The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1898-04-08

ceded me was exceedingly conserga-
tiye. From information which ] have
received on my own account ! believe
the number very far exceeds that
amount recollect that only three or
four days ago La Discussion enc Of tie
two remaining papers IN the city Of
Havana not suppressed by the Span.
/ liards because favorable TO The Spanish
government said, in compliment to the
Red Cross Society that Miss Barton and
her agents we're feeding Of 800. 600 starg
ing people and those were outside Of the
thousands who are being fed by the
supplies received by the American con
suls at the different ports
This IS the condition today Fewer
are dying It is true, because the mater
ial is being consumed and yet when
this bloody work is going on, we have
professions made To MS that district
after district has been pacifed that a
state Of peace reigns through the de-
yastated and desolate country Yes
Mr. President, the peace that relgned
at Warsaw prevails today over the fer
tile valleys and beautiful hills Of Cuba.
|. 1t IS the peace Of the grave
We were told by the governor Of tbe
Province Of 1iatanzas. gentleman
who has been correctly represented
here as a man Of great intelligence and
large humanity who evidently felt
deeply the miseries that surrounded him
on every hand, which he could not al
leviate, that he looked to God and the
United States Of America for help for
the starving people Of bis province. ]
asked him this question
Why do You not permit the people
concentrated around the walls Of your
city to 60 abroad ia that most beauh
full valley Of Cuba the most fertile land
on earth aud pursue their yocatiOns as
farmers and tillels Of the soil2
He said
Most Of the men have died they have
neither homes to 90 to- oxen to ploW
implements TO use, seeds 10 sow, nor
have they the strength in their starved
bodies 70 use them If they had them
I found, Mr. President, before / left
that city another reason, and a more
powerful one, why these wretched
creatures do not leave the city If they
are permitted to do so, The governor
said be had signed over 1850 passes
that were issued to people to 30 beyond
the lines, and we we're told that the
governor would grant passes whenever
anybody requested them, but Of tbe
people who went beyond the lines no
one ever returned
Mr. Gray Are they permitted to re
turn to their honest
Mr.. Money So far as the civil GOV
ernor Of Matanzas is concerned, he ex
pressed q willingness for them to 30 to.
their homes; but We found upon exam
ination, that Molinas, who was the gen
eral in command in that province, was
denounced BY Cubans and Americans
to be as bloody as Captain General
Weyler in his methods and more heart
less in bis cruelty; thrt anyone with
one Of those passes was found beyond
the barriers would be Immediately shot
by the military 50 the people clung
to starvation and present safety, rather
than venture themselves among The
soldiery Of the interior This
Is the condition there today
I said that those senators who have
preceded me upon this question had IN
the condition Of affairs, &C
cording TO my information An Amer
lean consul wrote to ne on the 28rd day
Of November that 10 bis province
1OO, 900 had persisted Of starvation
and that he knew tito be true that in
his district 50 900 had perished Isaw
day administering charity |
given BY tbe great hearted people of |
the United States and be told me that
thirtyax mayor Of tOwas. cities ana |
villages had put the number Of deaths
y 10. 900 greater than he had written !
lle
bad an interview with q highly "a
1cated and intelligent gentleman who
3 today the mayor Of The city of Santa
Clara. This gentleman was for sixteen
surgeon IA the inufgeutarmy |
BE spoke good English He was eg
iently 3 great deal ID sympathy WITH
.he people of the Islands although I
holding Office under ths autonomist
government which when practicable
bad put Cubans IN power who bad some