Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-30
STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE

| Lately seeking woman to do some sew
| ing for me. came upon sorry one OF the
| individual ironies Of a great nations sue
cess in war. 1t is also striking instance
| Of how irresponsible is the modern yellow
journal as it juggles with human lives to
! turn out cheap sensations.
Go to such and such a number. such
street and you'll find a woman who sews
| beautifully She is so desperately hard up
she works very cheap.
| Thus was directed, and obedient to the
| law that a domestic ladys business success
builds always on sweat-shop plan-We
| squeeze our good fortune out Of the mis-
| fortune of the women who work for US
| 1 went joyfully in search of the seam
stress so poor. I was certain to save
money on her. 1 found the woman as de-
scribed. and her name is Mrs. Ruiz.
Does that express anything to you?
AS much as it did off-hand to me, doubt
less
Ruiz? All. yes; she and some trouble of
hers figured in our recent war with Spain.
Poor thing! Our glorious victory apparent
ly lost sight of her. Clearly she is overlook
ed-not alone by a triumphant nation, but
the world generally
ForlOrn and Helpless.
The woman and her surroundings spoke
eloquently Of the mute horrors that attend
upon the passing of the unfit-humanity's
helpless surrender 10 the law OF the sur
vival Of the fittest.
I arranged with her to do my work. She
would do 1t cheap-very cheap. A great
bargain, to be sure Yet 1 failed to be de-
lighted. as becomes a reasonable domestic
lady The woman had gone SO to my heart
while l talked with her 1 became possessed
with just one idea-to satisfy somehow the
pitiful appeal that was in her eyes. in her
hollow chested, emacfated body, the pale,
unhealthy Hooking little girl beside her.
the dingy. bare three rooms that were their
home.
1t takes an immense amount Of courage
to name her unhappiness to woman like
this and I was very fearful 1 finally
stammered. rs it, then something 1 can
trouble with Spain? There was much
happening al the time 1 have forgotten it,"
1 hope may never again call into being
such tragedy as became fncarnate In the
woman with my words. All that she has
suffered was shaped in her shrinking fig
ure. as she settled back in her chair. ut
terly overcome with Mortified amazement.
fened lips with difficulty articulating the
to her-incredible statement had made.
Her Sorrow Forgotten.
r-gotten-my-sorrow? You-any one
-forget-my-Sorrow?"
1t was needless for me to answer had
spoken. The fndisputable affirmative of So
ciety was uttered in her very self, her
child her home Yes. Mrs. Ruizs sorrow
is forgotten-quite forgotten Our war with
Spain was different from other wars-so
wise men tell me. 1t was war of human
ity. they say, and did our Christian charac
ter great credit. So we rejoice that we are
virtuous and admirable even in cruel war.
We rejoice that Cuba Is free. We shout
for Teddy Roosevelt, and more especially
Just as present we shout for Dewey.
Yet Mrs. Ruiz's murdered husband was
an inspiration of this war. and Mrs. Ruiz,
In our midst, is in want, neglected, utterly
forgotten!
Let me revive your memory of the Ruiz
! ifscident-in war and in journalism. 1 do
so in no very gentle spirit but full Of bit
terness to see how great successes of great
men work out in wretched small ironies in
woman's experience. 1t Is abominable
too that under the license Of free press
in our glorious free country there is absO-
lutely nothing to restrain a newspaper.
having the price in Its business end, from
converting a helpless woman and her IA
therless children into yellow copy" with
no more regard for their humanity than a
vivisector shows for the life of dog or a
guinea pig.
I have taken my "reminiscences of the
Ruiz case from official records-Consul Gen
eral Lees report and evidence given before
the Senate committee on foreign relations.
DIR. Ruix's Torture.
DR.. Ricardo Ruiz was a native-born Gu
ban, naturalized and educated in the United
states. AFTER taxing MS degree IN fnlla-
delphia dental college he returned to Cuba,
married Spanish girl and was established
in his profession at Gauabacoa. with his
wife and five children, where he was ar
rested by the Spanish suspicion of being
implicated in the Cuban insurrection. Well
authenticated evidence shows that DR.. Ruiz
was a peaceful man, devoted to his family
and his profession, and at the time of the
particular uprising in which it was charged
he had taken part he spent the evening in
the house of neighbor until 10 o'clock and
the balance Of the night at home with his
family. However, he was taken from his
wife and small children, carried to jail,
thrust into cell, where he was confined
'incomunicado," and. at the end of 315
hours. was brought out a corpse. The cell
In which he was placed was feet 8 by 8
feet g. about feet high. The walls and
floor were stone. and there was no light or
ventilation save that made possible by a
small aperture in the door for passing
through food. He was not allowed to see
or communicate with his wife or friends
He was not allowed to sit down or lie down
except In his own filth until on the thir-
teenth day Of his imprisonment. when the
kind-hearted wife of the Jailer. taking pity
ON the prisoner. who was patient and gem