New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-25

| the death rate among these reconCentrad"s except
as the death supply Is constantly diminished There
is RELIEF and hope except through the con-
tinued charity Of the American people. until peace
has been fully restored in the island.
! Spain cannot put end to the existing condi-
tioH. She cannot conquer the insurgents. She can
not re-establlsh her sovereignty over any consider
able portion Of the interior of the Island The revo
! lutionists. while able 10 maintain themselves. can
not drive the Spanish Army from the fortified sea
coast towns.
| Tho situation then. is not understand
II. but chaos OF devastation and depopulation OF
underlined duration, whose end no man can see.
In detailing the incidents and reciting the facts
that came under his observation Mr. Thurston said
he had desire 10 deal in horrors If had my
way" said ne. Il would shield the American public
even from the photographs reproductions OF the
awful scenes that viewed in all their original
| ghastness"
WEAKNESS OF SPANS ARMY
OF the 225 CO soldiers Spain has sent to Cuba less
| than fOot0 were now available for duty The re-
mainder dead. sick in hospitals or returned 10
| Spain incapacitated 1t Is currently reported that
| 5000 sick in the hospitals the island.
The army was in poor condition and under lax dis
cipline. 1 do believe said he that the en-
tire Spanish Army in Cuba could stand an engage
in the open field against 10000 well-discplincd
American soldiers OF the Spanish soldiers he said
that they OF all people earth would most gladly
|
| turn their homes
The pictures in the American newspapers Of the
starving reconcentradOs are true. They all
be duplicated by the thousands. | never saw and.
please God. may never again see. deplorable a
sight as the reconcentrados in the suburbs of Ma
| tanZas. / forget ny dying day the
hopeless anguish in their despairing eyes Huddled
about their little bark huts. they raised voice of
appeal TO for aims went among them.
! Men women and children stand silent. famshng
| Their only appeal comes from their sad eyes
| through which one looks through an open win
dow into their agonizng souls
In Matanzas the people had done all they pos
siby could do for the reconcentrados. but too
true that many Matanzas people who resided in fine
| houses scarcely knew where their own mex, meal
was TO come from The Governor was willing thai
the reconcenuados should repass the rocha to their
homes but the great majority were physically I'M
able 10 60 Their fate was slow death by star
walton The Governor OF Matanzas could see no
END 10 this condition of affairs and could suggest
no relief except through the United States
The Government OF Spain has not and will NOT
appropriate one dollar 10 save these people They
| are no" being attended and nursed and admins
tered 10 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 tbos. who
| sun say II Is right for 10 send food IN, we
must Keep hands off. ! say that the time has coma
when muskets ought 70 with the food
i snail refer to these horrible things no further
Ihey are there God pity me. have seen them,
! Ihey VIII remain in my mind forever-and The 4,
aInos st the twentieth century Christ died nineteen
hundred years ago and Spain is a Christian nation.
she mas set up more crosses in more lands beneath
more skies. and under them has butchered more
people than all the nations on earth combined
Europe may tolerate her existence as long "a
the people OF the Old World wish God gran, maj
before another Christmas morning the last vestigc
Of Spanish tyranny and oppression will have van
ished from the Western Hemisphere"
THE REMEDY FOR THE EVILS
Discussing the remedy which should be applied 10
the evils he found. Mr Thurs.on said:
Il counseed silence and moderation from this
hoor when the passion Of the Nation seemed =,
white heat over the destruction Of the Maine. but
It seems to me nat the time for action has now
come Not action in the Maine case | hope and
trust that this Government Will take action on the
Cuban situation entirely outside Of the Maine case
When the Maine report Is received If IL he found
that ou- snip and sailors were blown up by some
outside explosion. We viii have ample reparation
without bubble or delay, and If the explosion can
be traced 20 Spanish official sources there VIII be
such swift and terrible punishment; aGtudged as
VIII remain a warning Il the whole world forever
What shall the United states do MI Prc,i-
dent"
For answer Mr. Thurstor. n Republican
turned 90 the last National platform Of his party
NIi'h declared that the United States should
lively use its influence and good Offices TO restore
peace and give independence 20 the island"
In accepting the nomination rendered him by the
convention which had adopted the cuban plank
with mighty shout" William Mckinley had
said. The platform adopted by the Republican
Convention has received my careful CONSIDERATION
and has my unqualified approval"
Twice within the last two years. NJ. Thurs.On
said he had voted FOR resolution recognizing the
belliserency q the Cuban insurgents. bat he was
satisfied Il "as now too .a'c 20 accord them bel
Ngerent rights. or even merely 20 recognize the
Independence o. the Cuban Republic. "Our plat
form" SAID he. 'demands that the United STATES
shall actively use rs influence FOR the indcpendcncc
Of the island. | am rot here TO criticse the pres
ent Administration. yield to no man liyinG in
ms respect. ny admiration for and my confidence
in IN" judsmont tho wisdom. the patriotism. the
Ameticanism Of William Mckinley When he en-
tered upon his Administration he faced di,,cult
situation. u his duty 10 proceed with
and caution"
Mr.. ThurstOn then recounted the steps which
The Presidcn, has aiken Oh the Cuban question dur
ing the last year and pronounced his course wise.
sta'csmanIikc and in accordance with the dplo-
matte usagcs of the world
~ was tho plain duty OF the President Of the
United States 10 give 10 the Liberal Ministry OF
Spain a reasonable time In which TO test It's pro-
posed autonomy That tine has been given Au-
tonomy Is conceded the wide world over to be n
conspicuous failure The situation in cuba has
only changed for the worse Sagasta Is poweress;
Banco Is powcrless 10 put end to the conflict.
10 rehabilitate the island or to relieve the suffer
ing starvation and distress.
THE TIME FOR ACTION COME.
The time for action has then come. No greater
reason for II can exist tomorrow than exists to-
day. Every hours delay only adds another chap
ter 20 the awful story Of misery and death. only
TTptfe STAT