Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-25

an actual intrenchment and protected
By fortified picket line she holds
possession with her armies OF the for
tined seaboard towns, because they
are under the virtual protection OF
Spanish warships, with which the rev.
olutionists cannot cope.
THE revoluticnists are in absolute
and almost peaceful possession of
nearly one-half Of the island, including
the eastern PROVINCES OF Santiago de
Cuba and Puerto Principe. In those
provinces they have established a for
NAL government, levy and collect
taxes, maintain armies and generally
levy tax or tribute upon the prin-
cipal plantations in other provinces,
and, as is commonly believed. upon
the entire railway system of the ISL
and. In the four so-called Spanish
provinces there is neither cultivation
nor railway operation except under
strong Spanish military protection or
by consent Of the revolutionists in
consideration OF tribute paid.
Under the inhuman policy Of View
Ter not less than 100000 self-support-
country people were driven from their
homes in the agricultural portions Of
the Spanish provinces to the cities and
imprisoned upon the barren wastes
outside the residence portions of these
cities and within the lines of intrench-
ment established a little way beyond.
Their humble homes were burned.
their fields laid waste. their imple-
menJs OF hus6andry destroyed. their
live stock and food supplies fer the
most part confseated Most of these
people were old men, women and chi
dren. Slow starvation was their in
eyitable fate A conservative esti-
mate indicates that 210,000 of these
people have already persisted from
starvation
Inc government of Spain has never
contributed one dollar to house, shell
ter, feed or provide medical attention
for these, its own citizens. Such
spectacle exceeds the scenes of the In
ferno as painted by Dante.
There has been no amelioration Of
the situation except through the char
ity of the people of the United States.
There has been no diminution
IN THE DEATH RATE
among these reconcentrados, except as
the death supply is constantly dimin-
lshed. There is no relief and no hope
except through the continued charity
OF the American people until peace has
been fully restored in the island
Spain cannot put an end TO the ex-
listing condition. She cannot conquer
the insurgents. She cannot re-estab-
lish her sovereignty over any consider
able portion OF the interior of the isl
| and. The revolutionists, while able TO
| maintain themselves, cannot drive the
Spanish army from the fortified sea-
coast towns.
''The situation, then, is not war as
we understand, but chaos of devasta-
ton and depopulation Of underlined
duration, whose end no man can see"
In detailing the incidents and recit-
ing the facts that came under his OBJ
servation, Mr.. Thurston said he had
no desire to deal in horrors. IF I
had my way" said he, Il would shield
the American public even from the
Photographic reproductions of the aw-
full scenes that l witnessed in all their
original ghastliness. Of the 225. 900
soldiers Spain had sent TO Cuba, less
The remainder are dead, sick in hos
pitfalls or returned TO Spain ineapaci-
tated. II is currently reported that
81 900 are now sick in the hospitals on
the island. The army is in poor con-
dition and under lax discipline. | do
not believe that the entire Spanish
army in Cuba could stand an engage
ment in the open field against 10000
trTi Ar,ao
Of the Spanish soldiers, he said that
they, OF all people on earth, would
most gladly welcome any result which
would enable them TO return to their
homes.
papers OF the
STARVING RECCNCENTRADOS
are true They can be duplicated by
the thousands. l never saw, and please
God | may never again see, so deplor-
able sight as the reconcentrados in
the suburbs of MatanZas. | can never
forget to my dying day the hopeless
anguish in their despairing eyes. Hud
died about their little bark huts, they
raised no voice OF appeal to US Tor
aims as we went among them. Men
women and children stand silent, fam
ishing. Their only appeal comes from
their sad eyes, through which one
looks as through an open window into
their agonizing souls.
The government Of Spain has not
and will not appropriate one dollar to
save these people. They are now be-
ing attended and nursed and admin
istered to by the charity Of The United
States. Think of the spectacle. We
are feeding these citizens Of Spain; we
are nursing their sick; we are saving
such as can be saved, and yet there
are those who still say it is right for
us to send food. but we must keep
hands off. I say that the time has
come when muskets ought to go with
the food.
Il shall refer to these horrible things
no further. They are there, God pity
me; | have seen them; they will re-
main in my mind foreyer-and this is
almost the twentieth century. Christ
died 1900 years ago, and Spain is a
Christian nation; she has set up more
crosses in more lands, beneath more
skies, and under them has butchered
more people than all the other nations
of the earth combined. Europe may
tolerate her existence as long as the
people of the Old World wish God