The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-19
HON WOOD MANAGES
He Takes the Cubans Com
pIetely Into Confidence.
PUTTING THEM ON HONOR
Why They Object to Sending
Revenues 10 Havana.
PUTTING THEM ON HONOR

Washington, Jan. B.-General Leonard
Wood. military commander Of the depart
ment of Santiago. was before the senate
comitte on military affairs today. He
vavA detailed account of his operations
In the province and in the city OF san
tiago and also gave his estimate Oh 'he
military force necessary to maintain order
in the island. On the latter poin ne ex-
nraesad the opinion that for some time
the 7. 500 men now in the province OF san
tiago should be continued, but that aAler
a time 5000 would be sufficient ior the
service He considered, however, that d
military force would be necessary TO the
maintenance of order for some years aaho
said II should be sufficient effectually and
ouicl1lv to check any trouble before II
could gain Roadway. This remark apphed
to the island as a whole, and he thought
as many as $1,000 trOos should be sta-
TONED throughout Cuba. With proper pre-
canton and tact he did not anticipate
trouble. and he believed that the insur-
gent forces would rapidly dlsintegrate IN
all parts of the island Santiago had been
great stronghold of the Cuban insur-
gents under Garcia, but they had now
practically disbanded.
Outlining his mode Of governing the
province, he said he had made no ap-
pofntments to office except upon the re-
Communications of Cubans, and that he
had in all cases put them upon their honor
in making such recommendations. he
had shown absolute trust in them in all
matters, going among them always I'M
armed and leaving the books OF the ad
ministration always open 10 their inspec-
ton. He had Cubans in all departments,
and his private secretary had at one time
been member of Gomez's staff. Thus
they knew how their money had been K
pended and knew just what he was doing
as their governor.
General Wood said that his first effort
had been to encourage the people of all
the towns to establish self government
and he had been especially Jealous IN hav-
ing them select their local officers. open
schools and establish courts, build roads,
cts, and in cases where they did not have
the money for these purposes he had
aided them by making contributions from
the general fund. This system was en-
tirely different from the old one under
Spanish rule, when all the collections were
forwarded to Havana and never came
back, only 10 per cent of the revenue be-
ing devoted to local uses. He had found
thepeople especially jealous of their rights
in this respect, and the recent public meet
ings and protests against sending their
revenues to Havana were due to this feel
ing.
General Wood spoke especially Of the
establishment of schools and the build
ing of roads. He said he had 1000 men
making roads, and that he was getting
many schools started. Replying to a
question from Senator Hawley he said the
people We're anxious for the searation of
the church and state in educational mat
ters, and that they seemed to want to be
like Americans in this as well as other
respects.
Speaking of Santiago City, he said the
collections. mainly from customs. have
been sufficient to pay all legitimate expen-
ses and leave a balance of $230,000. which
he meant to devote to cleaning out the
harbor. This harbor, he said. had an ac-
emulation of ten feet of filth. and with
this rmoved he believed the city would
be as healthy as any American city.