Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-24
AUTONOMY A FLAT FAILURE
WAR IS ONE OF STARVATION AND
DIFFERENTIATION.
Matanzas Literally a Place of Beg
gary and Death-Senator Bacon
Declaring for Peace at Any
Cost Excepting Honor
and Dignity.

in the senate to-day by Mr.. Gallinger, of
New Hampshire. The senator recently Wis
tied Cuba to study the situation there.
Long before the senate convened, the gall
leries were packed. Almost as soon as
the senate convened. Mr.. Bacon. of Georgia.
introduced joint resolution declaring that
the United States should do everything in
its power to preserve peace with all the
nations of the world. and not be forced in
to a war except to preserve the honor and
dignity of the nation. He said that he
would not ask for immediate consideration
of the resolution, but would permit IL to
lie on the table until tomorrow Ihen MI.
Hale, of Maine. chairman of the naval al
fairs committee, quietly rose and faVorably
reported the bill providing for relief for the
survivors of the Maine catastrophe. There
was a suppressed murmur of expectancy
in the galleries, but the measure was read
and passed without a word OF debate.
Mr. Gallinger's speech followed. He spoke
in a low. clear tone of voice. distinctly
audible throughout the chamber. There
was not an interruption by word through
out his speech. His auditors listened IN
tently to his description of the horrors ana
cruelties suffered by the reconcentrados.
When he declared however, that govern
mcnt that would starve 100000 of its people
would do anything, and followed TINS with
the further declaration that the lives OF the
brave men lost in the Maine disaster could
not be atoned for with gold or silver. 4
spontaneous wave of applause swept over
the galleries and the vice president had
difficulty In restoring order. When he had
concluded, he was accorded a burst of APP
plause which the vice president made little
effort to restrain.
In opening his speech. Mr. Gallinger said
that after the calm, dispassionate ana
touching statement concerning Cuba made
in the senate recently by Mr.. Proctor. of
Vermont, it might be well for him to re-
main silent, but, yielding to the desire en-
pressed by many of his colleagues, he had
consented to give plain recital OF some
of his observations on that unhappy
land He referred to the efforts made
by the Cubans in 1929. in 1874, in 1Sis. IN
1850, in 1851, in 1865 and again in 1S9o to
break the. chains that bound them to
Spain. in order that they might establish
for themselves a free government upon
the soil that was rightly theirs
Save the last, all these efforts have end
ed in failure. That failure is history and
need not be recounted.
Mr.. Gallinger then detailed some Of the
evcEtS leading up to his arrival in Cuba
and of his reception by Consul General
Lee.
General Lee" said he. ''is deserving Of
the highest possible praise for the man
ner in which he has carried himself In
Havana. Cool and fearless in the midst of
difficulties and dangers. he never loses
sight of the fact that he is an American
citizen. nor is he unmindful of the tre-
mendous responsibilities and duties of his
position
Referring to his call upon the auton-
omist cabinet. Mr.. Gallinger said it was
evident that the president of the cabinet
was not encouraged in the work. The
truth is" said Mr.. Gallinger, autonomy
is fiat failure. opposed alike by the ultra
Spanards and the Cubans. The leaders
of the insurrection have not forgotten how
they were treated by Spain in 1873 and the
Establishments and bribes now being Of
fered them are spurned with contempt.
Better death than autonomy, said lead
ing Cuban to me, for autonomy is only
a pretense under which we would again
be slaves to SPAIN"
Mr.. Gallinger recalled that he had heard
during debates in the senate denials made
that a state of war existed in Cuba, but
1t required only a brief personal observa-
ton to convince one that war actually did
exist. A desolated country and its strick-
en- people told the story more eloquently
than il could be conveyed in words. The
war In Cuba, however" he said. "s a
war of starvation and extermination-a
war more cruel than the world has ever
known"
The Spanish troops do not impress Amer
| leans as great soldiers. They are under a
| lax discipline and are poorly uniformed
| and inadequatey fed. The high officials
| do most of their fighting in hotels end
fha fipb hein Inv
| those of inferior grade. On the contrary
| the insurgents are comfortably clad and
| under strict discipline. They occupy a
| large part OF the island and could, in Mr.
| Gailinger's judgment. take Havana OF
Matanzas whenever it might suit their
| purpose, although these cities could Io
| be held, for lack of a navy.
| The scenes in the streets of Havana
are narrowing beyond description. Peo
| pie in want and suffering are everywhere
seen. and walking skeletons meet one or
| every hand. Naked children, emaciateG
| and ragged women and diseased anG
| starving men throng the streets, the no.
tel lobbies and every place of public re.
sort. 1t is terrible sight-one that sick
| ems the heart and quickens every impulse
| of human sympathy and love.
Under the very shadow of cathedral
| and churches. where Spain's authority il
| absolutely unquestioned. the most horrible
| conditions are conceded TO exist. Man,
have refused TO believe that great gov
| ernment was waging a war of extermina
| tion instead of war of honor yet such il
| an absolute fact. A visit was paid to th
| orphanage which is now under the care o
| Miss Clara Barton. 1t contains now abou
fifty children. almost every one of whom
is q victim of starvation. DR.. Lesser on
| of Miss RartOp'S assistants has had ey
perience in the Armenian and Indian fam
inc, but he declares that the famine il
| Cuba is worse than that in Armenia an
! pictures he drew of the terrible suffering
| and starvation in the island more thai
| confirm all that has been written upon tn
| subject"
A detailed story of visit to Los Focas
the place where the reconcentrados dali
assemble to get food, was also given.
few weeks ago when Miss Barton discov
cred the place there were GAS people lyin
on the floors. many of them entirely mud
and all suffering the pangs of starvation
Much has been done by the Red Cross So
ciety to alleviate the condition of thos
who still remain. but scores of men. wome
and children are yet there gaunt and bony
almost as a skeleton, many of them Gov
cred with sores directly traceable to insuf
ficient food. What a chapter of horror
and death is that?
And still the tragedy goes on. Ho,
much longer 1t shall continue largely de
| pends upon the forebearance of a grea
people. who through suffering and sorroy
achieved their own independence and who's
sympathies have always gone out to TIL
| oppressed of all nations of the world"
A vivid picture was then drawn by MI
Gallnger Of a trip to the city of Matanzas