The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-04-22
lion and r.aplr. seoa clothing and medicines.

ton and require food. clothing and medicines.
Continuing. he says:
In addition to the above there are THOUSANDS
OF families Of the better classes and formerly
weli-to-do who to-day are living On one meal
day and that very scant. They have sud
or pawred furniture. jewelry, clo;,nE ETC.,
10 exc out an existence until all is Soue, or
E ry So Too proud to beg. they suffer in
silence and may die Of starvation. The lan,;h-
ters OF former governor OF this province
we're seen begging on the streets (incnynlto).
Of this city. Many Of these people call on
me privately at my residence, asking and
Praying pray Tor Gods sake to be remembered when
has to be here. know and mingle with these
people. to fully realize the terrible ies:itu
ZION ana a.. misery existing in Cuba /. is 70 be
VIII come quickly. for hundreds are dy':-g
daily CT starvation. Conditions are dtnadfur
ana !,. no relic; afforded by the span,sn au-
- In his first communication Of the series aa'rd
S :sov, 80 Mr. Brice stated that neither TIE
81 81 iani s or Cubans Of that section were ir
ssnl athy with the proposed autorory and
REFORMS. He noted the issuance of the order
70 municipal authorities TO issue rations and
clothing. but says that no attention was paid
to It. In this ccmmunca ton he places the
death rate at over eighty persons daily nearly
an OF whom were dying for want OF food,
AS write this, he says, "a dead negro
woman lies in the street within two hundred
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
o eI allowing the reconcentrados to return to
the country, but he says the restrictions in
me oruer are such, as to practically prohibit.
II they went" he says. what would they do
only these who obtain employment. on
sugar plantations live. Insurgents say no
one ~, WIN be allowed to grind In the province
OF Matanzas The situation is indeed Jeplor:,-
Die, and am free to Say no real help can TO
expected from the Spanish government and
the fate of the remaining reconccntrados is
dnafh To-,
wrlting Dec IL Mr.. Briee says that the
lief offered to reconcentrados and other people
oy the Spanish authorities is Intellectual.
II have" he says personally visited the
mead masters OF distribution stations. Two
thousand ratlons were given out fer few days
only to 5000 persons. There are more than
1900 starving people in this city to-day One
out OF four or six receives two ounces Of rice,
one-half ounce Of jerked beef and sometimes
ration of food has been discontinued since the
11th inst" Mr.. Brice mentions several in
stances Of distress. among others the following:
In a family Of seventeen living in an old lime
kiln all were found dead except three, and
they barely alive. He says again that Gen.
Blanco's order allowing reeoncentrados to re-
| turn and cultivate the crops Is imperative and
| of no avail Writing Jan. g. he says: 1.-THE
| people are shut up in the cities and towns like
rats to starve We have fifteen eighteen
| families of American reconcentrados who own
| property in the country. and were they allowed
| to go to their homes could make good living
All these have begged and pleaded with the
| authorities under Blanco's order to go and
were in every case refused
| Province Of Santa Clara.
Consul Barker covers the conditions existing
| IN Santa Clara province in a number of COM
| munications beginning Nov co. 1897 and clos
| Ing March "a last. His letters constitute one
| long story of distress, of sickness, detitution
and DEATH until indeed the picture as drawn in
the plain language of official communications
| is revolving. Mr.. Barker devoted comparatively
| little space to political questions. but
two. Of his letters along these lines. Prob
ably the most notable Of these is his communi-
cation of Jan. 10, in which he volunteers some
| suggestions to the department OF state. From
this communication the following extracts are
| taken:
| my humble judgment, dare predict. That her
| plan of settlement is a fai.1'e is not to be
questioned. Pending this admission her
| part thousands of human beings, gulltless OF
| having taken any part in the Instruction. are
! dying for want OF sustenance. This condition
must continue to increase. The United States
| in taking action relative to CEba-which seems
| Observation-Disclosures to avoid clash with Spain.
| Then let congress alter citizenship laws by
amending the statute relative to the declara-
ton required Of persons becoming citizens by
naturalization SO that the subjects citizens
| of any other government at present residing at
| Cuba may go before any United States consul
| in that island and make declaration of inten-
| ton OF becoming citizen of the United States
| which shall entitle them to recognition as citi-
zens until the expiration Of two years. when
| they be required to reside in the United States
| until five years shall have elapsed before be-
| ing granted naturalization papers. With such
| a privilege I am confident 90 per cent of the
| resident ST. aniards. the hitherto dominant party
l and taxpayers. will avail themselves OF this
| opportunity OF rebuking the mother country for
| existing laws Of the island. Such step would
cause the home subjects as we'll as the govern
| ment to acquiesce without disturbance in the
| loss of the island.''
| Mr. Barker then suggests that the United
| States shall offer her good offices to Spain with
view of securing an armistice of ninety days
duration fer the purrcs: OF discussing terms Of
settlement between Spain and the Insurgents.
| the United States to be umpire. Pending nego-
| tiations he would have all troops quartered and
! held in the large fortified coast towns in order
| that the reconcentrados may return to the
country and employment. He adds that the
| relief from the United States must be contin-
Is an armed Spanish soldier in the country
"since these people, for fear OF being MUIR
dered. do not go to their country homes.''
narrowing Dcstit.ticn.
Mr.. Barker devotes much space to the suffer-
IN and mortality of the people Of his province
| He places the mortality figures for six Of the
| principal cities of his district for the period
| beginning with Jan. and ending Nov. 49,
1897. at so.s51. He says this is the official
| record and that fully IS per cent should be
added to cover deaths, OF which no record was
kept.
''IIrdcubtedly." he says, 'sone-half the recon-
| centradcs have died, and to-day Spanish SCI
| diers are companion victims of the surviving
| mono ombatants. This appalling death roll is
| mute VET convincing PROOF OF the terrible de-
| stlnctton of life Of the main policy pursued
in attempting to subinrate the island. With
| me the conviction is firmly rooted that within
| sixty days 30 per cent of the poDulace will
reach a state of craving hunger. nor do feel
| that am speaking Numerically without in
Guiding the rank arl file Of tie Spanish army.
| The true status. as viewed at present. will
bear out this opinion. Tho suffering among
the troops. as we'll the reconcen.rados. SIM
| ply beGgars portrayal. Willie discomfort ripens
| daily
| On Dec. - Mr.. Barker relate. the particu-
| lars Of visit he had made to five OF the
principal railroad towns in his consular dis
| trict. which tour had been undertaken to verify
| the previous statements. Speaking OF this trip,
which covered the towns OF Santa Clara,
Cruces. Esperanza, Jicotea and Santa Domingo,
| he says:
1.-THE restitution is simply too narrowing to
recise and must become intensified each day.
| The death rate for last month showr an in
crease Of about c5 per cent. In these towns I
got my information from the mayors OF each
From them learned that while there was an
issue Of food running from three to five days.
beginning on the 2Sth ult.. consisting of three
ounces of bacon or jerked beef and six ounces
of rice for adults. with half this allowance