The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-04-12


commanded by enc or the other contend
ing parties aud executed ny all the powers
at their disposal.
i5y the time the present administration
took office q year Ego, recommendations
so called-had been made effective over
the better part of tho four central and
western provinces. Santa Clara, Matan-
zas, Havana and Pinar del Rio. TIE
agricultural population to the estimated
number of 300, 900 or more, WAS herded
within the towns aud their immediate
vicinage, deprived of the means of sup
port rendered destitute of shelter, left
poorly clad and exposed to the most I'M
sanitary conditions. A S the scarcity OF
food increased with theideyastu ton of the
depopulated areas Of production, destitu-
ton and want became misery and starva-
ton. Month by month the death rate in
creased in an alarming ratio. BY March,
1887, according to conservative estimates
IRON official Spanish sources the mortali-
ty among the reconcentrados, from star
walton and the diseases thereto incident,
exceed SO per cent of their total number.
No practical relief was accorded to the
destitute. The overburdened towns. al
ready suffering from general dearth, could
give no aid. The so-called "zones of Gull
tivation" established within the immedi-
ate area of effective military control
about the cities and fortified camps,
proved illusory as a remedy for the suffer-
ing. The unfortunates, being for the
most part women and children with aged
and helpless men, enfeebled by disease
and hunger, could not have titled the soil
without tools. seed or shelter, for their
own support or for the support of the
cities. The RECOMMENDATION adopted
avowedly as war measure in order to
cut off the resources of the insurgents
worked its predostined result. AS | said
in my message of last December, it was
not ciyiIiz d warfare. 1t was extermina-
ton. The only peace that it could beget
was that of the wilderness and the grave.
Meanwhile, tie military situation in
the island had undergone noticeable
change The extraordinary activity that
characterized the second year of the war,
when the insurgents invaded even the
hitherto unframed fields of Pinar del Rio
and carried havoc and destruction up to
the walls of the city of Havana itself, bad
relapsed into q dogged struggle in the
central and eastern provinces. The
Spanish army regained measure of con-
Havana But, under the existing con-
ditions of the rural country, without i'm
mediate Improvement of their productive
situation. Even thus partially restricted
the reYolutionists held their own and
their conquest and submission put for
ward by spain as the essential and sole
basis of peace seemed as far distant as at
the outset.
In this state of affairs, my administra-
ton found itself confronted with grave
problem of it's duty. My message of last
December reviewed the situation and mar
rated the steps taken with a view to re-
lieving its acuteness and opening the way
to come form of honorable settlement.
The assassination of the Prime Minister,
Canovas, led to a change of government
in Spain. The former administration
pledged to subjugation without conces.
sion gave place to that of more liberal
party committed in advance to policy
of reform involving the widest principle
of home rule for Cuba and Porto Rico.
The overtures of this government made
through it's new envoy. General Wood :.
ford, and looking to an immediate and
effective amelIoration of the condition of
the island, although not accepted to the
extent Of admitted mediation in any
shape, were met by assurances that home
rule in an advanced phase, would be
forthwith offered to Cuba, without wait
ing for the war to end, and that more
humane methods should thenceforth pre-
vail in the conduct of hostilities. Coin
cidentally with these declarations the new
government of Spain continued and com :
pleted the policy already begun by its
predecessor of testifying friendly regard
for this nation by releasing American
citizens held under one charge or another
connected with the Instruction, SO that,
by the end of November not single per-
son entitled in any way to our national
protection, remained in Spanish prison.
While those negotiations were in
progress the increasing destitution of the
unfortunate reconcentrados and the
alarming mortality among them claimed
earnest attention. The success which had
attended the limited measure Of relief
extended to the suffering American citi-
zens among them by the judicious ex-
penditure through the consular agents of
the money appropriated expressly for their
succor by the joint resolution approved
May "a, 1897, prompted the humane ex-
tension of similar scheme of aid to the
great body of sufferers. A suggestion to
this end was acquiesced in by the Spanish
authorities. On the oath of December
last, caused to be issued an appeal to
the American people, inviting contribu-
lions in money or in any kind for the
succor of the sufferers in Cuba, follow
ing this on the sixth of January by a
similar public announcement OF the for
nation OF Central Cuban Relief com
mittee with headquarters in New York
city, composed of three members repre-
senting the American National Red Cross
and the religious and business elements
of the community The efforts of that
committee have been untiriDg and have
accomplished much. Arrangements for
free transportation to Cuba have greatly
aided the charitable work. The president
of the American Red Cross and represen-
tatives Of other oontributary organizations
have generously visited Cuba and CO.
operated with the Consul General and the
local authorities to make effective distri-
button of the relief collected through the
efforts of the central committee.
Nearly 100000 in money and supplies
have already reached the sufferers and
more is forthcoming. The supplies are
admitted duty free and transportation TO
the interior has been arranged SO that the
relief at first necessarily confined to
Havana and the larger cities is now ex-
tended through most If not all the towns
where the suffering exists. Thousands Of
lives have already been saved. The neces-
sity for change in the condition of the
reconcentrados is recognized by the
Spanish government. Within few days
past the orders of General Weyler have
been revoked. tho reconcentrados, it is
said, are to be permitted to return to
their homes and aided to resume the self
supporting pursuits of peace; public
works have been ordered to give them
employment and sum CT $500, 600 has
been appropriated for their relief
The war in Cuba is of such nature that