The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-25

linus the nrbC TWO years u hiAoAAcnA
administration show an accumulation OF
$2,7OO,OOo, Of which about 100000 was
saved by Gen. Brooke. The total Is little
less than the Cuban balance for Cuba 8
single year. During the last two American
years Gen. Wood plunged into his treasury
and overspent his revenues by 5000 900,
without apparently accomplishing anything
more than has been done by the Cubans
with their much smaller outlay. Cuba's
most pronounced success has been Ia the
economy OF her administration.
An interesting point appears in the realm
Of law and order which may have some
bearing upon the Cuban success in that
department. At the time OF the American
occupation the jails and prisons OF the
island were crowded with people who were
held upon all sorts Of charges. for crimes
against the law and for political offences ,
and there were many against whom no
charges whatever could be found. Many were
also found who were held. in some cases un-
lawfully, as witnesses. Under Gen. Brooke
a considerable jail delivery was e6ecte d
ofthose detained for purely political offences
and Of those whose further detention was
manifestly unjust or unlawful. The method
adopted by Gen. Wood has never been fully
understood. A tabulation shows that dur
ing his incumbency, covering q period Of
two and half years, he issued pardons
OF release to more than 1000 offenders who
we're under sentence or under trial for
their offences.
1t is entirely probable that in some cases,
perhaps in many, this executive clemency
was fully justified and may have been meri-
u, Il snl, hA
occasion of much comment, and q promi-
nent Judge of the higher criminal court
stated in private conversation that it
was useless to impose sentence upon GRIM
inals because the Governor General would
so quickly pardon them. The press Of the
island complained of the prevalence of
crime because Of the releases thus effected.
This process was kept up until the very
closing days Of the Wood regime. Within
the three days Immediately preceding his
departure Gen. Wood issued pardons, re-
mitted fines or suspended penal action
in thirty-two specific cases. Among the
crimes committed by some OF those thus
pardoned there appear murder, robbery,
forgery Of an official document, bribery,
and misrepresentation Of funds.
President Estrada Palma has been a
man of harder heart and, perhaps, of
sounder judgment. He holds the belief
that the proper place for a criminal is be-
hind the bars. When pressure was brought
TO bear upon MIN for the pardon Of the
strike rioters Of last fall. he replied that
those men had been duly tried by the courts
of the island, found guilty and sentenced
to punishment in accordance with the law.
He therefore refused to interfere with the
processes Of the law. This attitude on the
part Of the Executive may account, in some
measure. for the general prevalence Of
order in the island during the last twelve
months
The departments OF sanitation and edu-
cation have already been commented upon.
The department of public works has been
equally we'll maintained. Harbors and
lighthouses have received their due and
proper attention. Harbors have been
dredged; roads and bridges have been
constructed. In this department, as in
various others. Gen Wood stands to reap
a credit which does not belong to him.
During his control that official effected
certain improvements in the rortherly
end of Havana's famous Prado and con-
structed short stretch Of driveway west
ward along the sea front. Upon the upper
end Of the northern half OF the Prado he
placed a memorial tablet declaring that
the street was reconstructed by Gen. Leon
ard Wood, At the beginning Of the Male
con, or water front driveway, he placed
another tablet which stated that the said
Malecon was constructed by Gen. Leonard
Wood. Since his departure the Cubans
have reconstructed the southern end Of
the Prado, made notable improvements In
the Parque Central, which bisects the cele-
brated driveway, and have constructed
several times as much Malecon as Gen.
Wood did. But those beautiful tablets
remain to inform visiting Americans that
all that has been done. and all that may
be done, was the work Of the distinguished
Military Governor-until some day when
the Cubans may be inspired with cour-
age to pull those tablets down or to set
up others which will declare that the work
was done with their money and that the
major portion of it was done by their own
administration.
In all the routine processes Of admins
tration Cuba has done exceeding well,
and compliments and congratulations upon
her achievements are quite in order. But
an economically run household does not
necessarily argue generally prosperous
family. In the industrial life Of the island