The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-23
An Awful Picture

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Senator Proctor has reported to the
United States Senate what he saw in
Cuba during his recent visit 10 that
unhappy island. Senator Proctor
said:
I went to Cuba with strong con-
viction that the picture had been over
drawn, that few cases of starvation
and suffering had inspired and stimu-
lated the press correspondents, and
they had given free play to g strong
naturally and highly cultivated i'm
sgination. Before starting, received
through the mail g leafet published
by the Christian Herald, with cuts Of
some of the sick and starving recon
centrados and took it with me, think
ing these were rare specimens got up
to make the worst possible showing.
saw plenty as bad and worse; many
that should not be photographed and
shown. I could not believe that out
OF population of 1900, 600, 200, coo
had died within these Spanish forts,
practically prison walls, within few
months past from actual Starvation
and disease caused by insufficient and
improper food. Inquiries were entire
ly outside of sensational sources.
They were made of our medical Off
GERS, of our consuls, Of cities alcades
| (Mayors), of relief committees, lesd.
ing merchants and bankers, physic-
ians and lawyers. Several OF my in
formants were Spanish born, but
every time the answer was that the
case had not been overstated.
Speaking of the non-combatant Gu
ban, who are driven by Weyler's or
ders from their homes in the country
into the towns, where without employ
ment and without resources OF any
kind they have gradually died from
starvation and disease, Senator Proc
tor says:
"When they reached the towns
they were allowed to build huts OF
palm leaves in the suburbs and vacant
places within the trocha and left to
| live if they could. Their huts are
| about ten by fifteen feet in size, and
for want OF space are usually crowded
together. They have no floor but the
ground and no furniture, ard after
years wear, but little cloth:1g except
such stray substitutes as they can ex.
temporize. With large families, or with
more than one in this little space, the
commonest sanitary provisions are
impossible, Conditions are unmen-
tionable in this respect. Torn from
their homes, with foul earth, foul
water and foul food. or role, what
wonder that one half have died and
that one quarter Of the living are so
diseased that they caanot be saved.
a form Of dropsy is common disease,
resulting from these conditions. Lat
lie children are still walking about
with arms and chest terribly emaciat-
ed, eyes swollen and abdomen sloat.
ed to three times the natural size.
The physicians say these cases are
hopeless. Deaths in the streets have
not been uncommon. I was told by
one of our consuls that they have
/ been found dead about the markets in
the morning where they had crawled,
hoping to get some stray bits OF fooo
| from the early hucksters, and that
there has been cases where they had
dropped dead inside the market sur
rounded by food. These people We-e
independent and self supporting before
WeyIer's order. They are not beg
gars even now. OF the hospitals 1
need not speak. Others have describ-
ed their condition far better than l
can. It is not within the narrow
limits of my vocabulary to portray"
Can any one read the above without
shuddering with horror2 Can the
United States stand idly by and let
such an outrage against civilization
go unrebuksd at its very doors? VIII
this nation be guiltless Of the blood
of these starving Cubans if it does not
raise hand to save them from the
cruelties Of the Spanish b2r3arians2
Every instinct OF manhood cries no.
The United Safes should Interfere and
that speedily to save the Cuban peo-
pie from the horrible tate tcat aWaits
them. It seems 10 be the deliberate
purpose of the brutal Spaniards to
star7e to death the liberty loving
native Cubans ard then repopulate
the island with brutes ike themselves.
Can the United States afford to per-
nit such an outrage Let those in
authority answer.