The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-12

Consul Baker Tells Long story of
Sickness. DesfftutfOn and Death.

Santa Clara province in number of COM
munications, beginning on the 10Th of
| November, 1897, and closing on the oath of
March last. His letters constitute one long
story of distress-of Sickness restitution
and death, until indeed, the picture, even as
| drawn in the plain language of official COM
munications, is revolving. Barker devoted
comparatively little space to political ques-
tons, but one or two of his letters are
along these lines. Probably the most not
able of these is his communication of Jan
10 last in which he volunteers some sug-
gestions to the Department of State From
TINS communication the following extracts
are taken:
When Spain will admit defeat no mortal
IN my humble judgment, dare predict That
her plan of settlement, autonomy, is a fail
ure and that with this failure passes from
under her dominion the island is not to be
questioned. Pending this admission on her
part thousands of human beings. guiltless of
bringing on or having any part in the in
! surrection, are dying for want of susie
nance. This condition must continue to in
crease. The United States in taking action
relative to Cuba-which seems to be in
| eVltaDle-deSireS to avoid a clash with
| SPAIN Then let Congress alter our citizen
snip laws byamending the statute relative
| to the declaration required of persons be-
coming citizens by naturalization so that
| the subjects or citizens of any government
at present residing at Cuba may go before
any United States consul in that island and
make declaration of intention Of becoming
citizens of the United States, which shall
entitle them to recognition as citizens until
| the expiration of two years, when they will
| be required to reside in the United States
Ax~D -
being granted naturalization papers. With
such a privilege am confident thai 80 per
cent. of the resident Spaniards, the hitherto
dominant party and taxpayers will avail
themselves of this opportunity of rebuking
the mother country for attempting to foist
| upon them changes in the existing laws of
the island. Such a step would cause the
| home subjects well the government to
acquiesce without disturbance in the loss of
the island"
Mr.. Barker then suggests that the United
States shall offer her good offices to Spain
with view of securing an armistice of
| ninety days duration for the purpose of dis
cussing terms of settlement between Spain
| and the insurgents, the United States to be
! the umpire Pending negotiations he would
| have all troops quartered and held in the
! large fortified coast towns in order that the
| reconcentrados may return to the country
| from the United States must be continued
| or the people must Starve so long as there is
an armed Spanish soldier in the country
since these people, for fear of being muir
dered, do not go to their country homes"
| REIGN OF TERROR AND ANARCHY.
On Jan. 10 Mr.. Barker says: I'm this con-
| sular district a reign of terror and anarchy
prevails which the authorities, if so dis
posed, are utterly powerless to control or in
any measure subdue. Aside from the suf-
| fering and desperation caused by the un-
| paralleled restitution, regard the situation
as rapidly assuming a critical stage. AS
stated heretofore, in no way have the au-
thorities departed from the policy pursued
| by the late, but not lamented, General Wey-
Ter. Spanish troops, as well as the guer-
rillas under the cruel chiefs Carreras. Ola
Varietta and Lazo continue to despoii the
| country and drench it with the blood of
noncombatants. Although the bando of the
captain general provides that labOrerS NAV
return to estates, it restricts their opera,
lions TO those having a garrison. Last
week number belonging to the st. Anna
estate, located within a league of Sagua,
and owned by Mr.. George Thorndike of
| Newport r. l., We're driven off after re-
turning, and refused a protection by the
| military commander, Mayor Lomo, one of
the trusted officers under the Weyler re-
The latter part of Mr.. Bankers CORE
spondence, beginning with March r. is de-
voted to a statement of the relief of la
CURED to continue this work. He states
that from Feb. 10 to March IL he cared for
Zoo persons, increasing the number on the
relief list after that date to 1900. He then
details the work done by the Red Cross So
| clety, the various local committees to each
| of whom he gives due credit Having done
| this, Mr.. Barker stated his opinion to be
that II provision could be made to care for
1000 persons in that province, whatever
thought that to keep@25, 600 persons alive
would require eighty%ons of provisions a
| month He then stated that of the five
thousand utterly destitute in that city the
mayor had in a manner relieved about one
third OF the number with rations of rice and
beans In this communication Mr.. Barker
indicated that the Spanish local authorities
were willing to accept aid from the United
States, and he added that while he had been
generally doubtful of the willingness of the
military authorities to receive this assist
ance. had accepted their cooperation when
convinced it was rendered with sincerity
On the oath Of March Mr.. Barker in
creased his estimate as to the amount of
food necessary to keep life in the people of
that province. In the telegram of that date
he said that fifty tons were needed at that
Tune and the distress was far greater than
his former reports had shown. In the letter
of this date he recounts the particulars of a.
visit to Santa Clara, the seat of govern
ment of the province of the same name
where he says he learned from his own
agents and also from the governor of the
province that the number of persons in
actual want exceeded any estimate which
he had previously sent to the government
and he had said only three days before that
ne thought twenty tons per month should
be added to the eighty tons previously fur
niSned.
HEARTRENDING.
In the communication of March 20 Mr.
Barker says: THE distress is simply
heartrending. Whole families, without cloth
ing to hide their nakedness, are sleeping on
the bare ground, without bedding of any
kind, without food, save to such as we have
been able to reach with provisions sent by
our own noble people; and the most dis
tressing feature is that fully 80 per cent
are ill., without medical attention or medi-
cine" Mr.. Barker adds that if $1,000 could
be telegraphed to Consul General Lee
blankets, cots and medicines could be pur-
chased there in the several towns adjacent,
and thus save thousands who must die il
compelled to await the sending of these
supplies from the United States. Il have"
he says, found the civil governor willing
to lend every aid in his power, but he adj
mits that he can do nothing but assist with
his civil officers in expediting relief sent
by the United States. The military obstruct
in every possible way"
In the earlier portion of his correspondence
Mr.. Barker indicates the reason why Gen.
| Blanco's orders relieving the reconcentradOs
must prove of no avail. He says that while
the first article, of the order grants
permission to the starving class to
return to the country, the third
article abrogates this permission in
exacting that the places to which they
go must be garrisoned This condition alone,
| he saws, will preclude over one-half of these
| poor unfortunates, for their homes are in
ruin. and the sugar estates able to maintain