Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-24

A lerrlDle Arrangement of Span
ish Oppression.
Washington, March 23.-Tn the Sem
to-day Mr., Gallinger spoke on the
cuban question. In opening his
speech he said that after the calm
dispassjonate and touching statement
Concerning Cuba, made in the Senate
recently by Mr. Proctor, it might be
veil TOR MN TO remain silent, but.
yielding 10 the desire expressed by
many OF ms colleagues, he had consent
ID 10 give plain recital of some of his
observations on that unhappy ISL
and. tie referred to the efforts made
By the Cubans in 1929. in 1914, in l84S.
in 1890 in 1851, in 1868 and again in
1898, TO break the chains that bound
Them TO Spain, in order that they
might establish for themselves free
government upon the sol! that was
rightly theirs. Save the last, all
these efforts have ended in failure.
That failure is history and need not
be recounted.
Nil Gallinger then detailed some of
the e.ents leading up to his arrival in
Cuba, and Of his reception by Consul
General Lee. Gen. Lee said he, is
deserving Of the highest possible praise
for the manner in which he carries
himself in Havana Cool and fearless
III The midst Of difficulties and dangers.
he never loses sight Of the fact that
he is an American citizen. nor is he
uumindful of the tremendous RESPONSE
bilities and duties of his position"
Referring TO his call upon the auton-
Umist cabinet. Mr.. Gallinger said it
was evident that the president Of the
cabinet was not encouraged in the
work The truth is" said Mr.. Gal
linger, autonomy is a fiat failure, OPP
posed alike by the ltraSpaniards and
the Cubans The leaders of the insur-
Iection have not forgotten how they
were treated by Spain in 1878, and
THE ESTABLISHMENTS
and brides now being offered them are
spurned with contempt Better death
than autonomy said leading Cuban
to me, for autonomy is only q pre-
tense under which we would again be
slaves to Spain.
Mr.. Gallinger recalled that he had
heard during debates in the Senate
denials made that the state of war eX
listed in Cuba, but it required only a
brief personal observation TO convince
one that war actually did exist A
desolate country and its stricken peo
ple told the story more eloquently
than it could be conveyed in words.
The war in Cuba, however" he said,
is a war of starvation and extermin
atiOn-a war more cruel than the
world has ever known
The Spanish troops do not impress
Americans as great soldiers. They are
under a lax discipline and are poorly
uniformed and inadequately fed. The
high officials do most of their fighting
in hotels and cafes, the actual fight
ing being done by those of inferior
grade On the contrary, the insurgents
are comfortably Gladly and under strict
discipline. They occupy large part
Of the island and could, in Mr. Gal
fingers opinion, take Havana or Mat
auzas whenever it might suit their
purpose, although these cities could
not he held for lack of navy.
The scenes in the streets of Ha
vana" he said, are narrowing beyond
description. People in want and suf-
fering are everywhere seen, and walk
Ing skeletons meet one on every hand
Naked children, emaciated and ragged
women and diseased and starving men
throng the streets, the hotel Hobbies
and every place Of public resort. 1t is
terrible sight-one that sickens the
heart and quickens every impulse OF
human sympathy
Under the very shadow of cathedrals
and churches, where SPANS authority
is absolutely unquestioned, the most
horrible conditions are conceded to
exist. Many have refused to believe
that great government was waging
WAR OF DIFFERENTIATION
instead of a war of honor, yet such is
an absolute fact. A visit was paid to
the orphanage which is now under the
care Of Miss Clara Barton. 1t con-
tains now about fifty children, almost
every one Of whom is victim of starv-
alton Dr.. lesser. one of Miss Bar
tons assistants has had experience
In the Armenian and India famines.
but he declares that the famine III
Cuba is worse than that in Armenia
and pictures he drew of the terrible
suffering and starvation in the island
more than confirm all that has been
written upon the subject.
detailed story of a visit to Los focas'
the place where the reconcentradoes daily
assemble to get food. was also given. q
few weeks ago when Miss Barton dlscoV-
ergo the place there We're 6l5 people lying
on the floors, many of them entirely nude
and all suffering the pangs of starvation.
Much has been done by the Fed Gross
Society 10 alleviate the condition OF those
WIN sdll remain, but scores Of men.
women and children are yet there, Gaunt
and bonH almost AS a skeleton. many oil
them covered with sores directly trace
able 10 insufficient food. what chap
Ter Of horrors and death is that. And
sim the tragedy goes on. How much
longer it shall continue largely depends
upm Tile forobearance of great people
who through suffering and sorrow
achieved their own independence, and
whose sympathies have always gone out
ia the oppressed of all nations OF the
world"
\ vivid picture was then drawn by Mt.
Gahrger Of a trip TO the city Of Matan-
z7s. All along the route were wretched
PEOPLE in rags. but not until the city was
reached was the fun extent of the suffer
ing realized. at occurred to me as l
cooked upon the scenes Of suffering ana
horrors that the Cuban reconcentradoes
might well have adopted the words OF
Dante Who enters here leaves hope be-
hina,' when they were driven from the
heGs and herded like cattle in the cities