The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-12

the country whose independence we now
conquer at the point of the sword for them,
is also for us; blood of our blood and flesh
of cur flesh we must rejoice with them in
their joys as we weep and sympathize with
them III their SofroWs and gTiefs. BE not
surprised, then, that as the general-in-chief
of this Cuban army ] am deeply moved at
the wave of compassion which agitates your
noble country and that / accede to the re-
quest of the patriots 1 command, to appear
before you, the representative of the great
nation, as the exponent of our immense
gratitude. l have therefore, sir, to fulfill a
conscientious duty by setting forth a fact
which / beg you will please transmit to the
knowledge of the persons to whom is rec
commended the phianthropic mission of sue
coring the unhappy, destitute Cubans. and
in order that ignorance of certain arrange
ments may deprive many needy ones of the
enjoyment of that noble American charity.
The revolution as an absolute master
any citizen whatever his nation-
atty from earning his living, and it has
happened that as soon as the barbarous
concentration decree was derOgated. innum-
cradle families have left and will leave the
city for the fields, impelled by hunger to
wrest from the fruitful Cuban vegetation
the means of relieving the most pressing
needs of life. The unhappy beings ignore
the fact that if the Spaniard by steel and
privation has shrouded their hearths in
mourning, so also it may be said that the
flora of Cuba was in mourning. devastated
by the bullet and torch. Wherefore, being
in the same circumstances these unfortun-
ateS have the same moral right to partici-
pate in the relief furnished to needy Cubans
by your generous people. Many widow
many a mother, many an orphan do we
meet in our way who asks of us succor that
we are not able to give but most sparingly
and, therefore, upon pointing out to them
the charity awakened in their behalf in your
noble nation | desire to honor myself by
offering my services to cooperate in the
within the reach of the forces / command.
I am, sir, with the most distinguished con-
sideration, M. GOMEZ"
DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD.
distribution Of food, medicine and clothing
to destitute is proceeding satisfactorily.
1.-THE work" he says, has been well organ
lied and systematized under the immediate
supervision and direction of Miss Clara Bar
ton, president of the Red Cross of the
United States, and her active, able and eX-
perienced assistants" He says that the
number of the poor and destitute is so large
that it is impossible to relieve large num-
bers in each locality, but that he can state
with confidence that under the present sys-
EN- of distribution the supplies are not lost
or wasted, but reach those for whom they
are Intended March IA he incloses a letter
from Consul Barker of Sagua, who re-
quests him to transmit the following letter
which is addressed to him General Leo:
Dear Sir-I will thank you to commune
cate to the department as quickly as posi-
BILE the fact that the military commander
and other officers Of the military positively
refuse to allow the reconcentrados to whom
] am issuing food in its raw state to procure
fuel with which to cook the food In addi-
ton they prohibited this class of people q
am only giving food to about one-ffth of
the destitute; the authorities have quit al
together) from gathering vegetables cult
waited within the protection of the forts.
telling them the Americans propose to feed
YOU and to the Americans you must LOOK "
General Lee informs the department that
the governor general by decree. March 5,
prorogped in all parts to March 81, 1898. the
decree of the general government of April
10, 1897. relative to the suspension of legal
proceedings against real estate with reser-
walton of what will be agreed on by the
insular chamber ''in due season..
March "a General Lee cables that the work
of relief is progressi 1g and gives details
about the distribution of supplies and
adds: "Have been greatly assisted by Mr..
Klopscn."
March % General Lee reports that instruc-
tions have been given by the civil govern
ment of Havana, that the alcaldes and au-
thorities shall not give out any facts about
the recOncentradoS and If the American re-
lief committee should make inquiries con-
corning them, all such inquiries must be
referred 10 him."
General Lees dispatches conclude with
dispatch under date of April transmitting
the decree CT the governor general termin-
ating the concentra ton order.
There is one communication from Owen
McGarr, consul at CienfugoS, under date Of
Jan. 10, informing the department that the
sugar mills in his district had been grinding
since the first of the month. He says the
firing of the canefelds ana concludes: THE
sugar crop is the support of all classes, es-
pecially the laboring class, and should 1t be
destroyed famine would be inevitable.