The Portland daily press., 1898-03-18

went to Cuba, he said, thinking tne con-
dition of the people had been overdrawn,
but found their situation terrible. "nsS
he saw he could not tell SO others oould
see. In one place in Havana, the senator
said, he saw 400 eInaciated people laying
on stone floors with little clothing. he
children had no clothing. american peo-
PIE may be assured, he continued, tha5
their bounty will reach the destitute ana
he added the condition OF the reocncen~
tradoes will not be changed until peace
comes.
Gen. Blanco's order of November 81 is
Of little practical use. No beneficial re-
suits had followed For this he did net
blame Gen. Blanco, as Bianco looked az
the natter from q military point or
view. AS to the military situation, he
said, there were about $1,000 Spanish
troops. He thought they would light
we'll. There was no artillery. The
troops live in barracks. The cavalry Is
mounted mostly or ponies.
He said the Cubana hac about 30, OO0
men in the field and were very active.
The Cubans were we'll armed, but poorly
supplied with ammunition. About one
third of the Cuban army are negroes.
The cavalry men furnish their own hors-
es. The dividing lines between the par
ties is sharp. 1t is Cubans against Span
iards The autonomists he did not con
slider as they were inconsiderabls in num-
autonomy as it meant government by
the Cubans.
He inquired as to autonomy Of men Of
wealth, business and professional men.
Without exception their reply was that
it was too late for autonomy. IL was,
they said too late for peace under Span
ish rule. Some favored annexation by
the United States.
After speaking in complimentary terms
of Consul General Lee Consul Brce at
Matanzas and Consul Barker at Sagua ID
Grande, Mr.. Proctor said:
None of our representatives whom
met in Cuba is Of my political faith, but
there Is broader faith not bounded by
party lines. They are all three true Anne
ricans and have done excellent service.
OF the naval board of inquiry, he said
'''I met the members of the court On
their boat. but would as soon approach
our Supreme court in regard to pending
case as that board; They are as compess
tent and trustworthy within the lines of
their duty as any court in the land and
their report when made, will carry con
viotion to the people that the exact truth
has been stated just as far as it is possi-
BILE to ascertain it. let US calmly wait
for the report"
Continuing, he said:
Everything seems to CO. on much as
usual in Havana. Quiet prevails, except
for the frequent squads of soldiers to
guard and police duty, and their abound
ing present in all public places one sees
little signs of war. Outside of Havana
all is changed. 1t is not peace, nor is it
war. 1t is desolation and distress, misery
and starvation. This is the pacified
condition of the four western provinces.
with large families, or more than one
in their small huts, the commonest sani-
tary provisions are impossible. Condit-
ions are unmenuionable in this respect.
Torn from their homes with foul earth,
foul air, foul water and foul food Or
none, what wonder that one half have
died and that one quarter OF the liv-
ing are so diseased that they cannot be
saved.
"The people were independent and
self sup porting before Weyler's order.
They are not beggars even now. There
are plenty of professional beggars in every
town among the regular residents, but
these country people. the reconcentradoes,
have not yet learned the art. Rarely Is
q hand held out to you for aims when
going among their huts, but the sight Of
| them makes an appeal stronger than
| words
| The scenes in the hospitals, he said,
was not within the limits of his vocabu-
| larry to portray. In the Los Pasos hospital
| in Havana he saw 400 women and chill
dren on the stone floors, in on indescri ba-
BILE state of emaciation and disease. many
with the scantiest covering of rags and
such rags and sick children as naked as
when they came into the world, and the
conditions in other cities were oven
worse.
| If our people could see a small fraction
| of the need they would put more freely
| from their liberal stock than ever before
| in any cause. When will the need for
this help end? Not until peace comes
| and the recOncentradoes can go back to
their country, re build their homes, re-
claim their tillage plots which quickly
run up to brush in that wonderful soil
and cline and until they can bs free from
danger of molestation in so doing. I'm
| til then the American people must in the
MAN, care for them. One thing that
was new to him the Senator said, was
to learn the superiority of the well-to do
Cuban over the Spaniard in the matter
of education. There can be no doubt of
| this fact.
OF tho Spanish soldiery, he said, that
he believed that If well drilled they would
fight fairly. but not at an equal to our
own men. More would depend on their
leadership than with us.
There is no doubt, the Senator said
that Gen. Blanco is acting in entire good
| faith and that he desires to give the Gu
bans fair measure of autonomy, but the
general belief is that autonomy comes
| too late.
| Senator Protor declared himself op-
posed to the annexation of Cuba. mot
because would apprehend any particular
trouble from it. but because it is not a
wise policy to take in any people who
use foreign tongue and have foreign
training
The conditions for self-goyernment
| in Cuba were favorable He would
not make any recommendation as
| to what should be done. be
thought the matter might be safely left
| to an American President and the Anne
rican people. With these words he closed
| Throughout the delivery of the address