The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-25
CUBA'S POSTAL SERVICE.
POstmaster's General Smiths In.
spettion of Island.
HIGH PRAISE FOR GEN. BROOKE'S
ADMINISTRATION.

Island wtn Flourish Undsr New Order
fThi.gs--Postal Service at Present.
Grade and Disorganized-Wm BE
Reformed speedily.
Havana, March. 24.-Unitsd States
Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith, who arrived here last Saturday
10 take special look at tbs work Of the
department Of posts under the manage
msnt az Col. Rathboue before smiling for
the United States today. sid to corrs'
pondest Of the Associated Press, regard
ing the results Of his srips
my direct and Immediate purpose in
coming hers was 10 examine into the pos
tai service Of the island % II has been In
heritcd and re-organized and 10 SEQ what
its fequirements ara. But Of course, my
eyes and ears have bsen open and have
been much interested In my observations
and conferences Of q more general char
acter. am gratifled and even surprissd
TO fnd how mucn has already been done
nvic ny pu0 AIuotttoh AoPA00Sn
did not see what Havana was under the
former rule, but lave had an opportu-
atty q some points Of specially noting
the contrast with present conditions and
I assure you II 10 OF the most signal CHAR
acter. have sssn houses ripped up and
laid epsn as they were, and l have seen
nousns OF the same kind next door, whore
-,ov4&toc .nd -cro sfructiop had haon
wrought The difference is that Letwesn
msdiaevalism and high modern oiviIiza-
tion. The change Of sanitary conditions
Id enormous. No one can begin to sp-
preciAts without personal observation
what has .bsen accomplished here BY
American intarvontion In shs saving OF
life md the Improving Of health condi-
I'm. military governor. G.n: Brooke.
work Of the administration with great
| capacity snd Judgment.
al have had considerable opportunity
Of sesing what Gen.. Brooke has inaugu-
rsted and accomplished / believe that
svsYy American, II he could personally
sss and understand ~, would b deeply
has been dslibsYats> oonsidsTAte and well
| pdissu, ~ the same time he has been firm
| and decided. He has carefully gathered
| the BEST informAsion from the most trust
worthy sources ana has applied 1t to pres
sns .oonditions With excellent 3udgmens.
him, tut has Kept the dstsrinfnssion Of
| Immediate questions in his own hands
| and hss lnbored faithfully and success
fully to oarry cot the spirit and purpose
OF President Mokinley's Instructions
and policy.
"Gen. Brooke 10 re establishing ths
civil machinery in Cuba on just lines
BILE adjustment Of psPsousl rights. rs
we'll ~ for public protsction.
"He has just complstsd the oYgarixa.
tion Of . supreme court, which becomes
the appellate tribunal, and under which
the law will he justly Administered.
| can branches of the civil adrninistra-
tion are being taken up In the same care
ful way.
Here In the city of Havana Major
General Ludlow has shown great vigor
and q radical reform alton of police and
4 sanitary arran ngements 10 going on.
"My only opportunity OF observa tson
outside Havana during this hurried trip,
has been In Matanzns, where M,jor Gen
sral Wilson 10 In command. his large
public experiences and military capacity
| are illustrated In the improvamens which
has teen elected there and In ths admira-
ble relations he has sstAbliShed with Tho
| Cuban people.
| "The thing that 10 now nesdsd Is a gen
eral understanding that those conditions
are 20 continue.. Tho development Of the
island and even . general feeiing of re-
ourity are retarded by uncertainty as to
the future. There is . lack Of under.
! stAnding in many quarters that the
long enough to establish and insure a
stable government. This unosrtsint ty
generates distruss and hesitation in en-
terpriss and general business rehabilits.
| tion. The impression needs 70 be diffused
In Cuba that the United States. having
the duty Of = new government OF such q
character az will commend universal con
| fidencs and support. because fully cspa-
BILE of assuring perfect psaca and order
and the full administration OF law and
justice, and that the United States will
remain long enough. whatever time may
be neossnsy, to see that this Is effective
done.
LET me say . word OF thu postal scr.
vics-is was found to be- OF the most
crude, disorgnnissd and inefficient char
sctsr-it Will be work OF some little
time to reconstruct II oompleteiy and to
make 10 such u service ~ exists in the
United States, bus this will be accom-
plished. Col. Rathbone. who 10 in charge
and exceedingly capable officer and has
already vindicated his selection for thai
position by the energetic and oomprshen
sive work he 10 doing. Special delivery
Is this week inaugurated in Havana; free
frequent deliveries Will he organized
here and In other cities. Within q
month tho post office will be transferred
from the ramshaokls structure whiob
has been disgrace to 1t, ~ new build
ing with complete modern equipments,
as good as exists, In New York or Phila
delphiA. 1 believe that a good postal ser
vice extending over the island will do q
vast deal to educate the people ana fee
that under the present director general
of posts this VIII be secured
Last night the membsrs Of The various
patriotic societies held u mssting here,
at which 1t was decided to appoint dspu-
ties from the wards of the city to arrange
mass meetings throughout the island
with . view to determining the platform
Of the new national Cuban party.
News was rscsivs14 this morning tina,
is bandits had taken tbs fisld near