The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-25
MR. THuRsToN,s sPEEcH.
Another WOrd-Picture of the Cruel
fkaa nf Sr,nuin rds In Cuba


ness having been completed. Mr.. Thurston
was recognized for the delivery of his
speech. He said, in part
Mr.. Presdent-I am here by command
of silent lips to speak orce and for all upon
the Cuban situation. / trust that 10 one
God forbid that the bitterness of personal
loss should induce me to color in the slight
est degree the statement that l feel 1t my
duty to make. l shall endeavor to be hon.
est, conservative and just. l have no pur-
pose to stir the public passion TO any ac-
ton not necessary and imperative to meet
the duties and necessities Of American re-
spOnsibility, Christian humanity and ma
tional honor. 1 would shirk this task if l
could, but l dare not cannot satisfy my
conscience except by speaking and speak
Mr.. Thurston said that he had gone to
Cuba firmly believing that the condition of
affairs on the island had been greatly exag-
gerated, and that ne mad direCied his eff
forts in the first instance to the exposure
of the supposed exaggeration. He had con-
cluded. however. that an overstatement of
the horrors of the situation was impossible.
He was prepared, he stated, not only to
adopt every word of the careful, concise and
specific statement of the senator from YER
mont (Mr. Proctor), but he was even con-
WINGED that he had understated the facts.
Mr.. Thurston then tersely summarized his
observations and conclusions as follows:
After three years of warfare and the use
control of every foot of Cuba not surround
ed by an actual intrenchment and protected
by a fortified picket line. She holds pos
session with her armies of the fortified sea-
board towns, because they are under the
virtual protection of Spanish war ships,
with which the revolutionists cannot cope.
The revOlutionists are in absolute and al
most peaceful possession of nearly one-half
of the island, including the eastern prov
inces of Santiago de Cuba and Puerto Prin-
cipe. In the province of Santiago they have
an established form of government levy
ard collect taxes, maintain armies, and gem
orally levy tax or tribute upon the princi-
nal rala fatn in of n c
IS commonly believed, upon the entire rail-
way system of the island In the four So
cultivation nor railway operation, except
under strong Spanish military protection
by consent of the revolutionists in consider
alton of tribute paid.
Under the inhuman policy of Weyler not
less than 100000 self-supporting, simple,
leaceable, defenseless country people were
portions of the Spanish provinces to the
cities, and imprisoned upon the barren
waste outside the residence portions of
these cities, and within the lines of intrench-
ment established a little way beyond. Their
humble homes were burned, their fields laid
waste, their implements of husbandry de-
stroyed. their live stock and food supplies
for the most part confiscated. Most of these
people were old men, women and children.
Slow starvation was their inevitable fate.
10000 HAVE STARVED.
"A conservative estimate indicates that
10000 of these people have already per-
ished from starvation. The government of
Spain has never contributed one dollar to
house, shelter, feed or provide medical at
tention for these of it's own citizens. Such
a spectacle exceeds the scenes of the In
ferno. as painted by Dante There has been
no ameloration ,of the situation, except
through the charity of the people of the
United States. There has been no diminu-
tion in the death rate among these recon-
centrados, except as the death supply is
constantly diminished.
There is no relief and hope. except
through the continued charity of the Amer
lean people, until peace has been fully re-
stored in the island. Spain cannot put an
end to the existing conditions. She cannot
conquer the insurgents. She cannot re-es-
tablish her sovereignty over any considera-
hle portion OF the interior of the island.
The revOlutionistS while able to maintain
themselves, cannot drive the Spanish army
from the fortified seacoast towns. The sit
uation. then, is not war, as we understand
it. but chaos of devastation and depopua-
ton of underlined duration, whose end no
In detailing the incidents and recitiug the
facts that came under his observation Mr..
Thurston said he had no desire to deal in
would shield the American public from
even the Photographic reproductions of the
awful scenes that viewed in all their orig
inal ghastliness." OF the 225, 900 soldiers
81 ain had sent to Cuba. less than $4,000
were now available for duty. The remain
der are dead, sick in hospitals or returned
II Spain incapacitated. II is currently re-
ported, that 81 600 are now sick in hospitals
en- the island The army was in poor con-
ton and under lax discipline Il 10 not
believe" said he. that the entire Spanish
army in Cuba could stand an engagement
in the open field against 10000 well-dis-
ciplined American soldiers OF the Span
ish soldiers, he said that they, of all people
on earth, would most gladly welcome any
result which would enable them to return
1.-THE pictures in the American newspa-
pers of the starving reconcentrados are
true, he said: They can all be dupli-
Gated by the thousands. / never saw, and
please God | may never again see, de-
piorabie sight as the reconcentrados in
the suburbs Of Matanzas / can never for
get to my dying day the hopeless anguish
In their despairing eyes. Huddled about
their little bark huts, they raised no voice
CT appeal to us for aims as we went among
them. Mel. women and children stand
silent. furnishing. Their only appeal comes
from their sad eyes, through which one
locks as through an open window into their
egoniZing souls. In MatanZas the people
have done MI they possibly could do for the
reconcentrados. but IL was too true that
many Matanzas people who resided in fine
houses scarcely knew where their own next
meal was to come from. The governor is
willing that the recOncsntrados should re-
pass the trocha TO their home. but the
great majority were physically unable to
&c. Their fate is a slow death by starva-
Ilon. The governor OF MatanZas, Mr..
Thufston said could see no end to this con-
s 2llon or arIairs and could suggest no re-
lief except through the United States.
SPAIN WILL NOT AID.
Continuing. he said: 1.-THE government of
Spain has not and win not appropriate one
dollar to save these people. They are now
being attended and nursed and administered
to by the charity of the United States.
Think of the spectaclel We are feeding
these citizens of Spain; we are nursing their
sick: we are saving such as can be saved,
and yet there are those who still say 1t is
right for us to send food. but we must keep
hands off. / say that the time has come
when muskets ought to go with the food
II shall refer to these horrible things no
further, They are there. God pity me;
have seen them; they will remain in my
mind forever-and this is almost the TWEEN
tieth century. Christ died 1900 years ago,
and Spain is q Christian nation; she has
set up more crosses, in more lands beneath
more skies, and under them has butchered
more people. than all nations combined
Europe may tolerate her existence as long
as the people of the old world wish. God
grant that before another Christmas morn
ing the last vestige OF Spanish tyranny and
oppression will have vanished from the
Western Hemisphere
Discussing the remedy which should be
applied 10 the evils he found, Mr.. Thurston
said. Il am counseled silence and modera-
tom from this floor, when the passion of
the Nation seemed at white heat over the
obstruction OF the Maine: bat IL seems TO
me the time for action has now come i do
not mean for action in the Maine case, for
] hope and trust that this government will
taks action on the Cuban situation entirely
outside OF the Maine case. When the Maine