The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-08
THE TINES: RICHMOND: VA SUNDAY JANUARY 8. 1899.

| men, while we'll conducted appear small
| feeble, sloUcdy' and neglected. Wi1ie th0ir
sallow faces took as II three square meals
day were "a medicine they much need
| ed. The officers conduct has been most
| gentlcmanly and sOldior-like
81 have met and mingled with Cubans
| Of an classes. / have been in homes Of
elegance refinement and taste unsur-
passed I'm these element by any in any
American city. have met twenty or
| thirty Cuban officers. who an appear 90
be- respectable. well disposed and worthy
gentlemen Most Of the private cuban
| soldiers I have seen are c0lorcd men.
| quite Ike those we see I'm the South.
with the exception that their fnforma-
ton is more limited. though their nat
ural intelligence SIS not inferior Tho
Cuban army has many moro c0iored than
white soldiers. and the colored man here
in bis natural habitat seems larger ana
bears better the deprivations of the field
and the exhaustive influence pf tho eii-
mate. outside OF the cities the whole
population is against the spanlards and
an are most cordially inclined 90 America
with every confidence Of the good will
and Justice of our people.
"Thcrc is no word that can adequately
portray the utter des0lati0n Of the poor
The faces of hundreds OF women and
children haunt me. I have never before
seen the like. and 7 hope never 10 see
the ike again. To would turn q stone 20
tears 20 see the scores Of little ragged
girls and boys and many times moro
equally destitute women stretching forth
their emaclafed hands and pcorfng into
tho car windows at an stations. with
their eager faces craving the least COM
tribution Of bread or money. such scenes
have become so familiar TO- the people
hero and those who symnathize with
them are $50 exhausted in their resources
that The c8JiousUess aUd Indifference Of
despair has settled upon many. Were
such scenes as / have witnessed to-day
between Matanz3s and Havana 20 occur
in any part OF the United states there
would Doe % rush of provisions and money
10 relieve them with irresistible impulse
like the charging of an army.
"The hardness and cruelty Of SPANS
rule in Cuba and the miserics of its pop
ulace cannot Doe exaggerated and there
is stil the constant and pressing need
of relief for the scantiest necessities %
existence.
"The scene at The Palace and IN Ha-
Vana on Ja302yY ~ wac tho most i'm
prossive and thrilling civic spectacle [
have ever witnessed. There has been
nothing like DC 10 600 the breast Of an
american with uuuttorahle pride in and
love for HIS own country or 20 excite his
sympathy for the long oppressed people
who welcomed our flag ass the haroinger
OF rescue. From the commanding general
to the private in The American army. an
showed at their BEST and as the sturdy
columns swept through tho streets of
Havana there was 200 eve mat looked
upon Them that was not indelieiy I'm, I'M
pressed with the simple dignity the IRE
sistioIe potency ana the rar-reaofiils af'1
hopeful influence oi inc spectacle. me
bearing OF The oapiun-ieneral OF SPAN
iu this trying hour oi his aodlcfuon
was that of 3D. soldier and a gentleman
and De and his officers domeaned thtin-
selves with such simple unaffected Dig
nlfv fb4t every bort WAS touched. and
a sympathy of respect Inspired and dis
placed for ne time an sentiments OF
onmity or resentment.
II could but think that many Of tho
Spanish officers aud soldiers were them
selves the victims of the hereditary policy
which the Spanish kings and commander
have handed down for generations. "71
we've worthier of a. better fate thau t0
have been east out from an inheritance
which that policy bias s0 sisnaly de-
spoiled
CUBA has been rliuei and rho Spanish
Empire has been st. h.toI THE last OF
lfs Amerjcau possessions has been lcst
and the Spanish nation brought TO ashes
and humiliation from 81 faflurc 10 realize
fhat AN Governments must be founded
unon the rights of human nature. and
that evorv INTELLIGENT community knows
better what Is good FOR itself than the
hireIiurs off the absent and far distant