Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-03-18
CUBA'S DISTRESS.
Senator Proctor of Vermont
Tells What of He Saw.
A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
Given on the Floor of the United
States Senate.
Members and Spectators Listened With
Interest Intense to a Statement of
Peoples Misery and Degradation.

Washington, March Ex-senator Proc
tor of Vermont, who returned last Sun
day from an extended trip to and
through Cuba, today made a statement
to the senate of his observations on the
island.
From many points of view the state
ment was remarkable. 1t had evidently
been carefully prepared. Every element
of sensationalism had been studiously
eliminated, and, except 50 far as the
facts recited were sensational, it bore
not the slightest evidence of an effort
to arouse the public mind.
Every statement made by Senator
Proctor was with that clearness and
precision which characterize the accu-
rate demonstration of a problem in
mathematics. Calm and dispassionate
TO a notable degree, the utterances Of
the. senator aroused a breathless inter
est; every person within the sound of
his voice was convinced that he was
putting his observations into careful
terms, lest he might subject himself to
the criticism of being emotional. One
of the best Characterization Of the
statement was made by Senator Frye
of Maine, a few minutes after its de-
livery:
1T is" said he "just as if Proctor
had held up his right hand and sworn
to it."
The scene in the senate Just preceding
and during the delivery of the speech
Of Senator Proctor was almost dramatic
in the intensity Of its interest The oc-
cason Of the address arose very unex-
pectedly. The national quarantine bill
was under discussion, and Senator Nal
lory Of Florida had been recognized for
speech in opposition to the measure
Mr.. Frye entered the chamber, and, in
terrupting Mr. Mallory, requested him
to yield to Mr.. Proctor, who desired to
make statement concerning his OBJ
servations in Cuba Of interest to the
senate and to the country
instantly there was a commotion on
the floor and in the galleries. 1t had
been announced that Mr. Proctor would
soon make statement, but il was not
supposed he would make i on the floor
OF the senate. A call of the senate was
demanded by Mr.. Chandler, and in
rev minutes every senator in the cap
ltol was In his seat, and, the word hav-
ING been passed through The corridors,
people f1ocked into the galleries
senator Proctor was accorded the
closest attention throughout his speech.
he confined himself to his manuscript
ana at the conclusion, while there was
no demonstration, he was cordially con-
graduated by many of his colleagues.
Mr.. Proctor read his statement from
manuscript, speaking rapidly but clear
~. In part he said
More importance seems to he at
tached by others to my recent trip to
Cuba than L have given it. Ny trip
was entirely unofficial, and of my own
notion.
The only mention 1 made of it to the
president was to say to him that / con-
templated such trip, and to ask him
If there was any objection to ii to
which he replied that he could see none.
NO one but myself, therefore, is respon-
slble for anything in this statement
Judge Day gave me note of introduce
llon to Gen. Lee, and had letters of in
PRODUCTION from business friends at the
north to bankers and other business men
at Havana, and they, in turn, gave me
letters to their correspondents in other
cities.
Gen. Lees valuable services to this
country in his trying position are too
well known to all his corntrymen to re-
quire mention. Gen Lee kindly invited
us to sit at his table at the hotel dur
ing our stay in Havana, and this oppor-
tunity for frequent informal talks with
him was of great help to me- also
spent considerable time with Consul
Brice at Mantanzas and with Capt.
der, at Sagua la Grande None Of our
representatives with whom 1 met in
Cuba are of my political faith but there
is broader faith not bounded by party
lines. They are all three true Ameri-
cans, and have done excellent service.
st has been stated that l said there
was no doubt the Maine was blown up
from the outside. This is a mistake. 1
may have said that such was the gen
eral impression among Americans in
Havana. In fact, ] have no opinion
about 1t myself, and carefully avoided
forming one. gave gave no attention
to these outside surmises, I met the
members of the court on their boat, but
would as soon approach our supreme
court in regard to pending case as that
board. They are as competent and
trustworthy within the lines of their
duty as any court in the land, and their
report, when made, will carry convic-
ton to all the people that the exact
truth has been stated, just as far as it
is possible TO ascertain il. And until
then surmise and conjecture are idle and
Improbable. Let us calmly wait for the
report.
There are six provinces in Cuba each,
with the exception of Matanzas, ex-
tending the whole width of the island.
Ny observations were confined to the
four western provinces, which constitute
about one-half of the island. The two
Of the insurgents except the few forth
fed towns.
Everything seems to go on much as
usual in Havana. Quiet prevails, and
except for the frequent squads of sol
diers marching to guard and police duty,
and their Astounding presence in all pub
lie places. one sees few signs of war.
"Outside Havana all is changed 1t
is not peace, nor IS it war. 1t is desc
lation and distress, misery and starva-
tion. Every town and village is sur
rounded by a mocha drench) These
trochas have at every corner and at
frequent intervals along the sides, what
are there called forts, but which are
really small blocShouses, ,0op holes for
nusketry, and with a guard Of from
two to ten soldiers in each. TIE purpose
OF these trochas is to keep the recon-
centrados in, as well as to keep the in
sureents out From all the surround
ing country the people have been driven
into these fortified towns and held there
10 subsist as they can. They are vir-
tually prison yards.
EVERY railroad station is within one
OF these trochas. and has an armed
guard. Every train has an armored