The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-25
Interview with Postmaster General
Smith, who Has Just Finished n
Brief Tour of Observation.
BROOKE AND LUDLOW PRAISED
FOR THEIR PROGRESS IN ESTAB-
LISTING A STABLE GOVERNMENT.
of the Postal Service
Under Colonel RathbOne-Band
Captured i'm Santiago Province.

HAVANA, March 24.-United States Post
master General Charles Emory Smith, who
arrived here last Saturday TO take special
look at the work of the department of
posts, under the management of Col. Z. G..
Rathbone formerly deputy commissioner at
Washington, before sailing for the United
States to-day said in an interview regard
ing the results of his trip:
MY direct and immediate purpose in COM
ing here was to examine into the postal
service of the island it has been reorgan-
lied, and TO see what its requirements are.
But, of course. my eyes and ears have been
open. and l have been very much inter-
ested in my observation and conferences of
a more general character. I am gratified and
even surprised TO find how much has al
ready been done here by the American
representatives. i did not see what Havana
was under the former rule, but / have had
an opportunity at some points of specially
noting the contrast with. present conditions,
and / assure you it Is of the most signal
character. / have seen houses ripped up
and laid open as they were, and have seen
houses of the same kind next door, where
renovation and reconstruction had been
wrought. The difference is that between
mediaevalism and high modern civilization.
The change of sanitary conditions is enor-
nous. No one can begin to appreciate,
without personal observation, what has
been accomplished here by American inter-
ventiOn in the saving of life and the i'm
proving of health conditions.
The military Governor General Brooke
and his associates, have taken up the work
Of administration with great capacity and
judgment. l have had considerable oppor-
tunity of seeing what General Brooke has
inaugurated and accomplished. I believe
that every American, if he could person
ally see and understand 1t, would be deep
ly gratified with this work. General Brooke
has been deliberate, considerate and we'll
poised, and at the same time he has been
firm and decided. He has carefully gathered
the best information from the most trust
worthy sources and has applied it to the
present conditions with excellent judgment.
He has called Cuban councillors about him.
but has kept the determination of immedi-
ate questions in his own hands and has Ia
bored faithfully and successfully to carry
out the spirit and purpose of President Nc
Kinley's instructions and policy.
General Brooke is re-eStabiishing the
civil machinery in Cuba on just lines. and
is carefully providing for the equitable adj
justment of personal and property rights.
well as for public protection. He has just
completed the organization of a Supreme
Court which becomes the appellate tri-
bunal, and under which the law will be
justly administered. All branches of the
civil administration are being taken up in
the same careful way.
Here in the city of Havana Major Cen
eral Ludlow has shown great vigor and a
radical reformation of police and sanitary
arrangements is going on. My only oppor-
tunity of observation outside Havana dur
ing this hurried trip has been in Matanzas,
where Major General Wilson is in COM
mand. His large public experience and mill
tary capacity are illustrated in the i'm
provement which has been effected there
and in the admirable relations he has es-
tablished with the Cuban people.
1.-The thing that is now needed is a gen.
eral understanding that those conditions
are to continue. The development of the
island and even a general feeling of secur-
ity are retarded by uncertainty as to the
future. There is lack Of understanding in
many quarters that the United States will
remain long enough to establish and insure
a stable government. This uncertainty gen
crates distrust and hesitation i'm enterprise
and general business transactions The i'm
preston needs to be diffused in Cuba that
the United States, having expelled the old
government, will accept the duty and
sponsibility Of leading the way to the Gre
alton of new government of such char
acter as will command universal confidence
and support, because fully capable of assur-
ing perfect peace and order and the full adj
ministration of law and justice, and that
the United States will remain long enough.
whatever time may be necessary, to see
that this is effectively done.
Let me say word of the postal service.
1t was found to be of the most crude, disor-
ganized and inefficient character, 1t will be
a work of some little time to reconstruct 1t
completely and to make it such service as
exists in the United States; but this will be
accomplished. Colonel Rathbone, who is in
charge as director general of posts, is
trained and exceedingly capable officer, and
has already indicated his selection for that
position by the energetic and comprehen-
sive work he is doing. Special delivery was
this week inaugurated in Havana, and fire.
quent deliveries will be organized here and
in other cities. Within a month the post
office will be transferred from the ram
shackle structure which has been a disgrace
to 1t, TO a new building with complete
modern equipment. good as exists in New
York or Philadelphia. believe that good
postal service, extending over the island,
will do a vast deal to educate and develop
the people, and after my personal observa-
ton, L feel that, under the present director
general of posts, this will be secured.
Postmaster General Smith sailed by the
steamer Lincoln, his travelling companion
being Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow.
MUST CEASE AT ONCE.