The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-30
War Department Has Decided Upon
Their Withdrawal.
TO ISSUE ORDERS AT ONCE
GEN. WOOD AND SECRETARY
ROOT CONFER.
Believed That There Is No Real
Prospect of a Revolt In the Island
and That Rumors of Impending
Trouble Are Groundless-Condi-
tons Are Favorable.

| Washington, Nov. 29.-General Leon
ard Wood, who reached Washington
last night, had two hours conference
with the secretary of war to-day. After
the conference Secretary Root an
nounced that his recommendations as
to the removal of troops from Cuba
had been approved, and that orders
would be issued putting them into eff
| feet.
General Wood says that in his cpin-
ion all the ruTnors of impending trouble
in Cuba were groundless: there was no
real prospect of revolt, and that what
ever friction and discomfort did exist
was due to the recent talk of 4 civil
government in the island. When asked
about the report of his selection for this
position General Wood said:
Il do not know a thing about il.
have heard nothing of the plan fer a
civil government other than what
have seen in the papers. 1T has rot
been offered to me. and l have not heen
asked for any suggestions on the sub
ject.
Whatever discomfort may have
arisen among the CubanS on this sub
ject grows, l think. from their. misun-
Outstanding of the meaning of the term
civil governor. / rather take it that
they understand it to mean permanent
American government for the island.
This is only speculation, however for
heard nothing of these rumors in Cuba
before | left.
No Indication of Trouble
81 can speak of my own department
There is no indication of trouble there
On the contrary we have had turned
over 5000 rifles. Adding to these arms
that have been retained for the rural
guard and those the natives have kept
for the protection of their own homes
in the outlying districts, i think you
will account for all the arms in the
province"
When asked if there was any posi-
bility of an outbreak among the rural
guards, General Wood said:
No more than there is of an insur-
rection among the police force in Wash
ington."
Concerning his mission to Washing
ton he said that it was merely for con-
sultation about the reduction of the
American force in the island.
4 have recommended a reduction of
about 20 per cent of the force in my de-
partment'' said he. THAT is TO say, the
recall of the Fifteenth infantry and the
removal of squadron from each of the
cavalry regiments. l think that this is
perfectly feasible. When l say that
Santiago is quiet, it is a pretty fair in
dication of the condition throughout
the island. Every revolution that has
started there has started in Santiago
province. and in the last war 20 per cent
of the troops were drawn from that
province"
Conditions Are Favorable
! Regarding the general conditions in
his department General Wood said that
they were favorable; that the courts
an American supervision as was con-
sistent with keeping diligently at work
and preventing delays in the admins
traitor of justice. The people were be-
ing kept reminded that in case of pail
pable maladministra ton through re-
version to the old Spanish methods they
had always the right to appeal, and
have any matter thoroughly investigat-
ed. People We're being kept employed
and the detailed reforms of the petty
courts and the lower school system
were things that would come eventually
through patient work and local educa-
ton.
1t is stated that the president has
decided on the reward to be allotted to
General Wood when his term of service
in Cuba is over. 1t is said on good au-
thority that General Wood is slated to
succeed General George NJ Sternberg
as surgeon general of the army, when
the latter retires by law in June of the
coming year.