Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1898-03-25
TOLD BY PROCTOR
SENATOR'S INFORMED or THE CON-
o.Tlohs IN CUBA.

Carefully Prepared Statsmsnt without
an Element Of ssssationalism-Only
the Restoration of Peace VIII savs
the DyIss Rseonoentrados.
WASHINGTON. March l8.-senator
Proctor Of Vermont. who returned last
Sunday from an extended trip to and
through the island Of Cuba, made o
statement during the afternoon to the
senate Of his observations on the Isl.
and.
From many view points the state.
ment was remarkable. It had evidently
been most carefully prepared. Every
element Of sensationalsm had been
studiously eliminated from it, and, ex.
cept % far sas the facts recited were
sensational, it bore not the slightest
evidence ofssn effort to arouse the pub.
lie mind to the condition of affairs on
the island. Every statement was
made by Senator Proctor with that
clearness and precision which charac.
terize the accurate demonstration Of q
problem in mathematics. Calm and
dispassionate to notable degree. the
utterances Of the senator aroused .
breathless interest.
His visit Fursly Personal.
Senator Proctor began his statement
by saying that more importance had
been attached to his visit than neces.
sary, but he thought . public statement
would DO beneficial. The only thing,
he said. that he had said about the
matter to the president was that he
was going, and asked if there was any
objection TO 1t, and was told there was
none. He had letters from Assistant
Secretary Of State Day and business
men Of the United States. He said
that General Lee aud other United
States representatives. III Cuba. afforded
him opportunity to secure observations.
He denied that he had made the state.
ment that the Maine was blown up
from the outside, but might have said
that that was the opinion i'll Havana.
Outside Of Havana there was desolation
and misery. People were surrounded
BY trochas and controlled by forts or
block houses.
His observations. he said, were in
the four western provinces. Outside
the trochas and forts there were no
habitattons oe people living.
OaIy whsrs I1asir Army Sits.
Tho Spaniasda hs said, hold in the
four provinces only what their army
sits on.
Senator Proctor described at some
length the condition of the reconcen-
trados, saying one half Of them had
died, owing to the manner in which
they had been kept in the small houses
and bad sanitation. It was no wonder
one half had died, he added.
He went into Cuba, he said, thinking
the condition Of the people had been
overdrawn, but found their condition
terrible. What he saw he could not tell
20 others could see. In one place in
Havana, the senator said, he saw 400
emaciated people lying on stone floors.
with little clothing. The children had
NO clothing. American people may be
assured, he continued, that their
bounty viii reach the destitute, and he
added: WE
Peace DAILY Will Change Conditions.
"The cohdition Of the reconcentrados
will not be changed until peace comes.
General Blsnco's order Of Nov. l3 is Of
little practical use. No beneficial re.
suits had followed. For this he did not
blame General Blanco, as Blanco
looked at the matter from military
point Of view"
He inquired as to autonomy of men
of wealth. business and professional
men. Without exception their reply
was that II was too late for autonomy.
It was, they said, too late for peace un.
der Spanish rule. Some favored an.
nexat,on ly the United States.
Senator Proctor said he was not in
favor Of annexation. The conditions
for self government in Caba were
favorable and not much danger of rev.
olutionA Hs could not make any rec.
ommendetians sas to what should be
done. HsthoughtI the matter might
be asfely left to an American president
aad AmsEisin people.