New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-23
PRACTICAL RELIEF IN CUBA.
p, An FOR SETTING RECoNCENTRADos
TO WORK ON FARMS.

g.
.,an ,ova followed the publication OF my letter
- r-inune Of March IA, proposing indus
II, for the reconcentrados In Cuba. that
-. 90 offer by way OF reply. brief
,,,or % the practical side of my suggestion.
,u assun,e az n basis Of argument. that
- ,boushtful person believes II better 10
wide q needy man with honest employment
man 70 supply him for an indefinite time with
too soun and old clothes We have only TO con-
-,aor therefore. whether Industrial relief
=. annled successfully to the helpless poor OF
cuba We must determine two things: First. Is
=, nrscticableo Second. Is II safe? In doing this
:, &c necessary to understand the present con-
.,,on Of the reconcentrados without any refer
snce whatever to the circumstances OF their
environment six months ago We have TO deal
with present facts. not with past history.
The reconCentrados country people VINO
mare concentrated in the towns Of Cuba by FOR
roer Captain General Weyler about year ago
-rbsir homes were burned and their property
.as DESTROYED They were not allowed to leave
81. towns for any purpose whatever. and having
,,rs ~ eat they sickened and died by tens or
thousands The poverty and distress OF the
survivors are still widespread and desperate
Rut the attitude Of the Government toward
the reconCentrados has changed. The order oil
concentration has been revoked by captain
General Rlanco. To proper understanding OF
,be situation this simple fact must I've borne
CONSTANTLY in mind. Since last November the
-aconcentrados have been free TO return 10 thelr
homes ~ they able TO do So A conoi'oh
".,ars,,s their return is that they shall fortify
1t homes As forti1Cations go In CUBA TINS
e very simple matter. II reconcentrado
q, - ,oe,,ion 70 rebuild his ruined home and
res,ock his abandoned fields the ouiding OF
.ioorbonsA for defence would be an unimportant
detail.
rho, Soma Of the reconcentrados have re-
,,-,ad N their homes I assert as fact Verlneu
Nv personal observation. / have seen ana talheu
nth them on their farms; have watched ,hei'
o,,.,,rg suear-cane and loading II upon railway
oors. have walked and ridden through 'ooaOOo
ealds where they al Work, ana nav
hreakfasted and dined with them IN 'he iuue
Inns which they have built upon the runs Oh
,bAir old homes That more have not re'ui"eu
g due chiefly 10 poverty or to lack OF prop,
ornortunitv The people whom visited hau
4.nra work on large farms. the owners OF winch
.,.rach c,ea,lv reduced in circumstances. had
oa enough from the general wreck OF thef
.o~,urAs 70 begin life anew in a small way
-rbsv uArA living IN perfect harmony with thef
,o,ittca1 SURROUNDINGS AS matter or lact they
wore rnsnaced by no graver peril than Hi'u-
,ight visit from a predatory bandit Inc pres
Anca Of these reconcentrados al WORK on 'he
farms that | visited in several places III u'c
interior proves that II Is pracucaoie io' '"7
reconcentrado to return home II ne mas al!
means Of supporting himself when he gets 'hefe'
To return penniless and hungry 10 his vacant
eelds is not practicable.
Ac,ual experience having shown. therefore,
,ba, the reconc. ntrados can return home IL re-
mains for us 10 determine how We can best put
Of
,sconcantrado rs at present in no condition.
Mentally or physically. 10 undertake return 10
on ina4pendent state OF existence He Is hail-
starved. terror-stricken and timld. he must
Arst be provided with employment ana Ied pach
,nto his normal stale Of courage and lndepehd-
ence When he is in At condition 10 return
home he can be helped In a way that VIII pre-
serve his self-respect and restore 10 MIN MS
bora without any humiliating marks Of charity
It's threshold.
Experience will determine the best way OF
arriving on this work but until better way
IS found should recommend the following plan
Frst-Let a suitable tract OF land be rented
near a town in which the need Of the recon
,entrados is most pressing.
Second-Let a properly qualified and capaole
American be placed in charge OF this land with
sufncient funds at his disposal to give employ
rnent 10 a considerable number Of men
Third-Let this American offer 10 able bodied
reconcentrados employment at planting and
t..l!ng this land. The reconoentrados can be
Maid bv the day or month, in the money OF the
country. a. the current rate Of wages OF they
can be allowed to cultivate parts Of the land on
shares as circumstances may determine
Fourtb-When the crops come 10 maturity
,hev can be sold for cash in the best available
market The money received from the sales
should ne returned 10 the fund and used over
again in the same way This could be continued
Indefinitely as al sorts OF crops particularly
potatoes. beans. bcets and other useful vegc-
.abi-s grow with amazing rapidly and Weld
enormously in Cuba. The fertility Of the soil
almost surpasses belief
- far this is no more than labor bureau
providing temporary employment. The real work
Of the system follows. This Is the work or re
turning the reconcentrados 70 their homes and
bidding them shift for themselves.
T. simplify the explanation, let US take one
man and designate him as Juan. In selecting
Juan as a promising object Of further assistance
the American administrator OF the labor bureau
has taken into account not only his capability
bu, all The circumstances Of his former environ
mont Juan's home was small farm not far
from the fortified town 10 which he and his
neighboYs were driven year ago. The fields
are now vacant and the farm buildings little
heaps Of ashes Juan himself is empty-handed
Thee are TWO businesslike ways in which Juan
may be helped TO take up the broken thread Of
life on these abandoned fields;
Fhsi-The administrator can provide Juan
with tools. oxen. seed FOR planting, house TO
live H. and food supplies for four months. These
things are not the gifts Of unthinklng charity
hut are merely advances 10 be repaid in the near
future
Second-The administrator and Juan can work
Iuans farm on shaTes-Judn furnishing the land
and the labor and the administrator providing
the rest The administrators share OF the crop
can be sold and the proceeds turned into the