The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-01-26
WOOD SAYS CUBA
NEEDS A BIG ARMY.
General Predicts American &C.
cIIpation Will Last Several
Years.

II
1.-THE Department of Santiago, was
h.fore the Senate Committee on
| Military Affairs to -day.
Hs gave detailed account of his
ooerations in tho province and in
the city of Santiago, and also gave
h;s estimate of the military force
,acassary to maintain order in the
Islands. On the latter point he
sxpresaed the opinion that for some
time the $500 men now in the PROV
;ncs Of Santiago should be continued
hut that after time 5000 would be
mficient for the service. He con
s;aarsd. however. that a military
farce would be necessary to the
maintenance Of order for some years
and said that it should be sufficient
efsctually and quickly 90 en- any
trouble before it co1l1 9 head
way.
This remark applied to the island
asa whole. and he thought as many
AZ $4,000 troops should be stationed
throughout Cuba. With proper
precautions and tact be did not
anticipate trouble and he believed
that the insurgent forces would
rapidly disintegrats in all parts of
the island Santiago had bean a
great stronghold of the Cuban insur
gents under Garcia, but they had
now practically disbandsd.
Outlining his mode of governing
the province, he said that he had
made no appointments to office
except upon the recommendations of
Cnbane, and that he had in oil cases
put than upon their honor in max
ing such recommendations. He had
shown absolute trust in them in all
matters, going among them always
unarmed and leaving the books of
the administration always open to
their inspection. He had Cubans in
all departments and his private
secretary had at one time been a
member of Gomez's staff Thus they
always knew how their money had
been expended and knew just what
he was doing az their Governor.
Geasral Wood said that his first
effort had been to encourage the
people of all the towns to establish
self-governmsnt, and be had bee n
especially Jealous 10 having them
select their local officers, open
schools, establish courts, build roads,
ETC., and in cases where they did not
have the money for these purposes,
be had aided them by making con.
tributions from the general fund
This system was entirely different
from the old one uEder Spanish rule,
when all ths collections were for
warded 10 Havana and never GENE
back, only Is per cont OF the revenue
being devoted TO local uses. He had
found the people especially jealous
OF their rights in this respect, and
the recent public meetings aud pro-
tests against sending their revenue
at Havana were due to this feeling.
General Wood spoke especially of
the establishment of schools and the
building of roads He said that he
mad 1000 men making roads, and
that he was getting many schools
started. Replying to 4 question
from Senator Hawley, ne said that
the people were anxious for the
separation Of church aud State in
educational matters, aud that they
seemed to want to be Americans in
THIS as we'll as other respects.
Speaking of Santiago City, he said
the collections, mainly from customs,
have been sufficient to pay all legiti-
mate expenses and leave q balances of
$4,000, which he meant to devote
to cleaning out the harbor. This
hsrbor, he said, had an accumulation
OF 10 feet of filth, and with this
removed he believed the city would
De as healthy "a any American city.
Expects Much Sickness.
Washington, Jan. 19.-General
Lsonard Wood told the Senate Com.