nst Spain.

The condition of the reconcentrados is terrible. You will remember that
General Weyler issued a decree that the farmers with their families, and
the people who lived out in the country, should leave their homes and
come into the towns. This was done because it was believed that these
people were supplying the insurgents with food and aiding them in other
ways. Of course, when these poor people were herded together in and
around the cities and towns, a great many of them had no possible way of
making a living. Starvation has resulted, and thousands of these
reconcentrados, as they are called, are dying. It is estimated that
there are very nearly 300,000 of them, and what food and clothing they
need must be given to them. The Spaniards, as can be imagined, have not
been very charitably disposed toward these poor people, and the United
States has generously come to the rescue. Tons of food and clothing have
already been sent to the island, and almost every day we read of some
vessel starting for Cuba with supplies for these unfortunate people.

The United States Government has deemed the matter important enough to
despatch two gunboats, the _Montgomery_ and _Nashville_, with provisions
to Matanzas and Sagua la Grande, Cuba.

The supplies have been sent to Key West, to be forwarded from there in
the vessels selected.

Spain, through her representative at Washington, Senor du Bosc, objected
to the use of war-vessels for this purpose, and it was at first decided
to send the supplies in the despatch-boat _Fern_, in many respects
better fitted for such a purpose. Finally, however, orders were sent to
Key West to carry out the original plan.

That Spain objects to the visits of our war-ships to these Cuban ports
may lead to further complications, for with equal reason she can exclude
our ships from Havana harbor, and this would prevent us from protecting
our own citizens who are in Havana.

The fact that relief expeditions are sent by us is in itself an
acknowledgment on our part that we either do not consider Spain able to
care for these poor people, or that we think that she wilfully refuses
to do so. Spain could settle the question at once by properly providing
for them. This, however, she has not attempted to do.

* * * * *

March 7th a bill was introduced by Chairman Cannon, of the
Appropriations Committee, entitled, "Making Appropriations for the
National Defence."

It