Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-24

had since died. There poverty. sorrow
ana suffering Were depicted in their worst
10 us Sh'idren, saunt in face but with
dpuomeh and limbs terribly swollen.
Women IN the last stage Of emaciation
a"U HeE there were rapidly drifting to
"ea'h' IT there was food in these hos
Pi'''S' sa'd Mr. Gallinger, I did not dis
1oNet IL, neither were there signs Of med
ieIhe or or proper nursing and care. "
ne governor Of Matanzas informed Mr.
Gaillnger that the first day he occupied
the palace fifteen persons had died in the
court yard. He said further that in the
city twelve hundred had died in Novem-
per- twelve hundred in December. seven
hundred in January. and five hundred in
Fepruary- The death rate was decreas-
ing, simply because the reconcentradoes
by death, were becoming fewer
The number of people who have starved
in Cuba will never be definitely known. It
is estimated that 10000 were driven from
their homes into the cities and towns.
| had it from Spanish authority that ac
cording to their figures, 225. 0o0 already
have persisted, but it is said that the Red
showing that $4,000 Cubans have died
as result of Spanish cruelty and that
2Voooo more must inevitably die.
I have been asked many times. What
OF the Maine? I do not know. This.
however. / do know: A government that
Will deliberately starve 4Oo. 900 of its own
people will do pretty much anything. If
the ship was blown up from the outside.
Ch
haps I should forbear TO discuss that
question now. but this I will venture TO
say: Human life purposely taken can not
be paic for in COLA or silver Mark my
words, purposely taken ard if it shall
appear that such was the fate of $50 brave
American sailors. then heaven pity the
guilty parties. 1t will not be a question
for arbitration. but a question involving
the dignity and honor of this great repub-
lie"
MIR. GALLINGER SAID
there was little real loyalty to Spain in
Cuba, would be demonstrated when the
hour of trial should come He did not be-
lieve that Spain could subdue the insur-
gents. The Cubans had been oppressed
SO long that they preferred death to con-
tnued Spanish rule
Discussing the subject Of Spanish rule.
Mr.. Gallinger referred TO the natter Of
taxation. In addition to all direct and
indirect taxes on real estate. there is a
tax on every door. every window and
every chimney in every house. on. every
letter, on every business sign and on
every name on every hotel register
Licenses are required to build houses ana
to paint houses. There is a tax on food
animals as a whole. and special taxes on
the horns, the hoofs and the hide In
addition TO all this, the interest on, the
debt is a tremendous bun cen. the salaries
of the Spanish officials are beyond all
reason. ard the amount of money wrunis
from the Cuhans to keep the Madrid gov
eminent from complete insolvency is SIN
ply enormous. mo people on tho face
of the earth have been so oppressed. the
treasury Of Spain being literally supplied
from the revenues extorted from Cuba
and the Philippine Islands.
"Our forefathers went to war because
the mother country put a tax on tea.
Cuba has ten thousand more reasons than
we had for rebellion, and she deserves
the sympathy and help of every true
American.
Fortunately the people OF this great
republic are greatly aroused to the
situation, and the great heart Of the
American populace is in full sympathy
with Cuba. Religion and humanity alike
demand that this unholy war shall cease,
and cease it should even though the
glitter and glamor of military rule shall
end and a decaying and dissolute throne
shall pass away never TO return
CLIOJ-T n
Mr. Ctallinger felt that sooner or later
this government would of necessity
absorb Cuba, but if annexation cannot
now be accomplished let independence
speedily come. American interests in
Cuba said he. in conclusion, have al
ready suffered enough. We have patrolled
our coast in the interest of Spain as long
as we should. ard we have spent quite
too much money in protecting our people
from epidemic diseases coming to our
shores because of the unsanitary condi-
ton of the harbor and city of Havana.
Spain has failed to meet the requirements
of an. advanced civilization. Let the
United States or Cuba take up the prob
lem and solve it,"