The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-11
COMPLAINT FROM CUBA.
About Continuous Acknowledgement in
the Commissary Department


Guantanamo. Oct. 1L-CoIonel Ray,
the military commander and governor
OF this district, which includes Baracoa
and Sagua de Tanamo, has just return
ed from Santiago, where he has been
to consult with General Lawton. His
command consists of the Third regi-
ment United States volunteer infantry,
composed Of white men enlisted in the
southern states, the majority in Georgia,
the City OF Macon being the headQuar-
ters of the regiment
Eight companies, consisting Of $40
men, are encamped about three miles
from Guantanamo. Two companies
consisting Of 160 men under Ma jOr Wiley,
are at BaracOa. The same number are
at Sagua de Tanamo under Captain
Harris The health of the troops since
they arrived here on August 20 has not
been exactly good, but neither has it
been 50 bad as that of United States
troops in some other places. The con-
dItiOns locally are now much improved
AT one time or another twenty-five per
cent of the men have been on the sick
GSt,almOSt all suffering from remittent
tating- Only three deaths have taken
place, two from yellow fever and one
from pneumonia
Major Norman the surgeon in charge.
says that with more fresh meat and
potatoes the health of the men Will be
as good as could be reasonably expected
or 50 ago they had had no beef at all
and Colonel Ray took the first oppOr-
tunity Of buying beeves, obtaining ten
at S75 a head. Though naturally, as an
officer, he is reticent regarding the ac-
lions of others, he complains seriously
OF the mismana cement of the subsiSt-
ence OF the department which is to
blame for this lack of fresh provisions.
An oven is being built in the camp
and in a few days the bread will be
baked by soldier cooks. At present the
-four IS turned over to a bakery in
Guantanamo.
Colonel Ray does not believe in the
policy of sending volunteers to con-
quered country, for in the first place
the men enlisted to fight and now that
the war is over they wished to be dis
banded, and in the second place they
have no military future and are there
fore DESTROYS to return to their accus-
toned occupations. Not a day goes
by without Colonel Ray receiving num-
erous applications for discharge.
The sufferings of the Cubans in and
around Guantanamo have been very
great. over a thousand ratiOns per day
are issued to them, but many who are
in the direst need are unable to come
to the city 20 receive relief, owing to
their being entirely without clothing A
supply of the latter was received a
short time since-sOne eleven hundred
pairs of drawers and 200 undershirts-
but this scarcely fills the bill
There is a remedy for this suffering
quite apart from the cnaT1Iy OF the
United States government, and that
would be the resumption Of operations
by the sugar planters. They, however.
will do nothing until a stable form or
government is firmly esta bhshed-
Within a radius OF twenty-five miles
there is invested some $4,000, 600 in
sugar estates Some of the estates have
machinery worth over a million dollars
Yet nearly all are idle. though it Is
time for planting and going to work
The planters say that if they had
guarantee even for two years from the
American government Of the nOn-tu-
reference of the Cubans. they would
start up and put nearly 10000 men to
work. The trouble is that many prom
fnent Cubans have threatened that
these properties Will be confscated on
account of the sympathy shown by the
Droprietors towards the Spanish gov
eminent: and until American protection
is guaranteed, no more money Will be
spent
Business here is in state Of stagna-
ton People are afraid that in spirit
of reprisal the Cuban officials will go IN
for wholesale conhscatiOn and heavy
fines. Until this question has been
definitely settled the industries of this
part of Cuba will remain at stand
still.