New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-12


risons and towns: that he believed autonomy pre-
mature and was inclined 20 the adoption OF ener-
eetic military action for the purpose OF pacifying
the province; that the TRUTH should be known IN
Spain. where public opinion and the press had been
deceived regarding the and the so-cailed pacin
cation Of the western provinces
SPANISH RELIEF A DELUsION.
Under date Of December General Lee sent q
communication to the Department regarding the
measures for the relief OF the reconcentrados. much
of which is made public. In the pert given out
he said:
II see no effect OF the governmental distribution
TO the reconcontrados. I am informed that only
$3.50 in Spanish silver has been dedicated to the
Havana Province out OF the 10000 said 10 have
been set aside for the purpose relieving them
the island and that reports from all parts OF the
province show that 50 per cent have already died.
and that many Of those loft Will die. and most of
these are women and children. am informed an
order has been issued in some parts Of the island
suspendinE the disposition 70 reconcentrados.
The condition Of these people Is simply terrible.
! hear Of much suffering in the Spanish hospitals
FOR want OF food hear also that the Spanish
merchants in Some parts OF the island are placing
their establishments in the name o. foreigners 20
avoid having their provisions purchased on credit
by the military administration. In some parts Of
the island. I am told there is scarcely any food
for soldiers citizens and even cats are used Tor
food purposes selling for thirty cents apiece It Is
d fair inference 20 draw from existing conditions
that It IS not possible FOR tho Governor-Cieneral 20
relieve the present situation with the means at his
disposal"
ALMOST no ONE FOR AUTONOMY.
On December Is came the following:
sir have the honor 10 make the following
report:
The contest for and against autonomy is most
unequal For e there are five or SIX or The head
officers at tho palace ard twenty or thirty other
,ivos a-of No
Insurgents with or without arms. and the cuban
non-conhatants: second the great mass OF the
Spaniards bearing not bearing ar1ns-the latter
desiring II there must be a change, annexation 70
the United States
Indeed. there IS the greatest apathy concerning
autonomy I'm any form No one asks what Il VII
be- or when or how e. VIII come do not see how
I, could be even put into operation by force be
cause as long as the insurgents decline TO accept
H. so long the Spanish authorities say. the war
must continue
on December a General Lee sent conmunca-
ton saying THAT the total numcer or reconceh-
trados N Havana Province would reach one hun
dred and fifty thousand and that The death rate
from starvatfon alone would be over 20 Per cent
For the relief Of these people $500 in silver had
been set aside. 80 that II every dollar appropri-
ated reaches them tho distribution will average
about seventeen cents 10 person. which, %
course will be rapidly exhausted and. as ! can
hear OF no further being afforded. IT Is easy
70 perceive what little practical relief has taken
place in the condition OF these poor people
AUTONOMY LEADS TO a RIOT.
General Lee made the first Communication about
the later scheme OF autonomy on December IS He
said he had been Informed that tho authorities
were engaged in forming Autonom!stic Cabinet.
arranging for the members TO take the required
oath on January J. and also ior an elecuoh "A-''s
days thereafter"
MY present information" ne continued. IS that
most Of the spaniards will refrain from voting and
nearly all the Cubans The feeling IN
Havana and hear IN other parts OF the island Is
strong against H. the Cubans desiring an inde-
pendent republic and the spanlards preferring an
uexation 70 the United States rather than auton-
orny on the night 81 the 24,h inst there seems 70
have been a concerted plan over the island 70 tes-
,ify the disaDprohat!on Of the people 70 the pro
POSED autonOmstic plan o. the Spanish Govern
ment."
lie wen, on 10 describe how Il eliminated about
. o'clock on the morning Of the 18th. when a mob
assemble in the principal square with cries OF
Death 70 autonomy and viva Weyer!' Tho
men in the mob had stones IN their pockets. ana
some II them aimed with weapons.
They made a demonstration. too. against mo
once % the 'Diario de Ia Marina paper pub
ushed In this town favoring autonomy, but were
dspersed by the military police and soldiers. said
the report
Tho same day General Lee ACKNOWLEDGED tho
Il
! n, The roople OF tho United states 70 make char
,abe contributions Tor the relief q the distress ia
/ cuba Other kilograms followed during the next
! few days AS 20 the Kind Of contributions which
would be most valuable IA relieving the suffering.
| SHOCKING RESULTS OF WEYLERs ORDER
~ January & general Lee made the following
/ report:
! "Sir. have the honor 20 state. AS matter OF
hubble interest. that the reconcentrado order OF
/ GENERAL VIEWER formerly GOvernor-o General or this
felaud transformed about four hundred thousand
s4lf-suppor,iug people principally women and chill
/ dren into a multitude 10 he sustained Dy the CON
,rtiutions % others or die Of starvation or OF,
/ fevers resulting from low physical condtlop ana
being massed ia large bodies without change OF
/ clothing and without food.
Their homes were burned. their fields and plhn'
beds destroyed and their live stock driven away or
ktled I estimate that probably two hundred thou-
7 md % the rural population I'm the provinces 81
prar del RIO Havana. Matanzas ana santa cara
ha,e died Of starvation or from resultant causes,
,,d tho deaths u Whole families almost simutahe-
j ouslv or within a few days OF each other and or
mothers praying for their children 70 De ree'ed 81
thor horrible suforngs by death. are not the Iehst
~. the rnany pitlable scenes which were ever pres
/ 49,, :, tho provinces Of Puerto Principe and San
,,,,o do Cuba where the recOnccntrado order could
/ ,o, ne cnforced the great MISS Of the people are
| self sustaining.
/ 90. daily average Of 70 cents worth Of food 20
/ two hundred thousand people "ouiu Oe d" 'NP'"
/ d,,urc 81 g9OVD a day. and OF course. tho most
t.,,a,o enorts upon the part Of our citizens cnn-
| M, hone 10 accomplish such gigantic relief. and
a great portion Of these people Will have 70 be
/ abandoned 10 their fate.
General Lee incloseG IN this Communication an
.dt,oriol from the 'Diario de Ia Marina which
| ,,,,. denounced the "seditious tumult' OF the
1a,. before as a victory for Gomez and the enemies
{ ~ snaln On the same day he also sent to the
recruitment some statistics about the mortality In
santa Clara showing that. while there were 649
des,bs In that town In the seven years previous tc
- - t,ci,ded ! AZ i'm one year from cpl