Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-03-25
PROCTOR 70 THE SENATE
Describes the Terrible Con-
dition in Cuba.
PROGRESS OF RELIEF WORK
The Senator Tells of the Awful snffer-
ing From Starvation of the Recon-
trados-Victims of Spanish Misrule.

The senator leiis VI INC H"i"i SHier-
ing From Starvation of the Recon-
trados-victims of Spanish Misrule.
Washington, March Ex-senator
Proctor, of Vermont, who returned last
Sunday from an extended trip to and
Through the island of Cuba, this after
moon made statement to the senate of
his observations on the island. From
many points of view the statement was
Remarkable. 1t had evidently been
most carefully prepared Every ele-
ament of sensationalsm had been studi-
aously eliminated from It, and except 90
far as the facts recited were sensation
.al, it bore not the slightest evidence of
an effort to arouse the public mind, al
ready keenly alive to the condition of
affairs on the island.
Calm and dispassionate to notable
degree, the utterances of the senator
aroused breathless interest. Every
person within the sound of his voice
was convinced that he was putting his
observations into careful terms, lest he
might subject himself to the criticism
of being emotional.
He spoke in part as follows:
More importance seems to be at
tached by others to my recent visit to
Cuba than l have given it. 1t has
been suggested that make a public
Statement of what saw and how the
Situation impressed me. This l do,
on account of public interest in all
that concerns Cuba, and to correct any
Inaccuracies that have not unnaturally
appeared IN some of the reported inter-
views with me.
MY trip was entirely unofficial, and
of my own notion; it was rot suggested
sby anyone. The only mention | made
of it to the president was to say to him
that contemplated such trip, and to
ask him if there was any objection to
BIT, to which he replied that he could
see none."
The senator spoke in very kindly
terms of Consul. General Lee and of
Consul Brice. Referring to the Maine
matter he said:
1T has been stated that said there
WAS no doubt the Maine was blown up
from the outside. This is mistake.
u may have said that such was the gen.
eral impression among Americans in
Havana; in fact. 1 have no opinion
about it myself and carefully avoided
Forming one. gave no attention to
these outside surmises. l met the
members of the court of inquiry on
their boat. but would as soon approach
bur supreme court in regard to pend
ing case as that board. They are as
competent and trustworthy within the
lines of their duty as any court in the
Hand, and their report, when made,
will carry conviction to all the people
that the exact truth has been stated as
Far as it is possible to ascertain it,
Havana, the great city and capital
pf Cuba, is, in the eyes OF the Spanish
and many Cubans, all Cuba, as Paris is
France. But, having visited it in
more peaceful times and seen its sights,
the tomb OF Columbus, the forts, Ca.
banas, Moro castle, etc. did not care
TO repeat this, preferring trips in the
country. Everything seems to go or
anuch as usual in Havana, and one sees
1ew signs of war.
Outside of Havana all is changed.
Ut is not peace, nor is it wSr; it is deso-
ation and destruction, misery and star.
patton. Every town and village is sur
grounded by a trocha, sort of rifle pit.
The purpose Of these trochas is to keeI
the reconcentrados in as we'll as t
keep the insurgents out. From all the
surrounding country the people hav,
fbeen driven into the fortified towns
snd held there to subsist as they can
They are virtually prison yards, anC
pot unlike one in general appearance,
Every point is in range of a soldier:
rife.
West of Havana is mainly the ricl
tobacco country, east, SO far as l went
ps the sugar region. Nearly all the
sugar mills are destroyed between Ha
9vana and Sagua.
The reconcentrados number abou
4oO, 900. They were the peasantry
farmers, some landowners, others rent
ing lands and owning more or les
stock, others working on estates snC
cultlvating small patches, and even
small patch in that fruitful cline vii
support small family. According t
their standard of comfort, before Wey
ier's order was issued they were vel
on When they reached the towns t.
which they were driven, they were al
lowed to build huts of palm leaves il
me suburbs and vacant places withii
fhe trocha, and left to live if the
gould. For want of space the huts ar
crowded close together. They have n
FLOOR but the ground, and no furniture