Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-13
INsURGENT AGENT IN HAVANA TELLS
A TALE OF WOE.
SAYS CHAOS REIGNS THERE
CUBANS ROBBED AND PREYED UPON
AS IN WEYLER's TINE.
Matters Not Improved for Them by
the Raising of the Blockade
Spaniards Seeking to Get
All They Can Before
Leaving.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12.-Senor Tomas
Estrada Palma has just received a COM
munication from representative of the
Cuban revolutionary government. who has
secretly been in Havana since the begin
ming of the war. The letter is as fol-
lows:
THE situation of the Cubans in this city
and province is. in truth, critical. The
termination of the war in which We re-
joice at the independence of the island. has
brought with it direful woe to the Cubans
and demands immediate attention, and it
is this kind of affairs that Compels me to
write to you at this time in the hope that
you will be able to present the case to the
American government and secure imme-
diate relief.
Each days delay in the adjustment of
affairs to bring about the Spanish evacua-
ton increases our sufferings and still fur
ther complicates the problem of recon-
struction which confronts us. 1t would
Oe far from possible for me to paint the
exact situation as it exists in one small
letter. The war is ended. and at the same
time We are not living in peace. Never
theless, in the rejoicing over the outcome,
the victims of the war. the real sufferers,
are almost entirely forgotten. The VIC
tins are the Cubans. Neither the United
States nor Spain has suffered from the
y.
while all the destruction and devastation
wrought by the struggle has been endured
by poor, suffering Cuba, and the end is
not yet.
We are, as it were, between two fires
We must keep peace because the United
states and Spain are no longer engaged in
active strife, and We must endure all the
atrocities. cruelties and barbarism inpos-
ed upon us by the Spaniards, worse now
har haTO
because they realize that they must soon
leave our island and they desire TO heap
all the vengeance upon us that is in their
power to do.
CHAOS reigns in Havana. The public
service has, in nearly all departments.
been practically abandoned, and the en-
ployes, thus being thrown out of their DO
sitions. take the more from u.s. What is
true or the civil authorities is doubIy true
Oh the soldiers. The Industrial public is
completely paralyzed. All animals all
horses have been taken away to meet the
necessities of the Spanish army. There is
nothing for the laboring people. for the
poor classes. the large majority of whom
are Cubans, to do.
Mdtters nave not improved for them
since the raising of the blockade The noor
man who manages to plant little garden
pace TO save himself and his family from,
i 'ihS' hhds tnat Just as he Is about to
harvest mis- little crop, he Is made the
prey of the soldiery. who rob him of all
Inc city Is full of thieves and yagabonds-
who steal, plunder and destroy all thew
can Neither is there any Justice nor at
tempt at punishment for offenses, even the
most grave. '-o
The municipal officers are nothing more
tnan ngureheads, and they are seeking to
get all possible before leaving Cuba il
makes no difference at what loss or suf-
Ierlng to the people of this city. The COM
mercial people, the most of whom are
Spaniards, are hostile to the Cubans. The
rich alone can live: the poor must die OF
munger and IN the greatest misery
10 make II worse, the colonial govern
ment has advanced the custom duties ao
per cent since the blockade was raised.
The government is literating the most dan
gerous criminals, while political prisoners
are treated with the utmost cruelty A short
time longer of the present condition of af-
fairs and the entire Cuban population will
be dependent upon the noble charity OF
the Red Cross. The press is again begin
ming to defame Cuban liberty and the
Spanish censor Is maintaining a policy
worse than in the times of Weyler
What particularly wish to obtain for
us Is the aid of the American government
in preventing the confiscation of Cuban
property by the Spaniards. which IS going
on at an alarming rate every day. The
Cubans are poor enough, but their condi-
ton is growing steadily worse by plunder
and robbery. Again. We desire to have
the censorship raised, so that the whole
world may know of our suffering That
would do more than ali else to Stay the
ravages Of the Spaniards."