES OF ROBBERY.
Another example is the barracks built
for the concentrates, which appears on
the books TO have cost $160 900. The ma
terial was taken from dismantled build
ings; the labor was compulsory, and
the barracks could not have cost more
than $4,000 With such a record. and
the boast, 1--WE are not going to pay
any attention to Blanco's ORDERS" the
Spanish authorities of Matanzas can
not be expected to give to the starving
the care they require.
To show how cheaply the dead could
have been kept alive, but a glance is
necessary at the books of the United
States agent who is caring for desti
tute American citizens There have
been 1900 persons of the 'reconcen-
trado" class. Upon May q many of
them were in want. Since the Aneri
can agent came on that date, only half
dozen have died, and it has cost but
10 cents a day for each person at war
prices for food bought in Matanzas
City
WHAT CHARITY COULD EFFECT.
The daily ration is six ounces of pota-
toes, rice, Goldfish or jerked beef, six
ounces of cornmeal, four ounces of
sugar, two ounces of lard and an ounce
and a half of beans. The Cuban ply
sicians prescribe gratis, and the Cuban
druggists sell at cost. Such a ration
and medical attendance would save q.
500 souls in Matanzas, and tens and
tens of thousands in western Cuba.
The Red Cross society has a permit
from Weyler to go even into the rebel
camps. General Blanco doubtless would
extend every facility for its work now,
as it must be done only in the forti-
! fed towns, and only for obedient sub
jects Of Spain. Fifteen cents day
and the Red Cross should save life,
A few thousand dollars would save the
remains Of the rural population of
Cuba.
The Spanish authorities are seeking
to solve the question to the best of their
ability. ard are making endsaYOrs to
give able-bodied reconcentrados work,
and everything to SuccOr those who are
too weak to do anything for them
selves, but it must be admitted that
very little in this direction can be ex-
pected of the Spanish government,
when it is remembered that the au-
thOrItleS are elgnt months III arrears
to the soldiers, and experiencing the
utmost difficulty in providing food for
the armies IN the field.
THE RED CROSS SOCIETY.
Under these circumstances there is
only one way open to succor these des-
titute people, and that is to appeal to
the charitable people of Cuba for aid,
and to ask the international Red Cross
society to take the matter in hand. But
mere again the pride of the SDaniards
bars the way. and it is likely that the
distressing affairs existing in Cuba will
continue until some humane persons
arise in Europe or in the United States
| and make a determined effort to assist
those whose only crime is that they are
compelled to obey the orders of those in
authority The Spaniards, in some
cases, go even further than this. and
take the ground that the Red Cross
movement had been started in the
United States. Admitting that it is from
the United States, the insurgents re-
ceive their aid, so that it should be
from the United States that the move
ment in behalf of the suffering on both
chO1116 pOr77p