The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-17
GEN. WOOD
He Describes the Present
Situation at Santiago.

Santiago province III NHIOl bue AOihAOA
colonel of the rough riders sets forth
the present conditions at Santiago. Gen. /
Wood said
Wonderful strides have been made
by the natives of Santiago province
in the direction of decent and capable
self government They are now law
abiding and good citizens, and the prov
ince is governed with no friction what
ever. If the rest of Cuba has made the
progress that my province has, then
should say that Cuba is very near the
condition when self-government can be
safely bestowed on the inhabitants OF
the island
Right here I want to state that there
is absolutely no trouble between Gen.
Brooke, commanding the island of
Cuba, and myself.
THE story is a canard, the reason
or object of which I cannot discover.
Gen. Brooke and are the best of
friends. We have had no differences
of any sort, and the statement that /
have come to the United States to
make complaint against him and his
administration, is far from the truth.
Il did not come to Washington on
my own account. | was ordered by
the government, I suppose, to give my
testimony before the war investigating
commission. have given my testi-
mony, and I do not care to talk fur
tner concerning the many questions
that have arisen. AS to the so-called
'embalmed beef, 1 do not care to dis
cuss it, and the controversy between
Gen. Miles and Gen. Eagan is equally
| oeyCnd anything l should care to say
concerning it.
Since I assumed control in Santiago
aHelrs have gone along very quietly.
nave made every endeavor to estab-
lsh government which would meet
WIN the least possible opposition from
the natives. I have therefore appoint
ed only native Cubans to the various
communicative offices, and so long as
- remain as military governor | shall
appoint none other. SO far they have
acquitted themselves with the almost
tice ~ Jus
when L assumed control at
once established a new Judiciary
Fystem. The judges l selected from
among the Cuban population, and II
nave never made judicial appoint-
lnent without first obtaining the advice
ana consent of the bar association of
the city; The bar association has been
satlshed with my appointments. The
men appointed have done their
duty faithfully. No fault has been
found with them, and | think that T
nave made selections which were the
very BEST that could have been made
AS IN the past, / shall continue to
oohsult the par association when q va
eency IN the. judiciary exists. OF the
JIo8es L have so far appointed. some of
Inein formerly held the same positions
NOT all Of them did. Those 7 chose
from the old judiciary were the cboice
OF the bar association, and if thew were
not CAPABLE and honest Judges thew
Woulu not nave been Vouched for nv +ha
association of the bar.
Inc policing of the province is NOW
pelng performed solely by native On.
pans have had appointed 210 nan
many Oh them mounted, whose duty is |
~ ~ P e tne rural districts. They have
SO Ear performed their duty faithfuIIv
ana are capable and painstakinF men
IN the city of Santiago 1 have lin |
bans ~ ila'lVe Cu- |
Formerly the police of SANTIAGO
We're armed with swords and other
weapons, which made them walking
orselials. nave taken their heavier
arms away from them. Now thew sim
ply carry the regular policenan;s
clao and a six-shooter and thinE |
sietn 1ully capable Of dealing with all
ulsofoerly persons. So far thew bava
mad very little difficulty. Crime 10 not
very frequent in Santiago, and. IN fhe
WIG Mnole l should call it pretty peace
:. might say that the financial condi-
III, tIon oI the province is excellent. The
imports are not one-flfth of Whist tbay
were before the war, owing TO fhe nm,
seltled state of affairs But though tba
.iiipoIt - are sui so small, the customs
11Scelpts are greater than ever before |
Inc province has been self -supuortine.
SINCE last October, and already there is |
d considerable surplus"
ITO what do you attribute +ba -
crease or customs receipts?"
& we don't steal so much as tbA
spanish officials di,e replied Cen
WOOD. That is the only Way can |
account for it. If we collect mora o Nc
TOMS from one-fifth Of the Imports mn
oer spanish rule, with no higher rate
draw" eiioe oah you
Il have now over $3.50 600 in ~,
treasury after all expenses hava beno |
pald; This money I have determined
snail be expended for the benaft 20
the citizens of Santiago, The barbo.
shall be dredged SO that the vessels car
more easily gain access to their nIaces
OF dlscharge. Centuries of careiess |
auIilIiiilstratlon have allowed the har-
Dor TO be filled UP with the refuse NJ H.
city, and now it will have to he ~ ,iis
by dredging. w lehloFed
nave already made contract with
d New ork dredging concern to do tbis
work which will be begun aft onca rTha |
maroon Will be then open to the largast
commerce and ships will have no sear
u the danger which formerly attended |
n es.id por navigation There is a varied |
Lorelsh commerce in Santiago I'm
ports come from the United stotnr
from Europe and from the south |
American republics. 1t is a corn noe,.,la
Pecullar TO Santiago and has IN he ,,,ot
by special conditions, NC iile'
4 As 10 my work in sanitary wa1y u,
santiago, l can say that there is now
= ~ ~. smell IN the streets of SANTIAGO
hoe so ala other cities in Cuba, Santiago
mas surface drainage. This is a.
TO the fact that the water supnIv o ene
not always be depended upor T f'~i
system of subterranean seu,an, C. @
should be instituted, the health of q az
community would depend on tba shi, ite
al me authorities to keep the sewers sewers
,uo IF this could not be done. the filth
would lodge in the elbows Of tbo I'LL ilICn
ers, and an epidemic wonld brael, sew
tWlthout the exact source of the trouhia
Deihg disclosed. To remove tba oo,sa
me entire sewerage system wn,IId boa.e
~ pe nushed, and as water is scarce -,
Cupa IN the summer season, this co,,id
soarceiy be accomplished, even # tbe
e oniit position of the troublesome 10
cality We're known ~
NOW with surface drainage this
e etouple can easily be remedied The
streets eiae, can be thoroughly swept and
Iyeahe9 Oh all filth, They can be
washed, ana the last vestige of stencil
Gan be removed by thorougb vrorlr
therefore, have determined 10 retain
!.ne surface drainage. I have now
large Santiago forca 90 r,ss' Nv" -