The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-18

Thought the Reports Sent Out Were
Overdrawn. but Oh nged His Mind-saw
800 People Lying on stone Floors with
Little Clothing Upon Them-Cubans
Well Armed, but Little Ammunition.
Washington, March Is. - Senator
Proctor made in the senate statement
concerning his Cuban trip. He began
by saying that more importance had
been attached to his visit than neces-
sary, but he thought a public state
ment would be beneficial. The only
thing, he said, that he had said about
the matter to the president was that
he was going and asked IL there was
any objection to IL and was told that
there was none. He had letters from
Assistant Secretary of State Day and
business men of the United States He
said that General Lee and other Unit
ed States representatives In Cuba af-
forded him opportunity to secure in
formation. He denied that he made
the statement that the Maine was
blown up from the outside, but might
have said that was the opinion in Ha-
vana. The senator thought there was
upon this feature.
Desolation and Misery.
Outside Of Havana there was desola-
tion and misery. People were sur
rounded by trochas and controlled by
forts or blockhouses. His observations,
he said, were in the four western prov
inces. Outside Of the trochas and forts
there were no habitations or people
living. The Spaniards. he said, held
in the four provinces only what their
army sits on. Senator Proctor de-
scribed at some length the condition
of the reconcentrados. saying one-half
of them had died owing to the manner
in which they had been kept in the
small houses and bad sanitation. 1t
was no wonder one-half had died. he
added. He went to Cuba, he said,
thinking the condition of the people
had been overdrawn, but found their
situation terrible. What he saw he
could not tell so others could see.
Children Had No Clothing.
In one place in Havana, the senator
said, he saw 400 emaciated people lying
on stone floors with little clothing. The
children had no clothing. American
people may be assured, he continued,
that their bounty will reach the desti-
tute. and he added: The condition OF
the reconcentrados will not be changed
until peace comes. General Blanco's
order of Nov. 13 is OF little practical
use. No beneficial results had fol-
lowed. For this he did not blame Gen.
eral Blanco as Blanco looked at the
matter from n military point of view.
AS to the military situation, he said,
there were about $4,000 Spanish troops.
He thought they would fight we'll
There was no artillery. The troops live
in barracks. The cavalry is mounted
mostly on ponies. He said the Cubans
had about 10000 men in the field and
were very active. The Cubans were
well armed but poorly supplied with
ammunition. About one-third Of the
Cuban army are negroes. The cavalry
men furnish their own horses.
Cub ms Against Spaniards.
The dividing lines between the par
ties is sharp. II is Cubans against
Spaniards. The autonomists he did
not consider as they were inconsider-
able in number. The Spaniards did not
want perfect autonomy as il meant
government by the Cubans. He in
quired as to autonomy of men Of
wealth, business and professional men.
without exception their reply was that
IL was too late for autonomy. II was,
they said, too late for peace under
Spanish rule. Some favored annexation
by the United States. Senator Proctor
said he was not in favor of annexation.
The conditions for self-government in
Cuba were favorable and not much
danger of revolutions. He would not
make any recommendation as to what
should be done. He thought the mat
ter might be safely left to an American
president and the American people.
With these words he closed.
Provisions for Destitute Cubans.