The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-06

prominence who came out OF the war |
wholly without unfavorable criticism |
Dewey and Wood. When Wood was |
appointed major general last month |
he was confirmed by congress without |
a dissenting voice.
Wood ruled with the power Of a
czar in Santiago, and yet he Is prob
ably the most popular man in Cuba. |
with Cubans as we'll as with foreign
ere. His appointment as military
governor was received with enthusiasm
b. every paper of prominence in the
island. This was due to Woods quail
ity of tactfulness. which. 1t seems.
came to him with his medical training
A doctor must know how to manage
people. There are any number of in
stances showing with what consum-
mate skill he managed the Cubans.
One of the most difficult influences in
all Spanisn-American countries Is the
church. In Cuba it was very power
ful. and Wood saw that 1T would b.
necessary to handle 1t with great care.
inasmuch as il was naturally oppos ii
to the Americans AS being the power
which parted the church and state
and divested the archbishop of his ac
business to become personally ac-
ouairted with the priests. to look at
the difficulties from their point Of
view, and when the new archbishop
of Santiago was appointed. Wood was
asked. to the surprise of every one.
to take prominent place in the trium-
phal procession. He expected that 1T
would be merely matter of a brief
| nrri, rid a M loCn 1rpiinl
| the plaza to the cathedral, but when
the procession had started he
found that a place had been
made FOR him under the can
| opy with the archbishop. And he
marched all the way through, no doubt
| thinging Of his old Puritan ancestors
in New England. Since th,n Wood
has had no better friends than the
church disnitaries.
DEALING WITH THE EDITORS.
He dealt with that typical Cuban in
stitution, the agitating editor, with tn"
same wisdom. Santiago is the hotbed
| of Cuban revolution. Every cuban
| insurrection has had its origin within
fifty miles of the city of Santiago. Ana
| the mouthpcce of the Cuban insurgent
is the asitating editor After IN"
| Americans came into power this func-
| tionarv was for time devoid of a
purpose in life. The Spaniards were
gone and the agitating paper no longer
thrived. 1t was natural. therefore. that
the editor should eventually begin an
assault on the Americans. So bitter
We're the attacks that many residents
Of the city advised General Wood to
| suppress these papers, but the general
knew the mistake of making martyrs.
So he sent for the most violent Of the
editors.
"You may say anything you please
about me personally" he said in his
quiet way, but the moment you at
tack the government shall put you
in MORO Castle and keep <'ou there"
Another one of these editors had
suggested going to the hills" which
in cuba means rebellion. Wood sent
for him. too. and told him that the
sooner he went to the hills the better
il would be for his own safety, and he
said it So seriously that the next day
the editor did go to the hills. alone,
and he has since caused no trouble.
EVIDENCE OF TACT.
General Wood has made particular
efforts to find out the real sentiment
of the Cuban people and to govern his
official acts accordingly. With a peo-
pie of the character of the Cubans. so
long accustom ed to saying one thing
to the cruel Spanish officers and doin.;
another. and by nature suspicious,
this was particularly difficult. and
General Woods popularity in the is
land is the best attestation Of his sue
cess. One of his aids told me that
when General Wood was on his trips
Of inspection he made in an invariable
rule to dine with the local officials and
to talk much with them. 1t some times
happened, therefore, that Wood and
two or three members of the staff
would sit down to dinner with a table
full of black men. with whom he would
directly be on the best possible terms.
In his official confere ences General
Wood communicates almost wholly
through an interpreter. but for friend
ly conversation he can get along thor
oughly well in Spanish. Indeed he has
surprised more than one Cuban by his
understanding of the language, reply
ing to remarks that We're not intend I'd
for his ears. Not long ago he was
spending a day shooting guinea fowl
back in the jungle. While he was rest
ing a number of natives gathered
around, not knowing that he was the
| governor of the province, and after
some general conversation he askad
them what they thought of the publi-
cations in the revolutionary papers.
The spokesman of the party made an
swer in one of those inimta BILE Span
, sh epigrams: "The editors, they write
to eat. We work: We are satisfied"
Furthermore, Wood surrounded him
self with Cubans in his office He
trusts them perfectly and they trus,
him perfectly AS consequence no
officer in the island knows the natives
more thoroughly than he.
NOT AFRAID OF WORK.
Wood is an extraordinarily hard
worker. He is up early in the morn
ing and frequently visits several hospi-
! tails. the Jail or the market before he
reaches his office at $50 o'clock on
more. He is readily accessible to rich
and poor and his extraordinary ply
steal endurance enables him to Sc
, many people and attend to the thous-
and and one trying details of such an
office and do everything we'll. Indeed
he appears to do a great many un-
necessary things, that is, unnecessary
things from the strict viewpoint of
|, duty. He goes at the work of i'm
provement in all sorts of lines because
it interests him personally. His mot
to is mo energy Is lost to the uni.
verse" Take one example The Gu.
ban is by nature more or less slip.
CHI in n nj thinps