The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-30
CUB4'S DESTITUTE FARM ERS.


Ways IN Which Amer cans are Help
Ing Them 10 Help Themselves.
The Cuban Industrial Relief Fund is
solving the question of the relief of the
destitute farmers in Cuba by helping
them TO help themselves. 1t does not
give free food and clothing to the lazy
and indolent, but provides oxen, plows
and farm tools-as a loan-to those who
can return to their farms, and tries to
get farm work for the others.
The wisdom of this policy has been
warmly commended by prominent Uni
ted States officials and other observers
of the conditions of affairs in Cuba.
The general manager of the work in
| Cuba is Mr.. William Walter Howard,
who has had large experience, having
| been connected with relief work among
the Americans in Turkey. The advisa-
| ry committee has among it's members
such men as the Rev. Drs. Lyman Abb
bolt, Edward Everett Hale and Philip
S. Moxom, Bishop William Lawrence,
the Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, the Hon.
Horace e. Deming, ex-Rostmaster
Thomas l.. James of New York and
others.
Mr.. Howard, who is now in the field,
writes as follows:
THE town authorities are begging us
for help faster than we can give it.
The Cubans are willing and hard work.
ers when properly treated. Yesterday
saw woman at work who should have
been in the hospital. One poor old wo-
man was so weak that she had to hold
fast to her chair to keep from slipping
to the bare earthern floor of her hut,
and yet she was at work making pack
saddle. In the hut were several chill
dren. The only dishes were some tin
cans, and the only food was some sweet
potatoes that they had found in an
abandoned field.
Many Americans say, The Cubans
will not work Mr.. Frear, one of my
assistants, says: The trouble with us
will be in finding enough work for them
to do He had charge Of the unloading
of our cargo. Cubans came to him to
beg for a days work at carrying out
the stuff to the custom house Each
sack of rice weighed two hundred and
forty pounds, yet these poor Cubans,
most of them thin to gauntness, stag
gered into the custom house under these
sacks. I asked one of them II two hun
dred and forty pounds was not too
much for him to carry. and he denied
that it was-panting heavily mean
while. He said that he needed the
money for his family.
General Wilson, commanding this de-
partment, Is greatly interested in our
plan, and says he will help us In any
way possible"
Two Cuban farms have already been
purchased and are being prepared for
planting. One called 1.-THE outlook"
in honor of DR.. Lyman Abbott's paper,
will be largely supported through his
Efforts The second and large farm is
named New England and will be sup
ported by funds contributed in the New
England states 1t is beautifully loca-
ted at Ceiba Mocha, twelve miles west
of Matanzas, and contains one hundred
and sixty-seven acres. 1t lies in sight
of the railroad, and is conveniently To-
Gated for transportation and near the
village. The soil is excellent and from
the appearance Of the wild vegetation
this farm should bear enormous crops
under proper cultivation. Mr. Howard |
writes that he has put fifty men and
boys to work at clearing it, preparatory
to blowing, and planting sweet potatoes, |
etc. 1T will cost six thousand dollars"
he says, ito carry this farm through the !
first complete crop" Speaking of the !
laborers employed, he says: out of |
forty workers, all but three are recon-
some of them are orphans
whose parents died of starvation"
They are greatly pleased with our
American tools and prefer them to the
heavy ones they have been used to.
Rakes were entirely new to them, and
hey call them bombs" They had new
n seen spading forks, but Immediately
recognized their value for digging pota-
oes. Mr.. Howard tells Of the wonder
md delight of the washerwomen at
heir first sight of wrlnger.
they insisted on running the clothes
through 1t a second time, on the next
lay tried to make some excuse for
washing the clothes over again just for
he sake of using the new wrnger.
Upwards of four thousand dollars has
lready been raised in the New England |
'tates through the Boston office. Con-
ributions for the fund may be sem to
". d. Forbes National Bank of the
Republic, Boston. There have been al
eady many subscriptions made in New
haven, and more will be very thank
ully received.