The times., 1898-11-19
An AnneaI for cuba.

mission entered havana, IL was line
an army, with its bewildering fol-
lowing of colonels, majors, captains,
clerks, stenographers, typewriters. or
derlies, servants, hostlers, dogs, chefs,
and the like. 1t appropriated a great
hotel that was in demand for
il began a system of correspondence
with the Spanish Commissioners under
red-tape methods that made the Paris
Commission seem loose and lawless by
comparison. 1t was as naughty in its
dealings with the Cubans as 1t was hum
BILE in its relations with General Blan-
co. whose continued sovereignty 1t rec
ognized by refusing to receive the ap-
peals and protests of aggrieved natives,
whom 1t referred to Blanco. 1t was no
wonder that the Cubans hoped for
so much when they first saw the boat
loads of typewriters and office furni-
ture and the giddy uniforms of the
Americans. 1t Is no wonder their dis
appointment was dire when they were
snubbed and hustled out of the hotel
corridors. In a few weeks it was the
American Commission that was snub-
bed and ridiculed by everybody, from
Spanish corporal to the Cuban street
boys. The Commissioners were an easy
mark for the shrewd Castilians, and ev-
erybody soon knew it. Their long COM
munications were received with snick-
ers and went unanswered. Their pro-
tests were welcomed with apparent cor
diality and used for cigarette lighters.
1t was not until Blanco was scared by
the revolt of some of his regulars that he
decided to resign, but was persuaded
TO remain until the first of January, and
then allowed the American Commits
sioners-who had long since ceased to
hold meetings-to say that date had
been agreed upon for the completion of
the evacuation. This was their only
achievement, and for it they owe graft
tude to the unpaid mutineers of Blan-
cos army.
From the day of their advent in Ha-
vana, The Times urged the Commits
sioners-especially General Butler, in
whom it had most confidence-to
pay some regard to the situa-
ton of the Cubans, partly in order
to effect the relief of the starving and
partly 10 check the Spanish game of
fostering distrust and hatred of the
Americans. But they were reported to
be too busy with their mutual rivalries,
such as are inevitable wherever Samp-
son is, and with the nursing of their
wounded vanity, which had been rough
ly maltreated by the Spaniards. To The
Times alone was left the task of keep
ing the President and the public inform
ed as to the increasing horror of Cuban
conditions. until a few weeks ago when
General Butler made personal and Off
cial appeals TO the President and the
War Department.
These facts are recited in order to
strengthen the appeal of Admiral Samp-
son and the Cuban General Gomez for
the aid so often urged by The Times-to
prove that, although Sampson has only
now discovered how dreadful the situa-
tion is, it has existed, though with con-
stantly growing horror. ever since the
signing of the protocol made the Ameri-
can people responsible for whatever suf-
fering it was able to prevent. II is to
be considered that, but for our tolera-
ton of Spanish sovereignty, which the
President has refused to recognize for
mally, or even indirectly, there would be
no such situation. This statement is con-
firmed by Admiral Sampson and by all
others who have attempted to describe
it. Sampson says:
The war has ceased, but the poor have nothing
to eat, and the desperately poor include large
majority OF the inhabitants of the country. There
is money coming into the country, no work
is being done, and the poor secure no employ
ment. Until the United States take military con-
troll of the island, and commerce and agriculture
thereby revived, the poor must be fed.
Blanco takes all the money-an enor-
nous sum, according to the report of
the Presidents agent-and at the same
time makes it extra hazardous for any
body to go to farm to work, and vir-
tually prohibits business. The facts are
put with brutal frankness by Gomez, in
the letter transmitted by Sampson. He
charges that the failure of our Govern
ment to do what The Times has so often
urged in double-leaded earnestness-to
remove Blanco at any cost-has made
the condition of Cuba vastly worse than
it ever was under Spanish tyranny. But
let that pass. If we are to allow Blanco
to rob and terrorize the island until the
New Year and to complete the ruin he
has promoted, at least we should save
the survivors from the starvation that
has carried off so many thousands.
Negroes South and North.