The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-12
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
Pitiable Condition of Cubans as Set
Forth in Letter From Havana.

Il
Forth in Letter Prom Havana.
New York. Sept. ia special to the
/ Press from Washington saws.
Senior Tomas Estrada Palma has lust
received a communication from the rep
resentative of the Cuban revolutionary
| government, who secretly has been in
Havana since the beginning of the war.
| The letter is as follows:
The situation of the Cubans in this
city and province is in truth critical.
The termination of the war, in which
we rejoice at the independence of the
island has brought with it direful woe
to the Cubans and demands immediate
attention and it is this kind of affairs
that cOmpelS me to write to you at
this time in the hope that you will be
able to present the case to the Ameri-
can government and secure Immediate
relief
Each days delay in the adjustment
of affairs to bring about the Spanish
evacuation increases our sufferings and
still further complexities the problem of
reconstruction which confrOnts US. It
would be far from possible for me to
paint the exact situation as it exists in
one small letter. The war is ended and
at the same time we are not living in
peace. Nevertheless, in the rejoicing
over the outcome, the victims of the
war, the real sufferers, are almost en-
tirely forgotten. The victims are the
Cubans Neither the United States nor
Spain has suffered from the ravageS
of war upon their own territory, while
all the destruction and devastation
wrought by the struggle has been en-
dured by poor, suffering Cuba and the
end is not yet.
I'VE are, as it were, between two
fires. We must keep peace because
the United States and Spain are no
longer engaged in active strife and we
must endure all the atrocities, cruelties
and barbarism imposed upon us by the
Spaniards, worse now than before the
signing of peace measures, because they
nT1Ts
island and they desire to heap all the
vengeance upon US that is in their pow
er to do.
"Chaos reigns in Havana. The pub
lie service has, in nearly all depart
mentS. been practically abandoned and
the employees thus being thrown out of
their positions, take the more from US.
What is true of the civil authorities is
dOubly true of the soldiers. The in
dustrial public is completely paralyzed.
All animals, all horses, have been ia
ken away to meet the necessities of
the Spanish army. There is nothing
for the labOring people, for the poor
classes, the large majority of whom are
CubanS, to do.
Matters have not improved for them
since the raising of the blockade The
poor man who manages to plant a lit
tie garden place to save himself anu
his family from starving finds that just
as he is about to harvest his little crop
he is made the prey of the sOldlery,
who rob him of all. The city is full of
der and destroy all they can. Neither
is there any justice nor attempt at
punishment for offences, even the most
grave.
The municipal officers are nothing
more than figureheads and they are
seeking to get all possible before leav-
ing Cuba, it makes no difference at
what loss or suffering to the people of
this city. The commercial people, the
most of whom are Spaniards, are hos
tile to the Cubans. The rich alone can
live; the poor must die of hunger and in
the greatest misery.
ITO make it worse the colonial gov
eminent has advanced the custom du-
ties 20 per cent since the blockade was
raised. The government is liberating
the most dangerous criminals, while
political prisoners are treated with the
utmost cruelty. A short time longer of
the present condition of affairs and the
entire Cuban population will be depend
ent upon the noble charity of the Red
Cross. The press is again beginning to
defame Cuban liberty and the Spanish
censor is maintaining a policy worse
than in the times of Weyler.
What I particularly wish to have
you obtain for US is the aid of the
American government in preventing the
cOnfiscation of Cuban property by the
Spaniard, which is going on at an
alarming rate every day. The Cubans
are poor enough, but their condition is
growing steadily worse by plumber and
robbery. Again, we desire to have the
censorship raised so that the whole
world may know of our suffering. That
would do more than all else to stay the
ravages of the Spaniards."