our citizens who are living in Cuba, that he felt it his duty to look
into the matter, and he has sent a message to Congress on the subject.

The cause of the new trouble is this.

Some months ago General Weyler, thinking that the country people
supplied the insurgents with food and gave them shelter, issued an order
that all the inhabitants of Cuba who lived in the country districts
should leave their homes, and within eight days present themselves at
the nearest town, there to remain until the war was over.

In obedience to this order the country people were forced into the
towns, the soldiers destroyed the dwellings from which they had been
driven, and lands that had once been green and fertile were turned into
barren wastes, without house, home, or shelter upon them.

In the history of modern warfare no such cruel scheme has ever before
been devised.

The unfortunate country people, thus torn from their homes, were
allotted lands, within the fortified line of the towns, to encamp on.
They were given neither food nor shelter, but were driven into the towns
and left to shift for themselves.

Most of these people were farmers, living in comfortable circumstances.
By the order of General Weyler they were reduced to beggary.

Not only has Weyler made no attempt to feed these unhappy people, but he
has forbidden them to go in search of food for themselves. Even when
they assured the Spanish soldiers that they had crops ripening in their