Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-12
VHI7 THECONSULS
c,,sfp BY SPANS BARsAITY IN CUBA.
,,r,cts from Consular Reports are
enough to chm the Hood with nor
ror at spanish Cruelty.

"u"s ~ inquiry adopted by both the
,,anss and Senate. The correspond
,,.as prepared for transmission 10
,ss lust before the blowing up oil
Ntoine. and being held back since
now includes communications oil
Toe at Havana, Consul McGars
ue", ,,nr,pegop, Consul Brice at Matan-
sas Consul Hyatt at Santiago ue Cupa'
and Consul Barker at sasuh Id
Grande' onou, so
o0o cords. They deal largely with the
distress and suffering when EXISTS IN
us ,ba districts, but Gen. lee reports
a f,lly upon the DEGREES OF the gov
du,ort with regard to autonomy and
e,hpr political phases of the situa-
ton a., o,rra,nopdonce fo,
,r,nsnission to Congress, considerable
ur,i,,ns ~ the important communica.
,Ions and especially those marked con-
s1"n,tai are omitted. The resolutions
y" which they are the response. asked
onlv for such correspondence as 1t was
moi deemed Incompatible with the pup
lie interest to make public. Gen Lees
norrasnondence runs over the period
from November II, 1897, to April.
1885 ,., Il, ., =
confidential nature. and OF some OF the
important communications eXceri'ts
nniy are given. The period of the cor
respondence from the blowing up of the
Maine contains no reference to that
event such communications proDaplS
being deemed irrelevant to the purpose
Of the resolution calling for the consul
lar correspondence In the possession or
the government as to the situation OF
nffnirs In cuba.
The first dispatch from Gen. Lee con-
tains' Gen. Blanco's order, under date
OF November 10 repeating. or rather
modifying Gen. Weylers order of re-
concentration, which has heretofore
been published In the press. This or
der was made shortly after Gen. Lee
returned to Havana from the United
States last fan. Gen. Lee, in this com
munlcatun. also enclosed the procla-
nation 1T j. NJ. Rodriguez. major gem
eral in charge of the western depart
ment of the Cuban military operations.
addressed to the Cuban people and In
forming them of the firm resolution
OF the insurgent army TO continue
fighting until the attainment of abso-
lutte independence. 1t was on NoVem-
her e9rd that Consul Gen. Lee made his
frst report to the department of state
on the condition of affairs in Cuba. 1t
saws the Insurgents will not accept
autonomy, and that large majority
a
commercial and business interests and
own property here VIII not accept
autonomy. and prefer annexation to
the United States rather than an indie
pendent republic or genuine autonomy
under the Spanish flag.
November eth Gen. Lee sent to the
department the communications OF two
gentlemen whose names he says are
suppressed for obvious reasons. but
whom he knows personally, as stand
ing high in the community, concerning
the condition In Los Fosos tthe ditch
esl, In Havana. The communications
say among other things: -Four nun
dred and sixty women and children
were thrown on the ground, heapeu
rellmell as animals. some in gyms
condition, others sick, others dead,
without the slightest cleanliness or
tha least help. not able to give water
10 the thirsty, without religious or
social help, each one dying wherever
chance laid him.
The communication goes on to state
that the deaths among these reconceh
trados averaged forty or hfty dally,
and thnt on an average there were Dui
ten DAYS of life for each person. IL
says that these unhappy creatures re-
ceived food only after having Deer
eight days in the bitches, during which
time they were obliged to subsist upon
Inc bad food which the dying had re-
fused. Some horrible instances OF DIS
tress witnessed are given.
Among the many we saw says tne
communication, there was seen one I'M
pnssible TO forget There is still alive
the only witness, a young glrl OF Is
whom we found seemingly lifeless, or
oul SUN ops luSlL lou no 'punoI5 9ul
body Of Young mother, cold anu
rigid hut whose young child was stu
alive, clinEing to her breast. on hei
left side was the corpse of dead wo-
wa hal n
brace. A little further on dying wo'
man. holding in her arms u daughter OF
II, crazed with pain. who, after twelve
or fourteen days, died in spite of tbs
care she received.
Further along. the communication
says that " any young girl came II
who was nicc-looklne she was infalli
bly, condemned to the most abomnabl'
traffic
The communication says LOO person,
had entered the fosos since August
and of these but 233 were then living
II places the number of deaths among
the rcconcentrados at II per cent.
Under date Of December nth. Gen
Lee sent a communicat n to the de
partinent recommendI.g measures TO
relief NJ he reconcentrados. In tn
portion given out Gen Lee says: g
see no effect of the government distri
button 10 the reconcentrndos. / an
Informed that only sl2500 in Spanisl
''iN'i nus hfen Ntf tAtei 10 tnf itd
Vana province out Of the 500 900 salt
10 have been set aside for the purpos
ol relieving them on the island. AM
mat reports from nil parts OF the prov
nee show that 30 per cent have niread,
.ieu and That many of these left vii
o,e, and most Of these are women an,
am Informed an order has bee
ISSUED W some parts of the island sus
.eno'og the distribution to reconcen
tIolos. The condition of these peopl
y Sumplv terrible. ! hear of much SUI
i,rlng N the Spanish hospitals for wan
ol l0od' | hear also that the Spans
nlerchonts In some parts of the islam
nre pacing their establishments In tn
n"lle OF foreigners to avoid havin
nelr provisions purchased on credit b
Inr military administration. In som
parts or the Island. am told. there
sealeeiN any need for soldiers and citl
s.'hS' and that even cats are used 70
loou PURPOSES, selling for 30 cent
ssp'ce. II Is n fair Inference TO dra,
rom existing conditions that II is nj
p1SMhle for tho governor general I
f.Htve the present situation with mean
M his dlsnoPnl.
December 18th Gen. Lea sent anothe
voIn,nunlcltion, saving that the toti
Iulnper or reconcentrndps in Havan
rrNlhce Will reach $50 600 and tha
NE death rate from starvation alon
VIII he "a