The Irish standard., 1898-03-26
TELLS OF HORRORS.
Senator Gallinger's Story Of Tor
ture and Starvation.
AWFUL SIGHTS WITNESSED IN CUBA,
Walking Skeletons Are Met on Every
Corner I'm Havana-Weyler's ''ln.
ferno" Puts to Shame That of
Dante-Autonomya Failure.


Senator Gallinger IN. H.). The sena-
tor recently visited Cuba to study the
situation there. Long before the sen.
ate convened the galleries were packed.
Almost as soon as the senate convened
Senator Bacon (Ga.) introduced joint
resolution that the United States
should do everything in its power to
preserve peace with all the nations Of
the world, and not be forced into war
except to preserve the honor and dig
nifty of the nation. He said that he
would not ask for immediate considera.
tion of the resolution, but would per-
NIT it to lie on the table until to-day.
Then Senator Hale (Me.), chairman Of
the naval affairs committee, quietly
rose and favorably reported the bill
providing for relief for the survivors of
the Maine catastrophe. There was
suppressed murmur of expectancy in
the galleries, but the measure was read
end passed without word of debate,
Senator Gallinger's speech followed.
He spoke in a low, clear tone Of voice,
distinctly audible throughout the
chamber. There was not IN Interrupt
tlon by word throughout his speech.
His auditors listened intently to his
description of the horrors and cruel
ties suffered by the reconcentrados.
When he declared, however, that gov
its people would do anything, and fol-
lowed this with the further declaration
that the lives of the brave men lost in
the Maine disaster could not be atoned
Tor with gold or silver, spontaneous
wave of applause swept over the gall
leries, and the vice president had diff
Guilty in restoring order.
A synopsis of Senator Gallinger's
speech follows:
Senator GallinRer's Cuban Speech.
In opening his speech Senator Gallinger
said that after the calm, dispassionate and
touching statement concerning Cuba made
In the senate recently by Senator Proctor.
of Vermont. 1t might be we'll for him to re-
main silent. but. yielding to the desire ex-
pressed by many of his colleagues, he had
consented to give plain recital of some
OF his observations on that unhappy
island"
Pays Lee "a Tribute.
Senator Gallinger then detailed some Of
the events leading up to his arrival In Cuba
Lee,
Gen. Lee" said he, "is deserving Of the
highest possible praise for the manner in
which he carries himself In Havana Cool
and fearless in the midst of difficulties and
dangers. he never loses sight of the fact
that he is an American citizen. nor is he
unmindful Of the tremendous responsible
tiles and duties Of his position"
referring to his call upon the autonomist
cabinet Senator Gallinger said it was evil
; no t,oft No II.
not encouraged in the work. 1.-THE truth
3D., said Senator Gallinger. autonomy IL
q fiat failure"
War Exists in Cuba.
Senator Gallinger recalled that he had
heard during debates in the senate denials
made that state Of war existed in Cuba,
but 1t required only brief personal OBJ.
servation to convince one that war actual
ly did exist. desolated country and its
stricken people told the story more elo-
quently than 1t could be conveyed in words,
The war In Cuba, however," he said. lis
war OF starvation and determination - a
war more cruel than the world has ever
known"
Narrowing Scenes.
THE scenes in the streets Of Havana are
narrowing beyond description. People In
want and suffering are everywhere seen.
and walking skeletons meet one on every
hand. Naked children, emaciated and
ragged women and diseased and starving
men throng the streets. the hotel Hobbies
and every place of public resort. 1t is a
terrible sight-one that sickens the heart
and Quickens every impulse of human
sympathy and love-"
detailed story Of visit to Los Focas
the place whore the reconcentrados daily
assemble to set food, was also given, A
Few weeks ago when Miss Barton discov-
cred the place there were 645 people lying
on the floors. many Of them entirely nude
and all suffering the pangs OF starvation.
Weyler's "Inferno."
ator Gallinger of trip to the city Of
Matanzas. All along the route were
wretched people In rags, but not until the
city was reached was the full extent of the
suffering realized. ut occurred to me as
/ looked upon the scenes Of suffering and
horrors that the Cuban reconcentrados
might we'll have adopted the words Of
Dante: Who enters here leaves hope be-
hind when they were driven from the
fields and herded like cattle in the cities and
towns Of this fertile land The truth Is
that Weyler devised a scheme Of human
suffering and sorrow that put Dante's In
!erno' to the shade and converted con-
tented, prosperous people into herd Of
suffering. starving unfortunates."
1.-THE number of people who have starved
In Cuba will never be definitely known. 1t
Is estimated that 100000 were driven from
their homes into the cities and towns
had 1t from Spanish authority that accord
Ing to their figures, 225,000 already have
persisted. but 1t Is said that the Red Cross
society Ia in possession Of figures showing
that 425,0O0 Cubans have died as result Of
Spanish cruelty from starvation and that
100000 moro must inevitably die.
Gold Can't Pay for Crime.
II have been asked many times. what Of
the Maine. l DO not know. This, how
ever, I do know: A government that will
deliberately starve 100000 of its own people
will do pretty much anything. If the ship
was blown up from the outside, what
should our government do7 Perhaps I
should forbear to discuss that question
now; but this Will venture to say: Human
life purposely taken cannot be paid for In
gold or silver. Mark my words 'purposely
taken. and II It shall appear that such was
the fate of $50 brave American sailors. then
Heaven pity the guilty parties. 1t will not
be question for arbitration. but qucs-
ton involving the dignity and honor of this
great republic"
Must Absorb Cuba.
AS to what should be done, Senator Gal
Nnger felt that sooner or later this govern
ment would Of necessity absorb Cuba, but
II annexation cannot now be accomplished
let independence speedily come. "Ameri-
ran interests In Cuba" said he. in con-
cluson. have already suffered enough
We have patrolled our coast In The interest
Of Spain as Ions as We should. snd we have
wise providence to do that which a jur,
Of your peers refused to do. The L.or,
couldn't have mercy on your soul
'llowevcr. if you belong to any religious
organization. it might be we'll enough fol-
you to send for your priest or your minis