The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-07
DELAYING WHILE CUBANs DIE.
A CUBAN MERCHANT ARRAIGNs
THE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS

THE AMERICAN COMMISSIONERS
He Declares the DiIIS-DaIIy Methods
Are Due TO jealousy. and Unless
Washington Forces the Commits
sioners to Activity Cuba VIII he IA
Vast Graveyard Before the United
States Takes POsSessiOn-Crime In
creases With DestitutiOn.
Havana via Key West Nov delayed
In Transmission).-The interregnum be-
tween spain's virtual loss Of sovereignty
in Cuba and the assumption of full mill
tary control by the United States seems
indefinitely prolonged. with no immediate
hope of relief to a country which daily
grows poorer and more depopulated. on
all sides the question is asked, How much
nearer is the final solution of the problem
than it was on the day the protocol was
signed?
The feeling among the better class of
intelligent and influential Cubans may be
pretty accurately summed up In the fol-
lowing observations made to-day by
representative Cuban merchant of Ha-
vaua to the correspondent of the Associ-
ated Press:
1T seems to me-and think my views
are shared by many-that the United
States government is dllly-danying too
long with Spain over this evacuation ques-
ton. OF course, the problem is a diff
cult one, but the delay is surely unneces-
sary. The United states has sent here an
assortment of conditions, each more self
complete and mysterious than its prede-
cessor, and each yelling its operations
with cloud Of secrecy. which. so far as
my own experience goes, really serves the
purpose Of obscuring issues and conceal
ing very small achievements.
almost nothing has been accomplish
ed. The spirit of jealousy fills not only
the individual members of all the commis-
slons, but also exists between the diff
ferenl commissions collectively. These RI
valries seem to engross the attention OF
commissioners much more than the serl-
Gus questions affecting the welfare of
Cuba and the dignity and good faith of
the United States.
"Unless the Washington government
forces its lethargic commissions into
greater activity Cuba will be an immense
graveyard and its fields barren before the
| United States take possession. The daily
records OF mortality show that the popula-
/ tion In all parts of the island is dwlndlng
steadily. Entire villages are dying of
starvation. On all sides the Spaniards
continue robbing and plunderng. In the
meantime these sage, gossiping commits
/ sioners from the United States sit slipping
cool drinks by day and seeking shelter by
night with mortal dread of fever, yet abb
solutely impervious to the demands of hui
manity.
THE situation created by this uncertain
! ty is still further aggravated by the fact
that no one dares SOW crops or cultivate
lands until the present chaotic conditions
show some rays OF light TO guide agricul-
! tural efforts There Is no work for idle
hands. Day by day the number of beg
/ gars, thieves and prostitutes increases
while the number of those able to relieve
distress shrinks in the same proportion
| Thus far the United States has sent in
the name of humanity mere pittance OF
a million rations, and the Red Cross So
ciety has sent two cargoes of supplies,
az to whose distribution and disposal there
have been many unfavorabe comments
| How far can such relief be expected to
| go?
"The present conditions cannot be much
longer protracted without subjecting the
United States to well deserved criticism.
More than this, the elements most in
sympathy with the United States are
slowly but surely falling off and Joining
the ranks of the opposition. As you are
aware Senor-de Castro, the civil governor,
only yesterday issued orders for the ar
rest of 263 criminals, recently released
from jals and the penal colonies at Cueta
and on the Isle of Pines. This step was
rendered necessary by the increases, the
alarming increase, in burglaries highway
robberies and assaults. While the block
ade was on the city was ruled with an
iron hand and cases of assault and robbery
were almost unknown. To-day with the
release OF criminals and the increase of
poverty, the list of murders and hold-ups
Is a very grave matter. In addition to
the already numerous paupers
and unemployed, driven TO beg
from sheer necessity there are many dis
charged Spanish soldiers entirely without
means Of support. Their number reaches
into the thousands. Many boys and young
girls of genteel extraction have been
thrown on the streets to begin their lives
as beggars or~thieves, and to bring up in
tails and houses of I'll fame.
do the people Of the United States real
ize these things? Does the government of
the United States, morally responsible be-
fore the world for the future Of Cuba, in
| tend to tolerate Indefinitely a delay which
day by day makes these bad conditions
worse?"
GEN. LUQUE'S GRAVE CHARGE.