The morning news., 1899-01-01
THEY SECURE FOOD BY FRAUD.
RICH SUGAR DEALERS AND WOMEN
IN LACEs FED BY UNCLE SAM.

General wood Protests in Vain
Against the Issuance OF Rauons.
Although CubanS Arc WelI-Fed.
They VIII Not work. Even for
High Wages. and spaniards Are
Employed on the Strects-Cuban
Doctors Ahet Fraud-SinGIe Fami-
lies Draw so Bations Week
Shop5sccpers Thrive on Purchased
Ratious-ActuaI Cases of AssGr"-
waited Fraud.
Santiago. Dec. 2S-During a period of
thirteen weeks ending with Nov i, 1895
the American government. in the kind
ness Of it's heart issued TO the so-called
"starvtng Cubaus" of the province Of
Santiago de cuba. just 3,30oo0J free ra-
tons A ration is days food for one
man Now the entire province Of Sauti-
ago contains az a liberal estimate not more
than 10000 persons natives and foreign
ers included.
Based on that little figuring win deduce
the startling fact thar the United states
of America have, within the time speci-
fled. fed daily more than oue-hfth of the
entire population Of santiago province; or,
in other words, have boarded free Of
charge for many weeks community equal
in size TO city Of 1921 inhabitants.
Scandal has become SO great over this
condition that Gen. Leonard Wool has
been using bis influence 20 have the issu-
ing of rations entirely stopped. He be
lieves that the Cubans should he made 10
earn ther living; but as yet
n "a
has not reached the point where
il wishes 10 end the present system.
in the meantime Gen. Wood is having dith-
Guilty in getting the Cubans so do any
thing at all--eNcept 20 draw ratons.
When the United States captured Sant-
age and assumed charge of the city and
province there were undoubtedly many
people in sore straits. IL was right TO
feed them. and the military authorities,
under orders from Washington, began the
task without delay. Free distributing
stations were established in various parts
of the city and in the different districts.
The commissary department was placed
in charge and the immense loads of pro
visions brought down on regular trans
ports were given out with a liberal hand.
Within ten days actual starvation was
averted The sO-called recopcentrados be-
ban 20 fatten and recover from the enecls
Of the war and when it became evident
their usual strength Gen. Leonard Wood,
who is in supreme charge OF the province
of Santiago inauguTated a system of pub
lie improvements with the intention OF
providing work.
spaniards wOuId work, Cubans
Would Not.
He planned a boulevard 20 surround the
city and also provided for the repaving of
some Of the principal streets. Then he in
structed his aide, Lieut. Hanna, 70 see
that the needy Cubaus, the heads of fam
lies. be given work at 81 a day and a
ration Lieut.. Hanna set about his task
with zeal. He sent men out TO different
uarts OF the city to notify the inhabitants
that all who applied at a certain place
would be given employment. Seven men
responded on the first day. Of whom five
were Spaniards, soldiers left in the coun-
Try. The latter came in doubt saying that
they and a number of their friends, also
spanlards wanted work but they were
afraid the Americans did not care TO en-
ploy them. Lieut.. Hanna consulted his
chief, Gen. Wood
Make another attempt to secure Gu
bans was the order Give them every
chance to apply for work, but If they
co not come 20 the front by tomorrow
evening, hire all the Spaniards you can
get
part of the town. but only eight more Gu
bans applied They We're given employ
ment and ultimately found their way TO a
gang engaged on the boulevard On the
first day of December, of the 400 men ems
p.oyed on public works in Santiago de
Cuba, $50 were Spaniards, twelve Chinese
and eight native Cubans.
In the meantime the issuing of rations
to the starving peconceutrados" had gone
on merrily. The streets in front of the
relief stations resembled the vicinity OF
q newspaper Office on election night
Squads and groups and crowds of men,
women ana children, each carrying a sack,
a basket or a bottle, thronged the thor
oughfares Tn front OF one station I per-
eonally counted seventy-eight stalwart,
able bodied men waiting 10 draw from I'm
Gle Sans bounty Not two hours before
l had counted in front of Lieut. Hanna-s
labor bureau sixi
a sample of the Starving Cuban.
4 few days later Col Wilson, on duty
In Santiago. tod me that he had vainly
tried TO get laborers to work at the quar-
termaster's wharf
Come with me-" he said "and III give
you a sample"
We proceeded to the water front and
came upon a number of Cuban laborers
summing THEMSELVES near the dock There
were fully 200 of them scattered about laz-
lily watching the boats on the bay. Col
Wilson paused in front of a group Of ten
Men" he said in Spanish, II want fifty
labOrers to truck bo~es of provisions. IN
pay you a dollar a day ana a ration Win
you come 10 work?''
There was silence for a moment. then
one man. a fine specimen of physical man
hood, shufed his feet, and replied in a
whining voice; "I have a sick wife, Sc
Nor, aud l have to look after her at
bone
He scuuied off and vanished behind a
pile Of boxes. and l saw some of the other
Cubans smile and exchange glances Cot.
Wilson addressed each man individually.
and received an excuse from every one
Of them. We started toward another group.
but the word had been passed. and within
few minutes the dock was almost de
serted.
up at my warehouse I have eleven
Spaniards employed, aud not one OF these
tsf at4sf eas4reV