The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-10-24

FORECAST of the years work
~ of General Leonard Wood in
4 - Cuba as it will be explained
in detail in his annual report
has appeared in print 1t is very in
teresting as sample of American "im-
perialism," which some of our fellow
citizens profess to dread as applied by
Judge Taft, General Macarthur and
their colleagues in the Philippines.
Here, for example. are some of the
things which American occupation has
accomplished in Cuba:
1t has provided every town of con-
sequence with q. well-equipped hospital,
something unknown before.
1t has established numerous tempor-
ary asylums for orphan children and
has plans laid for four permanent ones
on a generous scale, two for boys and
two for girls.
1t has overhauled and modernized
the prison system, released many hum
dreds of prisoners who had been held
beyond reason in confinement while
awaiting trial and put prod to tardy
Justice
1t has overhaued the major courts
and established numerous petty or COR
rectonal courts where the trial is oral
and summary, with privilege of appeal
as in our justices courts. 1t will on
December proclaim the writ of habeas
corpus.
1t has established 5000 additional
public schools, employing $500 teachers
and attended by 100000 children. which
number. ere the year is out, is expected
to equal 25O.000.
Public buildings throughout the ISL
and have undergone extensive repairs.
Sanitary work of great Importance has
been carried on from one end of Cuba
to the other. The two eastern prov
inces in the island of Cuba for the first
time have passed through a summer
without a case of yellow fever, and in
general there has been a great i'm
provement in health throughout the
island. Plans in detail are now ready
for advertisement for paving and sew
erng in a thoroughly first-class and
modern manner the city of Havana and
it's suburbs, and there is every reason
to believe that in a few years yellow
fever in Cuba can be got under the
same control as now exists in Jamaica.
All of the larger cities have UNDER
gone ext ensive street improvements.
Travellers can go from one end OF
Cuba to the other without being So
i Ian, ts, !,
soutely a thing of the past.
A thoroughly efficient mail service
has been established. Public works
involving millions of dollars have been
taken up and completed. Between 600
and 100 miles of first-class roads have
been built and many hundreds of
miles have been put in repair and
made passable. Bridges have been re-
built from one end of the island to
the other, and roads have been re-
paired and reconstructed.
Old lighthouses have been repaired,
new ones built and new ones contracts
ed for and complete lighthouse es-
tablishment has been organized.
A complete overland telegraph has
been established throughout the Is
land.
A most efficient customs service has
been established, The old Spanish
service has been rsovgauized and each
port supplied with boats and launches,
A revenue cutter service of six ships,
five of them being of steel construc-
ton, has been established. Each
principal port has a captain of the
port and harbor police, and the quar-
antine service is thoroughly equipped
of the officers are Cubans.
Many industries have been taken up
and are growing daily.
Many notifications have been made
in taxation, all with the purpose of
benetitting the taxpayer and Fastening
the reconstruction of the country.
Immigration, especially from Spain.
is heavy. 1t is probable that 10000
will have entered Cuba during the
present year.
The financial condition of the coun-
try is excellent, The government is
entirely self-supporting and the treas
ury has an unencumbered balance of
S1,50o,O00. Municipalities are gradually
assuming their financial obligations
and responsibilities, and relieving the
state of the care and expense for
police, sanitation, ETC., which will re-
suit in more money being available
for public works of general utility.
The tobacco crop of last year was
an immense one. This year the sugar
crop will be between $4,000 and 100000
tons. and IL the present prices con-
tinue, the money obtained by the
planters will equal the amount re-
ceived by the planters for their great