The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-23
BLOOD-DRENCHEO CUBA
Six Hundred Thousand Lives
Have Been Blotted Out.
NO CHANGE Is NOTICED
The Condition of the People as Pitiable
and Desperate Under Blanco as
Under Weyler-How Long,
o Lord How Long

Washington, Feb 22.-Cuba usurped the
place of Hawaii In the proceedings in
the senate to-day and was under consid-
Grafton for an hour or more The pro-
ceeding was based upon a document pre-
scented by Senator Morgan Of Alabama as
a result of an interview between himself
and Mr. Koop of Boston Mass. In
presenting the document Senator Morgan
said that Mr.. Koop was a capitalist who
had but recently returned from Cuba af-
ter most exhaustive inspection of the
island
Senator Morgan laid considerable stress
upon the importance of the document,
which resulted from a stenographic re-
port of the interview between Senator
Morgan and Mr.. koop The document
consisted of questions by Senator Nor
gan and replies by Mr.. koop. The latter
said that he had had been in 43 provinces
and had spent more or less time In each
of them in the prosecution of his In
quiries. In no place outside of Havana,
he said, was an effort made to take care
of the reconcentrados. and he declared
that the people were dying in great num-
bers in all places in which they had been
collected together by the Spanish author
tiles, both result of the cruelty of
the Spanish troops and for the lack of
food. He declared that there was no lack
of evidences in the provinces of Il more
liberal treatment Of these unfortunate
people under the administration of Gen.
eral Blaneo than there had been under
the Weyler regime. lie said the people
in general were in just as depiorable a
condition as they had been before the
change. In no case were the concentra-
dos allowed 10 go outside the military
posts to collect food and while there was
some effort In certain instances to grow
N ha inn lt.ta Nrtai nj af he
garrsons, these crops did not extend
more than 500 yards from the forts. He
added that IL the people were allowed to
get out they could get enough to eat to
keep soul and body together. but that
when even small children attempted to
60 outside of the guard lines they were
shot down as ruthessly If they were
enemies in arms He said that he had
seen women and children abused by the
Spanish soldiers, and that fayorite pas
time seemed to be to kick the women
about as IL they were dogs.
Mr.. koop also devoted considerable
space at Senator Morgan's suggestion, to
the scheme of autonomy under the lib
eral ministry, and pronounced it fall
ure from one end of the island to an
other He said that business was at
standstill throughout the country; that
few crops were growing and that DESC
lation and ruin stared the traveller in the
face wherever he went. AS a conse-
quence property was much deprecated
and the people were greatly discouraged.
lie said that the general estimate was
that the war had already resulted in the
loss of 600 900 lives, and Mr.. Koop him
self did not consider these figures exag-
gerated.
There was some comment upon the doc
ument by Senator Morgan. Senator Gal
linger and Senator Mason, but no official
action was taken. Senator Mason said
the statement was no more than he had
expected TO hear and Senator Galinger
declared that the picture drawn was a
deplorable one He said that two years
ago he had advised that the United
States should intervene to put a stop -
the war and that every development
since had confirmed the wisdom OF the
suggestion then made.