Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-23

HUOut mfhutes A1ter We ha1
passed and quite skirmish ensued. At
all events, We brought in several of the
wounded Spaniards. 1 mention this 10
show You how easy ii is for the Insurgents
to approach the very gates of Havana.
THE city of Matanzas lies on the north
coast OF Cuba. about eighty miles east
OF Havana, and has population OF about
10000 1t has fine haraor. from which,
prior TO the war, over 10000 900 worth
of sugar was annually shipped.
Such was the town. such its surround
ings, before the adoption of General
Weylers policy of recommendation The
nature of that order and its result is a
tale oft told. 1t meant a war by starva-
ton. Its purpose was the determination
of the Cuban people and laying waste he
island.
A Dreadful Order.
"It was a dreadful order in its conccp-
ton and horrible in its execution. Defend
ed upon the theory of military necessity.
| it has thrust into hunger's grave during
the last year certainly not less than 100000
non-combatants. They were compelled to
meet death through the slow, agonizing
process of starvation.
One gets some idea of this policy of
RECOMMENDATION during the railway journey
from Havana to Mantanzas. The trip COR
sumes about two and half hours time
over fairly good road. 1t goes through
the most fertile part of the island No
sugar estates are grinding, only blacken-
ed ruins stand to mark the spots where
they once existed. One sees miles and
miles of burnt cane. While making this
trip smoke was constantly rising beyond
the hills, evidence of the fact that the
work of destruction was still going on.
In this short journey We passed through
Six little country villages.
IN WeylerS order the people from the
surrounding country had been driven into
these towns like cattle INTO pens. In The
execution of this order the soldiers went
to their homes, burned them over their
heads. DESTROYED their growing
down their beautiful trees. confiscated their
cattle, and in many instances drove the
young girls to the Spanish soldiers. In
deed. they utterly laid waste the holdings
of these people and drove them into the
towns like sheep. These were not the able
bodied Cubans; on the contrary, they We're
only old, decrepit men, the women nd
helpless children. Their fathers and their
brothers were fighting for the independ-
ence of Cuba There these reconcentrados
as they are called, We're herded behind
barbed-wire fences. Trochas, or trenches
were thrown up around them. They were
| guarded by Spanish soldiers. They were
forbidden, under penalty of death. to go
out and cultivate the soil. They were Civ
en- neither food, employment nor shelter
They built huts for themselves from the
bark taken from the royal palm.
Starving Today.
! For a time they were supported by the
villagers, who shared with them their SUBJ
stance as long as it lasted. This was soon
exhausted, and in the very bosom of the
most bourteous land or the face of the
earth they were compelled to starve. I'm
der just such conditions they are starving
today. Under Just such conditions they will
continue to starve, unless relief comes from
this government, until the last one is dead.
They had only such clot hing covered
them at the time they were seized by the
soldiers. Their children are naked. Such
are the workings of this policy of recon
centration.
These country towns between Havana
and Matanzas give the lie to the Spanish
assertion that the policy has been aban-
doned 1t is true that Gen. Weyler has
been recalled; it is true that our President
received such assurances as enabled him to
advise Congress that Spain had modified
the horrible order Of concentration, and
had undertaken to care for the helpless and
permit these who desired to resume the
cultivation of their fields to do SO, assuring
them of the protection of the Spanish gov
eminent while in lawful occupation.
Conditions Contrasted.
Through this country of desolation and
waste we approached Matanzas. / have
tried to tell you what it was at one period.
Let us see what it is now. There are in
the suburbs of that town, confined within
the trochas over 1900 women and chill
dren, in all conditions Of starvation. We
visited their camps and hospitals. In one
ward there were about 100 women and
children. While we stood there FIVE died in
a few minutes. The man in charge said
that before morning probably fifty more
would be dead. l afterward learned that
between fifty and sixty died that night-all
from starvation. 1 remarked to Miss Bar
ton, who was standing near me, that prob
ably these scenes were not unusual to her.
She replied that she had never seen Starya-
ton before; that the most dreadful scenes
in Armenia were not comparable to these
we were then witnessing.
1.-The little food they had had was en-
tirely exhausted. They could appeal only
for cold water.
In limekiln in Matanzas seventeen of
these reconcentrados Were sheltered. They
were unable to build for themselves even
huts. When swarms of vultures and the
stencil of dead bodies brought discovery,
only four of them were found alive. They
were identified as living human beings.
They We're merely skeletons with the skin
stretched hard over their bones, like parch-
ment a drum.
The Thought Sickenins.
'I cannot permit myself to continue this
line of thought. What applies to Matanzas
applies to every town and village in Cuba.
Its recollection is a horrible nightmare 1
sometimes wish L had only seen il
through other eyes. My observation, after
travelling over four provinces of the Island
of Cuba, and talking with leading in1iuen-
tal citizens. ;Eclines ME 10 this belief. The
pest DtOOu OF tuDa Is III the tuDdn army
All Cubans are Insurgents: the educated
young men are in the Cuban ranks. Those
best informed in Havana will tell you that
General Gomez has today an effective army
of 30,t 90 men, They are not disorganized
band of guerrillaS, as had been led to sup
pose and composed mostly of blacks, but, on
the contrary, they are we'll disciplined and
well fed. About one-third of them are coll
cred, but ali who know say they are the best
of soldiers: that they will endure more hard
ships on less food than any Others and will
on long marches, continued many days,
keep up with the cavalry.
The insurgents under the command of
General Gomez have, practically, control of
the island. The Spaniards hold only a mar
row strip along which passes The railroad.
and the seaport towns. The provinces of
Puerto Principe and Santiago de Cuba, the
two eastern provinces, are almost entirely
under control of the Insurgents. Here they
have large herds of cattle and raise enorm-
Gus crops. Indeed, in all other parts of the
island can be found these organized insur-
gents.
mo sugar is ground except by permission
of Gomez. on which the insurgent govern
ment Is paid so much a sack. Even the
railroads pay tribute for being permitted to
run.
CaDablc of ScIf-C0yerumeut