Evening star., 1901-08-31
GEN. WOODS REPORT
HIS ADMINISTRATION OF AFFAIRS
FOR LAST YEAR.
BETTER Commercial Facilities With
the United States Needed
for Prosperity.

Fen Wood. governor general OF Cuba,
has made a full report to the War Depart
ment of his administration OF the analrs
of the island during the past fiscal year.
Reviewing the work accomplished in each
of the civil departments OF the govern
ment, he declares that Cuba must nave
better commercial relations with the United
States if the island Is to live and prosper.
1.-The great desire Of Cuba today, says
Gen Wood, 'is to obtain reduction on
the import duties Of Cuban products into
the United States, and strong efforts are
being made in this direction. All far-see-
ing business men realize that Cuba's pros
neritv and advancement depend absolutely
upon her commercial relations with the
United States, where her two main pro-
ducts have their principal markets. hiSh
duties against Cuban products mean that
the development OF Cuba Will be slow IL at
all. . c..
ducts into Cuba, while il is increasing, Is
yet considerably below the total lmporta-
zion from other countries. Inc eslaD-
lishment OF reciprocity in commercial re-
lations between Cuba and the United
States means everything to Cuba, for III
she can obtain favorable duties on her
tobacco, and especially on her sugar, her
development will be immediate. The
greater proportion OF her available sugar
lands have not yet been touched. The
same is true of coffee and tobacco lands.
Cuba must now market her principal
products in the United States. New con-
ditiOns have changed her old commercial
relations. and If she is to live and pros
per she must have lower duties on her
sugar and tobacco, especially the former
The report says that leprosy Is generally
distributed throughout the Island or Cuba,
but that the number of cases is small and
that the general type Is not malignant
"On my first general inspection Of the
tcla and an
I'm many of the large hospitals. Steps are
being taken to find suitable location.
preferably on some island of the coast, to
which all the lepers OF the island can be
transferred
Resources of Cuba.
Regarding the resources Of Cuba, Gen.
Wood says:
After the harvesting of the first large
sugar crop since the war. which will be
completed the coming spring. together with
the gathering and sale of tobacco, coffee.
cocoa and other products Of the island II Is
believed that the municipalities will be able
TO assume a large proportion of the burden
now borne by the state. and that as a result
of this increased municipal revenue the
general revenues Of the island will be avail
able 10 a greater extent for public works Of
general utility. such as constructing roads,
dredging harbors, etc.
The administration and conduct or the
prisons was one sof the worst features of
the former government OF Cuba" says Gen.
Wood who declares that they were simply
mediaeval prison houses He says Cuba
needs a modern prison for long-term prison.
ers and that II should be situated in the
country near Havana.
steps for New Government.
In regard to the steps taken for the estab-
lishment of a new civil government, Gen.
Wood says:
THE elections as a whole resulted In the
extreme and revolutionary element being
selected. In many cases the men selected
found themselves confronted with difficulties
from the outset of their administration
They had made promises which they could
not fulfill, and as a result their popularity
was short-lived and complaint and fault
finding were extensive To avoid serious
confusion numerous inspectors are kept
constantly employed looking out both for