Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-14
THE CUBAN SITUATION.

1rst nc the Greek war news begins TO
lose interest for the reading public,
ror,es information from Cuba which
.eems likely TO move our government 10
take decided action with reference to the
affairs on that unhappy island.
During the past few days. by means OF
conferences with the President and the
Secretary of State, the Senate Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs has been made
acquainted with important reports sent
from Habana by Consul-General Lee
The information contained in these us
matches indicates, so 1t is SAID that num-
ureds of Americans, who nave peeh
driven from their homes in the INTERIOR
,ra starving to death in the Spanish
.amns. Nominally they are under the
nro,ection" of the Spanish, but the span
Ish are themselves but ill-provided Win
food. and do not seem to bother them-
selves at all as to the fate OF our
buneerine 'couhtryinen' Thus many or
,bero are eking out miserable exist
.rce in and about garrisoned towns and
are really as badly off as they would be II
shut up in prisons.
ca not only is our trade with cuba
practically suspended, but those OF our
citizens who have had TO fly from ther
homes there are in a state of woiul des-
litution and despair
II seems that, though Consul-General
Lee has done his duty fully, with re-
rpect TO informing the government at
washington as to these facts, little at
tentlon has been paid to. his commune
cations. The truth is that the PRESIDENT
,as disnatched a special commissioner,
Mr. Calhoun. to Cuba. and does not
wish TO take any important action on the
Cuban question until that gentleman
report has been received. Meanwhile
however. an important engagement mas
taken place. and the Spaniards have sur
fered severely. A column marching
across the country was ambuscaded by
The Cubans with deadly loss to the IN
vaaers In the retreat hundreds Of the
Standards are said TO have been killed.
This victory OF the Cubans must have
come at a time when their fortunes were
desnerately low. The New York Herald
has adyices that the Cubans are pract-
cally without conimissariat- and can
no longer live upon the country as FORM
erlv. They have scant supplies or pro-
visions. and no medical stores worth
sneakinc of. And so, of late, many OF
their men. worn out by ceaseless marches
and constant hunger have surrendered
to the Spanish.
Now. the only hope for the re-
nublic. 1t would seem, Is early
and positive action upon the part
Of the United States. The pend
ing proposition in the Senate is the joint
resolution offered by Mr.. Morgan. pro-
posing that the Cubans be recognized as
helligerents. II this should be adopted
bv both Houses, the President would
have 10 approve 1t before 1t could have
The effect of law. Nor is it probable that
II couid pass the House without the fact
heine made known that the President
favored IT, In the Senate however the
Cuban sentiment Is decidedly strong,
though Il Is weighted and obstructed by
the rules, or lack of rules, OF that body.
The long and short of the matter is
that the government at Washington Is
becoming very much alive to a state OF
things In Cuba, to which Consul-GeneraG
Lee has been vainly calling attention for
MANY months past. But unless an emer-
COMFY arises more acute than that now
presented, we doubt II any decided action
will be taken in advance Of Mr.. Calhoun )
report.
It will be easy enough to stave off ac-
ton until he can be heard from. 1t Is
admitted that responsibility now rests
with the Republican party, and it Will be
argued that 1t Is nothing but fair that
they should have time TO hear what Cal
houn has to say.
One thing. however, seems certain, and
that is that our government cannot much
longer delay sending relief TO those OF
our citizens who are starving to death
within the Spanish lines. A resolution
has been introduced proposing TO appro-
pirate the sum OF $4,000 for this purpose
end II the situation is as II IL alleged to
be. the country would approve OF this
expenditure, and be pleased to have II
E made available with the greatest possible
pEomptness
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A. has been noted IN our news columns.