The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-10-05
THE AMERICAN WAY.
From the Inter-Ocean,

From the Inter-Ocean.
The city of Santiago is one of the old
est in Anne lea. 1t was rounded in l5l4
and was Incorporated as a city in 1922 1t
was under Spanish control and manage
ment for over $40 years. 1t was as well
bullt as any of the cities in Latin Amer
lea and was of enough importance from
commercial and military standpoint to
receive special attention from the Span
ish government. Little or no attention,
however, was given to the sanitation of
the city. The Spa nish authorities seemed
to have assumed that because Santiago
was surrounded by mountains it was
necessarily unhealthy, and up to 1870 no
attempt was made to improve the streets
or drains. The improvements inaugu-
rated then did not reach the central evil.
When the American army occupied
Santiago in July last, army officers, men,
bers of the Red Cross corps, and CORES
pondents pronounced the city filthy be-
yond any city in Europe or America that
they had visited. In some streets accu-
mutations of refuse of twenty and thirty
years standing were found. No effort,
apparently, had ever been made to clean
the section used for the markets A few
weeks after the occupation, Colonel
Leonard Wood. of the rough riders, Il
physician who had given much attention
to sanitary measures, was appointed gov
ernor. He began at once the work OF
cleaning the city. In two months he ac-
complished more than the Spaniards had
done in 300 years. For the first time in
its history, Santiago was comparatively
clean and wholesome. For the first time
in It's history the death rate in midsum-
mer was reduced to the rate in other
cities of the same size. This reform was
accomplished not by any radical change
in the sewer system, or in the water sys-
tenn, but by rigid enforcement of SYSTEM
attic sanitary rules. Fundamental
changes will be made later.
o
This example illustrates an important
phase of the duty the United States
owes to Cuba, to Porto Rico, and TO the
Philippines. We are not only to work
improvement in government, not only to
secure for the citizen his rights and
greater privileges, to give him security
of life and property, but we are to i'm
prove all the conditions of life Under
Spanish rule Santiago had made little
or no progress in fifty years; under Span
ish rule the Philippines have been held
back, and Cuba drained of wealth. Un-
der American rule the Philippines will be
pushed forward in civilization and Cuba
and Porto Rico will receive the benefits
of better government, OF increased ac-
tVlty IN agriculture ana manufactures.
| Cities that are breeders of pestlence Will
cease to exist; whole districts that are
| scarcely inhabited through want of prop
| er drainage will become habitable; great
| soggy deserts that cut off civilization
| from localities IT. themselves healthy will
| be eliminated. The American system
ought to do for Cuba at large what IT has
done under the direction of Colonel Wool
| for Santiago.
1 -.0-
| Colonel Wood in two months reduced a
| death rate of seventy per day to twenty
| Even the Spaniards concede the benen.
! cence of the system. 1t means much tC
| Spaniard and Cuban, to rich ana poor
and is a harbinger OF better things and
better conditions under American ad'
| ministration.