The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-12

! illustrating the suffering in the province
| He says there is in Matanzas province
alone Q 900 people who are in actual starv-
/ ing condition and require food, clothing
and medicines. Continuing. ne says:
'In addition to the above are families
! of the better class, and formerly we'll
| to-do. who today are living on one meal
day, and that very scant. They have
/ sold or Dawned furniture. clothing, etc,
! to exc out an existence, until all is gone,
or nearly so. Too proud to beg. they suf-
! fer in silence, and many die Of starva-
/ ton. The daughter of a former governor
/ Of this province was seen begging on the
! streets Gncognito) of this city. Many of
/ these people call on me privately at my
| residence, asking and praying for Gods
! sake to be remembered when this relief
! comes from the United States.
lone has to be here. know and mingle
with these people. to fully realize the ter
ribe restitution and misery existing in
Cuba. 1t is to be hoped that this relief
from the United States will come quick
ly for hundreds are dying daily of starv-
alton. Conditions are dreadful and no
relief is afforded by the Spanish author
tiles"
In his first communication of the series,
dated November Il, Mr.. Brice stated that
neither the Spaniards nor Cubans of that
section were in sympathy with the pro-
posed autonomy and reforms.
'RELIEF'' ORDERS UNHEEDED.
He notes the issuance of the order to
municipal authorities to issue rations and
clothing, but says that no attention was
paid to it. In this communication he
places the death rate at over eighty per-
sons daily, nearly all of whom are dying
for want of food. medicine and clothing
'As I write this" he says, "a dead ne
gro woman lies in the street within 200
yards of this consulate. starved TO death.
She died some time this morning and will
lie there, may be. for days"
Mr.. Brice also notes the issuance of an
order allowing reconcentrados to return
to the country, but he says the restric-
tons in the order are such as to prac-
tically prohibit.
eff they went" he says. what would
they do without money. food or shell er?
Only those who can obtain employment
on sugar plantations can live. Insurg-
ents say that no one will be allowed to
grind in the province of Matanzas. The
situation is indeed deplorable. and I am
free to say that no real help can be ex-
pected from the Spanish government, and
the fate of the remaining reconcentrados
is slow, lingering death from starvation"
Writing on the 18th of December. Mr.
Brice says that the relief offered to re-
concentrates and other poor people by
the Spanish authorities is Intellectual.
Il have" he says, personally visited
the head masters of distribution stations.
Two thousand rations were given out,
for a. few days only, to 5000 persons.
There are more than 1900 starving peo-
pie in this city today. One out of four
or six receives two ounces of rice, one
and a half ounces of jerked beef. and
sometimes a small piece of bread per
diem. Even this ration Of food has been
discontinued since the 11th instant
Mr.. Brice mentions several instances Of
distress. among others the following:
''In family Of seventeen. living in an
old lime-kiln. alL>$7ere found dead except
three. and they barely alive"
He says again that General Blanco's
order allowing reconcentrados 10 return
and cultivate their crops is inoperati tive
and Of no avail
Writing on the 18th Of January, he
says:
The people are shut UP in the cities
and towns like rats. 20 starve We have
fifteen or eighteen families of Ame-icax
reconcentrados who own property in the
country, and were they allowed to go to
their homes they could make a good Nv
ing. All these have begged and pleaded
with the authorities under Blanco's order
to so and were in every case refused"
CONSIU RERKEP M SANTAPIAPA