Evening star., 1899-03-04
MAY BE TROUBLEFOR WOOD
Gen. Brooke's Orders Reducing the Expendi'
lures at Santiago
Between 1000 and 5000 Men Thrown
Out of Employment Causes Great
Dissatisfaction.

A dispatch from Santiago de Cuba yester-
day says: Between 1900 and 5000 men have
been suddenly thrown out of work in the
province of Santiago, over 1GO in the i'm
mediate neighborhood of this city. AL
though Governor General Brooke has wired
$50 600 required for the February pay rolls
there is still deficit of nearly $4,000, and
the orders from Havana still hold good linn
iting the expenditure during the month of
March for the entire province to $4,000.
The effect of this order on Civil Governor
Castillo Mayor Bacardi and other Cubans
prominent in official circles is simply
paralyzing. Mayor Bacardi has cabled the
governor general desiring to know what he
is expected to do with such a large number
of men suddenly thrown out of work.
Though We are perfectly friendly to the
Americans" he said in the dispatch, the
present policy seems suicidal, for public i'm
provements greatly needed, and the
men also are greatly in need of work
Civil Governor Castillo wonders what will
happen. He cannot see that the men sud
denly thrown out of employment have any
alternative to becoming bandits and he re-
grets exceedingly the damaging blow the
province has received. owing to MS posi-
ton ne may not comment upon the orders
of his superiors, but he considers the pros
poets very gloomy.
Major General Wood, military governor,
refuses to make any further statement
than that he will obey orders Nearly $40
600 is still due for February, for which he
will be personally answerable, but, under
the present orders, he cannot continue the
men at work. OutWardly he is one of the
calmest men today in Santiago, but, as a
matter of fact, he is greatly worried over
existing conditions.
Groups of men on street corners, in clubs
and in cafes openly abuse the American ad-
miHistration, saying that the Spanish was
infinitely preferable. as in the worst times,
during peace, considerably more men were
engaged on public works under the old
regime than are now so employed. Proba-
bly, the full effects of the new policy will
not be visible before Monday, as the men
will receive their pay tomorrow, and al
though General Wood does not expect dis
turbances, Cubans who affect to be cogniz-
ant of the whole situation say it will be
quite impossible to avoid an outbreak of
some sort.
In spite of all the antagonism displayed
toward the American authorities at IIa-
Vana General Wood remains popular among
Cubans of all classes, who declare the Ha-
vana instructions an outrage upon his ad-
ministration. In the speeches made at the
San Carlos Club today the sentiment was
that the new orders ought to be attributn I'd
to envy of General Woods successful meth
DDS in this department, and, so far as the
province of Santiago is concerned the Gu
bans say that, if vote Were taken tomor-
row, they would select him for the highest
position in the island, in preference even to
any Cuban.
The new regulations have brought to n
standstil all the improvements, includiny 2
the dredging of the harbor, road-inaking
and sewerage. Probably mass meetings
will be held on Monday to protest and in
fiammatory speeches areiikely to be made.
in spite of the orders prohibiting any criti-
cism at public meetings of the acts of the
military authorities.
1t pays to read the want columns of The
Star. Hundreds of situations are filled
through them.