Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-12-27
HAVANA IMPROVING,
Benefits of American. Admin
istration.
Noticeable Improvement in the Mail Ser
vice. Some Strange Spanish
Ideas.

A dispatch tO the New York Tri-
bune from Havana says:
Cuba is feeling the benefits Of pros
pective and OF actual American ad-
ministration. Some OF the streets are
really clean. General f. V. Greene
had $50, 600 for public sanitation au-
thorized by the department at Wash
ington, but Spanish sovereignty had
TO be respected, although 1t was un-
able to remove the garbages from a
single alley. The Havana adjutam.
iento, or common council, had not a
dollar TO speed. SO, by permission
of the Spanish authorities, the United
States took hold of the work.
Reques de EstabaD, the alcade, or
mayor of the city, has proclamations
posted in which the inhabitants Of
the streets cleaned we're told that II
was done by the American govern
ment, aud they were sexhorted to sec
ond the efforts OF the United States
military authorities.
This removal Of the accummula-
tlons OF garbage does not solve the
sanitary problem Of Havana, however.
IL shows that the streets can be kept
fairly clean and the city made habita-
BILE, while the changes that must be
made in the sewerage system and
other hygienic improvements are car
rled out. Five years may be Deces-
sary befere the plans which George
d. Warning prepared can be
made efiectiye. This will not
prevent Hayana from being kept
clean for the next fiYs months which
is the period in which II Is important
to forestall disease among the Amer
lean troops. General Ludlow will
probably be appalled, by the task be-
fore him as military and civil gov
ernor OF Havana city. Every Amer
lean army commander, when he faces
his responsibility, probably has that
feeling. But there Is usually some
simple point at which beginning
can be made. ln Havana IL Is clean
streets.
Americans who are 10 Cuba enga g q
In business are chiefly concerned 10
an improvement In the mail service
both domestic and foreign. IL woulC
not be fair TO judge Spanish admins
tration by the compl etc demoraliza
tlon which has appeared In the post
Office arrangements In the last few
weeks. Some disturbances we're newt
able. The knowledge OF the employs
that they would receive none OF the
back pay increased this indifference,
Most OF them will necessarily be kept
for time, and they know they will
recelye their wages. That and tha
desire TO please the American OF.
ficlals will spur them along To bet
ter performance OF their duties
Though the serYIce is nearly disor'
ganlzed, the methods of adminlstra'
tion are simple, aud they are easily
, adjusted TO the charge. This Is showI
In the ease with which the militar!
postotices for American troops ha v
been put In operation.
F, Under the Spanish rule the govern
ment owned the telegraph lines anC
operated them 10 connection with the
, postotiice department. The railroad
, were not permitted TO use lines o
their own. Their ordinary and neces
sary business was transacted unde
vexatlous restrictions. The otiicia
regulations were as Yoluminous aud a.
q Intricate as the code OF civil law. l
. cannot be said that the system, un
der Spanish method at leaast, Offer
, encouragement TO those who favor