The Grit-advocate., 1902-08-15
AMERICAN WORK IN CUBA.
What This Country Has Done for the
New Republic.


Insular Affairs of the War Department
has prepared statement showing
what the United States achieved dur
ing the occupation of Cuba from the
time the military government was es
tablished, July IS, 1895, until May
1902.
At the close of hostilities in Cuba. il
is stated, the country was in state
of devasttion and ruin. both in its
political organization and its industrial
condition. Without precedent to guide
and many of them without previous
experience in state affairs. the officers
of the United States army at once un'
dertook to set up form of govern,
ment which would provide sutticien,
revenues for the immediate needs and
which might be devoted into a stable
and lasting system.
Sixteen custom houses were estab,
lished, one at the chief port, Havana
and others at the principal supports
of the island, and tariffs We're put in
force. The principal changes in the
tariff have been the general reduction
Of duties on exports from time to time
until April l, 1901. when these duties
We're entirely abolished
Postotiices We're opened Throughout,
the island and native postmasters were
appointed. More than 800 postottices
were established
There was esta ablished a department
of finance, presided over by a general
treasurer, and six provincial treasur.
ers, one for each province. Subse,
quently these provinces We're redis.
tricted and formed into eleven so-called
fiscal zones. These officers conducted
the assessment and collection of con.
veyances. inheritance. commercial and
industrial taxes, and administered in.
ternal affairs-municipal schools, hos.
p!tals. public works. fostering indus.
tries and stocking farms and planta.
tions. Thousands of brood cattle and
horses We're purchased and resold to
the natives on easy terms, enabling
them to resume work. which would not
otherwise have been possible
Ihe number of school houses pro
vided nearly equal those in this coun
try for corresponding area.
There was constructed telegraph
line, connecting with the principal cit.
les throughout the island, and main.
tained by the United States signal
corps.
Public roads We're opened throughout
the island, which, together with the
construction and repair of bridges
have been of incalculable benefit to the
Inhabitants.
AS sanitary measure the streets OF
many of the cities We're paved and eX,
tensive systems of sewerage con
structed.
The harbors of the island were great.
ly improved; an admirable system OF
buoys and beacons established, govern
ment warehouses and docks were re-
paired and constructed, and regula
tons, conforming to those in vogue IL
this country. governing the harbors OF
the island, We're established.
That the administration of the de
partment of sanitation was judicious
and thorough in its results is apparent
in the large decrease of the death rat
in the island since modern sanitatio
measures have prevailed. The dealt
rate. prior to this time had been al
high as eighty and ninety in the thou
sand. but decreased to less than twen
ty-three in one thousand: and durin,
the season just passed. when yellow
fever was formerly at its height, Ha
vana was entirely free from this epi
dcmic.