The Washington times., 1901-09-03
WOOD LEAVES FOR HAVANA.
Calls at the War Department Before
Tnking His Departure.

Taking His Departure.
| Cen Leonard Wood, who has been
| cruising along the New England coast for
several weeks while recovering from the
attack of typhoid fever which he had in
| Havana was in Washington yesterday
| and called at the War Department. He
left last night for Norfolk. where he will
| take the steamer Kanawha today for Ha-
vana. He has completely recovered from
| his Illness and is again in good health
| and spirits. Immediately upon returning
| to Cuba he will make arrangements for
| the announcement of the coming election
| for Senators and Representatives In the
| Cuban Congress.
| He has been advised that the convention
! has nearly completed the electoral law
and he is returning to be ready 10 issue
the call for an election without delay. If
| the announcement is made by the lst OF
October, the election cannot be held until
some time in December and this would
| make the Cuban Presidential contest come
| some time in April.
| Until then, American control will con-
| tinue as all the elections to be held
| under the supervision of the intervening
| Government
General Wood says that all reports re-
| ceiyed by him since he left Cuba show
! that favorable conditions prevail in the
| island. The Government has a surplus
| OF about a million dollars in the treas
| ury and he is anxious to maintain this
reserve, He is not in favor of change
| in the Cuban tariff at this time. The
present tariff is perfectly safe, he says.
I as the revenue to be derived from II is
known and it would be dangerous to in
| stall new tariff which might not be so
| satisfactory.
| General Wood locks for the United
| State to assume the Indebtedness of about
| sl5, GOO caused by the work necessary to
answer the Senate resolution of the last
| Congress, calling for detailed reports on
the financial operations of the military
| government The work involved in hav-
ing all accounts audited and the reports
/ prepared was enormous and General
! Wood says in his report that it cost more
| than 100000. He thinks Congress will
| probably assume this Indebtedness as the
Information called for was for the United
States Government.
I'VE are ready to turn the government
! of Cuba over to the Cubans whenever
! they are ready to undertake the task of
governing themselves, said General
| Wood. 1t will be seven or eight months
! at least before they are ready. The Gu
| bans will have to prepare, of course. for
| the first election. and after it is held, an
| interval of nearly four months viii elapse
| before the second election Is held After
| that the organization of the Government
| will be made.
''As far as the United States is concern
| ed We are ready 10 turn the Affairs of
government over to the Cubans at any
time l think the CubaEs are very well
satisfied with the present condition OF at
| fairs, although, of course, rImors are be-
| ing constantly heard which worid lead
one to an entirely different opinion
THE Cubans elecred ttei- own ccnsti-
| tutional convention, and the convention
| adopted the constitution for the island. l
| am able to see no cause for complaint
| 1t is true. of course. that the island has
not yet recovered It's equilibrium 1t he's
not yet got on its feet, Tor the results of
the war were disastrous to the island.
Still, in a large measure, it has recov-
cred, and there is no room for c1riplaint-
"As an example of the improved condi-
ton of the island. from commercial
standpoint, can cite the sugar crop of
this year. which adequately shows the
enormous strides made by the island dur
ing the past twelve months. The sugar
This year the total yield will amount to
approximately 10000 tons, or more than
double the product of the amount of sugar
produced during the year before. This
shows a wonderful advance of the island
from commercial standpoint.
1T is true that there has been little
progress made in refitting the various
sugar mills destroyed during the war.
During this period, when Cuban indus
tries were at a standstill, great damage
was done to the machinery of many sugar
mills, which were almost completely de-
stroyed measures Of war. The mills
which escaped the general destruction are
now being run, and are able to grind all
the cane. and will be apparently, for some
time. The many mills which were par
TALLY or completely destroyed will be re-
paired and put to work. as the situation
demands an extra supply of manufac-
tories of sugar.
THE Cuban people, to large degree,
are prosperous. They have recovered to
a considerable extent from the effects of
the war, and | am confident that good
times are in store for the island. ] be-
lieve that, generally speaking, the people
are well off. and that the condition OF
affairs will continue to improve.
so far as the health and sanitary con-
ditions of the island are concerned / have
the most hopeful views. continued Gen
eral Wood. Havana has been cleansed
of the scou-ge of yellow fever, and for the
first time in years the disease does not
~ the Cuban mind with dread, or at
least not in this city. There is every in
dication that the plague of the disease
has been permanently banished from the
capital of the island. During the summer
just passed the city has been particularly
free of the fever, and in fact the entire
western portion Of the island has been in
a good sanitary condition.
The CubanS are thoroughly in accord
with advanced American ideas. They are
enthusiastic over the prospects of the
island They are charming and delight
full people when one knows them init
mately, and / am confident that closer re-
lations between Cuba and this country
will be productive of the best results. The
better the Cubans know the Americans
and the Americans know the Cubans. the
more cordial and satisfactory will be the
relations between the two countries