New-York tribune., 1898-09-19
STARVATION IN HAVANA.
CLOSING OF THE SOUP KITCHENS FORCES
MANY TO BEGGARY.
TROUBLES OF THE BANK OF sPAIN-DIs-
TRESs IN OTHER CITIES.

and public places have again become crowded
with beggars since the closing Of the souI
kitchens. Nothing could be ridiculous thar
the statement OF Fernandez de Castro, the Civf
Governor that want and distress have dsap'
peared. The reasons which caused the opening
OF these kitchens during the blockade still OBJ.
tain in the same degree. and the beggars are
no better off to-day than they were l.
raising Of the blockade did not have the effect
of reducing prices, which continue probibtlw
for the poor
The condition Of the nearby municipc'"5 II
wretched There is almost total las, OF food
clc:hing and medicine. Hundreds Of children
mcre skeletons. ard hollow-eyed, colorless
naked men and ,-'.-en dying by inchei
from disease and hunger, forgotten by all. Thu
municipal authorities doing absolutely moth
ing to remedy the evil. Commissions composed
Of women are visiting every store and business
house collecting relief supplies and medicin, foi
the Cuban troops but the collections are raj
short Of the actual requirements The pan
iards have contributed GENEROUSLY, even t'
most rabid Of the Conservatives.
The condition Of the Spanish troops is hardly
better in the country. The average death rate
among the Spanish soldiers was one hundred
daily during the first fortnight of the present
Va
laria and dysentery. caused by the lack OF food
and the bad quality of that obtainable.
The steamer Chateau Laftte sailed on Friday
for Spain with one thousand sick soldiers OF
board All the outgoing steamers bound FOL
Spain are full of sick and wretched looking
soldiers Arm officers and their families are
leaving in great numbers. Captain-Genera
Rlanco has sick in bed since Friday, suf'
fering from collie.
OBJECTED TO MEETING COMMISSION.
It is learned on authority Of an official source
that when the American Evacuation Commits
sioners arrived on the steamer Resolute Ten
eral Blanco decided to appoint an officer u
represent him in receiving the Commission. re-
fusing TO receive the Commissioners in person
General Parade. second in command In CUBA
and General Soano argued with him whoH
day pointing out that such action TouId De
direct affront: that the Commission, composee
Of two generals and one admiral representing
the niteG States Government, had come mere 10
pursuance of an agreement with the .oVern'
ment at Madrid; that he was personally ex'
pected to receive the Commissioners ana tha'
a refusal on mis- part to do so could only be re-
garded as a slight.
General Blanco was finally brought to reason
and persuaded 10 receive llt t'iitiliiSSiS' ''
son doing so I'm full dress uniform. 1t is under
stood that the Captain-General expected the
visitors 70 appear In full dress, which they did
not do, thereby causing considerable comment
The matter was discussed on board the Reso-
Lutte. the STATS considering that they should GER
tainly pay an official visit to the palace In full
dress This, however. was not done, owing 70
the delay in the delivery of dress uniform
ordered by General Wade before the sailing OF
the steamer. OF course the subordinates could
not appear in full dress unless the president OF
the Commission, General Wade, did so, and
therefore the entire party came ashore In IA
tigue dress causing considerable surprise at the
simplicity of their attires among the populace
upon whom display of gold lace and decora-
tions makes a great impression
AID FOR CUBANs WITHHELD.
A performance was 10 have been given at the
Tacon Theatre on Saturday for the benefit II the
Cuban soldiers All the seats had been solo, aAo
great crowds of Cuban sympatfizers We're ex'
nected 10 be present General Blanco had gwen
permission for the performance TO take place.
but on Thursday General Arolas went to the
Palace and had stormy interview with the
Captain-General, critcising In strong language
his weakness I'm permitting such gathering.
He protested against allowing the performance
10 take place, declaring that he, as Military
Governor. was responsible for the preservation
of order in the city, and adding that IL tne
Captain General perseVered IN MS intention o1
allowing the performance TO be held he would
at once present his resignation as Military Gov
arnor There was an extremely stormy scene
between the two officials. in which the tactful
General Solno intervened. with the result that
for ha
performance. General Arolas was persuaded to
withdraw his resignation. General Arolas never
goes near the Palace unless there are urgent
official demands for his presence. General
Blanco's place is not by any means a bed Of
roses
The serious trouble between the Spanish Bank
and the municipality over the payment OF in
,orast on the bonds issued for loans of S1OOO0OO
and 5000 600 came to a head on Saturday.
These payments We're ordered suspended on the
recommendation Of Senior Gown. Secretary OF
h,stic. in the Colonial Cabinet. in order to ap-
nlv such sums to the payment OF other munich
nal obligations thereoy impairing the credit
Of the Banco Espahol which guarantees the
payments After a serious protest by the gov
ornor of the bank against the illegality and In
Justice OF the proceeding, Senior Gown rendered
his resignation.
A crisis in the Colonial Cabinet over the az
fair was imminent, but Senior GOWN was per-
suaded to withdraw his resignation and con-
ference was then held with the governor or
the bank Ricardo Galbis. 1t was agreed that
the bank should retain the sums demanded by
the municipality and apply them as they should
be needed to the pa yment of the interest on the
bonds the bank agreeing to advance S2o,ooo 10
the municipality on certain securities This Is
probably the end of the controversy which
threatened to become issue of great masn-
tude There seems TO be no plausible theory
which can be advanced to explain how. In rev
months, the city's debt can have Increased
So 600 900. There no improvements to show
for the increase in the debt, and II must, tnere-
fore be ascrbed TO the same causes OK corrup-