The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-12

Warrington, April 1.-THE consular co..
sespd ndence with regard to the situation
Cuba. which was transmitted today W:
4 prepart d In response to resolutions OF In
y Quiry d 10pted by both the house and sen
ate. The correspondence wns prepared 70
transmission to congress Just before tn
blowing uk, of the Maine. and having beer
held up since, now includes communIca
tlons OF Consul General Lee at Havana
Consul McGarr at Cicnfuegos, Consul Brio,
ct Matanzss, Consul Hyatt at Santiago d,
Cuba and Consul Boxer at Sagua Ii
Grandc. The communications make abou
10000 ~ords. They deal largely with the
distress and suffering which exists in all
the districts. General Lees report deal
with autonomy and the political situation.
In preparing the correspondence for trans
mission to congress. considerable portions
Of the important communications and
those made confidential are omitted. The
resolutions TO which they are responses
In each instance asked only for such cor
respondence as was not deemed incom-
patlble With the public interest to make
public.
General Lees correspondence runs over
tho period from November, 1897. until
April /. 1928. Much of the correspondence
Is 81 confidential nature. The period of
tho correspondence after the blowing up
the Maine contains no reference to that
event, such communications probably being
deemed irrelevant to the purpose the
resolution calling for the consular CORE
spondence in the possession of the govern
ment as to the situation OF affairs in Cuba.
The first letter OF Generol Lee contains
Blanco's order under date OF November
13. reporting or rather modifying General
Weyler's order OF concentration. which has
heretofore been published hy the news
papers. This order was made shortly af-
ter General Lee returned to Havana from
the United States. last fall. General Lee
In this communication. nlso inciosad the
proclamation of j. NJ. Rodriguez, major
general IN charge Of the western depart
ment OF the Cuban military operations and
addressed to the Cuban people informing
them OF the firm resolution of the in
aurgents TO continue fighting until the at
tainment of liberty was gained. 1t was
on November % that Consul General Lee
made his first report to the department
OF state on the condition of affairs in Cuba.
1t is as follows:
United States Consulate General. Ha-
vana, November %. 1877 have the honor
to briefly submit statement of what ap.
pears to be the present condition OF at
fairs in this island
"First-The insurgents will not accept
autonomy.
"second-A large ajority OF the Spanish
subjects who have commercial and bnsi-
ness interests and own PROPERTY here. will
not accept autonomy, but prefer annexation
to the United States rather than an inde-
pendent republic or genuine autonomy
under the Spanish flag.
"Third---The Spanish authorities are
sincerely doing all in their power To en-
courage, protect and promote the gtindlng
of sugar The grinding season COM
mences in December
Fourth - The insurgent leaders have
given instructions 10 prevent grinding
wherever 1t can be done, because, by di-
minishng the output of sugar, the Spanish
government revenues are decreased. II will
be very difficult for the Spanish author
tiles to prevent cane burning. because one
man at night can start a. fire which VIII
burn hundreds OF acres just as a single
individual could ignite prairie by throw
ing match into the dry grass.
Fifth Il am confident that General
nell as DR.. Congosto, the secretary gen
Cral. with all of whom | have had CON
versation, are perfectly conscientious
IN their desire to relieve the distress OF the
suffering from concentration order. but
unfortunately, they have not the means To
carry out such heneficent purpose.
I'm this city matters are assuming bet
ter shape under charitable committees,
large numbers being now cared for and
fed by private subsistence. witnessed
many terrible scenes and saw some die
while WAS present. l am told General
Blanco Will give 100000 to the relief
fund"
On November 81 General Lee sent to
the department tho communications OF
two gentlemen whose names he says AFRO
suppressed for obvious reason, but whom
no knows personally rs standing high In
their community concerning the condition
In Los Hosa. the bitches. Tho communIea-
ton says. among other things: -Four hun
drcd and sixty women and children thrown
On the ground, hoaped pell-mel as AMI
mails. some In dying condition, others
sick, others dead, without the slightest
cleanliness. not even able to give water
20 the thirsty. without religious or other
help; all dying wherever chance laid
them The communication goes on TO
state that the deaths among these recon-
centrndos average furty to nifty daily.
Among the many cases we aaw," said
Tho communication, there was seen one
impossible TO forget, There is alivc the
only witness, a young girl Of Is, VIII m
Wctfound seemingly lifeless on this ground.
On her right side was the body OF a
young mother. cold and rigid. but with
her YOUNG child still alive. clnging to ho,'
breast, On her left side was the coprse of
woman holding her son In lead cm-
erace 4 little further on, diving wo-
Z man, having In her arms daughter OF IA
craxy With pain, who. after twelve or four.
eesn dayr. died In spite Of the care she
rereived" '~
Further along tho communication says,
IA YOUNG girl came In who was nics look.
Mg. BIO was infalllbly condemned to tie
@ost epominahle Of traffic. The com
s1nieet'oa Places the number Of deaths