The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-30
TROOPS TO COME HOME.
General Wosd Recommends Withdrawal Of
Soldiers from Cuba.
ASSERTS THERE WILL BE NO TROUBLE
Reward for the General VIII ne
Chief Marine surgeon Retires.

washington. November 2e.---Generai
Leonard Wood. who reached Washington
last night, had two hours conference
with the secretary OF war today. After
the conference Secretary Root announced
that his recommendations as TO the re-
movai of troops from Cuba had been APP
proved and that orders would be issued
putting them into effect.
General Wood said that in his opinion
all the rumors of impending troubla In
Cuba were groundless. that there was no
real prospect OF a revolt and that what
ever friction and discomfort did exist
among the Cubans was due to- the recent
talg OF civil governor for the Island,
When asked about the report of his Sc
lection for this position. General Wood
said: Il don't know a thing about II.
have heard nothing OF the plan for civil
governor except wnat ! have seen IN the
papers. II has not been offered TO me, and
have not been asked for any suggestions
ON the subject. Whatever discomfort mag
have arisen among the Cubans ON this
subject grows, ! think. from their mis-
understanding OF the meaning OF the term
civil governor. 1 rather take 1t that they
understand 1t to mean part American gov
eminent for the island. This Is only spec
ulation, however. for have heard nothing
of these rumors in cuba before left i
can speak of my own department. There
is no indication of trouble there. On the
contrary, we have had turned in over eoOo
rides. Adding TO these the arms that have
been retained for the rural guard ana the
guns that some OF the natives have Kept
Tor the protection of their own homes III
~ N..s,, ,rtR a o.
count for all the arms in the province
When asked II there was any possibility
of an outbreak among the rural guards,
General Wood said No more than there
is of an instruction among the polios
force of Washington"
Concerning his mission to Washington
he said thai IL was merely for consulta-
ton about the reduction OF the American
force in the island II have recommended
reduction of about 30 per cent IN the
force In my department said General
Wood That is to say, the recall of the
Fifteenth infantry and the removal or a
squadron from each Of the cavalry regi-
ments think that this is perfectly feas-
ible When say that Santiago is quiet.
1t is a pretty fair condition throughout
the island. Every revolution that has
started there has started in Santiago
province and 10 the last w0r 40 per cent OF
the troops were drawn from tnat PROV
ince.'
Regarding the general conditions In his
department, General Wood said that they
were favorable, that the courts were being
administered under as mild American STU
pervisiop as was consistent with Keeping
them diliseutly at the work and prevent
ing delays in the administration of justice.
The people are being kept cenlinded tnal
in case OF palpable maladministration,
through reVersion TO the OLD Spanish
q al. ~, ..,t.er mt fr. a NJ
neal to and have any matter thoroughly
investigated. People were being Kept em
ployed and the detailed reforms OF the
petty courts and the lower school system
We're things that would come eventually
through patient work and local education
It is said that the president has de-
cided on the reward To be allotted 10
General Wood when his term Of service IN
Cuba is over 1t is said on good authority
that General Wood is slated TO succeed
General George N Sternberg as surgeon
general of the army when the latter re-
tires by law in June Of the coming year
II has been stated several times that Gem
eraI Wood would receive brisadier gen
eralship and he has been urged for THIS
by some IL his friends in recognition OF
his services in the Santiago campaign
and afterward as governor of thai prov
ipce. The president has been Inclined TO
him. but 1t is well understood that the
gift il a generals commission In the line
would cause great deal OF feeling among
the officers of the regular army, many
of whom are General Woods seniors ny
many years The same objection may
hold to a lesser extent in the medical stan.
but Il is urged by the friends of General
Wood that he has proved himself emil
nently capable In administrative work. II
is said that when he was last in Wash
inpton the matter was talked over be-
tween him and the president and that
General Wood was offered the place and
accented 1t, although his preference was
for a place in the line This was at the
time he refused very fatterng oBef
from the street railway syndicate here,
a refusal hardly likely from a slah cap
tain unless with some very definite pros
poets of future prefermcnt in view. The
surgeon generalship would place General
Wood at the head OF the medical stan OF
the American army at but little over 81
years old. making him the youngest offcer
ever holding this responsible position. II
would leave him twenty years OF active
service II he so desired, In position car
rylng with II great prestige In the pro-
fession. both at home and abroad.
General Wood has taken house In
Washington, No. 1913 Rhode Island
avenue, where be has moved with hla
family. and II is thought that this lei
another indication that he will make his
permanent residence here at no very dis
tapt date.
WASHINGTON NOTES.