Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-14
CONDITIONS IN crRA.

There was laid before the United
States senate yesterday n statement,
made up from reports TO the state de.
partmcnt Of American consuls in Cuba,
showing the conditions that prevail in
that island. 1t will command the scri-
Gus attention of the country. Tor 1t
shows shat newspaper reports Of the
privation, hardship and suffering of the
people within Spanish jurisdiction have
not been exaggerated. but have rather
told less than the facts According to
| these consular reports, the trustworthi-
ness of which will not be questioned,
there Is most deplorable state Of at-
| fairs in the portions of the island under
| Spanish authority. The poor people who
| have been compelled to leave the rural
| districts and take up their residence in
the towns do not have sufficient food
and being without means and without
employment their suffering from hunger
! Is great. Some of these unfortunates
are said to be Americans and it appears
that no more consideration Is shown to
them than to the Cubans.
The policy of the Spanish authorities
of concentrate the people in the towns
may bo necessary from u military point
of view. but there can be no excuse for
the cruelty of leaving these helpless peo-
pie to starve. That is kind of brutal
barbarism which the civilized world
should protest against ana which 1t is
quite impossible for the American people
to regard with Indifference. The report
submitted to the senate states that
deaths of Americans from starvation are
daily reported. Every such death Is n
murder. under circumstances as cruel
rs can well be imagined. and there viii
be very general concurrence In the
opinion expressed by the members of
the senate foreign relations committee
that the situation should be rcmedicd if
possible. The remedy is to be found
in the Spanish government making pro-
vision to feed the people who are driven
from their homes in the country 10 the
towns. but it has thus far shown no dis
position to do this and 1t is not likely to
do it. What. then, can be done in the
matter? Our government might per
haps. very properly demonstrate against
the treatment of Americans, but If the
Spanish government should reply that
Americans must take their chances with |
others we should have to conccdc the |
point. The United States cannot under |
take to cOmpe, Spain TO feed anybody |
and our efforts can properly go no
further than TO call the attention of the |
Spanish government TO the cruelty and |
barbnrity Of the policy in operation in |
Cuba and urge II change
1t appears that President Mckinley is |
making very careful and thorough in |
vestigation of the condition of affairs
in Cuba, in which there is every reason |
to believe he feels n profound interest |
Meanwhile resolutions in congress for |
granting belligcrent rights or recognize
ing Cuban independence will serve no
good purpose. but rather tend to EN-
bnrrass the executive department of the |
government. to which belongs exclusively |
the right to determine these questions |
1t IS safe to say that Il large ma iority of |
the American people are in favor of
''''' '''- ''4' I'I'SiNtiIl' 'S WIS Silu DN /
Senator Morrill, in the course of the !
Cuban debate in the senate on Tuesday. |
II free hand in Cuba, not doubling that |
Mr.. Mckinley will act with reference to |
the duty. The obligations and the inter
ests of the United States when he shall !
have obtained fun information regard !
ing the situation in Cuba