Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-12

tho UIFI
all over the province. This consulate
has been overwhelmed with people of
ali classes asking 10 be remembered
when relief comes"
Mr.. Bricc then gives number OF
facts Illustrating the suffering In the
province. He says there are in Ma
tanzas alone $4,000 people who are In
actual starving condition and require
food, clothing and medicines.
Continuing he says: In addition to
the above, are families of the better
class and formerly well-to-do, who to-
day are living on one meal n day and
that very scant. They have sold or
pawned furniture, jewelry, clothing.
etc, to cke out an existence, until all is
gone, or nearly so. Too proud to beg.
they suffer in silence. and many die of
starvation.
"The daughter of a former governor
of this provii,cr was seen begging on
the streets dncognlto) of this city.
Many OF these people call on me pr'-
vately at my residence, asking and
praying, for Gods sake, to be remem
bered when this relief comes from the
United States.
zone has to be hers, know and min
gle with these people, to fully realize
| the terrible destitution and misery eN-
listing In Cuba. Il is to be hoped that
this relief from the United States vii,
come quickly, for hundreds are dying
dreadful and no relief is afforded by
the Spanish authorities"
Consul Barker covers the conditions
existing in Santa Clara province in
number of communications beginning
| on the Goth of November, 1897, and
closing ON the oath OF March last. His
| letters constitute one long story of
| distress, of destruction and death UNI
| til indeed the picture, even as drawn
in the plain language of official com
munications, is revolving. Mr.. Barker
devoted comparatively little space to
political questions, but one or two of
his letters are along these lines.
Mr.. Barker suggests that the United
| states shall offer her good Offices to
Spain with a view Of securing an
armistice of ninety days duration for
| the purpose of discussing the settle
ment between Spain ard the insur-
gents, the United States to be the UNI
pire. Pending negotiations he would
have all the troops quartered and held
in the large fortified coast towns, in
order that the reconcentrados may re-
turn to their homes and employment
He adds that the relief from the Unit
ed States must be continued or the
people must starve so long as there is
an armed Spanish soldier in the coun-
try since these people from fear Of he
ing murdered do not so to their coun-
try homes.
on the 18th of January Mr.. Barker
says: In this consular district reign
of terror and anarchy prevails, which
the authorities. If so disposed, are ut
terly powerless to control or in any
measure subdue. Aside from the suf-
fering caused by the unparalleled des-
tltuion / regard the situation as
rapidly assuming a critical stage. As
stated heretofore in no way have the
authorities departed from the policy
pursued by the late, but not lamented
/ oh oil
as the guerillas under the cruel chiefs
, Carreras. Olavarietta and Iazo. con
tinue to despoil the country and drencl
1T with the blood of non-combatants
, although the 'Bando' Of the Cap.
tain General provides that laborers
; may return to the country, it restrict!
their operations to near garrison towns
Last week a number belonging to th'
, 'Espana' estate located within
, league of Sagua, owned by Mr.. George
, Thorndyke of Newport II. L., were
. driven Off after returning, and refused
a permit as a protection by the mill
tary commander Mayor Iomo, one o
the trusted officers under the Weylei
! regime"
In his communication of the 2oti
of March Mr.. Barker says: THE dis
tress is simply heartrending. whole
> families without clothing to hid
: nakedness, are sleeping on the bar
ground. without bedding of any kind
without food save such provisions al
have been sent by our own noble peo
:, pie and the most distressing featur
i is that fully so per cent are i'll, withou
. medical attention or medicine"
In the latter portion Of his CORES
pondence, Mr.. Barker indicates tn
reasons why Gen. Blancos orders re
; lieving the reconcentrados must prov
of no avail. He says that while tn
first article OF the order grants permis
u sion to the laboring class to return {
: the country, the third article abrogate
this permission In exacting that tn
places to which they go must be gar
risoned. This condition alone, he says
= will preclude over one-half of thes
y people from going, for their homes ar
:, In ruins and the estates able to main
; tain n guard can care for only smal
u percentage of the whole.
,. Mr.. Barker devotes much space I
II the suffering and mortality OF the peo
: pie of his province, He places tn
= mortality figures for six of the prin
!. cipal cities Of his district for the perio
II beginning january lat and ending No
: vember Is, 1898. at S0s51 He SAYS thi
is the official record and that fully z
y per cent should be added to cove
8 deaths of which no record was kept
e The reports of the condition OF affair
: in Santiago are made by Consul i. +
Hyatt, beginning on the 18th of Novem
her last. Mr.. Hyatt had been but re
Gently returned to the island, and h
begins his reports with n review of tn
condition of the insurgents and of tn
autonomists.
Writing on the 9Th of December MI
Hyatt says: 1.-The reconcentrndo or
der is relaxed, but not removed, bu
many people have reached n poin
where Is is n matter of entire indiffer
ence to them whether 1t Is removed o
not, for they have lost all interest 4
the problem of existence. A census Q
the island. taken today. as compare
with one taken three years ago, l fec
confident would show that two-third
of the residents are missing, and tn
Spanish army would make no bette
showing"
Closing the communication, Mr.. Hy
att says: 81 give 1t as my opinion-a
opinion that 1t not based In favor q
Cuba--that Spain will be compelled t
;, prosecute n far more vigorous war tina
a has yet been done if she conquers peac
Il In Cuba. think l speak advised
s when l say that in this end of tn
: island, Mt least, there are man
\ thousands of square miles where tn
i foot of the Spanish soldier has neve
trod.
!, Within this zone the insurgent
Il have their families, corral their horse
a and cattle and raise their crops. VIII
Spain, with n large body of as obedien
j and brave soldiers as ever shouldered