The Washington times., 1902-07-13
GEN. WOOD PRAISES
ARMYS WORK IN CUBA

Continued from First Page.)
reer was unexpected and unknown. and
the career OF the now President Of the
United States was undrcamed of. /
point to these two careers as object
lessons of an honorable, efficient, and.
! may say, to use modern expression,
strenuous sort, to show that the vaunted
spirit of 1776,' which survived in 1851,
and was even more apparent in 1898,
has not been lost They set mark.
We need not be ashamed to be
counted as imperialists. because such
Imperialism is representative OF brains,
of progress. and of Americansm-a
combination, not of wealth or power. but
which seeks TO make not only our own
Republic. but the whole world better.
l predict that in four years more we
can say even better things than all this
of the guest | now take pleasure in
presenting to you. GeneI. Wood"
Governor Woods Response.
After the applause which greeted
these words had subsided. General Wood
said:
Veterans of the Grand Army: I am
not given TO public speaking. but take
pleasure in speaking especially TO you
veterans of 1861 who saved the coun-
try. If you had not done so, l doubt
if we would have had the chance to do
anything. / appreciate this reception
because it comes from men who risked
all they had for what they thought TO
be right. and what was right. There
was no better example of good. clean
work than yours in that struggle.
The Spanish war vas a small war,
but 1t was one in which good features
were to be found, and lessons learned.
There is nothing that l can tell you
about war that you do not know ten
times. or one hundred times, better, but
you may be interested in knowing some
thing about Cuba.
b Under the Spanish regime there was
never a public school nor a hospital. The
death rate was appalling. and conditions
sere worse that the average imagina-
tiori could well picture. Soldiers drop
ped their arms TO go in there for civic
Improvement. Young men of years
service in the army were p-t in charge
OF reforms, of work new to them. They
did that work successfully, think They
did it honestly-not only for the Cubans,
but to do a good work for their coun-
try.
Representing the Nations Good Faith.
We were representing not ourselves
but the good faith OF the United States,
so that we could look back on just,
decent, and favorable outcome. We
dealt with disorderly people as they
ought to be dealt with, and they usually
ceased TO be disorderly. daughter and
applause.l
In three years there were no officers
tried, no charges preferred, no com
plant received Of maltreatment by any
officer or enlisted man OF the army, OF
any woman in the island. Never a dol
lar was charged as lost through an of
noer or soldier. They stuck to Their
work, did ii honorably, in the most sat
isfactory manner. Such work was pos
sible because of loyal, honest. and con-
stant support OF those high in authort-
~, by all those serving in any capacity
under them"
General Wood referred to the hnan-
Cial state Of Affairs when the island was
turned over TO the Cubans, and thCp
The last six months of the Ameri-
can occupation were hard months. Tile
people were looking with hopefuln.ss
toward reciprocity. Trade was dead in
the meantime. Otherwise there would
have been $500 OCO additional for them in
the island treasury.
A Situation of Anxiety.
THE situation there today is one of
anxiety. and they are worried and ur-
certain about the future II you pull
cut drowning man from the water.
and he needs drink of whisky to
keep him going. it is well to give him
the whisky. | leave the rest to your
Referring to the Philippines. General
Woods words touched upon the citargt 5
Of cruelty made against the army there
II they put a stain upon the nag. 1t
s the same kind OF a stain you put
here in the civil war. They are doing
night" he said There Is nothing
worse than unjust accusations against
men you know to be honest. who have
lone their work at the gacritice of
'e alth. former associations. and money.
The least they can expect Is Justice
md they are going to get il. There is
little more to say on this point. /
.now what you think. and | think you
NOW what / think
In expressing his appreciation for the |
eceptlon given him by the veterans. tire 1
orIner governor general said
There is nothing a soldier enjoys so |
luch as the appreciation Of men who |
now what the soldiers life is For that |
oason no invitation which have re |
eived have appreciated as much as
bis coming as II did from men who are
'ihrng TO risk all. Il they approve you
ou've got the best appreciation of this
r any other country"
A Prolonged Demonstration.
Prolonged cheering and vociferous ap-
lause were bestowed upon General Wood
n these sentiments. the demonstration
for some time after he had
ken his seat.
Toastmaster Warner proposed the toast