Little Falls herald., 1900-02-02
CONDITION. j !. Q ! IN C(3'.'.-. /:
excellent Openings on the la -.:~::
For Americans. ::
CORDIAL WELCOME FOE GE N. Wcc:22-J' :

CORDIAL WELCOME FOB GEN. Wcc22-L'.
Reforms Which the New Governor
General viii Inaugurate-lI. e.
'Hibbard's story ofsn Visit to En-s
vana-Ex-Mayor: of Newton. Mass,
VIII Educate YopnE cubans.
Ex-Mayor n. F., HibbaEd of Newton.
Mass, has recently returned from a
trip to Havana, during which he had
exceptional privileges Of Intimate con
versation with General Leonard Wood.
the new governor general, who went
down to his new duties on the Same
steamer with. MIR. Hubbard and who,
in the course of. the voyage. told, as Il
man tells his friend, how he proposed
to conduct the affairs OF the island
some Of the first reforms. he. intended
to inaugural te and his general ideas of
control and organization: Mr.. Hib.
hard consented to talk with a reporter
for the Boston Herald on his trip and.
especially on his Interviews with. Gen.
great admiration.
General Wood" said Mr. Hibbard,
is the man that Cuba has been wait.
ing for. and the beauty of the situation
is that the Cubans know and appreci-
ate his worth. The first thing he will
do, according to the statements he
made to tue in the course of our long
fo foll- ho f,.i
on the steamer City of Mexico. is to
untangle. the currency problem. In
Santiago province. where General
Wood has been in power. American
money is in circulation. exclusive Of
everything else, and there has even
been q little premium on Spani~'l sill
yer on account Of its scarcity. But in
Havana there is disagreeable nncer-
tainty about money. American gold
is now at q premium Of 2S per cent,
and Spanish silver has premium OF
81 per cent over the paper currency OF
the island. When you pay for goods
purchased In American gold and re-;
ceive change in Spanish silver. it takes
a professor, of mathematics to know
whether you are being cheated or not.
SO most people content themselves by
looking as wise as they can while the
counting is going on and pocket what
ever the merchant is pleased to give
them. venture to say that within
three months American money will
have crowded out the rest in Havana.
as it has in Santiago. under the man.
agement Of General Wood. Another
matter tc which the new governor gen
era. will devote his attention is the
ganiz9tinn Of the courts. There
are said to be 600 men now in prison
in Havana about whose Incarceration
there is more or less mystery.
''Tbe educational system of the is
land will also be thoroughly organized
80 that all children shall have the op-
portuhity to acquire at least the rudi
ments Of learning. was furnished
With passes to all the government in
stitutions of Havana and visited sever
al schools. but found none worthy of
the name. In one of them, which was
located in series Of rambling build.
ings around central court, the head
master was making his rounds Of in
spection to oversee the work being
done by his subordtnates IN the various
rooms. This functionary was devoting
most Of his attention to a plump young
pig, which he led about by 4 string at
tached to one of the hind legs of the
quadruped. When asked him. through
my interpreter. what he was going to
do with the animal, he replied that he
expected 10 eat him when Christmas
came and meantime wanted to be sure
that no one stole him. so kept him in
sight all the time. The students in this
school were about half Of them negroes
and seemed to be doing very little work
es far as could see.
Notwithstanding the miserable
schools of Havana. a tremendous ca
gerness TO learn English is now appear
irg. The very bootblacks will shine
your shoes for nothing but the 'privi
lege of getting a chance to talk with
you for few minutes. In response to
this general demand there are numer-
Gus private schools springfng up which
advertise TO teach the English language
promptly But they are all managed
by Cu6ans, few OF whom can speak
English well themselves. In one. pri-
vate school / visited, calling itself
college the: lesson for the day was
written on the blackboard. 1t consist
ed OF the word baby and it's pronan-
citation. which was spelled babe /
think there is a fine opening for bright
American teachers: for any one can get
pupils at: the rates given by the school.
just mentfoned-$s5O per month for
beginners. day only. and. $3.50 per
month for the boarding pupils These
figures are lfor the rates reckoned in
American gold. -. .s.~-.a.'
"1n speaking of his intentions re-
Earding the ofticeholders Of Havana.
General Wood said, q little grimly. that
he intended to make offceho1ding a
1isagreeable business. SO that there
might be fewer applications for
s'plums' 1t seems. that the business.
bours In the city and insular govern
ment have been regulated according
% the Ieisurely Spanish notions. If an
. otticeE feels enereatie, he. strolls down
10 his, desk the middle OF the forenoon