The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-06-27
what G,n. Wood Says Of Cuba

| Inc New 1Ork Herald OF luesudl
says Gen. Leonard Wood, military
governor Of the province Of Santiago
Cuba, arrived here last evening from
Boston, where he landed yesterday
morning from the steamship Admiral
Dewey, with Mrs Wood and their
children having come to the United
States in obedience to an order from
Secretary Of War Alger
When asked If one Of the subjects OF
his conference with the President and
Secretary Alger was not to be his APP
pointmeut to the command now held by
Gen. Brooke, Gen Wood replied that
he knew nothing about the matter aud
begged 10 be excused from discussing
the subject. Ii is known however, that
Gen Wood, who was at one time the
private physician Of President McKin-
ley in Washington. is high in favor
with the President, and that Secretary
Alger also regards him as one Of the
brightest aud ablest men in the army
QUIET IN SANTIAGO.
Concerning the present situation in
the province of Santiago and the out
look for the future in that part Of the
island the general was quite willing 10
talk
" Everything was quiet in Santiago
when | left, and had been FOR some
time. " he said. If the United States
will give the Cubans the government
which they should have and for which
they are best suited the outlook for the
future will be very bright for that
country.
While | do not care TO enter into a
political discussion as t) the needs Of
Cuba, | believe that system Of colo
NAL government such as exists in GER
tain other parts Of the world is best
suited for Cuba The Cubans are ex-
citable aud naturally cannot yet fully
comprehend the benefits which will
come to them through a safe and benef-
icent government. but the advances
which they have made in the province
Of Santiago since the American forces
took possession is wonderful
1T will take time, to accomplish
what is yet to be desired. 1t can be
achieved only slowly and may best be
attained through asystem Of education.
The people are nearly all at work ant
are thoroughly contented There arr
no Cuban soldiers under arms in thu
province, with the exception Of few
isolated cases, and they will soon turr
in their weapons and accept the money
which the government generously offers
them. do not believe there will be
trouble with the Cubans anywhere on
that score. it
"As for brigandage, there is none.
That has been stopped by an order
which ] issued that the brigands be
brought in, dead or alive, preferably
dead. There are some professional
political agitators who do little talk
ing, but that is as far as they are per-
mitted to go Their talk injuries nc
one
Capital may be invested in Santi.
ago now with entire safety, and the
opportunities for investment there are
excellent. What is needed, however,
is labor. In time Cnba will surpas:
southern California in productiveness.
The country is wonderfully rich and
almost anything can be raised.
NOT FIT FOR SELF GOVERNMENT.
1.-THE Cubans are intelligent. al
though the mass of the people are igno'
rant, largely as a, result of Spanish
rule; but they are eager to learn. What
they need chiefly are schools. They
believe that by education they can best
prepare themselves to be their own
rulers at some time in the future. As
vet they are not fit for self government,
but they are on the road to it. The
road, it is true, is long one, and there
il plenty of hard work to be done by
the Cubans before they can be regarded
as fit for self.government | am trying
TO teach them this, and they respond
very willingly.
1.-THE public health in Santiago is
excellent. The death rate from yellow
fever now is one as compared to three
before the United States took possession
OF the city. Sanitary methods have
been produced and the laws Of health
enforced to such an extent that the
death rate has been reduced to about
IA in /, 900. which, l think, is an excel
lent showing. Whenever q block is tC
be repaved water and sewer pipes are
laid at the same time. A contract ha;
been let to a New York company for the
asphalting of many miles of streets. and
when the work is accomplished the
matter Of keeping the city clean will be
much easier.
"There are about three hundred
bodies of American soldiers who died
of disease still at Santiago. They have
been placed in hermetically sealed cof-
fins and stored on an island in the bay,
where there is no chance Of ill-effects
resulting 70 the living AS soon as cold
weather ct res the bodies will be
brought home
-ouoIrrn RETAIN THE pHIIIppINFe