The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-12
SHOW TERRIBLE STATE OF
AFFAIRS In CUBA.
Reports Previously Given More Than
Confirmed.
AUTONOMY GENERALLY CONCEDED
TO BE A FAILURE.

The Horrors of the Havana Fosos Told by
General Leo Consul General Reported
to Washington Regarding Cause of
Maine Disaster Week After 1t Hap
pend-Circumstanc of Sending Maine
to Havana-How Autonomy Was Re-
ceived.
Washington, April 1.-THE consular
correspondence with regard to the stu
alton which was transmitted to Congress
today was prepared in response to a reso-
luton of inquiry adopted by both the
House and Senate. The correspondence
WAS prepared for transmission to Con-
gress Just before the blowing up of the
MIME, and includes communications
up to April l.. 1t covers the communities
tions of Consul General Lee at Havana,
Consul McCarr at Cienfuegos, Consul
Brice at Matanzas, Consul Hyatt at San
tiago do Cuba, and Consul Barker at
| Sagua la tirande. The communications
deal largely with the distress and suffer-
ing which exists in all the districts. Gen.
Lee reports quite fully on the desires of
the government in regard to autonomy
and other political phases of the situation.
In preparing the correspondence for
| transmission to Congress, considerable
portions of the important communica-
lions and especially those marked conf
deptal, are omitted.
| Gen. Lees correspondence runs over
the period from November II, 1897, to
April, 1898. Much of the correspondenceis
OF a confidential nature and from some of
| the important communications excerpts
are given. The period of the correspon-
dence after the blowing up CT the Maine,
contains no reference to that event. The
first despatch of Gen. Lee contains Gen.
| Blanco's order under date of November
| 13, repeating or rather modifying Gen.
| Weyler's order of concentration which
| has heretofore been published by the
press. This order Was made shortly after
General Lee returned to Havana from
| the United States last fall. Gen. Lee in
this communication also enclosed the
proclamation of J. M. Rodriguez, ma
joreral in charge of the western depart
lnent of the Cuban military operations
addressed to the Cuban people, and in
| forming them of ''the firm resolution"
of the insurgent army to continue fight
| ing until the attainment of absolute in
dependence. 1t was on November 20 that
| Consul General Lee made his first report
| to the department. OF state on the condit-
| ion of affairs in Cuba. 1t is as follows:
Havana, November S3, 1897.
! Sir-I have the honor to briefly submit
statement of what appears to be the
present condition of affairs in this ISL
and:
Birst-The insurgents will not accept
| autonomy. 5e
Seoond-A large majority of the Span
| ish subjects, who have commercial and
| business interests and own property here
| will not accept autonomy but prefer an
nexation to the United States rather than
autonomy under the Spanish flag.
Third-The Spanish authorities are
sincere in doing all in their power to en-
courage, protect and promote the grind
ing of sugar. The grinding season COM
mences in Decem her.
Fourth-The insurgent leaders have
given instructions to prevent grinding
wherever it can be done, because by di-
diminishing the export of sugar the Span
ish government revenues are decreasing.
1t will be very difficult for the Spanish
authorities to prevent cane burning, be-
cause one man can start tire at night
which will burn hundreds of acres just
as a single individual CAN light prairie
by throwing single match into the dry
grass.
Fifth am confident that General
Blanco and Pando, his chief of staff, as
we'll as Dr. Congosto, the secretary gen.
eral, with all of whom have had CONVEX
sations, sare perfectly conscientious in
their desire to relieve the distress of those
suffering from the effects OF Weyler's
reconcentrado order, but, unfortunately,
they have mot the means to carry out
such benevolent purposes. In this city
matters are assuming better shape under
charitable committee, etc., large num-
hers are now cared for and fed by private
subscriptions. | witnessed many terri
BILE scenes and saw some die while was
nresent. I am told Gen. Blanco will
give 800, 900 to the relief fund.
November 81, Gen. Lee sent to the de-
nartment the communications OF two
gentlemen whose names he says are sup
Dressed for obvious reasons whom he
knows personally as standing high in
the community, concerning the condition
in Los Fosos, (the Dituhes) in Havana.
The communication says among other
things:
"Four hundred and sixty women and
children thrown on the ground, heaped
pel-mell as animals, some in a dying
condition, others sick, others dead, with
out the slightest cleanliness OF tne least
help, not even, able to give water to the
thirsty, without either religious or social
help, each one dying wherever chance
laid him."
The communication goes on to state
that the deaths among these reconcentra-
dos average 40 or SO daily and that on an
average there were but ten days OF life
for each person. 1t says that these I'M
happy creatures received food only after
being eight days in the Fosos during
which they were obliged to subsist upon
the bad food which the dying had. re-
fused.
Further along the communication says
that II any young girl came in who
was nice looking she was infallibly con-
demned to the moss abominable of traffic.
The communication says that l7Oo per-