The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-26
SOME STREETS CLEANED.
Work of Sanitation Has Been Com
menced in Havana


New York. Dec. ga dispatch to the
Tribune from Havana says:
Cuba is feeling the benefits of pros
pective and OF actual American admin
istration. Some of the streets are real
" clean. Gen. z. V. Green had $50, 900
for public sanitation authorized by the
department at washington but Spanish
sovereignty had to be respected, al
though it was unable to remove the
garbage from a single alley. The Ha-
Vana a1untamientO, or common council,
had not dollar to spend. So, by per-
mission OF the Spanish authorities, the
United States took hold Of the work
Marquis de ESteban, the alsalde, the
mayor of the city, had prOclamatiOnS
posted up in which the inha bitants of
the streets cleaned were told that it
was done by the American government,
and they were exhOrted to second the
efforts Of the United tSates military au-
thorities.
This removal of the accommodations of
garbage does not solve the sanitary
problems of Havana, however. 1t shows
that the streets can be kept fairly clean
and the city be made habitable, while
the changes that must be made in the
sewerage system and other hygienic
improvements are carried out Five
years may be necessary before the
plans which Col. George E. Waring pre-
pared can be made effective. That viii
not prevent Havana from being kept
clean for the next five months, which
IS the period in which it is so important
to fOrestau epidemic diseases among the
American troops. Gen. Ludlow will pro
badly be appalled, by the task before
him as military and civil governor of
Havana city. Every American army
commander when he faces his RESPONSE
bility probably has that feeling. But
there is usually some simple point at
which a beginning can be made. In
Havana it is clean streets.
Americans who are in Cuba engaged
in business are chiefly concerned in an
Improvement in the mail service, both
domestic and foreign. 1t would not be
fair to judge Spanish administration by
the complete decentralization which has
appeared in the pOstOffice arrangements
in the last few weeks. Some disturb
ance was inevitable. The knowledge Of
the employees that they would receive
none OF the back pay increased their in
difference. Most of them will neces-
sarily be kept for time and they know
they will receive their wages. That and
the desire to please the American Off
Gals Will spur them to the better per
Torrance of their duties. Though the
service is badly disOrganized, the meth
DDS of administration are simple and
they are easily adjusted to the change.
This is shown in the ease with which
the military pOstOfice for the American
troops has been put in operation.
owned the telegraph lines and operated
partment The railroads were not per
United to have lines of their own Their
ordinary and necessary business was
transacted under veXatiOus restrictions.
The official regulations were as vOlumtn-
Gus and as intricate as the code of civil
law 1t cannot be said that the system,
under Spanish methods at least, offers en-
coura cement to those who favor gov
eminent postal telegraph The United
States viii not have to meet the question
now because of the practical difficulties in
the way of administering the telegraph
system as part of the postOffice system.
Under the military rule which is to be
established for the entire island the tele-
graph lines will be military ones The
signal corps viii have charge of that. The
lines are in bad condition. To repair them
and get the system in working order will
require several weeks. When this is done
in addition to the use of the army, the
lines viii afford ample facilities for the
sactiOn of private business. The vol
ume OF commercial messages is not likely
10 be large for year or more.
Some of the Havana merchants do not
have a clear idea of what American mill
tary control means. They do not I'M
derStand why Colonel Bliss, an army Of
hcer. should be named for collector Of
customs, or why similar positions are to be
under military control. They have been
mlsled into believing that all civil en-
Payments are to be turned over to the
military arm little experience under
actual administration will remove their
nlSg1NlngS. Military responsibility viii
reason army officers viii be at the head
of all important departments but there
IS no intention of having soldiers to els
charge the duties which can only be sat
of the Spanish employees, both military and
civil, whose functions will close on .Janu-
airy 1. have been led to think that the
United States will make good the due
bills or Z .. Us which the Spanish au-
thorities have been issuing in satisfaction
versal but it is general enough to raise
hopes which will be disappointed.