Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-28
FOR POOR Of CUBA
Generous Response From the Ameri-
can People Hoped.
MONEY Sent TO CONSUL GENERAL LEE
Acute Distress Throughout the
Island.
SUFFERING OF THE PEOPLE

The movement inaugurated by the gov
ernment for the relief of the people in
distress on the Island of Cuba has already
received a substantial impetus, and the out
lCok is regarded as exceedingly encourag-
ing Tor general and generous response
from the people of the United States. Two
contributions of money have been already
received at the State Department from
charitably disposed persons, whose names
are withheld at their own request. One
amounted to 5000 and the other to So.
The money was remitted by telegraph
this morning to Consul General Lee at
Havana for immediate use in relieving
the more pressing cases.
Discussed ut Cabinet Meeting.
President Mckinley is deeply interested in
seeing a great success of the plans of amer
| lean aid for the starving Cubans. He sim
cerey hopes that every American will do
| what he can to aid in the subscription now
| being made. This is true of each cabinet
officer and of the officials of the admins
tratlOn generally.
At todays cabinet meeting the situation
was discussed and the President expressed
the belief that there would be a generous
response from all sections of the country
to the appeal sent out few days ago. The
| responses so far at the White House have
been few. but it is not expected that the
subscriptions will begin to be large or nu-
merous for the next few days. Not many
of these subscriptions will pass through the
White House. They will be made direct to
Consul General Lee or go to the State De-
partment from which they will be for
warded to the American consul general.
The President was pleased at the contri-
button of 5000 forwarded to General Lee
today. He hopes to see many repetitions
of this. He knows how grave the situa-
tion is on the island and that much money
and provisions are needed. He has been
kept posted to the situation and would
not have issued the appeal had he not
known that it was the last and only hope
of succor for the afflicted natives of the
island. Knowing the imperative necessity
OF speedy aid, the President hopes that the
country will also see the Importance of do
iES something without delay. He would be
Sratited to see the responses to his appeal
such as to show to the world the spirit of
charity ard humanity so characteristic Of
Americans.
1t is thought that the first and largest
subscriptions will be from the larger cities
and that these will be followed by sub
scriptions from all quarters.
The cabinet members will probably ex-
hibit an activity testifyng the interest of
the administration in the success of the
plan of relief Their individual efforts are
likely to be felt within a few days Post
master General Gary will probably give his
time to some work in Maryland, and in
every way possible this will be followed by
other members of the official family
President Mckinley has the greatest con-
fidere in Consul General Lee to do the
most good with the funds and articles sent
to him. He believes that General Lee will
and how to place it, He thinks that direct
contributions to General Lee would be of
benefit at this time.
Of11cial advices to the State Department
Ch hot
many thousands Of people in Cuba, and
mat the local authorities are powerless in
the matter. Starvation not only impends.
but Is an actual condition. The President
ard the Secretary of State have been in
formed of this most distressful state of af-
fairs from sources whose credbility can
lot be questioned. 1t was or informa ton
OF this character that the recent executive
appeal to the benevolence Of the people of
the United States was based.
The Presidents Appeal.
That appeal was as follows
department Of State
WASHINGTON, December "a, 1897
by direction of the President, the pub
lie Is informed that, in Difference to the
earnest desire of the government to con-
tribute by effective action toward the re-
lief OF the suffering people in the island
of Cuba, arrangements have been per
fected by which charitable contributions in
money or in kind can be sent to the is
land by the benevolently disposed people
of the United States. Money, provisions
clothing, medicines and the like articles
of prime necessity can be forwarded to
General Fitzhugh Lee, the consul general
of the United States at Havana. and all
articles, now dutiable by law, so consigned
will be admitted into Cuba free of duty
The consul general has been instructed to
receive the same and to cooperate with
the local authorities and the charitable
hr.r f1,, -%,;I~,
among the destitute and needy people of
Cuba.
THE President is confident that the peo-
pie of the United States who have on
generously to the cry for bread from peo-
pie stricken by famine sore calamity,
who have beheld no less generous action
on the part of foreign communities when
their own countrymen have suffered from
fire and flood. will heed the appeal for aid
that comes from the destitute at their own
threshold. and especially at this season OF
good will and rejoicing give of their abund-
JOHN SHERMAN"
In the issue of this appeal, the President
went to the limit of his constitutional
power In bringing the matter to the atten-
ton OF the American people. The State
assist in mitigating the conditions in Cuba
and in pointing out the way to further al
leviate the intense suffering of the recon-
CentFdOO6S.
Secretary Sherman and Assistant Secre-
tary Day expressed the hope today that
the American people would come promptly
to the relief by subscriptions of money
clothing, medicines and supplies Of various
kinds.
The Stars Subscription Fund.
Judge Day said that the newspapers could
render valuable aid in carrying on this hui
name movement. and he applauded the
action of The Evening Star Company in
starting a popular subscription and in its
eldeavor to arouse the charitable people of
the District to full realization of the ex-
treme urgency of the situation.
1t was explained at the State Department
te day that complete arrangements have
been made for the prompt distribution of all
contributions of money, food. clothing, etc,
ard that Consul General Lee has under.
taken, with the aid of the American con-
sular officers in Cuba, to give personal at
tention to the alleviation Of distress by the
distribution Of the gifts Of the American
people One Of the line steamers plying be-
tween New York and Havana-the Ward
vJuo-hae rfo koy fso o,rl