The times., 1898-11-03
Our shnme In Cubn.

The primary cause of the short but
bloody and costly war with Spain-the
expenses of which still continue-was
her oppression of the unhappy people
of Cuba The demand for our interfer-
ence became vastly stronger after the
effects of the Weyler policy were ap-
parent Perhaps even more than the
fiendish destruction of the Maine, with
her gallant sailors. the report of Sena-
tor Proctor on the sufferings of the
starving Cubans was the exciting cause
of the declaration of war. The
hearts of the American people
were stirred with the deepest
pity by the recital of his ex-
periences in that afflicted island. Moth
ing in Dante or Milton gives so painful
a view of the effects of hellish malig-
nifty and devilish spite as his story of
the starving women and children, inno-
cent of all offense. II was this
which made Americans ashamed when
they sat at bountiful feasts; that gave
force to the words of Democratic ora
tors in the national legislature; won
to their side Republican minority, and
provided them with the strength to
compel reluctant. peace-loving Presi-
dent to cease his idle paiavering with
the Spanish monsters ana call for stout
hearted young men to invade the Cuban
hell and drive out the oppressors of the
helpless innocents.
How nobly the sons of Columbia re-
sponded, how bravely they fought, how
gloriously they Won and how sorely they
suffered at the hands of the incompe-
tents who had been placed in authority
by partisan politics, is story too new
TO need present telling. How the Ad-
ministrati tion has failed to profit by their
courage, their success and their afflic-
the brutality of the foe, The Times has
told almost daily since the protocol
was signed. apparently without effect.
Since the truce was arranged by the
agent of a defeated enemy. not less
than five thousand survivors of the
hundreds of thousands who Were the
victims of Weylerism have starved to
death in Havana. in plain sight of an
American Commission. if it had not
willfully closed its eyes to the piteous
spectacle-women and children, be-
longing to the well-to-do class. who
had been able to tide over the period
of Spanish resistance, but who were at
last reduced to penury. They starved
to death under Blanco's continuation
of the policy of the infamous Weyler
If the President enjoys his dinner and
-,a ", ~ cnff I,al ,t
because he fails to realize his own re-
sponsibility for the cruel death of these
wretched women and children.
Before the ink was dry on the peace
protocol he received from Miss Barton
a request by telegraph to be allowed to
enter Havana with boatload of pro-
visions for these starving people; and
vessels with supplies in the harbor. Cen
eral Blanco-who had issued procla-
nation condemning his own govern
ment for the surrender and cursing the
Americans as cowardiy mercenaries-
refused to allow the provisions to be
landed and the starving to be fed. ex-
cept under impossible conditions The
chief of these was the payment of an
enormous sum into the treasury of
Spain. or, in lieu of that, the turning
over of the supplies to Spanish off
cers-who would see that the starving
Cubans received none. Later, after
most of the sufferers had died of star
walton. he offered to allow the things
to come in as favor if the sovereignty
of Snain were recognized n pronositinn
which the President rejected.
So the five thousand have died and
other thousands. who were still not
without means. have become poverty
stricken. The blighting influence of
Spanish tyranny still prevents the Gu
bans from becoming self supporting
and every day some persons, hitherto
able to live, come to their last crust
In the interior, wherever a smaller force
of Spanish soldiers retain their mas
terry, the condition is the same While