The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-18

PICTURES NOT OVERDRAWN.
''Of the hospitals need not speak. 9th.
ers have described their condition far bet
ter than 1 can. 1t is not within the narrow
limits of my vocabulary to portray it.
went to Cuba with a strong conviction that
the picture had been overdrawn, but a few
cases of starvation and suffering had in
spired and stimulated the press correspond
ents, and they had given free play to a
strong natural and highly cultivated mag
nation. Before starting l received through
the mail leaflet published by the Chris
uan Herald, with cuts of some of the sick
and starving reconcentrados, and took it
with me, thinking these were rare speci-
mems, got up to make the worst possible
showing i saw plenty as bad and worse
many that should not be photographed and
shown. L could not believe that out of a
population of 100000 10000 had died within
t IneSe spanish forts. practically prison
actual starvation and diseases caused by in
sufficient and improper food.
MY inquiries were entirely outside of sem
Sdtlonal sources. They were made of our
medical officers of our consuls, of city al
caldeS (mayors), of relief committees, of
ieadlng merchants and bankers, physicians
ana lawyers. Several of my infOrmantS
were Spanish born, but every time the an
sWer was that the case had not been over
stated What ] saw cannot tell, so that
others can see it, 1t must be seen with
ones own eyes to be realized. The Los
Pasos Hospital, in Havana, has been re-
gently described by one of my colleagues,
senator Gallinger, and / cannot say that
his picture was overdrawn, for even his
fertile pen could not do that. He visited
II after DIR. Lessar, one of Miss Barton's
very able and efficient assistants, had rem
oVated 1t and put in cots. l saw it when
TOUR hundred women and children were ly-
ing on the stone floors in an indescribable
state of emaciation and disease, many with
the scantiest covering of rags, and such
rags, and sick children naked as they came
INTO the world. And the conditions in the
other cities are even worse.
Miss Barton needs no Endorsement from
me. l had known and esteemed her for
many years. but had not half appreciated
L especially looked into her business
methods, fearing here would be the great
want of system, and waste and extrava-
gance, but found she could teach me on
these points. visited the warehouse where
the supplies are received distributed !;
saw the methods of checking; visited the
hospitals established or organized and sup
piled by her; saw the food distributions
seems to ne to be conducted in the best
manner possible. The ample fireproof ware
house in Havana, owned by Cuban
firm, is given, with a gang of laborers, free
OF charge to unload and reship supplies.
THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
1.-The childrens hospital in Havana, a very
large, fine private residence, is hired at the
cost of less than 800 per month, not a fifth
of what it would command in this city. 1t
is under the admirable management of Mrs.
DR.. Lessar, of New York. q German lady,
and trained nurses. / saw the rapid i'm
provement of the first children taken there.
All Miss Barton's assistants are excellently
fitted for their duties. In short, 1 saw
nothing to criticise, but everything to COM
mend. The American people may be as
sured that their bounty will reach the
sufferers with the least possible cost and in
the best manner in every respect. And if
our people could see small fraction of the
need they would pour more freely from
their liberal store than ever before for any
cause.
when will the need for this help end
Not until peace comes and the reconcen-
trados can go back to their country. re-
plots, which quickly run up to brush in that
wonderful soil and cline, and until they can
be free from danger of molestation in sc
doing =, Until INT H. then the American people
that the alcaldeS, other local authorities
and RELIEF committees are now trying to dc
something and desire, believe, to do the
best they can. But the problem is beyond
their means and capacity, and the work is
one to which they are not accustomed.
General Blanco's order of NOV. 1S last
somewhat modifies the Weyler order, but is
of little or no practical benefit. It's appli-
cation is limited to farms properly de-
Tended, and the owners are obliged to bulo
pletely in the discretion of the local mil
itary authorities, and they know the terrible
stripping the country of all. possible shelter
food or source of information for an inSur-
gent, and will be slow to surrender this
advantage In fact though the order was
issued four months ago, saw no beneficent
results from it worth mentioning. l do not
impugn General Blanco's motives, and be-
lieve him to be an amiable gentleman, anc
that he would be glad to relieve the condi
ton of the reconcentradoS If he could do sc
without loss of any military advantage, bu
he knows that all Cubans are insurgents al
heart and none now under military control
will be allowed to go from under it.
II wish 1 might speak of the country, OF
its surprising richness. have never seer
one to compare with it. On this point
agree with Columbus, and believe every one
between his time and mine must be of the
same opinion. 1t is indeed land where
every prospect pleases and only man is
VILE.
81 had but little time to study the race
question, and have read nothing on it, Sc
can only give hasty Impressions. 1t is sait
that there are nearly 100000 Spaniards II
Cuba out of total population Of 100000
They live principally in the towns and
cities The small shopkeepers in the towns
and their clerks are mostly Spaniards
Much of the larger business, too, and Of
the property in the cities, and, in less de-
gree, in the country, is in their hands
They have an eye to thrift, and as every
thing possible in the way of trade and lie
Called monopolies, in which the countr!
abounds, is given to them by the govern
ment many of them acquire property.
did not learn that the Spanish residents O
the island had contributed largely III Dloo(
or treasure to suppress the insurrection.
There are, or were before the war, abou
1 GOO 600 CubanS on the island, 100000 Span
iards (Which means those born in SPAIN
and less than half a million of negroes ant
mixed blood. The Cuban whites are pur
Spanish blood, and, like the Spaniards, usu
ally dark in complexion, but oftener ligh
or blonde so far as l noticed than tn
Spaniards. The percentage of colored t.
white has been steadily diminishing TO
more than fifty years, and is not now owe
| % per cent. of the total. In fact, the mum
Der of eolored people has been actually oil
miniShing for nearly that time. The Cubal
farmer and laborer is by nature peaceable
kindly. gay, hospitable. ltght-hearted AM
| improvident. There is proverb among tn
| Cubans that Spanish bulls cannot be bret
| in Cuba'-that is, that the Cubans, though
| they are of Spanish blood, are less excitabl
and of a, quieter temperament. Many Gu
bans whom I met spoke in strong term
| against ball fighting; that it was bruta
| institution introduced and mainly patron
lied by the Spaniards. One thing that wa
new to me was to learn the superiority o
| the well-to-do Cuban over the Spaniard II
! the matter of education. Among those il
| good circumstances there can be no doub
| that the Cuban is far superior in this re
spect. And the reason of it is easy to see
| They have been educated in England
! France or this country while the Spaniar'
| has such education as his own country fur
| nished.
| quite the equal, mentally and physically, o
| the race in this country Certainly, phySic
for no 10 90