Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-04
THREE THOUSAND ARE IDLE
All Public Improvements at Santiago Are
Abruptly Stopped,
OFFICIALS OF THE TOWN ARE WORRIED
Havana Instructions to Governor
wood Are Condcmned-New Poll
icy Mny Create Bandits
Among Employees.

SANTIAGO. Cuba, March 3.-Between 2 900
and 5000 men have been suddenly thrown
out OF work in the province OF Santiago,
over 200 being in the immediate neighhor
hood OF this city. Although Governor Cen
eral Brooke has wired $50 600 required for
the February pay roll there is still a deficit
of nearly $4,000, and the orders from Ha-
vana still hold good. limiting the expend-
ture during the month OF March for the en-
tire province to $4,000.
The effect OF this order on Civil Governor
Castillo, Mayor Bacardi and other Cubans
prominent in official circles is simply para
lying. Mayor Bacardi has cabed the gov
ernor general, desiring to know what he
is expected to do with such large number
OF men suddenly thrown out of work
Though we are perfectly friendly to the
Americans be said in the dispatch "the
present policy seems suicidal for public
improvements are 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 have any alternative to be-
coming bandits, and he regrets exceedingly
the damaging blow the province has re-
ceived. Owing to his position, he may not
comment upon the orders of his superiors,
but he considers the prospects very gloomy.
Major General Leonard Wood refuses 10
make any further statement than that he
will obey orders. Nearly $50 900 is still due
for February, for which he will be personally
answerabe, but under the present orders
he cannot continue men at work. OutwardIy
he is one of the calmest men today in San
tiago, but as matter of fact he is greatly
worried.
Abuse American Administration.
Groups of men on street corners. in clubs,
cafes, etc, openly abuse the American ad
ministration. saying that the Spanish was in
finitely preferable as in the worst times
considerably more men were engaged on pub
lie works under the old regime than are
now SO employed. Probably the full effects
of the new policy will not be visible before
Monday as the men will receive their pay
tomorrow, and, although General Wood does
not expect disturbances, Cubans who affect
to be cogniZant with the whole situation
say 1t will be quite impossible to avoid an
outbreak of some sort
In spite of all the antagonism displayed
against the American authorities at Havana,
General Wood remains popular among Gu
bans of all classes, who declare the Havana
instructions am Outrage upon his admin
istration'
In the speeches made at the San Carlos
club today the sentiment was that the new
orders ought to be attributed TO envy OF
General Wodds successful methods in this
department, and so far as the province of
Santiago is concerned the Cuhans saw that
IL vote were taken tomorrow they would
elect him for the highest position in the
island, in preference to any Cuban.
The new regulations have brought to a
etc lettl oil irnn1 lcv
the dredging of the harbor roadmaking and
sewerage. Probably mass meetings will be
held on Monday to protest and infiammatory
speeches are likely TO be made, in spite Of
the orders prohibiting any criticism at pub
lie meetings of the acts Of the military au
thorities.
Cannot BE Helped.
WASHINGTON, March 3.-General Brooke
partment any complaint on the part of the
people of Santiago respecting the suffciency
of the allotment of funds for the conduct OF
public works in that city and province. 1t
is said that this is simply the same old
complaint on the part of the Santiago peo-
pie, without a single new feature They
have from the first bitterly resisted any di-
version of the money received at Santiago for
the support of the island generally.
1t is said at the War department that this
policy cannot be permitted to prevail, as
the immediate result would be the division
of Cuba into number of independent
provinces, none of them willing to pay any
thing for the support of the general gov
eminent, and that the plan would work in
Cuba precisely as if New York and San
Francisco should retain for the public works
of those two cities the enormous amount of
import taxes collected there. General
Brooke was charged by the department TO
arrange a schedule which would provide for
an equitable distribution of the receipts in
Cuba. and the department is bound TO be-
lieve that he has complied exactly with his
instructions as to Santiago. This subject,
among others, will be looked into by the
insmlar examiners recentlY apnointed