The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-17

erals and Senores Cespedes, Montea-
guido, Nunez Leira, Mola and Tamayo.
This afternoons demonstration III
avor of Gomez-in which all the pa
triotic clubs, with banners and bands
as we'll as many women and children,
took part-was better organized than
that of Monday, though not so spontan-
eOus. Several thousand people parad-
ed to the Quinta de los Molinos, where
General Gomez resides. He made his
appearance and addressed them, and
the procession did not return until after
night fall.
THE DESTITUTION IN CUBA.
Jacksonville, Fla, March 15.-Wn-
lard Howard, general manager Of the
Cuban Industrial Relief fund of New
York, passed through Jacksonville this
evening on his way home from Cuba.
He goes north to purchase agricultu
raj implements and seeds for the use
of the industrial relief station which
he has just established at GuineS, Gu
ba. Mr.. Howard said:
The condition of Cuba, SO far as my
observations have gone, is really worse
than 1t was at this time last year,
when l made my first investigations.
In the rural districts little has been
done to restore the island to it's normal
condition. The fields are vacant and
the farmers idle. The people still re-
main in the towns and cities where
army rations are issued to them. They
cannot return to their abandoned farms
because they have nothing to return
with.
Our government has done, and is
doing nothing to enable farmers to re-
sumo the cultivation of their lands. All
that it pretends to do is to distribuate
rations through local committees of Gu
bans. Governor General Brooke and
the officers under him realize keenly
the condition of things, bit they can
not give auy assistance except food.
Ours is not a paternal government.
THE condition of the widows and or
phans of Cuba is heartrending. There
are thousands upon thousands of these
poor creatures scattered over the is
land. They have neither homes to live
in, food to eat, nor clothes to cover
them. One cannot think of their future
without a shudder. 1 am especially con-
cerned for the poor little orphan girls
who roam the streets, scantily clad,
asking for a bit of food with which to
keep their little bodies and souls to-
gether. What will become of these
girls? Their future for good or for evil
lies with the people Of the United States
Among these widows and orphans 1
have as lately as last week seen indi-
vidual cases of destitution and physical
emaciation worse than anything that
l saw in Armenia during the two years
that l gave to Armenia relief work.
And to have these wrecks Of humani-
ty stand and look up to the Stars and
Stripes waving over their city hall,
gives one a queer sensation. The gen
erous American people surely cannot
understand the condition of Cuba, or
these poor creatures would be taken
care Of.
Il do not speak of the sick, the in
! firm or Of those who hobble about, cov-
cred with loathsome sores, resulting
from starvation. I cannot speak of
| them for the English language is in
adequate to the task. They should
have been cared for in hospitals long
months ago. Why it has not been
done l cannot understand.
THE condition of Cuba is a reproach
| to the American people and blot upon
civilization. We are going to do some
thing to improve that condition and we
invite all lovers of humanity in the
United tSates to help us for the good
| name of the American flag. Our flag
should mean something to those home
less, helpless orphan and destitute peo-
pie.
Money for these orphans or for our
industrial relief work should be sent
to the Continental Trust Company,
No. 80 Broad street, New York city,
marked For the Cuban Industrial Re-
lief fund.-