The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-01-29

varieties Of 1t than 1t has been the lot
Of many men ever to have placed up
on their shoulders.
Not long after this there came the
greater opportunities In Havana. 1t
was necessary to re-write the election
laws 60 make them fit the habits of the
people. Production had to be stimu.
lated. for agriculture was the main
source of the islands wealth. Here
again the same measures were follow.
ed and as a result there were estab.
llshed law and order, protection of
life and property, and liberty with.
In the law.
These were the foundation stones
Wood knew that the government must
be run by the Cubans, and so 80 per
cent of the officials engaged in the
great work Of reconstruction were
selected from the people Of the island
The Cubans were taught government
while the government was being built
and thus they were able to run 1t wher
the rule Of the island was turned ovel
to It's inhabitants.
When 1t became necessary to e
ganize the Cuban railroads Wood sc.
cured the services Of Sir william Van
Horne, president Of the Canadian Pa.
cific, and Of Granville M. Dodge. build.
err Of the Union Pacific.
The same general policy was fol
lowed In dealing with the problem OF
parinU for Tho fms nf thnYJcan1c ~
orphans that had been left by the war
Homer Folks, commissioner of chart
ties Of the state Of New York, wal
called to Cuba by Wood to aid in TIN
establishment of q system for placing
and permanently caring for these lit
tie desolates. Chief Justice White
Of the Supreme court Of the United
States, at that time an associate jus.
ttce. was consulted as to the method ia
be pursued In recognizing the courts
Leonard Wood was In Cuba about
four years. He left there q reorgan'
lied and sound banking system, q
good railroad system, no debts, nearly
100000 unincumbered money In the
treasury, a sugar crop Of nearly 1000,
900 tons. sound municipal laws, fine
public works, a firm agricultural
foundation and an absolute respect
among the people for life and prop
erty. The school system which Woot
established was founded on the laws
Of Massachusetts and Ohio. Roads
were built which made communication
speedy. The hospitals erected under his
supervision were Of the highest type
Lord Cr0mer said he wished this
american officer was available to fol
low him in his reconstruction work
in Egypt. Elihu Root said this work
never was %paralleled In colonial pos
seesicns anywhere. Theodore Roose
Welt said that Leonard Wood "has
rendered services to Cuba of a kind
which, II performed three thousand
years ago. would have made him o
hero mixed up with the sun god In va.
rious ways"
After the Cuban experience Wood
was for Ave years In the Philippines
confronted with the difficult labor Of
establishing a civil government. this
time among q Mohammedan people
There he did the same successful
work he did In Cuba.
This period Of residence In the Phil.
ippines gave Wood an opportunity to
study conditions In the British colo.
MES, Borneo, Singapore. and to keep
in close touch with conditions in
japan and along the China coast.
Wood Travelled through India, spent
some time with the Dutch In Java, and
with Lord Cromer In Egypt. He
gained and retained knowledge Of all
which at that time came under his stu.
dious observation.
Then Leonard Wood became chief
Of the general staff of the United
States army, In whose hands rests
very largely the direction and admin
istration of the military establishment,
which after all Is 90 per cent a bust
ness matter.
The administrative career CO Leon
ard Wood is spread upon the records
of his country. The wc-k -wsh!ch he
has done Is lasting. It Is 2 states
mqnsS work.