The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-04-12
CONSULAR CORRESPONDENCE
prepared for Transmission Before the Maine
Explosion.
0EN. LEES REPORTS TO STATE DEPARTMENT..
They that Are of Public Interest," from
November Up Submission Of the Message-Thc
Relief Work Described

: among the reconcentrados at II Per cent
. On December 3, General Lee sent 10 TN
: state department a communication refer
IS ring TO cipher dispatch he had sent two
: days previously Iii which he informed the
department that he had learned from u
United States consul al Matan1as OF an
extensive and dangerous conspiracy under
e the ex- governor OF the province, dirocted
ii against Americans, action against them
being contingent ON the movement OF the
United States in favor OF the Independence
y OF Cuba.
i, General Lee stated that rumors had
been more or less frequent regarding the
riotous Intention OF some OF the dissatis-
fled elments aginst Americans there and
In other parts OF the Island. Such demon
STATIONS he said must come from Span
ish non-combatants, or from volunteer
!. forces. He did not think there was any
danger from the former many OF whom
seemed to favor annexation, whether au-
tonomy or the independence OF the Island
In consequence of the assurances that
American life and property would be pro-
tectod. General Lee said that he had de-
clined TO make application for tho pres
ence OF ene e. s,,are warships in Havana
haNseS, and heu advised Americans who
| had wives and children not to take them
away, at least for the present.
II s,ili think" continued General Lee,
shat two warships at least should be at
| Key West, prepared TO leave at short no
tice. and that more OF them should be al
| Dry Tortugas, and that coaling statoas
| should be established there. Such pro-
| ceedIngs would seem to be in line with
! that prudence and foresight necessary to
| afford safety TO Americans residing In the
| island"
| Under the same date, General Lee sends
another communication saying; II see NO
| effort OF tho government at distributing re-
| lief TO the reconcentrados. am in
formed that only $4,000 ia Spanish silver
VIII be thrown TO Havana province out OF
| $3.50, 600 said to have been set aside fer
the purpose OF relieving them on the island.
aud reports from all parts of the province
show that 30 per cent have already died,
and that many OF those left will die and
most of these are women and children.
am informed AN order has been issued Ia
sonle parts OF the island, suspending the
disposition OF the reconcentrados. The
condition OF these people IL simply terri
BILE. l hear OF much suffering In Spanish
hospitals for want OF food. II is fair
inference to draw from existing conditions.
that II Is not possible for the government
to relieve the present situation with the
means AT its disposal
On December 10 came the following: "a
have the honor 10 make the following re-
port: The contest for and against auton-
five or six OF tho officers at the palace and
twenty or thirty other persons mere In the
city Against IT. first, are the insurgents,
with drawn arms and the -eombntants.
Second. the great mass OF the Spaniards,
bearing or not bearing arms"
On December 30 General Lee sent another
communication, saying; Total number OF
reGoncentrados In Havana province VIII
reach $4,000, and the deaths from starva
ton will be over 80 per cent For the re-
lief OF these people $500 in silver had been
set aside, so that II every dollar appropri-
ateh reaches them the distribution will ay-
erage about II cents 10 person, which,
OF course. will be rapidly exhausted, and
as ! can hear OF no further succor being
offered, It is easy TO conceive what little
practical relief has taken place in the con-
dition OF these poor people
On December 2s General Lee makes the
first communication about the new scheme
of autonomy He says that he has been in
formed that the authorities are engaged
II. forming an autonomous cabinet irr-
rnngemcnt for the members to take the
required oath on January l. and also FOR
| IAN election thirty days after"
MY present information Is that most OF
the spanlards VIII refrain from voting and
nearly all the Cuhans
! The feeling in Havana and. hear.
| other parts of the island. are strong
| against it,
The same day General Lea acknowledges
the receipt OF President Moliiniey's pro-
clamRtion calling upon the people OF this
United States to make charitable contri-
buttons for the relief OF the Gnbans
Other kilograms follow during the next
few days as TO the class OF contributions
which would be most valuable In relieving
the suffering
On January 20 he sent the following re-
port II have the honor to state as mat
| ter OF public interest, that the reconcn-
| trado order OF General Weyler transferred
about 100000 self-supporting people. prin-
cinally women and children, into a multi
| tnde to be sustained by the contributions
OF others, or they will perish from feyers
resulting from the condition o; the rec MT
| rains. Their homes We're burned, their
| he'ds and potato beds destroyed, aud their
| live stock driven away or killed, | estimate
| that probably 5000 OF the rural population
! In the provinces of Pinar del Rio. Havana,
Matanzns and Santa Clara have died 81
! starvation or from resultant causes. md
tho deaths of whole families almost stimuli
tanoously or within few da.s of ia b
| otncr, and OF mothers praying for their
/ children, to be tho least OF many pitiahlo
scenes which are ever present In this
| provinces OF Puerto Principe and Santiago
ae CUBA, where tho 'reconcentrado' order
could not be enforced, the great mass If
tho people are self-sustaining.
| "a daily average OF 10 cents worth az
FOOD to 200 900 people would DO an cxpep-
dituro OF $4,000 per day and. of course,
the most humane efforlN upon the part OF
our citizens. can not hope to accomplish
such u gigantic relief and a great portion
OF these people VIII have to be abandoned
until hereafter"
On January 10. 10 and IA. General Lee
sent briet dispatches TO the department
with regard TO the rioting aud the demon
slrations against autonomy aud llanco ana
three newspaper offices.
On January IS he said some OF the rioters
threatened 10 20 TO the United States but
now are quiet. ships moving promptly for
Havana. Uncertainty and excitement
widespread. The iiotlng ceased the next
DAY aud General Lee reported all quiet.
On the 18th, he sent u dispatch marked
confidential regarding the rlotins. II