Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-04-12

so calied-had been made effective owe
the better part OF the four central an,
western provinces. Santa Clara. Ma
tanzas, Havana and Pinar del Rio. TIL
agricultural population on sthe esti
mated number of 100000 or more, wa
herded within the towns and their i'm
mediate vicinace. deprived of the mean
support. rendered destitute of shelter
LETT poorly clad and exposed to the mos
unsanitary conditions. AS the scare
ity of food increased with the de-
vastation of the depopulated- areas
of production. destitution and wani
became misery and starvation. Month
by month the death rate increased
in an alarming ratio. BY March
1897. according to conservative esti-
mates from official Spanish sources, the
mortality among the reconcentradoes
from starvation and the disease incl
Dent thereto, exceeded so per centum o.
their total number. No practical relief
was accorded to the destitute. The over
burdened towns, already suffering from
I general dearth. could give no aid. The
so-called zones of cultivation" es-
Iablished within the immediate area
of effective military control about
the cities anu fortified camps,
proved illusory as a remedy for the suf-
fering. The unfortunates, being for the
most part women and children, with
aged and helpless men, enfeebled by dis
ease and hunger. could not have titled
the soil without tools, seed or shelter,
for their own support or for the support
OF the cities. The RECOMMENDATION,
adopted avowedly as war measure, in
order to cut Off the resources of the in
surgents, worked it's predestined result.
/ AS l said in my message of last Decem-
Der. 1t was not civilized warfare. 1T was
determination. The only peace 1t could
beget was that of the wilderness and the
grave.
Meanwhile. the military situation in
the island had undergone noticeable
change. The extraordinary activity
that characterized the second year of
the war. when the insurgents invaded
even the hitherto unharmed fields of
Pinar del Rio and carried havoc and de-
struction up to the walls of the city of
Havana itself, had relapsed into
dogged strguule in the central and east
ern provinces. The Spanish arms re-
gained measure of control in Pinar
del Rio and parts of Havana, but, under
the existing conditions of the rural coun-
try, without immediate improvement of
their productive situation. Even thus
partially restricted, the revolutionists
held their own, and their conquest and
submission. put forward by Spain as the
essential and sole basis of peace. seemed
as far distant as at the outset
In this state of affairs. my administra-
tion found itself confronted with grave
problem of its duty. My message of last
December reviewed the situation and
narrated the steps taken with view to
relieving its actueness and opening the
way to some form of honorable settle
ment. The assassination of the prime
minister, Canovas. led to a change of
government in Spain. The former ad-
ministration. pledged TO subjugation
without concession. gave place to that
of more liberal party, committed long
in advance to policy of reform, involv-
ing the widest principle 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 and effective ameliora-
tion of the condition of the island, al
though not accepted to the extent of ad-
mitted mediation in any shape, were
met by assurances that home rule, in an
advanced phase, would be forthwith Of
fered to Cuba, without waiting for the |
war to end and that more humane meth !
ods should thenceforth prevail in the |
conduct of hostilities Coincidentally |
with these declarations. the new govern |
ment of Spain continued and completed |
the policy already begun by its predeces-
sor of testifying friendly regard for this |
nation by releasing American citizens |
held under one charge or another con- |
nected with the insurrection, so that. by |
the end of November, not a single person
entitled in any way to our national pro-
lection remained in a Spanish prison.
While these negotiations were in prog
ress the increasing destituion of the un-
fortunate reconcentrados and the |
alarming mortality among them claimed
earnest attention. The success which had
attended the limited measure of relief
extended to the suffering American citi-
zens among them by the judicious ex-
penditure. through the consular agents.
of the money appropriated expressly for
their succor by the joint resolution ap-
proved May "a. 1897. prompted the hu-
name extension of a similar scheme Of
aid to the great body Of sufferers.
to this end was acquiesced
In by the Spanish authorities On the
24th of December last caused to be is
sued an appeal to the American people,
inviting contributions in money or in
kind for the succor of the starving suf-
ferers in Cuba, following this on the sth
1f January by a similar public an
nouncement of the formation of cen
trail Cuban relief committee. with head
quarters in New York city. composed Of
three members. representing the Ameri-
ian National Red Cross and the religious
and business elements OF the community.
The efforts of that committee have been