The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-15
Gen. woods OmclaI Reports.

The official reports Of the Military Gov
ernor OF Cuba for 1901 and 1902 have re-
Gently been issued. Added to the report
for 1900, the volumes occupy nearly four
lineal feet Of shelving.
The cost OF the production OF this mass
OF statistical and other information can
not be known until there is presented the
only information which the reports do
not contain, namely, an Ineligible and
comprehensive statement Of receipts and
expenditures. The reports are. prop
sr,y, accounts and statements Of the work
of the War Department Of the United
States But the expense Of publishing
vast mass Of utterly useless information
is charged to the insular Treasury. From
that which is known, the cost OF publish
ing and distributing this matter u esti-
mated at not less than $4,000.
Official records are as necessary and
as important a. officials. The publica-
ton OF some portion Of these records is
eminently desirable. But wherein lies
the necessity or even the desirability OF
taxing Cubas little revenues to print
volumes Of petty and insignificant details
Of governmental processes; to reproduce
photographs Of buildings at various
stages Of repair or construction, and
plumbing work at different periods Of
installation; to print statistical sheets
OF all the minute details of court processes
throughout the island; and generally to
weary and confuse readers or students
with an intricate mass OF matter which
endlessly taxes the time and the patience
of the very limited number Of those who
ever look at the reports We're that to
be done in the United States which has
been done in Cuba's case, it would DO
counted an offence 40 fragrant and 80
extravagant that no Administration
would ever dare to repeat it,
Nor do these reports furnish that which
either American or Cuban readers most
desire or most need to know. Laying
aside ths acres OF useless statistics. the
body OF the reports consists largely
Of self-laudatory or self-congratulatory
state ments made by those who have in
terest in making such statements. They
furnish certain information which is OF
use to the historian. but they constitute
no accurate history OF the American Gov
eminent OF Intervention in Cuba. They
are Of value to the specialist and the
special student, but such may be counted
on the fingers without making q second
trip. These cumbrous volumes are issued
in Thousands Of sets, and scores of thou
sands OF Cuba g limited dollars go into the
ash heap
In The Sun OF May 4 we commented
on the confusion which exists in the state
men,Y concerning the insular revenues
cnd expenditures With all these reports
at hand. presumably complete, ii is abso-
lutely impossible to draw up statement
which will show even the total Of receipts
and expenditures with any assurance OF
it's accuracy. Departmental statements
do not correspond, and summarized
statements do not correspond with the
details Of which they are made up. Many
rumors and charges are in circulation in
Cuba regarding the Use Of Cuban funds.
These should be either confirmed or
clearly disproved by proper financial
statement.
No objection can be made to the pub
lication OF useful, important or inter-
estinR reports but why such mass OF
useless and tiresome matter from which
the most important facts and figures are
>vcluAod