The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-06-23
wEYLER AND THE pAc1F1co.

Some Consequences of His Way of Making War-Three Months In Cuba Under the Policy of Concentration How the Resources of the Island are Crippled-Starvatio and Plague.
 General Weyler's policy of concentra- ton Is bearing terrible consequences. It has made two hundred and fifty thousand Cubans homeless. It has taken away from them their only means of support. It has placed them where they are entirely helpless, This that policy has done at the worst sea- son of the year.
 The pacitlco Is the peasant, the agri- cultural laborer of the island. He Is a man of various colors. He has been &C., customed to live in matched house on little piece of land rented or leased from one of the great estates of the is- land. There he had his garden or mod est patch of fruit, and during the busy season has furnished the labor on sugar plantations. The pacifico of Cuba is all that the name implies. He has been content to let others do the voting and the office holding. With his fruit and vegetables and chickens, and with his occasional employment on the planta- tlon, he has led a simple, peaceful, con- tented life. In the four hundred years that Spain has had this island not public school has been established, and yet many of these pacificos can read and write little. In country where nature does so much it has never oc- cured toIthe pacifico to be prevalent. He has laid by nothing for bad day So it is that when he turns from his ru- ined crops and burning thatch he and his are face to face with absolute want
 General Weyler three months ago be- gan the enforcement of the orders of concentration. At the time he did so he announced that the Spanish officers in charge of the cities and towns to which the pacificos were driven would be in structed to issue rations to them. Pos- sibly the captain-general had that in tention. For a short time provision was made to distribute food, but it was little more than farcical To-day the pacificos are receiving nothing at most of the points of concentration. Food supplies are running so short that regu- lar residents of the cities and towns are not always able to get what they need. In town of Santa Clara a few days ago the commander of the garrison sent around detail and took possession of the flour in the stores of the loyal Span- ish merchants, saying that he needed it for the troops. A recent order of Wey- ler's to the district commanders directs the slaughter of all cattle. This is in line with the policy to starve out the in- surrection. That the captain-general means to enforce it was shown by what took place while he was on his way through Santa Clara province recently. From the car window, as the train moved along, General Weyler saw some cattle feeding. Turning to the officer in command of the district he asked:
 Didn't you receive an order to kill all cattle in the country?"
 "Yes," was the reply
 Then what does this mean?" the general demanded
 The officer explained that he had en- forced the order generally, but that the cattle were reserved for the troops, as food was running low.
 Well" the general said "get in enough of the cattle for the immediate use of the soldiers, and kill all that re- main.''
 If the soldiers are in straits, and the residents of the cities and towns can with difficulty buy the necessities, what must be the problem of suste- nance for the pacificos? General Wey- ler's argument for this policy is that such rigorous measures are demanded to crush the rebellion. The truth of the situation is that, of the insurgents, the Spanish troops the residents of the towns and the pacificos, the first men toned are feeling the starvation tactics least. Weyler's destroying columns cannot reach the little mountain val leys, upon the products of which the in surgents can subsist indefinitely. There is not much meat to be had, but the na- tives, who form the great majority of the army of liberation, can exist with out. If the policy of starvation must go on the insurgents viii be survivors. The poor pacificos are the first to go, and with the sickly season only just be- ginning they are being decimated even now.
 This island, which in normal times sells yearly to other countries one hun dred million dollars worth of its sur- plus products of the soil, so prolific is it, to-day Is drawing food from without.
 
 vated millions of acres formerly raised and fattaned great herds of cattle. Gu ba exported beef Within a couple of weeks contracts have been let in Flori- da for the supply of thousands of cattle to supply the Spanish army. Slaugh- tering in the towns and cities of the is land is almost at an end. The home pastures are empty loyal Spaniard serving in the volunteers returned to his farm and found his yoke of oxen gone. He was told by neighbors that Spanish soldiers had driven them away. Fol lowing the squad, he went to town and complained to the officer.
 'The soldiers must have neat was the answer.
 "But I am loyal" he argued. 'The oxen are all have to make my crop"
 The commander shook his head and said he could do nothing.
 Then give me receipt that l may at least be paid for the loss," the Span lsh volunteer said.
 If you are a loyal son of Spain you should be willing to do so much for your country" the officer replied, and that was all the satisfaction the Span- ish volunteer received.
 Only three months ago the authorita-