Milford chronicle., 1920-01-30

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 re-write the election
laws to 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-
lished 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 it when
the rule of the island was turned over
to its inhabitants.
When 1t became necessary to reor-
ganize the Cuban railroads Wood Sc
cured the services of Sir William Van
Horne, president of the Canadian Pa.
cific, 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 tire
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
tlce, was consulted as to the method to |
be pursued in reorganizing the courts. |
Leonard Wood was in Cuba about
four years. He left there q reOrgan- [
lied and sound banking system, a
good railroad system, no debts, nearly .
100000 unincumbered money in the |
treasury, a sugar crop Of nearly 1OOO,- /
600 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 Wood
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 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-
velt said that Leonard Wood 'has
services to Cuba of a kind
which, If performed three thousand
years ago, would have made him a
hero mixed up with the sun god in va
.iOus ways"
After the Cuban exneriance Wood
vas for FIVE years in the Philippines
confronted with the difficult labor Of
a civil government, this
line among a MOhammedan people.
There he did the same successful
work he did in Cuba.
This period of residence ir the Phil
ppines gave Wood an opportunity to
'tudy conditions in the British colo
lies, Borneo, Singapore. and to keep
n close touch with conditions in
Japan and along the China coast.
Wood Travelled through India, spent
iome time with the Dutch in Java, and
With Lord Cromer in Egypt. He
,ained and retained knowledge Of all
which at that time came under his stu
lious observation.
Then Leonard Wood became chief
4 the general staff Of the United
states army. In whose hands rests
-ery largely the direction and admin
stration Of the military establishment,
which after all is 30 per cent bust.
less matter.
The administrative career Of Leon.
rd Wood is spread upon the records
( his country. The work which he
as done is lasting. It is a states
mans work.