The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-08
7. s. Commissioner Calhoun,
Who Has just Returned,
Says the Island VIII Soon Be
Worthless to Anybody
CHANGED HIS VIEWS.
Found the Whole People Are
Behind the Revolution.
Could Discover No Such Thing
as PacificatiOn.

New York, June SIN d COll 0A 90
tIon here Mr.. Calhoun, who has Just re-
turned from Cuba said:
The island is rapidly being devas-
tated by relentless, cruel and bitter
war so that in a short time it Will not
be worth anything to any one.
TT is difficult to get at the exact sit
uation there. In the first place, there
is a severe censorship of the press and
those who are naturally friendly to
Cubans hardly dare to express their
views and opinions.
Furthermore, the adherents of both
sides are exceedingly intense. They
tell their stories just as they want you
to believe. From the Spanish point of
view, the island is pacified, and from
the Cubans, the insurgents never were
in such excellent shape as they are
now"
Did you go into the interior of the
island2' was asked.
Yes, I went from Havana to Matan-
zas. While both are on the seacOast
still to so from one point to the other
by rail, takes you through a large part
of the interior country 1 also made
several short trips from Havana in 9TH
er directions"
What is the condition of the coun-
try?''
1T seems to be entirely depopulated,
and there are no signs of any buildings
standing. except at the railroad sta
tions.
These, by the way, are practically
forts, and I was Informed that the same
conditions exist throughout the Cuban
island from Havana to Pinar del Rio,
except in the extreme eastern end.
There is where the Cubans get their
supplies and their cattle. They control
that section. It was the portion of the
island which held out ten years in the
last war.
cuba is undoubtedly a magnificent
country. It is rich and beautiful and
the soil responds 'bOuntifully to the
seed.
While am not called upon to make
any formal report to the president, be-
cause acted merely as counsel to
General Lee in the Ruiz case, still I
may be asked to tell Mr. Mckinley
and the secretary of state of things
which I have seen and heard in my
brief trip to the island of Cuba In this
event. I will readily do So
Mr.. Calhoun says that hallad formed
an impression before leaving the states
that negroes, and possibly bandits were
the chief agents in the insurrectiOn. He
had not been there three days before he
was convinced the whole strength of the
Cuban people is back of the insured
tiOn. He became satisfied that it was
IN reality the struggle of Cuba for the
Cubans and that they would fight des-
perately for independence. Everything
he subsequently saw and heard strength
ened this belief.
Calhoun had heard the reports of
credited them in some degree. His stay
in Cuba destroyed this notion. He
could not find the pacifcation which
was reported. Instead, he found signs
of war everyWhere-even at the gates
of Havana. The Spanish troops held
certain parts of the island as an army
of occupancy while the insurgents were
making constant and often successful
raids. Mr. Calhoun was so impressed
with these evidences of actual warfare
that he gave out a blunt statement say
4r no N on n # Ta 4
that the devastation was growing.
Mr. Calhoun could not discover that
any approach to civilized methods of
warfare was being made on either side.
He was overwhelmed with evidence to
show the atrocities committed by the
soldiers under Weyler, particularly the
Guer1llas who form a part of the regu-
lar army Such cases as he was able
to investigate personally, generally
proved to be correctly stated He also
learned It was true that the Red Cross
society was not permitted to exercise
Its offices of mercy between the two
cOntending parties. This refusal was
on the part Of the Spanish government
MI CalHOun personal inquiries and
investigation satisfied him that the
starvation and suffering caused by
Weylers RECOMMENDATION order were
not exaggerated. He saw the scenes of
human misery at Matanzas, which
determined him to look no further into
Ehat phase or the war, because he had
seen enough
hC9SiDAy nave q determining
effect in deciding whether the warfare
IN Cuba has reached the state of saw
agery that justif1es the United States in
intervening on the grounds of civiliza-
1on and humanity. That the effect of
NeylerS $ concentration order is to de-
populate Cuba he is thoroughly con-
Ylhced, though he may not assume the
responsibility of saying that such is its
purpose That its effect is greatest in
starving women and children he will be
able TO state without reservation.
MI Calhoun was not strongly i'm
pressed with the claim of the insllrsenfes
to recognition as belligerentsas beliie-ar-
ency IS usually defined by the lawyers.