The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-11-18
WEYLER'S AWFUL WORK.
ssConcentrados'' Dying OF By Tens OF
Thousands in Western Cubs.

"Concentradosn Dying or By Tens Of
Thousands in Western Cubs.
New York, Nov. "a special from
Havana says: Weyler has gones but
his purpose to "exterminate the breed"
of the Cuban patriots is being fulfilled.
Starvation is killing the concentrates"
by. tens of thousands. Hunger is doing
what Spain's .2OO,O 900 soldiers cannot
accomplish. The frightful sufferings
of those who survive cry ont to the
mercy of the civilized world. The ply
sicians of Havana are now forbidden to
give starvation" as cause OF death.
A correspondent in the town of San
Domingo writes:
ga multitude of sick fall and die in
the streets here, and lie until, after
having served as ignominous spectacles
for some hours, they are collected and
hauled away in carts used for garbage to
the dumping grounds. Most Of these
bodies are thrown into the fields to be
eaten by the birds and dogs"
The birds' of which this correspond
ent writes are vultures.
Both the newspapers which support
cd Weyler and those who opposed him
are now forced to tell the half the truth
about the starving Concentrates !"
Here are some whole truths made un-
deniable. @
Since Weyler's proclamation driving
the country people into the towns was
issued, half the rural population OF
Western Cuba has died. Half OF those
who survive are SO weak, SO emaciated,
that the Pickering spark of life in them
will surely soon be extinguished. They
cannot survive, although Blanco, the
governor-general, has ordered that SER
vice rations be issued to them, rations
such as his soldiers get. The lives OF
the other half of the survivors Blanco
will save.
Photographs of starving children
speak louder than any words. These
photographs are taken at Guanabacoa
within an hours travel Of the palace
here. Remember that with natural
affection intensified by suffering the
parents of these children have given to
them every morsel they could scrape
together. The mothers of these child
rem deny themselves food, refuse to eat
the miserable scraps of meat and bread
that they may keep life in their child
rem. The children's legs were like
pipestems. One could count their
ribs. Their joints, made dispropor-
tionately large by emaciation, seemed
immense These are not isolated
cases. There are thousands and thou
sands like them. @
The assistant mayor of Havana says
that there are 49, 900 coAcentrados in
this city. Ragged, thin and starving,
these people are huddled in the public
buildings The hospitals are all full
as the graveyards. Certain not more
than 80 per cent of the deaths among
the concentrates in this city are re-
ported. But from these official figures
it is easily learned that the death rate
among the children of the concentrates
in hospitals and public buildings is 80
per cent; among the adults 30 per
cent, and the death rate in the smaller
cities and towns is even larger.
The absolute fact is that In Havana
the conditions are five times better,
more favorable than anywhere else in
Cuba. Yet the Spanish officials re-
ports prove that Its persons died in
Havana during the month of Septem-
Der last, and 2,278 during October.