The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-19
Denial of Newspaper Allegations that
the American Plan of Government
Tends to Anarchy.
DRUNKENNESS IN THE ARMY
LEES SOLDIERS ACQUIRING A FOND
NESS FOR AGUARDIENTO.
Suspicious Fever in Texas Cnmp-In-
pOx-Gen Wood Examined.

dANANA "A, Jan. IS.-Ine newspapers con-
tinue to criticise the action of the American
authorities in giving the Spanish Bank the
contract to collect back Spanish taxes. 1t
is claimed that Spain alone should do this,
and it is also asserted that if the bank coll
lects Spanish dues it should also liquidate
Spains obligations to her citizens who are
still unpaid and who are met with continued
reiteration that Spain is unable to pay them.
Several offices have been opened in Havana
wher0 citizens can protest against the pay
ment of back taxes and also protest against
the collection of royal dues on transfers of
property.
El Diario de la Mariana, La Lucha, FL
Pals and La Discussion, as well as other
papers less influential indulge in editorial
criticisms of the United States military ad-
ministration, asserting that it tends to an
archy. They declare that each provincial
governor and each garrison commander is a
military dictator, acting independently of
the governor general, and exercising admin
istrative, legislative judicial and even ec-
clesiastical functions. AS a result of this
system, as these papers regard it, there is no
uniformity of action in details and no gen.
eral code of administration for the various
localities. On the attention of Governor
General Brooke being called to-day to
|
replied that the criticism was unfounded, as
it was quite untrue that there was no uni
formity of action Exactly the reverse is
the fact" said the governor general. THE
same general policy is observed by the mill
tary administration in all parts of the
island
Notwithstanding the efforts of the camp
authorities to prevent the troops from
drinking, there are many cases of drunken
ness in the Seventh Army Corps every day.
The camp extends for miles Cuban boys
smuggle in bottles of aguardiento, two or
three drinks of which will do all the mischief
and render a man peculiarly susceptible to
certain disorders Two men died of alcohol
ism last week.
INDIANIANS RECOVERING.
The camp surgeons disagree regarding a
case of suspected yellow fever in the First
Texas Regiment, and expert opinion will be
called in. The five cases of smallpox in the
Acknowledgements Indiana Regi-
ment are now doing well. The Seventh
Army Corps men were not vaccinated at
Jacksonville, but have undergone the opera
ton here. Out of 301 men in the hospitals
ever one hundred are down with measles.
Private advices from washington were re-
ceived at camp last evening indicating that
the Forty-ninth Iowa, Fourth Illinois,
Fourth Virginia and Third Nebraska Vol
Lnteer Regiments will soon be mustered out.
The news spread rapidly through the camp,
and the members of three regiments cheered
again and again-a great cheer from one
regiment being answered in kind by an
other.
The formal delivery of the new offices was
made yesterday to Messrs. Capote, Desver-
nine and Vanez by Colonels Dudley Bliss
and Dunwoody, respectively. The offices
transferred are Department of Government,
Department Of Finance, and Department of
Agriculture, Industry, Commerce and Public
Works.
The Havana Council will take up the ques-
tions of education, sewers and other munich
pal subjects by committees patterned on the
American plan, which will submit completed
ideas to General Ludlow, who will reject or
approve them. Where the money is to come
from is a question which will require a
speedy answer. If the new works are to be
started the customs duties and taxes must
be sufficient to meet the pay rolls The ad-
minstration up to the present has reduced
them in some ways and increased them in
others, especially the police and sanitation
taxes. Bonds probably viii be issued for
both municipal and island purposes.
The Spanish transport San Ignacius de
Loyola, now at Cienfuegos, will sail for
Cadiz on Jan. 90 the Gran Antilla will sail
on the 22d and the Ciudad de Cadiz will sail
on the 25th for Santander.
The newly appointed Cabinet secretaries
will have distinctly limited powers. They
are merely heads of departments under
General Brooke's direction and control, re-
porting to him regularly with the response
bility for decisions and acts vested exclu-
sively in the governor general.
Fifteen days are allowed householders
within which to comply with the new health
regulations, after which, in cases of nom
compliance, the military government will do
the work at the householder's expense.
Gen. Jiminez Castellanos, former captain
general of Cuba, arriving at Ctenfuegos.
made an inspection Of the city hospitals and
jails and released all prisoners except one, a
murderer. Senior Antonio Fries will prob
ably be appointed mayor of Cienfuegos. The
citizens of Santa Clara City object to hav-
ing the capital of the province removed to
Cienfuegos and purpose appealing to Pres
ident Mckinley against the suggested
Major General Ludlow has been informed
of the frghtful condition Of the municipal
hospitals at Aldecoa, where there is an
assortment of patients, including criminals
and insane persons, neglected with little
conditions of great WretchednesS The nurses
have been attending three smallpox cases
and then passing to other patients without
change of clothing or any other precaution
against carrying the Infection Prompt
measures will be taken to equip a hospital
in the immediate neighborhood that will al
low a separation of the patients.
The commission appointed on Monday to
inquire into the finances of the city. con-
sasting of e. w Conant. president Leopold
! Causie, secretary; A NJ. Jarvis, NJ. Viii
anova, j. n. Casanova and G. w. Hyatt,
has discovered that some salaries have been
unpaid by Spain for every year since 1867.
There is great confusion in the accounts,
with an indefinite number Of claims against
the municipality The commission will
probably employ expert accountants, and at
least two months will be required before a
full report can be made. although partial
reports will be made from time TO time to
General Ludlow
Governor General Brooke has been in COM
munication to-day with Brig. Gen. George
w. Davis. military governor of the Depart
ment of Pinar del Rio He says there is
no trouble there and that he has not sent
an officer to report concerning a rumored
uprising of the Cubans.
Alfredo Laborde leader of the famous
Competitor fiibustering expedition of April,
1896, has been appointed a lieutenant of po-
lice, and Tomas Collazo an inspector.
The customs receipts to-day were So, ,S29
vurnnO