The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-23

Inc above communication, written
especially by the secretary of state for
the readers of this newspaper. shows
that the benevolent heart of the Amer
lean nation is urgently needed to re-
spond quickly to the appeal from Cuba
| of Send us food, or we die Of hun
ger" There has been no exaggeratton
Of facts in the case. The writer made
trip to New York for the express DUR
pose of interviewing the Cuban junta
on the subject, and was courteouslv
received by Senior. Estrada Palma, the
Cuban delegate to this country.
I will show YOU" said Mr.. Palma,
as soon as the subject of starving ma
tives in Cuba had ben preached. "I
will show you that the reports have
been rather under than overestimated,
L have letters from all parts Of the
island describing the. most heartrend-
ing condition of affairs. cannot give
you the names Of the writer's. But let
me select one from Guynes, in the
province Of Havana.
The writer begins with pitiful ap-
peal for help, and goes on to describe
the condition of the town as being
worse than that of a besieged city in
its last extremity. Take this one SEN
tence from. the letter; Tt is like a city
Of the dead We listen in vain for the
voices of our children. They are silent
in the grave. The young and delicate
were the first to go. We older ones
have managed to live through it. That
is, a few of us have. Many, and among
them myself, wish they had been less
fortunate, for we envy the dead Not
child under nine years Of age is left
alive, and thousands are dying in the
country all around U.S.
Take another letter." continued Mr..
Palma, Here is a specimen from g
batch received from priest in the
city Of Havana:
" I never saw so many funerals dur
ing the whole time-of my stay on the
island. There is a continual procession
of carriages. All the collins are filed
by victims of starvation. Can nothing
be done to help? In your favored land
will not the people stretch out a hand
to keep US from dying of lack of food?'
Il could show you Others" continued
Mr.. Palma, 'but those will suffice. THE
crying needs Of the people have not
half been told An incident that came
under the notice of man who has Just
returned from Cuba is pathetic enough
to arouse the Americans to renewed
eXertions. In one starving city q lit
tie condensed milk had been secured,
and a child was brought in the last
stages of starvation to receive its por-
ton of the milk. The poor mother just
gave it one mouthful Of milk, when the
child gasped and died. 1 could null
tiply these instances by an indefinite
number, if it were necessary"
The cry of the starving Cubans is
being heard and answered in America
The same charity that sent a ship
load Of food to aid the starving ma
tives of India is coming forward now
that people are dying Of hunger at our
very doors. In Washington the writer
can bear witness that most active
measures are being taken, and money
and promises of food are coming in
rapidly. Communications are passing
to and fro continually between the
state department officials and Consul
General Lee and arrangements have
been made by the latter for the prompt
and systematic delivery and distribu-
ton of relief food that is sent from
America.
The steamships of the Ward line.
plying between New York and Havana,
have offered to take, free of charge,
any contributions OF food or clothing
to the starving Cubans, and the Amer
lean railroads are coming forward with
similar offers. In the general pity for
those who perish of hunger, grim
wars mailed hand Is hidden; the
Spanish authorities are forgetting their
animosities against; the people of this
country, and are not only permitting
all supplies for the famine-stricken
people to pass Through the usually bar
ricaded routes to tie country, but are
actually joining in the petition that
America send help to the people,
Flour can be sent from this country
free of duty, by especial agreement
Of the Spanish authorities, and, as IL
has previously necessitated a hundred
per cent outlay in order to get -four
through the custom house at Havana,
it is desirable that -four should be
purchased in America and forwarded
to Cuba, as if the money is sent to
Consul General Lee it will cost him
more to purchase the flour in Havana
than it will to ship it duty free from
this country
According to the state department,
money expended in this country can
be made to go twice as far as though
it were sent to Cuba to be expended
there. The money destined for the re-
lief of the Cuban sufferers had better
therefore be forwarded direct to the
state department Of Washington, and
be expended by them in purchasing