Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-09
CONDITIONS IN CUBA
Governor Wood Confronted by MANY
Difficult Problems.
CIVIL AND MILITARY CLASH
The Good Work Accomplished by
General Ludlow.
ISLANDS CIVIL GOVERNMENT
Copyright. 1900, by ]. d. whelpley)

Copyright. 1900, by J. d. whelpley.)
| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
HAVANA, Cuba, February 4, 1900.
Gen. Wood returned from his trip around
| the island today. and his homecoming pos
sessed unusual interest from the fact that
he will be called upon to take some stand in
| matters affecting the official position of
Brig. Gen. ludlow. Gen. Ludlow has. I'M
| fortunately for himself and for the rela-
tons between the Cubans and the Amer
leans. succeeded in getting himself en-
broiled in several disagreeable controver-
sizes.
From the inception of this trouble La
Lucha, a Havana newspaper which seems
to have rather anti-American leanings, has
kept up a constant and bitter fire upon Gen.
Ludlow. which consisted not only of crit
| icism of his official acts, but extended to
what might be called personal abuse.
Gen. Ludlow is man of great ability and
keen mind. who has labored necessarily
from the time of his arrival in Cuba to ac-
complsh the results which are now SO man.
ifest in the city of Havana. He was APP
pointed not only military but civil governor
of the city by direct order of President Nc
kinley. and has, up to this time exercised
the duties of both positions. His work in
the sanitation and the general care of this
department has been done in the face Of
the well-known apathy of the Cubans in re-
gard to such matters, and In the course of
carrying on the work he has necessarily
offended many who did not like the ener-
getic assumption of the American authori-
ties of the supreme control
Energy and Impulse.
He is restless, energetic man, full of
purpose and the desire of accomplishment.
He is rather nervous and impulsive, per-
sonally proud and apt to resent attacks
upon himself his administration. In
such a character slow caution and DELHI
ate judgment does not always prevail, and,
goaded by the viciousness of the fire he was
subjected to- he has allowed his feelings to
dictate at times, rather than his cooler
Judgment. There is little question but that
he erred in taking any official or other no.
tice of the newspaper attacks made upon
him, but from his point of view they had
reached a point where he could no longer
hesitate to retaliate, not only In defense of
his own personal character. but in the in
terests of the American occupation.
Civil VS.. Military.
When General Wood issued his order de-
filming the duties Of the military and civil
officials another opening was made for
trouble. The Cuban civil governor of the
province of Havana claims jurisdiction over
the city of Havana as well, of which city
General Ludlow is civil as well as military
governor, this being the only case of its
ers are very jealous of their rights and dig
mites, likewise the officers of the United
States army, hence the horizon has looked
stormy for some time. The conflict came
on a minor question of precedence in the
supervision of municipal affairs and the
whole matter now lies in the hands of Cen
eral Wood, although action may have been
taken in Washington, where it is the eX-
pressed intention to give General Wood a
free hand and likewise to give the Cubans
as much home rule as is possible.
Governor Woods Position.
The whole matter is most unfortunate for
all concerned, but it is only one of hun
dreds of delicate situations with which
General Wood is dealing and will have to
deal in his task of giving the Cubans a
limited government of their own and at the
same time maintain the impression in Cuba
that it is to be unlimited as soon as posi-
bic. 1t seems inevitable that the situation
must work itself out on the lines General
Wood is known to favor. He takes the po-
sltion that he Is with and of the Cubans.
He Is giving everything into their hands as
fast as is possible, except SO far his final
dictum is concerned.
The American authority will have to give
way before the pride and ambition of the
CubanS under this scheme, until the hold
of the Americans upon the situation is re-
duced to a single point of contact that ly-
ing in the office of governor of Cuba There
are many matters such as sanitary, educa-
uonal public works, military command and
public expenditure, which even General
Wood will keep for some time in the hands
of capable Americans, but these latter will
be civilians especially employed for the pur
pose and paid out of the island treasury
This will prevail because this is the scheme
OF the American governor general for the
preliminary organization of the hoped-for
Cuban republic.
1t seems more than probable that in
General Woods scheme for the government
OF Havana he intends to eliminate the mill
tary control entirely except as it rests with
himself, possibly place a colonel in COM
mand OF the few American troops in the
department, and have that and all other
branches Of the government as well reDort
directly to the palace.
Gen. LudlOw's Good Work,
There is one side to this whole situation
which does not seem just or right There is
no question as to the work General Ludlow
has done in Cuba. 1t has been dangerous
and most exacting in its requirements, He
has labored as few men in government
service are compelled to do He has done
it willingly, in the pride of his technical
knowledge, experience and achievement 1t
Is easy to criticiSe now, especially AT
safe distance from a city which, when Cen
eral Ludlow assumed command was the
worst Kept city on this continent, and to-
day is the best policed in every sense of the
word. General Ludlow has not done 1t ALL
Tor he has been assisted by earnest, indie
1atlgable, brave and skillful men, who are
entitled to their full share of the credit, but
the general In command Was responsible for
the start and it Is his close supervision
which has brought about the results
Many or the Cubans do not appreciate
what has been done. They shrug their
shoulders and think an awful row has been
one has been made uncomfortable simply
to please the restless Americans and to