Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-03-25
TOLD BY PROCTOR
SENATORS INFORMED OF THE, CON-
SDiTiONS IN CUBA Il. %-.Ss /: 1

an Element of sensationalism-Only
the Restoration of Peace Will'Save
the Dying Reconcentrados.
]. WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator
Proctor of Vermont, who returned last
Sunday from an extended trip to and
through the island Of Cuba, made a
statement during the afternoon to the
senate of his observations on the ISL
and.
From many view points the state
ment was remarkable It had evidently
been most carefully prepared. Every
element of sensationalism had been
studiously eliminated from it, and, ex-
cept SO far as the facts recited were
sensational, it bore not the, slightest
evidence of an effort to arouse the pub
lie mind to the condition of affairs on
the island. Every staten lent was
made by Senator Proctor with that
clearness and precision which charac-
terize the accurate demonstration of a
problem in mathematics. Calm and
dispassionate to notable degree, the
utterances of the senator aroused a
breathless interest.
His Visit Purely Personal.
Senator Proctor began his statement
by saying that more importance had
been attached to his visit than neces-
sary, but he thought a public statement
would be beneficial The only Viz
he said, that he had said at
matter to the president was that
was going, and asked if there was al.
objection to it, and was told there was
none. He had letters from Assistant
Secretary of State Day and business
men Of the United States. He said
that General Lee and other United
States representatives i'll Cub a, afforded
him opportunity to secure observations.
He denied that he had made the state.
ment that the Maine was blown up
from the outside, but might have said
that that was the opinion in Havana.
Outside of Havana there was desolation
and misery People were surrounded
by trochas and controlled by forts or
block houses.
His observations, he said, were in
the four western provinces. Outside
the trochas and forts there were no
habitations or people living.
Only Where Their Army Sits.
The Spaniards, he said, hold in tie
four provinces only what their army
sits on.
Senator Proctor described at some
length the condition Of the reconcen-
trados, saying one half Of them had
died, owing to the manner in which
they had been kept in the, small houses
one half had died, he added.
He went into Cuba, he said, thinking
the condition of the people had been
overdrawn, but found their condition
terrible. What he saw he could not tell
so others could see. In one place in
Havana, the senator said, he saw 400
emaciated people lying on stone floors,
with little clothing. The children had
no clothing. American people may be
assured, he continued, that their
bounty will reach the destitute, and he
added:
Peace Only Will Change Conditions.
"The condition of the reconcentrados
will not be changed until peace comes.
General Blanco's order of Nov. 10 is of
little practical use. No beneficial re-
suits had followed. For this he did not
blame General Blanco, as Blanco
looked at the matter from a military
point of view.''
He inquired as to autonomy of men
of wealth, business and professional
men. Without exception their reply
was that it was too late for autonomy.
1t was, they said, too late for peace un-
der Spanish rule. Some favored all
nexation by the United States.
Senator Proctor said he was not in
favor of annexation. The conditions
for self government in Cuba were
favorable and not much danger OF rev.
olutions He could not make any rec.
ommendation as to what should be
done. He thought the matte. might
be safely left to an American president
and American people.
SPAiN'S LOSSES IN CUBA.