Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-04-14

W
laid waste, dwellings, unroofed and fired,
mills destroyed, and. in short everything
that could desolate the land and render it
unfit for human habitation or support was
commanded by one or the other of the
contending parties and executed by all
the powers at their disposal.
Herded in the Towps.
BY the time the present administration
took office year ago reconcentration--so-
called-had been made effective over the
better part Of the four central and west
ern provinces-S Santa Clara, Matanzas,
Havana and Pinar del Rio. The agricul-
tural population, to the estimated num-
Der of 100000 or more, was herded with
in the towns and their immediate vicin-
age, deprived Of the means of support,
rendered destitute of shelter. left poorly
clad and exposed to the most unSanitary
conditions.
As the scarcity of food increased with
the devastation of the depopulatcd areas
of production, dcstituton and want be-
came misery and starvation. Month by
month the death rate increased IN an
alarming ratio. BY March, 1897. accord
ing to conservative estimates from Off
cal Spanish sources, the mortality among
the reconccntrados from starvation and
the disease thereto incident exceeded %
per centum of their total number. NO
pra ctical relief was accorded to the deS-
titute. The ovcrburdcned towns. already
suffering from the general dearth, could
give no aid. So-caled zones of cultlva-
ton, established within the immediate
area of effective military control about
the cities and fortified camps proved illus
DRY as Il remedy for the suffering. The
unfortunates being for the most part
women and children, with aged and help
less men. enfeebled by disease and hum
ger, could not have tiled the soil without
tools, seed or shelter for their own sup
port or for the supply of the cities. Re
concentration, adopted avowcdly rs Il war
measure III order to cut off the resources
of the insurgents, worked it's predeStlned
result. AS | said in my message of last
December, it was not civilized warfare; 1t
was determination. The only peace it
could bcget was that of the Wilderness
and the grave.
Meanwhile the military situation in the
island had undergone Il noticeable change.
The extraordinary activity that charac-
terizcd the second year of the war, when
the insurgents invaded even the hitherto
unframed fields of pnar del Rio. and
carried havoc and restitution up to the
walls of the c3ty of Havana itself, had
rciarsed into Il logged struggle in the
central and eastern provinces. The Span
ish arms regained a measure Of control
in pinar del Rio and parts Of Havana, but
under the existing conditions OF the rural
country. without immediate Improvement
Of their productive situation. Even thus
partially restricted the rcvolutonists he'd
their own, and their submission, put for
ward by Spain as the essential ard sole
basis of peace, seemed as far distant rs
ut the outset.
Promise Of Autonomy.
In this state of affairs my administra-
ton found itself confronted with the
grave problem of its duty. My message
of last December reviewed the situation
and detailed the steps taken with a view
Of relieving its acuteneSs and opening the
way to some form of honorable settle
mcnt The assassination of the prime
minister. Cauovas, led to Il change Of gov
ernmcnt in Spain. The former admins
tr1tion, pledged to suhjugation withou,
concession, gave place to that of more
| liberal party, committed long in advance
to Il policy of reform involving the wider
principle of home rule for Cuba and l'u-
erto Rico. The ovcrtureS of this gov
tTnUltnl, nlHHt through It's new envoy,
General WoodfoTd, and looking to an im-
mediate and effective amelioration of the
| condition of the island. although not ac-
cepted to the extent of admitted media
ton iii any shape, were met by assurances
that home rule, in an advanced phase,
would be forthwith offered to Cuba with
out waiting for the war to end, and that
more humane methods should thenceforth
prevail in the conduct Of hostlites. In
cidentally with these declarations the
| new government of Spain continued and
completed the policy already begun by its
predecessor of testifying friendly regard
| for this nation by releasing American
| citizens held under one charge or an
| other connected with the inSurrection, 50
! that 10y The end of November not Il single
| person entitled in any way to our national
| protection remained in n Spanish prison
While these negotiations were in prog
| ross the increasing dtStitution of the I'M
| fortunate reconcentrados and tho alarm
| ing mortality among them claimed ear
| nest attention. The success which had
attended the limited measure of relief
| among them by the judiciouS expenditure
| through the consular agencies of the
| money appropriated expressly for their
succor by the joint resolution approved
! May ~, 1897. prompted the humane eX-
| tension of Il similar scheme of aid to the
! great body of sufferers. \ suggestion to
| this end was acuuiesced in by the Span
| ish authorities.
On the 24th of December last / caused
| TO be issued an appeal 10 the American
| people. inviting contributions in money or
| in kind for the sucror of the starving suf-
| fcrerS in Cuba, following this on the Sth
of January by similar public announce
| mcnt of the formation of Il central Cuban
relief committee, with headquarters in
| New York City. composed of three mem
hers representing the American National
Red Cross and the religious and business
| elements of the community. The efforts
| of that committee have been untiring and
| accomplished much. Arrangements for
| free transportation to Cuba have greatly