The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-08
WORK TO BE DONE IN CUBA.
GEN. WOOD. WANTS TO GET THE
INHABITANTS TO LABOR.

One of the First Things TO BE Done
Is Work on the Roads-Gcn. wood
Is Releasing All Prisoners Who
Have Been UnjustIy Confined.
Courts of Justice Unler Existing
System Are Most Corrupt-CensOr-
ship Is Severe.
Havana. Jan. 7.-Senor Villalon, secre-
tary of public works, arrived to-day from
Santiago and called upon Gov. Gen. Wood.
with whom he had long interview. To-
morrow he will consult with Col. Black,
chief engineer of the division of Cuba.
Gen Wood has advised that the first
thing to be done is to repair the bridges
throughout the island and to make the
roads passable, particularly the so-called
Royal road, extending the length of the
island, but which only exists in name. He
urges that large force of men be put
to work in each province
The water supply system will also re-
ceive immediate attention. Ordinary
wells and artesian wells will be con-
structed in sufficient numbers, # posi-
BILE, to supply the needs of the entire ISL
and. Wherever the works call for con-
tracts, these will be open to competition
and close superintendent by Col Black
and competent assistant engineer Off
Ger will be maintained
AS soon as the prisons have been emp
tied of persons unjustly held, Gen. Wood
intends to have their sanitation looked aft
er, although most of them are better off
in this respect than has generally been
supposed. A prison board. consisting of
N will lNAa oh
ed with the duty of visiting all the prisons
OF the island at regular intervals, and
recommending in joint session such inn
provements as seem necessary. Wherever
practicable these will be carried out.
The courts of justice, under the existing
system, are among the most corrupt in
the world. A prominent merchant who
has resided here forty years, and who has
over 5000, 000 invested in Cuba, recently
told Gen. Wood that the principal reason
for the lack of confidence in Cuban invest
ments was the character of the courts
he declared that there was a widespread
conviction that almost any crime could
be committed in Cuba with impunity, so
long as the offender was able to make a
''judicious investment of money
These remarks have, apparently, deeply
impressed Gen. Wood. Most of the Cuban
lawyers of the better class favor immed1-
ate action in the direction of judicial re-
MasO and Cuba Libre.
The dinner given in honor of Gen. Maso
last evening al the Tacon Theater was a
great success. Gems. Wood, Ludlow and
Chaffee were present, as was also Gen.
Gomez.
Gen. Maso, in responding to toast to
his health, said:
1.-The cause of Cuba libre was never
brighter than now. President Mckinley,
in sending Gen. Wood, chose the only
man to whom the confidence of all classes
of Cubans could be given. 1t was Gen.
Wood, VINO, when a former governor urs-
ed President Mckinley that it would pc
dangerous to remove q single American
soldier from the island urged the reduce
ton of the military in his own province
by oneIhalf. Nor do we forget that the
province of Santiago was admittedly the
most difficult to govern. Gen. Wood adj
ministered the affairs of that province in
a manner eliciting the plaudits of the civ
iljzed world. He did not truckle to fac
ton nor to his own countrymen, but he
gained the love and confidence of the en-
tire community by his splendid work, his
fearless and impartial management of af-
fairs and his evident desire to give the
Cubans every opportunity to prove them
selves worthy of self-government"