The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-12
NoRFoLK vJRGTNTAN: JA ia Y slsss

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kind to earn o living. except where IN
the larger cities some few could And
employment in mental offices. Judging
by the orphans I was shown at t1o
Jaceiha, A.decoa and Elsewhere. and
from all saw and heard, I believe thra
FaIf OF the four llundfid thousand
nave died as the result Of starvation.
4 Know from the official register OF the
city OF Santa Clara, which ordinarily
, ,, population of about fourteen
Thousand, that the number OF deaths
Tor December was over 800. and show.
60 an increase, considering the loss OF
phe former thousands from 4ts popula
aon. The exact figures for Decemher
are OIL. At that city the Royernynen,
was distributing five hundred single
rations per day out OF a total approprIa-
ton fcr the purpose OF SIS, This
was not RELIEF, but a mere prolongation
VI tne sui1erinGs OF q small part OF the
reconcentrados of that city.
So far as any evidence OF relief yos
visible 10 my eyes or was even heard OF
oy me In all my talks on the island. the
surviving two hundred thousand people
are In the same condition and hove
the same prospect OF starvation bef
them as had their kindred who hava
DIED There is as much need OF nedf.
cine now as Of food and they are get
ting neither.
The excuse given lby the Spa nfsb
sympa thizers in Cuba. is that the yroans
must he fed and 1t rs certain that MANY
OF ehe soldiers are sick and suffer-
ing Tor want OF proper food, sa,w many
myself that looked so. I was In C7,.n,-
I'd on all sides that they had not bscu
paid for about eight months nnd tbst
MOST or the civil officials had not been
paw TOT q similar period. 1t Is, there
tofe, most probable that Spain is prac-
ulSany utlaoie to supply the millions
which are immediately necessary 70
prevent the death of most OF the SIR.
vlving Teconcentrados; but this leads
10 political questions, which I desire
to avoid.
wish merely to state in such a
way as to be convincing that In con-
sequence Of the concentration of tho
people some two hundred thousand
CupanS are daily suffering and dying
from diseases produced by n lack ~
nourishment, in the midst of what I
think must be the most fertile country
IN the world. and that something
must pe done for them on a large
sca,e ana at once, or a few months
WIFI see their determination.
20 FAR as could see, they are n
patient, amable. intelligent set of
people. Some of them whom 7 saw
begging having faces like NIadonnas.
Ihey are Americans. probably the
o,aest Americans Of European descent.
constant intercourse with the United
states has made them sympathize with
ana appreciate us who are but six
hours by boat from them, Il we do not
symfathiEe with or care for them.
No order or permission from Gene
raj Elanco can save the lives Of many
OIL them. Indeed, many are too far
gone 10 be saved by the best care and
treatment. There was no indica ton OF
cessation Of hostIlities by the in
surgents. If they do not voluntarily
cease their tactics are such that Spain
cannot conquer them, II at ALL be-
fore the reconcentradoes will have had
the finished stroke but even the
speedy termination of the war would
not save many of them. What they
need Is Instant pecuniary assistance TO
the extent Of $4,000 a day. distributed
by our Consuls. Private charity will
hardly, 1t seems. produce the amount.
twenty thousand dollars would be but
10 cents piece for medicine, clothes
and food. When I left Havana 1 was
informed that Consul-General Lee had
received $4,000 and some hundreds of
cans Of condensed milk. AS there
are about 10000 sufferers IN Havana
alone the inadequacy of such contri-
buttons is manifest. Whether Con-
gresS should make an appropriation,
as in the case of the San Domingo
refugees and other cases, is not for
ME to say; but I beg the charitable to
believe the statement of fact which
have made and try to realize what
they mean"