The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-12
.THBEMESSAGB
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coz Inae.l Fro u rIr.t rsg..

. Continued From First Page. n E
Mo. Tho agricultural population, 70 the
estimated number OF 300,o0o or more.
was herdet within the towns and their
Immediate ylcinage. deprived Of tho
means OF support, rendered destitute
q shelter, left poorly clad, and exposed
70 the most unsanitary conditions. IA
z Inc scarcity OF food Increased with the
devastation OF the depopulated areasiof
production, destitution and want be-
came misery and staryntion. Month BY
month the death rate increased!'in an
4 alarming ratio. BY March, 1887, ac-j
cordlng TO conservative estimates from
official Spanish sources, tho mortality
among the reconcentrados, from starva-
ton and the diseases incident thereto.
exceeded fifty per centun OF their total
number. No practical relief Way ac-,
corded to the destitute.s The overbur-
dencd towns, already suffering from
The general dcacth. could give no adds
& iilusory Schemes. ..i u
s;o-cai,ed Zones OF cultivation cs.3
tabllshcd within the lmmed late area OF
effective military control about the clt-
Z les and fortified camps proved illusory'
as a remedy for the suffering. The un-
fortunates, being for the most partwo-5
men and children with aged and helps
less men. enfeebled by disease and hum
ger, could not have titled the soil. With
out tools, seed or shelter. for thelr own
support or for the supply of the cities.
p Representation, adopted avowedlyS as
d, war measure in order 70 cut of the
resources Of the insurgents, worked Its
7 Dredestined result. As I said In my mes
( saSe of last December, 1t was not civi-;
{ 1lzsd warfare; It was determination.
The. only peaceit could beGet was that
OF the wilderness and the grave while
the military situation In the island had
undergone q noticeable change. The ex-
traordinary activity that characterized
the second year OF the war. when tho
insurgents invaded even the Altherto
unframed fields OF Pinar del Rio and
carried havoc;and destruction up to the
{ walls otAthe, city OF Havana Itself, had
relspsed into n ,dogge1ss,ruSglei in the
( central and eastern PROVINCES. The.
Spanish arms regalned atmeasure OF
control In ,Plnar del Rio and pasts OF.
Havana, but, under, the existing condi-i'
lions OF. the rural country, without im-1
mediate Improvement OF their produce
tive situation. Even thus partially re-
strlcted the revolutionists held their
own and thei- conquest and submis-
sion. put forward bv Spin ma the es-
Eentlal and sole basis ofspeace, Seemed
as far distant as at the loht set.t Z. = lsyTS
In this state OF affairs!uiy adihinistfaA
tor, found Itself confronted with the
grave problem Of its duty Ny message
OF last December reviewed the situa.
ton. and narrated the steps taken with
aiviewS to relieving its acuteness and
opening the way to some form of hon
orable settlement. The assassination OF
the prime minister, Canovas. led to n
change OF government iu Spain. The
: CORNER administration pledged to sub
Jugation without concession gave place
to that OF 4 more liberal party. COM
nIitted long In advance to; a policy OF
reform involving the wider principle OF
home rule.
overtures of Un.ted States.
s The ove.tures OF this government,
made through its new envoy. General
woodtord,s and looking to an immediate.
ana effective amelioration OF the con-;
di,ion of the island. although not ac-
cepted to the extent or admitted medi-.
alton In any shape. were met by assur-l
ances that home rule inriana advanced
phase, would DE forthwith offered Ito
y Cuba. without waiting for the war to
end, and that more humane methods
should tthenceforth prevail. in the con-
duct or hostilities. Coinc!dentaily, With
these declarations. the new. government
OF Spain continued and completed the
policy already begun by its predeces-;
az Sacftfpirr frta a..
t1is nation by releasing American citi-.
.ens held under one charge or another:
connected with the insur-ectlon, so that,
by the end OF November, mot single,
person entitled IN any way to our ma
lional protection. remained in Span
ish prison. :
While these negotiations were In;
progress. the Increasing, restitution OF
the unfortunate recoucentrados, land.
the alarming mortality among them
claimed earnest attention: The success
which had attended thu limited meas
ure OF relief extended to the suffering
American citizens among them by the
judicious expenditure through the con-
sular agencies OF the money approprl-s
ated expressly for their succor by the,
Join. resolution approved May "a, 1897,
( prompted the humane extension OF AZ
similar scheme OF aid to the great
body OF sufferers. A suggestion to this
end was acquiesced In by the Spanish
authorities -
On}the 9th Of December last, L caus4
ed 90 DO issued an appeal to American
people. inviting contributions In money
or In kind for the succor OF the starving
Sufferers In Cuba, following this on the
Sth OF January by Similar, public an
nouncement OF the formation OF a Gen.
tral Cuban relief committee, with head
quarters In New York City, composed OF
4 three members representing the AmerI-Sl
can National Red Cross and the relIg-3
iors. and business elements OF the COM
nunity. The efforts OF that committee
have been untlrins and accomplished
much. Arrangements for free .transpor-i
talon to Cuba have greatly aided the
charitable work. The president OF the
American Red Cross and representa-
tives OF other contributory organiza.,
tons have generously visited Cuba, and
co-operated with the consul general and
the local authorities to make effective
distribution OF the, relief collected
through the efforts OF the central COM
nlttee. Nearly 100000 in money and
supplies has already reached the suffer-
ers, and more Is forthcoming. The
supplies are admitted duty free. and
transportation to the interior has been
arranged, so that tho relief, at FIRST
necessarily confined t6 Havana and the
larger cities, Is row extended Through
( most IL not oil OF tho towns where a,,f ,