Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-10-23
CUBA'S NEW LEASE or LIFE.
Gen. Wood Tells Of the Islands Wonderful
Change for the Better.

Washington. OCT. 22.-Major General
Leonard Wood, today. made the follow
ing statement as to the contents of his
civil report as governor general Of
cuba:
when the civil report of the island
is published at the end of the present
calendar year. it will be found that
every town OF consequence in the is
land has been provided with a hospital
well equipped with ali necessary sup
plies ana appliances.
"Asylums for orphan children have
been established wherever necessary.
The number has been greatly reduced
during the past few months owing to
the Improvement Of the general condi-
lions existing in cuba. children being
taken back to their families or their
friends Ii il the purpose Of the insu-
lar government To establish four state
institutions. two for boys and two for
girls, two to be industrial and agricul-
turaI. and two To be correctional and
industrial.
The prisons have been uvcrhauled
and repaired and the sanitary Condi-
lions vastly improved. Many hundreds
of prisoners who had been detained
for long periods of time awaiting trial
for a period as long or longer than they
would have been sentenced had they
been found guilty have been released.
Courts have been stimulated ana urg-
ed to a prompt performance of their
duty. The result has been that many
prisons have been practically empty
and very great Improvement has
- iI1lt = d
eases. A special inspector Of prisons
has been appointed whose functions
are 10 inspect at least once in every
three months each prison on the island
and to examine every prisoner therein
Judges who have been found deere
lect have been summarily dismissed
Correctional courts have been estah-
Iishpd throughout the large cities where
the trial is oral and summary. as in
our police courts These courts are
limited to the imposition Of sentences
of six months imprisonment or $50
fine. or both. Their success has been
phenomenal. The writ Of habeas cor
pus has been published to take effect
on Dee. | Of this year.
During the present year over 5000
public schools have been established.
5000 teachers are employed in them and
$50 900 children are in the schools. This
number is constantly increasing. and
BY the end Of the present school year
it is believed that We shall have POO
900 children in school. The largest
number at school under the Spanish
rule was between 10000 and 10000. En-
thusiasm for public education is great
The trim of the 1900 teachers To cam
bridge was most beneficial, and at
tenpts will be made to repeat II next
year.
The United States troops have not
been used during the present year Tor
the maintenance of order The police
work in the rural districts is done by
the Rural Guard. which amounts 70
about 1900 men for the entire island
These men and their offices are all
CubanS.
Public buildings throughout the is
land have undergone extensive repairs.
The two eastern provinces in the island
of cuba for the first time have passed
through q summer without case o.
yellow fever and in general there has
been a great Improvement in health
through the island. Plans in details
are now ready LOT duN Il tiSNliiChN i''
paving and sewering the city OF Ha-
yana and its suburbs, and there is
every reason to believe that in few
wears yellow fever in CUBA can be got
under the same control as now exists
in Jamaica.
"Tha city of Santiago has been
largely paved with modern pavements.
All of the larger cities have undergone
extensive street improvements. FRAY
oilers can go from one end of Cuba I"
the other without being solicited by
beegars and hunger IS absolutely q
thing of the past.
IA thoroughly efficient mail service
, has been established and is being con
Quoted with efficiency and economy.
Between 600 and 700 miles Of first-class
roads have been built and many hun
dreds of miles have been put in repair
| ana made raSsahlc.
cold light houses have been repaired,