The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-03-24
SrNAIUK fkOClUk'S
Observations While on the Island of
Cuba Given to the Senate.
The Condition OF the Reconcentrados ID
Terrible-There Are About OO.OOo Span.
ish Troops on the Island-The In.
surgents Number About $4,000.

w MdTCI lo.-StIdUOE
Proctor addressed the senate Thursday
afternoon, giving his observations
while on his recent visit to Gu bu. Sem
ator Proctor began by saying that
more Importance had been attached to
his visit than necessary, but he thought
public statement would be beneficial
The only thing, he said, that he had
said about the matter to the president
was that he was going and asked il
there was any objection to it and was
told that there was none. He had let
ters from Assistant Secretary of State
Day and business men of the United
States. He said that Gen. Lee and
other United States representatives in
Cuba afforded him opportunity to se-
cure information.
He denied that he made the state-
ment that the Maine was blown up
from the outside, but might have said
that was the opinion in Havana. The
senator thought there was no definite
information to be obtained upon this
feature.
Outside of Havana there was desola-
ton and misery People were sur
rounded by trochas and controlled by
forts or blockhouses.
His observations. he said, were in
the four western provinces. Outside
the trochas and forts there were no
habitations or people living.
The Spaniards, he said, held in the
four provinces only what their army
sits on.
Senator Proctor described at some
length the condition of the recon-
centrados, saying one-half of them had
died owing to the manner in which
they had been kept in the small houses
and bad sanitation. 1t was no wonder
one-half had died, he added.
He went to Cuba, he said. think ng
the condition of the people had been
overdrawn, but found their situation
terrible What he saw he could not
tell SO others could see.
In one place in Havana the senator
said he saw 400 emaciated people lay.
ing on stone floors with little clothing.
The children had no clothing. Ameri.
can people may be assured, he contin-
ued, that their bounty will reach the
destitute and he added: The condition
oE the reconcentrados will not be
changed until peace comes.
Gen. Blanco's order of November IL
is of little practical use. No beneficial
results had followed. For this he did
not blame Gen. Blanco, as Blanco
looked at the matter from a military
point of view.
AS to the military situation. he said
there were about so, 900 Spanish troops.
He thought they would fight we'll.
There was no artillery. The troops
live in barracks. The cavalry is mount.
ed mostly on ponies.
He said the Cubans had about 80, 600
men in the field and were very active.
The Cubans were we'll armed but
poorly supplied with ammunition.
About one-third of the Cuban army
are Negroes. The cavalry men furnish
their own horses.
The dividing lines between the par
ties is sharp. 1t is Cubans against
Spaniards. The autonomists, he did
not consider as they were inconsider-
able in number.
He inquired as to autonomy of men
of wealth, business and professional
men. Without exception their reply
was that it was too late for autonomy.
Representative Wheeler, of Alabama,
introduced the following joint resolu-
tion Thursday:
Resolved, that joint committee,
consisting of five members of the sem
ate to be appointed by the vice prcsi-
dent and five members of the
house to be appointed by the
hn IN
without delay to the two houses an
address to the government of Spain
declaring in firm and diplomatic
language that Americans and Amer
lean interests in Cuba must be pro-
tected and that the atrocities now per-
petrated in that island must cease
Resolved, That the executive be re-
quested to Immediately transmit this
address to the government of Spain by
such methods as he may deem most ad-
visable, together with letter of en-
dorsement and approval of this action
on the part of congress-"