The times., 1898-04-03

Herald. who has been in Cuba for the
mast three weeks, arrived here from
Washington Yesterday He had long
talk with President Mckinley in the pres
ence of Secretary Adee and other mem
hers of the Cabinet DR.. Klopsch told the
President the Cuban people did not want
Independence To a reporter he said:
II gave the President my views on the
Cuban question 1 reported to him that
there were 2O5,O00 reconcentradoes who
had no means of supporting themselves
other than that given by American char
itv. I told him that when l left Cuba we
had enough food in our storehOuses there
to supply the reconcentrados for the
next twenty days. 1 also informed him
that if war should be declared within the
next week or ten days it would mean
death by starvation to many Cubans, los
Spain would take possession OF the food
we have in our storehouses. The block
aiding of Havana would mean an awful
,eath rate and l5O. 600 helpless women and
children would die. I told the President
this and that there was no way of avoid
ing it. My words to the President were:
The pen that signs a declaration of
war signs the death warrant of 15Oo0e
| reconcentrados.'
II also told him that the better class
of people in Cuba were in favor OF
autonomy-that they would consider in
| dependence a terrible calamity. I in
| formed him that the majority of the
| Cubans believed this. and that they ad-
mitted their own incapacity for self
| government. They fear that if independ-
ence is brought about. certain insurgents.
| who for years have been accustomed to
| lawIess lives while bushwhacking. would
keep up the lawIessness. 1t would be i'm
| possible to control them, as so per cent
| at least are negroes. who expect that
with independence they are TO become
| rich. and would prey Ike vultures upon
the property OF their neighbors.
Only 266 Sailors.
"With reference to the Maine affair |
| told the President that the people Of
| Cuba generally looked upon it as unfor-
| tunate. but 1t was not so terrible. they
believe. as to bring about war that
would result in awful loss of life in
order to avenge the death of 266 sailors,
We think of going 10 war in behalf of
the reconcentrados. who, if war is de-
cIared. will die of starvation before the
| end of thirty days.
The whole Island of Cuba Is waste.
| There are not enough stores there to
| feed the people more than thirty days
| If we shut up Cuba's ports. l said to the
| President. you Will starve people to
death. and there is no remedy for it
| Dr. Klopsch refused to make public
what President Mckinley said to him
| When asked whether he and Clara Bar
| ton had clashed over the work or relief
he said there was absolutely no truth
| in the story.
| Who kIOpsch Is.
The KIopsch referred to above is the
| individual who went TO Cuba after Clara
Barton had begun the work of relieving
the reconcentrados and made himself so
offensive that she returned to America
He was on a military train the other
day and the insurgents were '1awless'
enough TO blow up a section of it. Not
withstanding he talks lightly Of the lives
of 266 sailors, he thought so much of his
own that he put salt water between him
self and Cuba almost Immediately there
after.
KIopsch has been passing around the
hat for Cuban recOncentrados for a long
time. or course, contributions 20 his par
ticular fund will cease when war is de-
| cIared