Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-03-17
SAW AWFUL DESTNUTION
Senator Proctor Returns to Key
West from His Inspection of
the Island of Cuba.
THE SPAEiaRDs' HATRED OF AMERICANS
Col. Parker, Who Returns with Sem
ator Proctor, Says Everyone in Ha-
vana Knows the Maine Was blown
Up Intentionally and the Span
iards Glory in the Fact.

-
New York, March 10. - A special to
the Evening World from Key West, Fla,
says: Among the passengers on the
Olivette from Havana yesterday was
Senator Proctor of Vermont, who has
been making a study of Cuba and the
Cubans. With him was Col. NJ. NJ. Park
er, of Washington. Senator Proctor
said:
Il have not had an easy time. have
seen all from the highest general and the
richest merchant TO the neediest reconcen-
trado and the humblest pacifico, bankers,
officers, officials and others. have visited
the military prison, hospitals. relief de-
pots, asylums. guardhouses, trochas. farms,
offices and homes. I have been in four
provinces, Havana, Pinar del Rio, Matan-
zas and Santa Clara, and in the principal
cities of each I am of an observant turn
of mind and kept my eyes open. l have
found out what could not possibly have
learned without q personal visit, while l
have not to my knowledge antagonized a
single person on the island My trips with
Miss Barton have been Of great service.
because. when the minds Of people are mel
lowed by gratitude their hearts speak out
the truth. AS a business man. l wish to
say that Miss Barton's methods of re-
ceiving, caring for and distributing the
supplies are most admirable. | am sur
prised at her ability and delighted al the
may be fully confident that all money or
supplies sent will be conscientiously APP
lsied. Could they see, as l have seen. the
suffering, starvation and death. they would,
as Whittier says. pour forth wine and
OIL"
Saw Awful Destitution.
Col. Parker said to an Evening World
reporter:
1.-The senator's trip to Cuba was merely
to satisfy himself to the real merits of
the Cuban question. 1t has no political
significance whatever. The famine, suf-
fering and awful restitution among the
reconcentrados is something almost indie
scribable The alcalde of Matanzas told me
that 5000 persons had died of starvation in
that city during the last year and that
$500 had died during February.
I'm a ward of the hospital at Matanzas
there are 100 Cubans, most of them sleep
ing on the floor. We spent half hour at
the hospital and during that time three
of the patients in that ward died. Blanco's
order modifying Weyler's 'reconcentra-
dos edict has not gone into effect but
when 1t does do not believe that it will
help matters any Around every town is
a trocha. Any citizen who walks outside
Of II is liable to be shot by Spanish SEN
try. Blanco's order permits them to go
outside the trocha for few hours every
day, but does not remove the sentries, and
so long as they remain Cubans are not
going to venture outside.
I'VE were just about to enter a hotel
one day with our party. in which were sew
era1 ladies. A group of Spanish Of
hcers were standing at the door. AS we
passed one of them said in Spanish: i
should like to have order to kill these
people,
Maine Was Blown Up.
Every American in Cuba is watched as
though he were a criminal The Spaniards
hate us and do not hesitate to say so.
Everyone in Havana now knows that
STaaTS fa do no
longer deny it They do not seem to be
very sad over 1t, either.
Are we going to have war? We'll. If we
don't l shall be surprised"
Col. Parker said all the American con-
suls in Cuba are doing their best in
the distribution of relief supplies, ex-
cept Consul Magyar at Cienfugos, who,
the colonel said, denied that there was
much suffering. and who seemed to be
in sympathy with the Spaniards.
senator Proctor Returns.
Washington. March A. - Senator
Proctor. of Vermont. and his compan-
ion. Col. Myron NJ. Parker, who have
been spending some time in Cuba, re-
turned to Washington last night. The
Post claims to have had an interview
with Senator Proctor, in which the lat
ter said:
Concerning the cause of the Maine dis
aster l feel free to say that such informa-
ton as l have obtained indicates that the
explosion was from the outside. 1t does
not show that the Spanish government or
any OF its officials in Havana were partic-
ipants in the crime. In the first place. do
not think there were any mines in the
harbor | have not the slightest knowledge
of what the decision of the naval court of
inquiry VIII be. or when it will reach Wash
ington. Such information as l have is en-
tirely of unofficial character"
Found in the River.