Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-27
1T WILL TAKE MONTHS TO CLEAN
STREETS OF HAVANA.
WORK ALREADY UNDER WAY
FIVE YEARS NEEDED TO CARRY
OUT COL. WARNINGS PLANS.
Mail Service. Both Domestic and For
ciGn, Sadly in Need of Reform
Havana Merchants DO Not
Understand American
Military Control.

HAVANA. Dec. 2f.-Cuba j. feeling the
benefits of actual American administration.
Some Of the streets are really clean. Cen
cral +. Y. Green had SA.ep for public san
itation authorized 10y the department at
Washington, hut Spanish sovereignty ha!
10 be respected. although & was UEa:,!" 10
remove the garbage from u single al,y
The Havana HIUnIIIni.Eto. or common
council. had rot Il dollar 20 sperd. So, by
permission the Spanish authorities. the
United States took Hold Of the work. Mar
quis de Estebgn the alcaide, The mayor Of
the city hal proclamations posted up IN
which the iuha bitaHtS Of the streets ciGaned
were told that il was done hy the AM l.
lean government. and they were eXhorted
10 second the efforts Of the United states
military authorities.
This removal Of the denominations OF gar
baee does not solve the sanitary problems
Of Havana, howevcr. IL shows that the
streets can be kept fairly clean and the
city be made habtabie. while III" changes
that must be made in the sewerage syst IN
and other hygiene improvements are car
ried out. Five years may be necessary be-
fore the plans which Colonel George T.
Waring prepared can he made effective.
That will not prevent Havana from being
kept clean for the next nvr months. which
s. the period In which il j. 80 important TO
fnrestall epidemic diseases among the
American troops. General Ludlow vii! prob
ably be appalled, 10y The task before him as
military AMI civil governor Of Havana
city. Every American army commander
when he faces his responsibility probably
has thai feeling. but there is usually Some
simple point at which 4 beginning can he
made. In Havana it is clean streets.
Americans who are in cuba engaged il
business ar chiefly concerned in an i'm
provement in the mail service. both do
Inestic and foreign. II would rot be fair
10 judge spanish administration by the
complete GENERALIZATION which has ap-
peared in the postofiice arrangements in
the last fcw weeks Some disturbance WAS
ineyitable The knowledge OF the employees
that they would receive none of the back
pay increased their Indifference. Most Of
them will necessarily be kept FOR a time,
and they know they will receive their
wages. That. and the desire 10 please the
American officials Will spur them to the
better performance OF their duties. Though
the service is badly dsorganizc,l. ths.
methods of administration are simple AND
they are easily adjusted 10 the change.
This is shown IN the ease with which the
military postoifiCe for the American troops
has been put in operation.
Under the Spanish rule. the government
owned the telegraph lines and operated
them In connection with the postOffice de-
partment. The railroads were not per
ordinary and necessary business was trans
acted under veNatious restrictions The, of
iicial regulations Were ;tS vouminOus and
as intricate aS the code of civil law. 1t
cannot be said that the system. under Span
ish methods at least. offers eucourIErrI1crt
10 those who favor Il government postal
telegraph. The l ted States will not have
10 meet that question now. beraus.. Of the
practical difiicuti"s in the way OF adrnin-
istering the telegraph system as part of the
postoffice system. Under jh. military rule
which is to l.. established for the entire
island the telegraph lines viii bt 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.
transaction of private husine =. The vol
ume OF commercial messages i not likely
10 be large for year of more.
Some of The Havana merchants do not
have clear Idea of what the American n
military control means They 10 not an
derstand why Colonel Bliss AN army OIL
Ger. should he named for collector Of Gus
toms. or why similar positions are to be
under military control They nae been
inisled into believing that all civil employ
ments are TO be turned over 10 the mill
tary arm. 4 little experience under actual
administration Will remove their usisgiv-
lngs- Military responsibility Will exist for
All administration, and for that f"aSon
army officers will be at the head OF all
important departments but there j. 10 in
ientlOn OF having soldiers 10 discharge .he
performed bS civilians. Many Of the Span-
fsh employees both military and civil. whose
functions viii cease on January l. have
been led 10 think that the United States
VIII make good the due bills. or II o. I =
which the Spanish authorities have he-n
issuing in satisfaction Of all obligations
This belief i not universal. but IL il grn-
cral enough 10 raise hopes which Will be