The herald., 1898-04-12

in their immediate vicinity, deprived OF tn,
means OF support rendered destitute o.
shelter. left poorly clad and exposed to tn,
most unsatisfactory conditions.
AS the scarcity of food increased will
the devastation of the populated areas o.
production, destitution and want became
misery and starvation. Month by month
the death rate increased In alarming ratio
By March, 1897, according to conservative
| estimates from official Spanish sources
the mortality among the reconcentrados
from starvation and disease thereto incl.
dent exceeded fifty per centum Of theil
total number.
| No Relief Afforded
No practical relief was accorded to the
destitute. The overburdened towns, al.
ready suffering from The general dearth
could give no aid. So-called zones of cul.
tivation, established within the immediate
area of military control about the cities
and fortified camps, proved illusory as a
remedy for the suffering. The unfortu-
mates being for the most part women and
children. with aged and helpless men, en-
feebled by disease and hunger, could not
| have titled the soil without tools. seeds
| UT SHelter, lOE lIelT OWu buppUTl VI lOE Tic
supply of the cities. Recommendation
| adopted avowedly as war measure in or
der to cut Off the resources Of the insurg-
| ents. worked its predestined result. AS
said in my message of last December, 1t
was not civilized warfare; It was EXTERN
| nation. The only peace 1t could beget was
that of the wilderness and the grave.
Meanwhile the military situation in the
island had undergone a noticeable change.
The extraordinary activity that charac-
terized the second year Of the war. when
the insurgents invaded even the hitherto
unharmed fields OF Pinar del Rio and car
ried havoc and destitution UP to the walls
of the city of Havana itself. had relapsed
into dogged struggle In the central and
eastern provinces. The Spanish army re-
gained a measure of control in Pinar del
Rio and parts of Havana but under the ex-
listing conditions of the rural country with
out immediate Improvement Of their pro-
ductive situation. Even thus partially re-
stricted, the revolutionists held their own,
and their submission put forward by
Spain as the essential and sole basis OF
peace seemed as far distant as at the out
set.
The Nations Duty
In this state of affairs my administra-
tion found itself confronted with the grave
problem of its duty, My message of last
December reviewed the situation and de-
tailed the steps taken with a view of re-
lieving its acuteness and opening the way
to some form of honorable settlement.
The assassination of the Prime Minister,
Canovas, led to change Of government in
Spain. The former administration, which
pledged subjugation without conces-
sion. gave place to that of more liberal
party. committed long in advance to a
policy of reform involving the wider prin-
cple of home rule for Cuba and Porto
Rico. The overtures of this government
made through its new envoy, General
Woodford, and looking to an immediate
effective amelioration of the condition Of
tho island. although not accepted to the
extent of admitted mediation in any shape,
were met by assurances that home rule
in an advanced phase would be forthwith
offered to Cuba without waiting for the
war to end, and that more humane meth
DDS should thenceforth prevail in the con-
duct Of hostilities. Incidentally with these
declarations the new government of Spain
continued and completed the policy al
ready begun by its predecessor. of testi-
flying friendly regard for this nation by
releasing American citizens held under
one charge or another connected with the
insurrection, SO that, by the end of no
vember, not a single person entitled In any
way to our national protection remained
in Spanish prison.
While these negotiations were in pro-
gress, the increasing destitution Of the un-
fortunate reconcentrados and the alarm
ing mortality among them claimed earnest
attention. The success which had attended
the limited measure of relief, extended to
the suffering American citizens among
them by the judicious expenditure, through
the consular agencies, Of the money ap-
propriated expressly for their succor by
the Joint resolution approved May "a, 1897,
prompted the humane extension of a SINH
lar scheme to that great body Of sufferers.
A suggestion to this end was acquiesced in
by the Spanish authorities. On December
24th last caused to be issued an appeal to
the American people, inviting contribu-
tions In monery or in kind for the succor
of the starving sufferers in Cuba. Follow
ing this, on January Sth, by similar pub
lilo announcement of the formation Of a
central Cuban relief committee, with head
quarters In New York City, composed of
the members representing the American
National Red Cross and the religious and
business elements of the community. The
efforts of that committee have been untir-
ing and accomplished much good. Arrange
ments for free transportation to Cuba have
greatly aided the charitable work. The
President Of the American Red Cross and
representatives Of other contributory or
ganizations have generally 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 committee.
Nearly 100000 in money and supplies has
already reached the sufferers, and more is
forthcoming The supplies are admitted
duty free, and transportation to the in
terior had been arranged. so that the re-
lief, at iirst necessarily confined to Ha
vana and the larger cities. is now extended
through most, II not all. of the towns
where suffering exists. Thousands OF lives
have already been saved.
Weyler's Order Revoked
The necessity for change In the coudi-
tion Of the reconcentrados is recognised
by the Spanish government. Within a few
days past the orders Of Gen. weyler have