Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-14
MAJOR HARRISON In OMAHA
Son of Ex-President Here to Reouperate
from Attack of Yellow Fever
HIS OPINION ON CONDITIONS IN CUBA
Cubnns Are Gradually Getting ON
Their Feet Apnin-Thcy Have
High Opinion of Gem
cral wood.


eral of the department under General Wood
in the provinces of Santiago and Puerto
Principe. Cuba, arrived in Omaha Monday
on sick leave and will remain until he has
fully recovered from the effects of most
dangerous attack of yellow fever. Major
Harrison contracted the dreaded disease
while performing his duty as inspector OF
he hospitals in the interior and for some
time his life was despaired Of the physicians
all stating that an attack so severe was sell
dom successfully withstood. During the time
several officers and men succumbed to the
epidemic that prevailed. Major Harrison
is still suffering from the effects of his i'll
ness, the most pronounced being that OF
weakness.
Major Harrison was under General Fitz-
hugh Lee before General Wood took COM
mand, and was provost marshal in Havana
at the time of the surrender OF the island.
He was one of the first to take command OF
the ancient fortress MORO Castle. and as
sisted in hoisting the stars and stripes on
the grim building. He is a son of ex-Presi-
dent BENJAMIN Harrison and on-in-law OF
the late Alvin Saunders
Major Harrison said the outbreaks of fever
were less frequent this year than last, owing
to the precautions taken by General Wood,
aided and abetted by the officers and men OF
the army, who were seeing to 1t that better
sanitary methods were instituted. In speak
ing of the condition Of things in Cuba, Major
Harrison said:
There Is much to be done in Santiago.
There Is great need of sidewalks, water
works and sanitary methods. The people of
the island are very poor and all improve
ments must of necessity be slow, as there is
lack of capital The money for use in
making improvements is too meager to be OF
much service, but all available sums are
used by General Wood to better the condi-
tion of the roads.
Growing Prosperous.
"All travel into the interior must be done
over trails and by horseback. My duties as
inspector take me over the eastern half OF
the island and all my travel must be done
with saddle horses and pack trains. There
are but three short lines of railway reaching
from coast towns. AS l have Travelled over
nearly all the island within the past year
have been in position to note the condition
Of the people and find great Improvement
during the year. The people are settling
down to business once more and are be-
ginning to show little prosperity. This
state of affairs is evidenced by the fact that
the government has ceased to issue rations
to the inhabitants.
"The area of uncultivated land Is much
larger than it ought to be, although 1t IS
not as great as 1t was a year ago. The
tobacco industry is making great progress.
1t Is located in that part of the island west
of Havana. A fairly good crop was secured
last winter and much larger crop this
year, which sold readily on the market-Sor
from so cents to 81 per pound. The sugar
industry is very backward, owing to the
destruction wrought in that line during the
war. To give some idea of what enormous
destruction was effected it needs only to be
recalled that in the Cristo valley where there
were 125 sugar mills, only two remain
standing at the present time, and they be-
longed to Europeans and were thus pro-
tected.
Satisfied with American Rule.
'I will say in regard to the people that
the business and industrial classes are per-
fectly satisfied with the government given
them by the United States. Any agitation
to the contrary is voiced in and about
Havana and is expressed by those who de-
sire office and the emoluments thereof and
would not bo satisfied with any govern
ment / am satisfied IL the Cubans were 10
have an independent government 'hese
same people, should they fail in realizing
their ambitions, would be disturbing ee-
ment under the new regime. The element
demanding independent government does
not represent the masses of the Cubans. The
neople of the island are peculiarly con-
structed and like most Of the Spanish colo
MES on this hemisphere are more given to
following individual leaders than principles
or flags.
"In my judgment from so to So per cent
OF the people are uneducated and no terri
tory in the union which could not make
100 per cent better showing than Cuba
would be admitted as a state. What Cuba
needs is continued tranquility, capital and
school houses.
General Wood is well liked in Cuba and
should he be made civil governor-as rumor
has 1t he maybe would be very popular
in the island. He is a vigorous military OIL
Ger and coupled with this ability has In
high degree administrative traits OF char-
acter which will enable him to give the
leland good government"