The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-30
AID FOR surFERryG cum.

The work of the Cuban Industrial Re-
lief fund among The destitute and
starved natives of the island of Cuba
is by far the most practical and most
| praiseworthy movement thus far start
ed for the aid of this suffering people.
| Under its fostering care families are
| now beginning to assemble together
| again, homes are beginning to make
| their appearance once more and what a
| short while ago were nothing but hu-
| man skeletons are now once more as
Stunning the shapes of human beings.
But aside from the many rescued from
| death by starvation by far the greatest
| benefit it has extended to the people IS
| the financial assistance it has given to
| the farmers and the restoration Of many
of them to their former occupations as
| tllers of the soil. This is decidedly as
| siStance not only to the Cubans but to
| our government as we'll Ever since the
| ending of the war, Just what to do with
| the homeless and miserable natives is
! the question that has been agitating the
| minds of government officials as well as
| the American people. Army rations to
satisfy their hunger were issued in
quantities and medical aid of the best
kind was sent to their help; but in spite
of all this the existing conditions re-
manned unchanged. The country dis.
tricts which had been swept bare of
farmhouses and inhabitants by Wey-
ler's Infamous order of concentration
remained bare the fertile districts were
silent, the tillers of the soil idle and
nothing was left which could sustain
life. The country people crowded into
the towns and cities where nearly half
a million died of starvation and disease.
They could not resume their occupa-
tions nor cultivate their idle fields be-
cause they We're literally beggars, with
out oxen, agricultural implements, seeds
or domestic supplies with which to
work. Thousands upon thousands of
homeless and helpless orphan children
roamed around the streets asking for
scraps of food with which to keep their
starved little bodies and souls together.
The condition of the country was a re-
preach to the American people, And
still the American government could do
nothing for their help, its hands were
tied. 1t could give them rations, but it
had no legal means of providing them
with oxen or tools for their employment.
1t was Just here that the Cuban In
dustrial Relief fund was heard of. Their
plan of operation was simple but eff
fective one. In pamphlet to the
American people they stated that there
was just one way Of permanently re-
deeming Cuba from it's condition of des-
titution and suffering. That way is not
to give the people free soup and old
clothes until they become hopelessly
pauperized, but to give them work
The plan proposed by the promoters of
the fund was simple one. IT aimed |
in the first place to provide farm labor
ers with employment in the cultivation
of relief farms. The products of these
were to be sold in the best available |
market and the proceeds turned into the |
fund to be used gain in the same way.
Secondly, small landowners We're to be
provided with oxen, tools, seeds and |
domestic supplies as loan only. In
this way they would be encouraged to
return to their farms and a real Begin
ming will be made in the Herculean task
Of regenerating the island. Thirdly, |
each assisted family would be com
pelled to take an orphan child under its
protection and treat it as a member of
the household. In this way many of
the Cuban orphans were to be cared for !
The scheme was easily comprehensive
and essentially practical. 1t proposed
to help those who were willing to help
themselves.
The response was immediate and sub
scriptions in fattering numbers were
received by the fund. The plan of the
fund as followed out has proved most
fruitful. 1t has already accomplished