Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-01-22

varieties of it than it 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 rewrite the election
laws to make them lit 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 We're follow
ed and as a result there were estab-
lished law and order, protection ot
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 liz 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 it when
the rule of the island was turned ove-'
to its inhabitants.
When it became necessary to reor-
ganfze the Cuban railroads Wood se-
cured the services of Sir William Van
Horne, president of the Canadian Pa
citic, and Of Granville NJ. Dodge, build
er of the Union Pacific.
The same general policy was fol-
lowed in dealing with the problem of
caring for the tens of thousands of
orphans that had been left by the war.
Homer Folks, commissioner of chari-
ties Of the state of New York, was
called TO Cuba by Wood to aid in the
establishment Of a 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
tice, was consulted as to the method to
be pursued in reorganizing the courts
Leonard Wood was in Cuba about
four years. He left there a reorgan-
lied and sound banking system, a
good railroad system, no debts, nearly
$20OO,O0O unincumbered money in the
treasury, a sugar crop of nearly 1.0OO,-
600 tons, sound municipal laws, fine
public works, firm agricultural
foundation and an absolute respect
among the people for life and prop
erty. The school system which Wood
established was founded on the laws
Of Massachusetts and Ohio. Roads
were built which made communication
speedy. The hospitals erected under his
supervision We're of the highest type
Lord Cromer 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
sessions anywhere. Theodore RooSe-
welt said that Leonard Wood has
rendered services to Cuba of kind
which, if performed three thousand
years ago, would have made him a
hero mixed up with the sun god in va
riouS ways"
After the Cuban experience Wood
was for five years in the Philippines
confronted with the difficult labor of
establishing civil government, this
time among 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 80 per cent busi-
ness matter.
/ The administrative career Of Leon.
/ ard Wood is spread upon the records
Of his country. The work which he
has done is lasting. It Is states
mans work.
A