The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-30
TROOPS COMING HOME
GEN. WOODS RECOMMENDATION
THAT FORCES IN CUBA BE RE-
DUCED APPROVED
NO FEAR OF AN UPRISING

Gen. Wood Says the Cubans Do Not
Understand the Meaning of An
pO1ntment of Civil Governor.
Thinking 1t Means Permanent
American Control of the Island
Gen. Woods Reward for Sa,.,,too
WASHINGTON Nov 2S.-Gen. Leonard
Wood who reached Washington LAST
night, had two hours conference With
the secretary of war today. After the
conference, Secretary Root announced
mat his recommendations as to the re-
moval OF troops from Cuba had been an
proTed. and that orders would be issued
putting them into effect
Gen Wood said that. in his oninion
all the rumors of impending trouble iu
Ouod were eroundless-that th9ra was no
real prospect of revolt, and that what
ever friction and discomfort did ,xist
among the Cubans was due to the recent
talk o. civil governor for the Island.
When asked about the report of his Sc
lection for the position Cen Wood said.
/ do not know a thing about 1t.
nave heard rothing of the plan for a civil
governor except what have seen In the
papers. 1t has not been offered to me,
and L have not been asked for any sug-
gestions on the subject Whatever dis
content may have arisen among the Gu
bans on this subject grows, 1 think, from
their misunderstanding Of the meaning of
the term civil governor. I rather take 1t
that they understand 1t to mean perma-
nent American government for the island.
This is only speculation, however. fo1 I
heard nothing of these rumors in Cuba
before I left.
L can speak Of my own department.
There is no Indication of trouble there
On the contrary We have had turned over
5000 rifles Adding to these the arms
that have been retained of the rural
guard and the guns that some of the ma
tives have kept for the protection of their
own homes in the outlying districts, I
think you will account for all the arms
in the province"
When asked if there was any possibility
of an outbreak among the rural guard,
Gen. Wood said:
mo more than there is of an insurrec-
ton among the police force in Washing
tom
RECALL OF TROOPS
Concerning his mission to Washington
ton about the reduction of the American
force in the island.
Il have recommended reduction Of
aobut 20 per cent of the force in my de-
partment," said Gen. Wood, that is to
say. the recall of the Fifteenth infantry
and the removal of squadron from each
of the cavalry regiments. l think that
this is perfectly feasible. When I say
that Santiago is quiet it is a pretty fair
indication of the condition throughout
the island. Every revolution that has
started there has started in Sanuago
province, and in the last war 10 per cent
of the troops were drawn from that
province"
Regarding the general conditions in his
department Gen. Wood said that they
were favorable, that the courts were be-
ing administered under as mild an Amer
lean supervision as was consistent with
keeping them diligently at work and pre-
venting delays in the administration of
Justice The people were being kept re-
minded that in case of palpable malad-
ministration through reversion to the old
Spanish methods they had always the
right of appeal and have any matter thor
oughly investigated. People were being
kept employed, and the detailed reforms
of the petty courts and the lower school
system were things that would come
eventually through patient work and local
education.
GEN. WOODS REWARD.
1t is stated that the president has de-
cided on the reward to be allotted to
Gen. Wood when his term of service in
Cuba is over. 1t is said on good au-
thority that Gen. Wood is slated to sue
coed Gen. George NJ. Sternberg as sur
geon general of the army when the lat
ter retires, by law, in June of the COM
ing year. 1t has been reported
that Gen. Wood would receive brigadfer
generalship, and he has been urged for
this by some of his friends. in recogni-
ton of his services in the Santiago cam
paign, and afterward az governor of that
province The president has been in
clined to bestow some substantial recog-
milton on him, but it is well understood
that the gift of a generals commission
in the line would cause a great deal Of
feeling among the officers of the regu-
lar establishment, many Of whom are
Gen Woods seniors by many years The
same objection may hold to lesser
extent in the medical staff. but 1t is urged
by the friends of Gen. Wood that he has
proved himself eminently capable in ad-
ministrative work 1t is said that when
he was last in Washington the matter
was talked over between him and the
president, and that Gen. Wood was Of
fered the place and accepted 1t, although
his preference was for place in the line.
This was at the time he refused a very
fattering offer from the street railway
syndicate here. a refusal hardly likely
from a staff captain unless with soma
very definite prospect Of future prefer
ment in view.
The surgeon generalship would place
Gen. Wood at the head of the medical
staff of the American army at but little
over thirty-five years of age, making him
the youngest officer ever holding this
responsible position. 1t would leave him
twenty-five years of active service if he
so desired, in position carrying with
it great prestige in the profession, both
at home and abroad.
Gen. Wood has taken house in Wash
ington-No. 1918 Rhode Island avenue
where he has moved with his family and
it is thought that this is another indica-
ton that he will make his permanent
residence here at no very distant date.