The times., 1899-06-20
GENERAL WOOD IN NEW YORK.
Hs IL Unable to Tell Why He Is
Wnnted in WnAhinrfon


New York June 19.-Brigadier General
Wood. Military Governor of the Province
of Santiago. arrived in New York this
evening and put up at the Cambridge
Mrs. Wood and two children are with
him. The Woods sailed from Santiago
on Wednesday by the steamer Admiral
Dewey and reached Boston this morning
They got here at 6 p. m. and will remain
in town until Wednesday, when they will
go to Washington. From there they will go
to Cambridge to attend the commencement
at Harvard. of which General Wood is an
alumnus. Mrs. Wood and the children
will then go to resort on Long Island
for the summer, and General Wood Will
then return to Santiago, sailing from
Boston on June 29.
General Wood returned to the United
States under an order from the Secretary
of War, which directed him to report in
person to the Secretary not later than
June %. 1t was suggested TO the general
that his recall might have been ordered
SO the governor generalship of Cuba
might be offered him. and his attention
was called to a report recently published
that General Brooke. being anxious TO be
relieved, was to be succeeded by General
Wood.
I'm sure know nothing about any such
rumor-" said the general. Il heard sons
such report long time ago. but that S
all | know. The Secretary knows what he
wants me for; l don't"
How about yellow fever and other con-
tagious diseases in Santiago the reporter
asked.
There is no yellow fever in the province
and no other contagious diseases. San
tiago is all right. All We want is a chance
TO earn an honest living down there and an
opportunity to go to school and We'll get
along. There is no illness to speak of in
the whole province. The. death rate there
is lower than 1t is in New York or Phila-
delphia, and as for the temperature, 1t was
| cooler when l left Santiago than it is to-
! night in New York
General Wood. in an interview, told
| something of the conditions in Santiago
province. He said that affairs are now
very quiet all over the island.
The people are nearly all at work and
| seem contented," he said. The brigan-
| dage. OF which so much talk was made in
| some Of the papers, has been put down
very effectually, and the only disturbances
while they do a lot of talking. do not have
very much weight with the majority. These
| agitators correspond somewhat to our po-
/ litical bosses as they are men who have
aspirations to run affairs, and who unlike
\ our bosses, have not been allowed to have
a hand in the government. We do not fear
1 them at ALL
In reply to a question. General Wood
said that he thought that the greater part
OF the people appreciated the blessings oi
| being under our Government, and realize
! that they are much better of under the
Stars and Stripes than they would be un-
| der any other conditions. They are very
| intelligent, although very ignorant" he
said, land what they most desire are
schools and such institutions. They all
want 10 learn, for they think that some
| day they will be their own rulers, and they
/ want to be prepared.
81 do not think that they are yet fit fol
self government. but they are on the road
to it. 1t will be long road. but there is
a lot of hard work to be done before it car
| be brought about. | am trying to teach
them that the best thing for them now i:
hard work. and they respond willingly"