Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-03
GIVE THE CUBANS WORK
Gen. Woods Solution of the Troubles in
/ Santiago.
Conditions Throughout the Province
Have Much ImprOved-Disap-
pearance of Violence.

| pedrance OF violence.
Gen. Wood, commanding the Department
| OF santiago, has made report to the War
department of a recent trip made by him
through the province of Santiago. The
following synopsis of his report was made
| public today:
Il have just returned from a long trip
through the interior and along the north
| coast of this province. This, with the pre-
ceding trip completed about ten days ago,
has included evary town of Importance in
the province as well most of the smaller
ones. The people are all at work, peaceful,
contented and. as far as one can see. fairly
happy. During both trips l was not APP
preached by a b3ggar nor did 1 have a
single personal application for assistance.
Many of the municipalities are unable to
meet current expenses, but the people as
body are improving in general condition.
L visited Santa Lucia, near Sama, and the
estates of the Boston Fruit Company, near
Banes. Everything at these places was
quiet, and there was no brigandage there.
Caution to a Marplot.
The reports which had alarmed them
were. as far as could learn, circulated by
an old scoundrel called Feria. He has
spent his time apparently in circulating
reports of brigandage and actually melting
some ignorant men to committing some
lawless acts in order to give color to his
reports, and following up this work with
kilograms to Havana requesting that he be
authorized to pursue the bandits and, in
cIdentaily, be given command and big
pay took lin off quietly and told him
that my orders to my officers and to the
Guardia Rural were to give all men of his
description a short shift if they were
caught engaged in any work of this sort;
that he was marked individual, was
closely watched and would be summarily
dealt with
Most of these reports that have reached
you have been gotten up in this way, and
a case of stealing or robbery, just as there
is In all our western states. but nothing
more. The whole problem today in Cuba
is work. Put the idle people, who are now
reading the incendiary press, to work, rele-
gate to back seat the politicians whose
present Importance rests solely on the at
tentions they are receiving from our peo-
pie, and they will not have followers enough
left to give them the slightest importance
or weight in the community. Agitators
nave tried to stir up the people of this
province but they cannot do it, simply be-
cause we have given the people something
to do and put them in a condition so good
that they will not leave it for a lawless
lie, unless absolutely forced to. The peo-
pie who are creating the disturbances today
IN Cuha do not represent , per cent of the
population.
Warming to the Editors.
L was ordered last winter by General
Chaffee, in the name of the commanding
general, to take summary measures against
the press, in case they used disrespectfuI
language about the American adminstra-
ton here l have not had occasion to take
any action, but yesterday | called them to-
gether and warned them against putting
any lnGtudlarV q pS or ciru Il ic-l
respectfully the American administration |
1 do not personally believe that any notice |
should be taken of them unless their arti- |
cieS are actually incendiary, as paying any |
attention to them simply exaggerates their |
Importance in the eyes of their own people. |
No Cuban Troops in Arms
There are no Cuban troops in arms in |
this province; absolutely not man, and |
yet we have here more than two-ffths of |
the entire Cuban army and most of its |
desperate officers. 1t Is impossible for |
them to take their men from their fields |
and homes. In short, the whole question is
a question of labor, not of politics, and the |
factions warning in the press would be I'M |
medately without support could their idle
followers become engaged in any kind of |
work. | believe there is money enough |
with the revenues to accomplish this end
rot to the detriment of our administra tion
but to its everlasting benefit.
The Historic Guns.
Il have just received a telegram from
you tonight about the trophy guns for the
army and navy. We have already sent
the ordnance officers inform mel over 100
guns to the states. Practically all the guns
If this type have gone. There are a few
here which the navy wants which we will
nave to diSmOunt from the batteries Of |
5ocapa and MORO; they are at present
mounted in battery there There are a
ew old bronze guns here and you will
probably remember that I asked you to
permit me to leave three or four of them
lere for the city for their parks. l be-
ieve this would be only fair to them and |
would please the people extremely. You
zee the shipping of these guns will take
very gun Of historical interest out of San
iago province, and the people are extreme
y anxious to get few of them as souve-
hrs. You authorized me to do this when
-ou were here, and unless | hear from |
'Ou to the contrary | will save few for
he city. 1t will take some time to get out
he souvenir guns for the navy as they
ire in very difficult position to move"