Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-04-01
BLANCo on THE REvo:.CENrEADos
LIE Reports Measures Taken by the Span
ish to Relieve Distress.


Washington, April 1.-The Spanish
legation has received full reports from
Captain General B,anco, from the gov
errors of all the provinces of Cuba, ana
from the aloaldes and chiefs of police
| of the principal cities, as To the corli-
ton of the reconcentrados. 1t is an
elaborate treatment of this subject by
the officers directly in charge and
gives the situation fully FROM their
standpoint. 1t is noteworthy that they
do not seek to minimize the dreadful
condition OF these people but endeayor
to show that they are doing their ut
most to alleviate the misery and suf-
| ferinS existing. General R!anco'S re-
| port is in substance as follows: IN
| midst OF the painful impression caused
| by the situation of the reconcentrados
| ii is some satisfaction to note the grea.
| Improvement in their condition as COM
pared with what it was four or five
months ago.
He then states that many of the So
| called reconcentrados sought refuge in
| the towns and cities because the rebels
| had devastated the country. and says
that by the decree of Nov. IA last the
return of all the reconccntrados to their
homes was permitted and they were
| authorized DIT the same time to carr
arms to defend their property. =
| Committees of help We're organized, in
| PREVENTION in them being given to the
| clergy, doctors and all the most useful
and respectable clements Official
charity. a few days after the establish
| ment of these fJuntaS. provided them
| with resources, handing over S100000
| Nov. % and s-0000, March =. The gov
errors and alcaldes were called upon to
show their zeal by giving "A good ex-
ample, an appeal to which these au-
thoritIes responded with an interest
worthy Of all praise.
AS a result Of all this in
Santa Clara there are actually a lar-e
number of these unhappy beings oc-
cupied in field labor. IL order to avoid
the over-crCwding which was found to
| occur when the labcreT3 returned to
the towns after the days work, huts
We're erected for them in the cultivated
zone with very excellent results. In
pinar del Rio five villages are being
|
being taken to increase and encourage
agricultural labor. In Santiago de Cuba
the cultivated Zorcs are in perfect con-
dition: those of San Luis, Songo and
CGnery may be cited as models.
Gradually the gravity of the
crisis is passing away. Apart
from any preconceived idea it is only
just to admit that the help which comes
from the United States is also a power
ful means of relief in the actual circum-
stances.
1T is sad to note that the population
has diminished, but it must remem-
bcred that this is by no means due ex-
clusively to want and misery. The emil
grafton which occurred in some cities
was enormous; in Santiago &c Cuba
alone 12C90 passports have been signed
The ofIicia! statistics also show that
the high rates of mortality are not due
in many cases to the absence of pro-
visions. g. ! will say in conclu-
sion that the situation has improved
much; the problem, however, is not
yet solved, nor can this be done i'm
mediately.
Accompanying the report OF General
Blanco are reports from the governor
of Matanzas province. the governor OF
Santa Clara, and from the governors oil
Havana, and Pinar del Rio. The gov
ernor of Matanzas says the havoc be-
gan when the fertile fields of Matanzas
were invaded by the insurgents in 1895
desolating the land and leaving the
people out Of work. He admits that the
reconcentrado decree of 1896, instead Of
| diminishing the evils augmented them