New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-31
THE CONDITION OF CUBA.
GovERNoR-GENERAL WOOD ON THE RE
FORMS INSTITUTED AND THE
PROGRESS MADE

PROGRESS MADE.
ssThe Condition of Affairs IN Cuba" IS the title of
article by Goverror-General Leonard Wood in
the current issue Of Golfers Weekly which is
especially timely and interesting in view Of the
significance OF the Cuban Constitutional Conven-
don which is TO assemble November IN Ha-
Eana- This article. the Editor of Collier 5
says in note OF introduction, lis plain straight
forward statement. emsnating from the highest
authority. and written with the brevity OF Il
soldier and Of action, who is ever extremely
reluctant to speak of his own admirable achieve
ments."
General Wood takes up first the constitutional
Convention and outlines the political situation IN
the island. He s&ys:
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
Cuba has been through two general elections
The nrst held on June Is of the present 99ncia
judges On September Is genera, eIGo, ,oi Con-
vention At this election thirty-one delegates Were
elected, together with their substitutes ms eleC
sions than the former nevertheless passed d ON
without disturbance or disorder. Out OF I"e seven
contested elections resulted. These viii be Seete
by the members Of the convention thenlssIes' -
avoid any interference whatever either IN ne S
Al each Of the elections the voting places We're
under the control of representatives Of the dl1-
ferent parties. and no American ofrcer soccer OF
civil official present at any voting place IN the
The principal political parties in the island an at at
present the National, the Repupcan dnQ ee
Union Democratic The general object OF a.! tneS
parties is the same all desiring the esfa % ret
questions be fought out in the convention Is as
more States This is a question OF great I'M
portanoe TO Cubans, and there are strong opinions
The ' personnel Of the Constitutional Convention,
Hf,csI parfies and subdivisions thereof The same
IS true of the substitutes elected. There is every
indication that the convention will take UP its
fesk with great deal of enthusiasm. There will,
OF course. be considerable amount OF work neces-
sary in determining the contested eeGnoh caSes-
duties of the convention will be taken up. Many
OF the members are az present hlseslls1LLLn ati
studying the constitutions Of various countries.
The general opinion is that the constitution adopt
ed VIII be in its general features similar to tho
Constitution ef the United States Inc personnel
9eInoeFs OF me Fns The civil governors Of
four Of the six provinces have been elected, two
ting7ished either in the law or in services rendered
the island There is no reason TO believe that this
convention will be other than successful; Pr;or 10
the municipal elections It was freely predicted that
general disturbances would follow an attempt to
he'd general eeoonS icy PsSsG on dons e
pressions heard INN diately preceding the
Tention. but this election also passed of without
the slightest disorder.
EDUCATIONAL AFFAIRS.
General Wood says the greatest advance in Cuba
has been made in public instruction. The uni
versity. in Havana, and the State institutes for
higher instruction lone IN eacn prONlnceD which
were inefficiently conducted under Spanish rule,
have been thoroughly reorganized But the changes
IN these institutions insignificant in comparison
with the work done in the public schools. General
Wood says:
Here an entire reorganization has been made.
ers employed and 10000 children are In school.
The number of pupils will be increased to 4eg5'
The expenditures for public education for the pres
ent school year viii be not less than 100000 Dpr-
months school
desks, etc, for 100000 children have been pur-
chased. brought TO Cuba, and put in schools This
order called for an expenditure of $4,000 and is
probably larger than any single order Tor school
material ever given in the United States Thirteen
hundred and odd teachers were sent TO the summer
cities and brought back TO Cuba without the loss OF
a single individual and without any serious acct
charge Of Mr. Frye, and was ably conducted. The
beneficial results Of this trip are already apparent
the island. The interest in public schools IS sin
cere new school law has been promulgated and
is becoming daily more efficient The whole island
provtdes in the greatest detail for the proper cor
9I'ct ND e@5rie6cZ Of the SCHOOLS The salaries
paid the teachers in the public schools are higher
United States for teachers Of a responding
grade, with the exception of three Of our large
cities.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
From the eastern to the western end of Cuba the
institutions of benehcence and the hospitals have
been carefully and Systematically reorganized, and
in mary instances renovated and re-equipped. A
deal Of energy and all available money have been
devoted to public works. New bridges have been
built and old ones reconstructed. Six hundred and
twenty-five miles of road have been built and
paired in the last year, and detailed estimates
have been made for twelve hundred miles
more Several new lighthouses have been built.
Immense advance has been made in sanitation.
Santiago has been virtually reconstructed, so far
its streets are concerned. Its waterfront has
been dredged out, and for the first time IN the
memory Of man a summer has passed without
case Of yellow fever In Havana also great deal
has been done.
Turning to commercial and agricultural condi-
tons. the article continues:
With the exception of one or two districts Cuba
may be said to be fairly well reconstructed agri-
culturay and on the high road to prosperity.
The tobacco crop of last year very large
Of the largest In the history of the ieand-and
this years crop will equal If exceed il. The
sugar crop In the present year will be in the
neighborhood Of $4,000 tons and if the present
realized viii equal that received from the great
crops Of years gone by.
The cultivation Of coffee IS being resumed in the
eastern provinces, is also the extensive cutiva-
tion Of cocoa.
Mining industries. especially in the two eastern
provinces rapidly developing This section OF
Cuba has an unlimited supply OF very high grade
iron ore well as large quantities OF copper and
and a low grade OF asbestos. In the Province of
Santiago there is stin enormous of very
valuable timber
The commerce Of the island is growing as shown
by the import duties. There is a great demand for
labor from one end Of Cuba to the other Large
plantations are being reconstructed, OF them
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