Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-01
AFTER THE CUBAN FRAUDS.
Postofice Was Not Under Gen, Wood, but lie
is Pursuing the Criminals
General Condition Of the Island II
satisfactory No Trouble ENpect'
ed az Elections.

New York, June Ia dispatch 60 the
World from Havana says.
Gen. Leonard Wood, military general
governor Of cuba, authorizes The World
correspondent TO cable TO the World
the following stAment from him
relative 10 the frauds in the cuban
postal service and the general condI-
ton of the island
Il firmly believe that the Irregular
ties in the Cuban postal seryise which
amount to plain theft only, are an that
will be discovered.
THE postal service has not been un-
der my jurisdiction. / learned Of the
frauds. instituted an inquiry and took
steps to secure the punishment of the
men implicated
81 have since inaugurated "a thorough
investigation into an the departments,
and am confident THAI the condition of
affairs of the postal service does not
exist i'm any other branches. OF course
there have been many rumors inspired
by The postal scandal Of fraudulent
transactions in the other departments
1.-The customs service, the engineers
department and the department Of
parks ! have every reason to believe
that these departments have been Con-
Quoted I'm a most business-like and
honest manner II there is one depart
ment | am sure OF II Is the customs
bureau. You can readily understand
that men who have been in the habit
Of swindling the government under the
Spanish regime do not take kindly 20
the introduction Of the methods inaug-
urated by the United states. ] think
that on the whole the entire public
service OF cuba has been improved
should YOU discover the existence
OF Irregularities In any other depart
meut. general, what would be your ac-
tlonG
II would institute a thorough inyes-
tigation and punish the offenders, Zee
piled the general firmly.
Has an intimatiOu been conveyed
that the administration al Washington.
would Tor political reasons, rather
that no other scandals be disclosed and
that the fun extent OF the Irregularities
in the postal service be Kept as secret
as poss.ble2' was the next question.
81 have not received such an iut.ma-
ton was the answer.
the government service is properly ad-
ministered II ] find It Is not, / shall
insist upon the immediate punishment
of any offender no matter who ho may
be. or what influence. political or other
wise may bee exercised 90 protect him.
I am responsible for the honest conduct
of the government. and any person
found guilty VIII bc punished.
what have you 90 say regarding the
reports of uuWarrauted 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 number OF officials who have
been compelled 90 spend more money
20 maintain the dignity of their rank
and country than the United States has
allowed them They have drawn upon
their private income TO DO SO. and the
government has not been called upon
10 foot the bills
How many men have been found
guilty of fraud and either been quietly
dropped from the service or placed un-
der arrest?'
every few. and with one exception,
an were iu civil branches OF the SER
vice. out OF sixty thousand soldiers
sent 90 the island but one man has been
directly charged with embezzlemeut
He was volunteer officer and the
amount of his stealings was $50 lie
was tried. found guilty and sentenced
10 three years. Aside from Neoley,
Reeves. Rich and the other man lmpll-
Gated in the postal scandal. there are
a number OF men awaiting trial for
pcrpetrating frauds ia the customs SER
vice. II guilty they VIII surely be
punished
How about the general condition OF
the island2'
ut is most satisfactory. The rove
nues are ia excess Of the expenditure.
There Is less discomfort than you ina
agine and while the advancement OF
the people Is slow. 1t IS undoubtedly
more satisfactory than the OLD condi-
ton. A most significant indication is
furnished by the fact that the prepara-
tons for the election of municipal Off
cials. on June 10th. have been conducted
ln a most orderly manner ] have not
received single request for troops
"rhe registration of voters foots up
~. O00 one-half Of the voting strength.
ia order 90 preserve the best feeling /
decided 10 give the minority party rep
rpsentation ON every board OF alder
men and other elective bodies I DO
not anticipate trouble OF any character
as a result OF the elections