The times., 1898-01-18
The werler neEef Movement.

The American people are not SO
paretic as to forget that. only few
weeks ago. the Spanish Government.
! Senor Dupuy de Lone and their good
/ friend Mr. Mckinley. Joined in fran
+ tic appeal TO the public to contribute
money and supplies for the relief of
! the 100000 starving 'reconcentrados'
/ being murdered in Cuba under the or
! ders Of the hyena Weyler.
In accepting and acting upon this
! call, the charity of this country was
/ given the solemn assurance by the
/ State Department upon the authority
/ Of the Spanish Government and its
minister in Washington that all such
relief contributed by our citizens would
be distributed under the supervision of
our consuls. and would be allowed free
entry at any port OF Cuba.
In pursuance of this engagement,
Americans have given food. clothing
and medicines and the first full cargo
OF their contributions has arrived at
Havana. TO encounter what?
It was announced in the Cuban dis
patches to The Times yesterday that
the Spanish authorities had refused to
allow the goods TO land, and that the
Spanish merchants in Havana had no.
titled Gen. Rlanco that contributions
from America must only come in the
form Of money remittances. Further,
that all such remittances must be eX-
pended, for any commodities desired,
among the Spanish traders and at the
famine prices now obtaining.
If there was ever anything more i'm
pudent or infamous than this action on
the part OF the Spanish authorities and
their masters in Havana, we would be
pleased to learn of it II is exactly the
kind Of thing. however. that we might
have expected, when the Administra-
ton sought to dodge its duty of inter-
yention in the interests of humanity by
calling upon the people to relieve it
from its dilemma.
The hypocrisy of the Cuban relief
policy of the Government. like that of
its precedent autonomy policy, has
not been long in finding the light of eX-
posure. No sooner did it appear that
American charity would respond to the
appeal than elaborate arrangements
were made in Cuba to prevent Ameri-
can consuls from having anything to
do with distribution. The reason for
that wae plain on its face. 1t never
was intended that the relief supplies
should reach the starving ..reconcen-
trados" They were to be used to feed
and clothe the Spanish soldiers whom
Spain cannot pay. feed, clothe or shell
ter. We viii not at present go so far
as to say that our Government was a
conscious party to this design; but it
lent its influence to it.
Since the outbreak Of the Carlists and
Weylerites in Havana the situation has
somewhat changed. Now the dominat-
ing influence at the palace will not
even allow the free entry of any goods
from America, even if destined to as
sist Spain to crush the republic. That
influence is the power of the Spanish
shopkeepers with their mob of volun-
teerS. The shopkeepers have lived
and thrived on the loot of the army
They viii not allow anything imported
which does not benefit them They
would if they could, and probably may,
place a prohibition upon relief goods
even if the cargoes pay duty. No doubt
they would be willing to allow Ameri-
can dollars TO come in if they were safe
to get them and knew that they would
result in aid to the Spanish cause 9th
erwise they do and viii oppose the
started by Sagasta, Dupry
de LONE and the State Department.
In view Of these facts a halt should |
be called Americans should not waste |
their charity. The situation of the ''re- |
is horrible beyond con-
ception, but their Spanish torturers |
viii not allow succor to reach them |
while they can prevent it: and any |
goods sent to the island, even if per- |
mitted to land. most certainly will be |
diverted from their purpose.
1t is g case not for private, but for /
1ational interposition. Any other civ |
lized government. with such conditions |