The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-25
AN APPEAL FOR AID.

| Washington, December 24.-Tha follow
| ing appeal to the American people has
been issued:
| Department of State, Washington, Dec.
"A, lo57:-By direction of the President,
the public is informed that, in Difference
to the earnest desire of the government to
contribute by effective action toward the
relief of the suffering people in the Island
OF Cuba, arrangements have been per-
fected by which charitable contribu-
tlon IN money or goods, can be sent to
the island by the benevolently disposed
people of the United States. Money,
provisions, clothing, medicines and the
| IKE articles of prime necessity, can be
forwarded to Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee, the
consul general of the United States Mt
Havana, and all articles now dutiable
by law, 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
boards for the distribution of such re-
lief among the destitute and needy people
of Cuba.
The President is confident the people
OF the United States who have on many
occasions In the past responded most gen.
| er usly TO the cry for bread from the
poor stricken by famine, or the really needy
who have been not less generous when
| their own countrymen have suffered from
ire 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
Oh thelr abundance to this humane end.
''John Sherman.
| The appeal was issued after consultation
with Mr.. Dupuy de LONE. The Spanish
minister today conferred with Judge Day
concerning theEeffect on the reconcentrados
on the island. He made it clear that the
| Spanish government would cooperate
| in any relief measures and that there was
entire Willingness that the supplies go
direct to Consul Gen. Lee instead OF
through the Spanish relief committee.
NOT IN WEYLER'S STYLE.
| Washington, December 24.-An official
| dispatch received here states that the
| Spanish authorities at Havana have
granted permission On to Sylvester SEQ
Vile to accompany Rafael Madrigal, the
United States consul agent at Sancti
| Spiritus to the camp of the insurGent
commander -in. n.chief, Gen. Gomez. The
trip of the consular agent is made for the
purpose of closing up the estate Of an
American correspondent killed in Cuba.
MIR. Scoville's mission is one of observa-
ton. He is an American correspondent
and was arrested in Cuba about a year
| ago. His case attracted wide attention
and was discussed in Congress. The
grant of passports to hin for this mission
is cited by the Spanish authorities as an
instance of the freedom with which Gen.
Blanco permits correspondent to conduct
their investigation.
CAN AID RECONCENTRAD
Havana, December 24-CapJain General
Banco has oabled to the Spanish minister
at Washington, informing him that
Americans have authority to send sup.
| plies to the reconcentrados of the island
without paying customs duty Gen.
pando, the Spanish commander-in- chief
in the field who landed recently on the
south coast of Santiago de Cuba, with an
escort in order to reconnoiter that part
of the islaud has not been heard from for
five days. 1t WAS first announced today
that he arrived safely at the city of San
tiago de Cuba, but the report was subse.
| quently officially denied and on the other
| hand there are reports current of the
general having attacked the insurgents in
that province with strong columns of
| troops the enemy accepting battle. Still
another report has 1t that Gen. Pando
arrived at Bair. In that vicinity and in
| the bayaIno district the insurgents are
| said to be in force we'll armed and sup.
| piled with ammunition. They are under
the command of Calixto Garcia and Rabi.
ANSWER TO OUR NOTE.
| Madrid, December 24-A council was
| held yesterday at which was read report
of United States Minister Woo ford to the
note of the Spanish government IN answer