The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-11
GEN. WOOD TALKS
POSTAL FRAUDS
Neelv and His Pals We're Not
Under His Control When
Crime Committed.
NEW YORK, June IA dispatch 10 the
World from Hovopo .o.,u,

NEW YORK, June IA dispatch to the
World from Havana says:
General Leonard Wood, Military Cow
ernor of Cuba, authorized the World cor
respondent to cable to the World the fol-
lowing statement from him relative to
the frauds in the Cuban postal service
and the general condition of the island:
nrmly Relieve that the Irregularities
IN the Cuban postal service. which
amount to plain theft only, are all that
will be discovered. ~
The postal service has not been unaar
my Jurisdiction. learned OF the frauds,
Instituted an inquiry and took steps to
'a"''-e the punishment Of the men i,npli-
Gated.
II have since inaugurated a thorough
INVESTIGATION into all the departments ana
am confident that the condition of affairs
of the postal service does not exist IN INV
other branch. OF, course there have been
rumors inspired by the postal scandal of
fraudulent transactions in the other de-
partments-the customs service, the en-
gineers department and the department
or parks. / have everv reason to believe
that these departments have been con-
Quoted in most businesslike and honest
manner. II there is one department I
am sure of, 1t is the customs bureau You
can ready understand that men who have
been in the habit of swindling the govern
ment under the Spanish regime do rot
take kindly to the Introduction Of the
business methods inaugurated by the
United States. I think that on the whole
the entire public service of Cuba has oceu
improved"
Should you discover the existence Of
irregularities in any other department,
General, what would be your action?"
would institute a thorough investiga-y
ton and punish the offenders" replied the
General firmly.
Has an intimation been conveyed that
the Administration at Washington would
for political reasons-rather that no scan
dals be disclosed and that the full extent
OF the irregularities in the postal service
be Kept as secret as possible?" was the
next question.
Il have not received such an intima-
tion," was the answer.
1T Is my place to find out whether the
Government service is properly adm;nis-.
tered. If 1 find it is not, I shall insist cn
the immediate pun'shment of any offend
er. no matter who he may be or what in
fiuence, political or otherwise, may be ex--
for the honest conduct of the government
and any person found guilty will be pun.
ished."
What have you to say regarding the re-
ports of unwarranted extravaganza on
the part of officials sent by the United
States Government"
There is nothing in the condition Of
affairs to Justify such a statement. know
a number of officials who have been COM
PEELED to spend more money to maintain
the dignity of their rank and country
than the United States has allowed them
They have drawn upon their private In
comes to do so and the Government has
not been called upon to foot their bills.'
How many men have been found gull
ty of fraud and either been dropped from
the service or placed under arrest?"
Very few, and, with one exception. all
were in civil branches of the service Gut
of 10000 soldiers sent to the island but
one man has been directly charged With
embezzlement. He was a volunteer If
Ger and the amount of his stealings
$780, He was tried, found guilty and son
fenced to three years. Aside from N.s,r.
Reeves, Rich and the other men inpii II
ed in the postal scandal, there pre- n saaun-
Der of men awaiting trial for peGpet:ating
frauds In the customs service. If guilty
they will surely be punished.
How about the general condition of the
island?"
ut Is most satisfactory. The revenues
are in excess of the expenditures. There
Is less discomfort than you imagine, ard
while the advancement Of the people Is
slow, it Is undoubtedly more satisfactory
than the old condition. most sg,.ifi-
cant indication is furnished by the fact
that the preparations for the election Of
municipal officials. on June 16 have oeen
conducted in a most orderly manner. L
have not received a single request for
troops.
THE registration Of voters foots up 15o,-
co., one-half of the voting strength. In
order to preserve the best feeling. de-
cided to give the minority party reprcsen-
alton on every Board Of Aldermen and
other elective bodies. / do not anticipate
trouble of any character as a result Of
the elections"