The Republican journal., 1898-09-15

An honest dealer VIII not urge substitute d
upon you.
could see in every direction, more hungry
multitudes We're filling the roads, tramp
ing YEARLY back to Santiago-some falling
and dying by the wayside, almost within
sight of the food that might have saved
them.
In an incredibly short time chaos was
reduced to order. Nobody knows how
many thousands were fed during those
first few days, including our own hungry
army, the famished Spanish forces, the
destitute citizens of Santiago and starv-
ing people from all the surrounding
region, At present 80, 600 people are re-
ceiving regular daily rations, exclusive of
the hospitals and what is being done for
soldiers, American, Spanish and Cuban.
Thanks to the bounty of the United States,
the supply is ample-tons of provisions of
all sorts crowding the warehouses from
floor to ceiling, and more constantly COM
ing. Things have now been thoroughly
~ oNelldliEeu' NC CllS 10 ulN4ueu lHlo
districts, each in charge OF competent
person who causes a thorough canvass to
be made and each individual case looked
into. Every applicant for charity is oblig-
ed to leave his or her name and address;
the story of want is then verified by
personal inspection, the number of the
fo,,1 +,l-a
a bit of paper, which the applicant must
bring every day III order to receive his
ratons. Thus fraud is prevented and
families of ten OF a dozen, OF two or three,
receive quantities accordingly. Il is said
that i'll some cases enterprising ''pobres, -
as the poor are called in the vernacular,
set up boarding houses and street stalls
for the sale OF Red Cross food, but il this
was ever done. (Which l doubt), it is no
longer possible under the rigorous system.
1t is said, too, perhaps with a grain of
truth, that the poor OF these countries
will not work as long as they can get
food without. American merchants who
brought down provisions to sell, complain
that the Red Cross has entirely spoiled
the market for them; as why should the
people buy, when they can get plenty OF
good food for the asking They say also
that they cannot get laborers, or steve
dores OF servants, because those who
would do that kind of work for small pay
if necessity compelled them, now sit idly
on the streets waiting for the next distribu
ton of ratons, care free as the lilies of
the field, which ''toil not neither do they
spin
| Doubtless this is true in some cases;
but it is by no means general. The several
houses maintained here by American
money for the distribution of food and
medicines, the abodes of the nurses and
other workers, are literally besieged by
people begging for work. as teamsters,
cooks, lavenderas, seamstresses, OF in any
other capacity; and Major Barber, the
gentleman who has undertaken to clean
and sweeten this dirty old town, tells me
that he has no difficulty in recruiting his
/ SCdNdIStIS anu ttl-SWttpluS UIlSduGS,
though several thousand men are required.
In this connection | may mention that a
surprising change has already taken place
in the appearance of Santiago; thanks to
Major Barber and his methods. The fes-
tering piles of garbage have been removed,
the cutters scraped and odors sensibly
diminished The disinfectants have not
yet arrived; but they are somewhere on
the bounding pillows, Fastening Cuba
ward as fast as sails and steam can carry
them, and there is hope that by their use
, have hitherto scourged the island may
soon be abated.
That all Cubans are not embodied
laziness, l know from personal observa-
ton. | have many times seen men work
ing about the Red Cross warehouses,
wheeling trucks and staggering under
heavy loads, who appeared scarcely able
to stand from weakness, owing to past
starvation.
To see man faint at his work, from
exhaustion or from on coming fever, is a
matter of daily occurrence, and the Red
Cross physicians are always prepared for
such emergencies They tell us that many
citizens of the aristocratic class remain
shut up in their dismantled houses, hungry
almost unto death, but too proud to make
their necessities known, or to come with
the rabble for rations. The lines of caste
are more sharply drawn here than even
black and white, but between descendants
of the grandees and hoi polloi. This is
indeed unfortunate on all sides of the
question. We understand and appreciate
their proud pride; but when the elder Sis