Evening star., 1898-11-07
SERIOUS CONDITION IN CUBA.
Merchant Class Anxious for American
Rule. to Begin

In an interview with the Associated Press
correspondent al Havana yesterday lead
ing Cuban merchant of that city had this
! TO say of the situation in Cuba: 1T seems
10 me-and | think my views are shared by
many-that the United States government
IS dlilydallyinS too long with Spain over
THIS evacuation question. OF course the
problem is d difficult one, but the delay is
surely unnecessary. The United States has
st mt here an assortment of commissions
each more self-important and mysterious
than its predecessor. and each yelling its
operations with cloud of secrecy, which
so lar as my own experience goes, really
serves the purpose of obScuring issues and
concealfng very small achievements
Unless the Washington government
4erCts ltS lethdrS1c commissions into great
er activity Cuba will be an immense grave
yard and its fields barren before the I-ni1ad
States takes possession The daily records
Of mortality show that the population in all
parts OF the island is dwindling steadily
Entlre villages are dying of starvation On
at! sides the Spanards continue robbing
ana piundering. I'm the meantime these
sage. SoSsipng commissioners from the
l hited states SIT slipping cool drinks by day
ana seeking shelter by night with mortal
dread of fever, yet absolutely i,nperyious
10 lne demands of humanity.
me situation created by this uncertain
!! Is SUI further aggravated by the fact
ths't no one 0dres SOW crops or cultivate
lands until the present chaotic conditions
snow some rays of light to guide agricul-
tural efforts. There is no work for Idle
naluS. Day by day the number Of beggars
'iheEeS anu prostitutes increases, while the
number OF those able to relieve distress
ShrInkS III the same proportion. Thus far
the L tnlted States has sent in the name of
! humanity Il mere pittance of million ra-
ions, and the Red Cross Society has sent
TWO cargoes of supplies as to whose distri-
al
uEtaVorable comments How far can srch
TelIef be expected TO go?
Ihe present conditions cannot be- much
, longer protracted without subjectiug the
! United States to well-deserved criticism
More than this, the elements most in sym-
pathy with the United States are slowly
but surely falling off and Joining the ranks
OF the opposition. AS you are aware Senior
de castro. the civil governor, only yester-
Gay issued orders for the arrest of 263
criminals. recently released from jails and
The penal colonies at Ceuta and on the
Isle of Pines. This step was rendered
necessary by the increase, the alarming in
crease. in burglaries highway robberies
and assaults. While the blockade was on
the city was ruled with an iron hand and
| cases of assault and robbery were almost
unknown. Today, with the release of
criminals and the increase of poverty. the
list of murders and hold-ups is a very
! grave matter.
In addition to the already numerous
paupers and unemployed. driven to beg
from sheer necessity, there are many dis
charged Spanish soldiers entirely without
means of support. Their number reaches
| into the thousands. Many boys and young
girls of genteel extraction have been
| thrown on the streets to begin their lives
| as beggars or thieves. and to bring up in
| Jails and houses of fll-fame. Do the people
/ of the United States realize these things =?
\ Does the government of the United States,
| morally responsible before the world for
| the future of Cuba, intend to tolerate in
| definitely delay which, day by day, makes
| these bad conditions worse?'