New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-16
GOOD BEGINNINGS.

To General Woods sagacious and statesman
like purposes and plans concerning public edu
cation in Santiago particular attention has nj
ready been called i'm these columns AS reports
of his administration in that long msgoverned
district multiply they furnish ample and graf
flying evidence that there is no requirement Oh
comfortable existence within the sphere or his
command which is not receiving his assid''ous
care and TO which he Is not equal The latest
dispatch from Santiago says that General
Wood is interchangeable. in sun and rain alike
"He is here, there and everywhere The result
"of his labors is apparent in every branch OF
1.-THE service, civil and military General
Woods record in the employment of the United
States was a strong guarantee that such would
be the character Of his administration in CUBA
and it was because Of that record that he was
assigned TO the arduous, complicated ana OK
tremc,y responsible task which he is perform
Ing with perfect devotion and admirable skill.
The first duty that he took up was the
cleansing Of Santiago. II was a deposit OF
long accommodating filth. It's streets and habita-
lions were in state shocking TO the sensibIli-
ties even OF Americans hardened TO the worst
conditions existing in our most carelessly gov
erned cities What he has already accom-
plished in that direction Is shown in the fact,
astonishing and indeed hardly cxplicable In
spite Of all that is known to have been done,
that during the first half OF this month the
death rate averaged only ten day, against
an average Of IS' deaths daily during the same
period Of last year. The process of material
civilization Is similarly going forward nj all
points. The city has long been the criminal de-
pository Of the province, where prisoners nave
been maintained in idleness that was costly to
the people and rulnOus to themselves. General
Wood has now arranged to have the three hun
drcd inmates Of the Santiago Jail set to work
building roads for the city. Neglect had we'll
nigh ruined water supply once ample ana
excellent General Wood is cleaning out the
reservoirs. which were half filled with sand
and rubbish and repairing the broken conduits,
and expects soon to have an abundant supply
Of pure water In short his keen intelligence
and restless activity are rapidly converting
Santiago into n model city.
Now II seems TO us that this example Of
American fidelity and efficiency i'm discharglng
Few and grave responsibilities beyond the Dor
dprs OF the United States should encourage
those Respondent citizens at home who are
continually asserting that this country pos
sesses neither the conscience nor the capacity
essential 10 the government OF alien lands and
populations II indeed they are willing TO take
n more cheerful view. Have they any reason
to believe or any warrant for imagining that
General Wood is doing mis- work too well tn
suit his superiors in Washington. and Is in
danger of being replaced by shiftess. igno-
rant and dishonest successor? Il there not, in
deed every reason 10 believe that IL is tho
purpose of che Government to employ similar
talents and character il the achievement of
similar results wherever the events Of the last
six months may establish our Jurisdiction!
Even the most ndefatlgable croakers will find
it difficult to avoid taking notice OF one fact
bearing upon this question. namely, that Colo
mel Waring has gone TO Havana under a COM
mission from the Government TO investigate
sanitary conditions there and elsewhere in the
island, and TO report the most effective mode
Of reforming them.
Assuredly no sign Of disposition on the part
Of those il, authority to abuse the trust de-
vOlvrd upon the United States by the issue Of
the war Is yet disccrnibe. On the contrary in
every word and act Of the President and his
advisers. in the utterances Of responsible public
men and in the general demeanor of the coun-
try are evinced sober sense Of care and an
elevation OF the National conscience appropriate
TO the new duties which new occasions teach.