The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-04-27

| Santa Clara have died of starvation Or
from resultant causes, and the deaths CT
whole families almost simultaneously or
within few Gays Of each other and Of
mothers praying for their children to bo
relieved of their horrible suTcrings by
death are not the least Of the many pitia-
bic scenes which were ever present. IN
the provinces of Puerto Principe and San
tiago de Cuba, where the sreconcentrado
order could not be enforced, tho great
mass of the people are self sustaining.
CA daily average of 10 cents worth OF
! food to geo, coo people would be an e2pend-
| iture of $4,000 per day, and OF course
the most humane efforts upon the part OF
| our citizens cannot hope to accomplish
such gigantic relief, and o great portion
of these people will have to be abandoned
to their fate. am, etc.,
ssFITZ-HUGH LEE.
General Lee inclosed in this communi-
! cation an editorial from the Diario de Ia
Marina, which vigorously denounced the
"seditious tumult" of the day before as a
victory for Gomez and the enemies of
Spain. On the same day he also sent to
the department some statistics about tho
| mortality in Santa Clara, showing that
while there were 5, 4S9 deaths in that town
in the seven years previous to 1857, which
ircluded ,417 in one year from an cpl
demic of yellow fever, there were In 1897,
owing to the concentration order, 6,9S1
deaths out oe Il total population of Il, 900.
The death Iota increased monthly from Is
in January, the month before tho concen-
tration order went into effect, until Decem-
ber, when there were 1,011 deaths. Jan.
12, 13, IL and Is General Lee sent brief
cablegran,s to the department. with re-
gard to the rioting and demonstrations
against autonomy and Blanco and the
three newspaper Offices
The Cause Of the Riots.
Jan. 13, he said, some Of the rioters
threatened to go to the United States con-
sulato. "Sbips," !" he said, faro not need
ed. but may be later. If Americans are in
danger, ships should move promptly for
Havana. Uncertainty and excitement
widespread" Tho rioting ceased the next
day, and General Lee reported all quiet.
On the 18th General Lee sent dispatch
marked confidential regarding the riot
ing. It follows:
ssSIR-The recent disorders In this city
are to be primarily attributed to group
Of Spanish officers who are incensed at ar
ticles appearing in three Of the newspa-
pers of Havana-Reconcentrado, La Dis
cusion and Ell Diario do la Marina. 1t is
probable that the Spanish officers were
! first provoked by tho denunciations OF
Weyler in the columns of ono Of these pa
pers and determined to stop it, end after
ward being supported by tho mob turned
the demonstration into an antiautouomis-
tic affair.
s:I send today an analysis Of the auton-
omistic plan The intense opposition to it
on the part Of the Spanish arises from the
fact that the first appointments OF the OIL
GERS to put into form its provisions were
made generally outside of their party in
order to show the Cubans in arms that au-
tonomy was Instituted for their benefit
and protection.
ssThe intelligent Spaniards SEQ no
prosperity in thu future, but rather other
wars and more confusion, in the same old
attempts to make the waters Of commerce
flow in unnatural channels. The lower
Spanish classes have nothing in mind
when autonomy IS mentioned except tho
Cuban local rr:-al population; hence their
opposition. @* FITZ-HUGH LEE"
jan 81 General Lee transmitted copy
of tho decree which established the auto
nomic regime on the island OF Cuba.
On Jan. Is to 90 General Lee reported
by cable daily shat all was quiet in Haya-
ma, and that the recent rioting had caused
some delays, but That no difficulty was ap-
pretended as to the landing Of supplies.
Feb. he reports the receipts of moneys
from various sections of the United States
for relief purposes and the manner in
which il is being distributed.
Feb. 10 he tclegraphed the state depart
ment as follows: Captain general return
ed yesterday Met with no success of any
sort. Spaniart1s everywhere unfriendly.
Rumors Of coming demonstration against
him here i think him an excellent man,
but in an unfortunate position. Three So
rious combats reported within week. In
each insurgents victorious.
The same day be sent to the state de-
partment statement Of the condition In
the towns in the neighborhood Of the city
Of Havana, made by person he had sent
to those places for the purpose of inspect
ing the number and condition OF the
starving.
The Mayor Powerless.
The statement covers four towns In the
eigbborhood Of Havana and is largely
repetition Of the awful tale of suffering
which ca1no from the other portions Of the
island. At Melena del Sur. the state
ment says, it Is impossible for the mayor,
owing to the unhealthy conditions prevail
ing and the want Of resources, to relieve
the miserable people, "who die in great
numbers from starvation, fever and small
pox. There are other towns in the same
condit.on-for example. Guines, Catalina
and Nadruga--whose situation could be In
some degree relieved if the country people
were allowed to leave the town freely in
search Of food.
SIN some towns this is entirely prohib
tied: in others they are obliged to pay
tax. Not having anything to eat, how can
they Fay tax? In every town the first
thing noticed is the unhealthy condition
of the men and their total lack of physical
strength
At Catalina de Guines tho statement re-
ports the condition of the reconccntrados
&c cod opd docrorota There aro III saws