Sky Rocket and Roman Candle Oratory

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 19, 1896.

REGISTRATION.

   For voters in Cortland village there are four registration days, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9 and 10, and Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17, from 8 A. M. to 9 P. M. Every voter living in this village must appear in person to register on one of these four days, or he will not be permitted to vote on Election day. The names of all voters residing outside of the village who voted at the last general election are to be placed on the registry lists by the inspectors of election upon the first registration day. If these voters did not vote at the last general election they must appear in person and register or they cannot vote.

   For voters of Cortland county outside of Cortland village there are two registration days, Saturday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 A. M. to 9 P. M.

Personal registration is not required of these voters, but no one will be permitted to vote who is not registered.

   Every one, both in Cortland and outside of it, should, however, either personally or otherwise make sure beyond any question that he is registered.

DRY GOODS MEN WORKING.

Republicans and Democrats Shoulder to Shoulder in New York.

NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 1896.

To the Editor of the Standard:

   SIR:—Any Republican in Cortland county who lacks confidence and enthusiasm in the present political campaign, or rather business campaign, should attend some of the daily mid-day gatherings in the large vacant dry goods store of E. S. Jaffery & Co., 350 Broadway, where I have bought goods for the past thirty years. The meetings are held under the auspices of the Wholesale Dry Goods Republican club, and are unlike anything ever witnessed in this city. Here are daily congregated all classes of men rich and poor, high and low, regardless of former political affiliations, all seemingly with but one aim and one purpose— the protection of the national currency and the upholding of the honor and integrity of this blessed country. The room is lavishly decorated with flags, bunting, shields and portraits of McKinley [presidential candidate] and Hobart [vice-presidential candidate] and other men of renown and distinction.

   The first of these meetings was held on Tuesday noon last. The room was literally packed and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. It was a grand and inspiring sight. Here were seen the wealthy merchant and his burlaps-aproned porter, the millionaire and his coachman, the contractor and his employee, the artist and the artisan standing side by side eagerly listening to and heartily applauding the different speakers. Major Strong, the president of the club, made the opening speech, at the conclusion of which the vast audience joined in singing “My Country 'tis of Thee." General Porter, Chauncey M. Depew, Lemual E. Quigg and others spoke, each upon different subjects. The cheering news on that day from Maine added largely to the spirit and enthusiasm of the occasion.

   Meetings of a similar character should be inaugurated not only in Cortland, but all over the country. Any man who has a good speech to make for sound-money and protection is at liberty and welcome to do so at these meetings— none are debarred. Sky rocket and Roman candle oratory is not required nor desired. [Reference to William Jennings Bryan’s oratory] The issues at stake are too serious and momentous. People want to be enlightened, instructed, assured and when thus equipped they will surely follow the example of Vermont and Maine.

   The New York Sun speaks editorially of these gatherings as follows:

   From now until the close of the campaign meetings in support of sound money will be held during the noon hour in this city. Of course, it will mean little time for lunch. But what of that? The political circumstances are altogether exceptional and the public spirit is roused. When the ugly spectre is driven out the people will go back to their ordinary habits. Some may ask why these meetings should be held in the city of a state that is sure and safe for national honor. But an ordinary victory is not enough. The repudiation of Bryanism ought to be as complete as the greatest enthusiasm for what is right can possibly make it. In addition, it will be good for sound Democrats and sound Republicans, who have joined hands in this great crisis, to see something of each other at close range.

   The tide is fast turning in favor of McKlnley and all he represents, and for proof of this assertion, we point to this city, the great hotbed of Democracy. On every hand are signs of a radical change. Lifelong Democrats are boldly and openly outspoken for McKinley, and some remarkable conversions are cited. I may be pardoned if I relate one of these: Immediately after the Republican nominations, two fellow salesmen in one of the largest dry goods houses in this city, one a Democrat and the other a Republican, entered into a wager. The latter bet $50 that McKinley would be the next president, and $50 additional that he would carry the state of New York. The money was put up—the Democrat betting in the negative. The two men are now members of one Republican club, and both are working for the election of Mr. McKinley—one to win and the other to lose the wager.

   The marked preponderance of Republican banners is another striking evidence of such change, and to which one's attention is not unfrequently called. There are not 16 to 1 [ratio of silver to gold], but more than 32 to 1 in favor of the great champion of protection and sound-money. The present course of political action of this great center of commerce, of wealth, of intelligence, of activity, should be a straw of encouragement and hope, not only to the Empire state, but to the entire country. Her lowest estimate for McKinley, protection and prosperity in this state is 200,000 majority.

 

G. J. M.

[George J. Mager, Cortland Dry Goods proprietor]

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, September 25, 1896.

Surprised the Head of the Firm.

   The junior members of the firm of G. J. Mager & Co., with pardonable pride, showed our representative the marked improvements in their cloak and suit room in the south east corner on the second floor of the Schermerhorn block [43-49 Main Street]. During Mr. Mager’s recent visit to New York City. They took advantage of his absence and on his return home surprised him with almost an entire transformation in that department of the establishment. They painted, varnished, polished and garnished the room and furniture and covered the floor with a new pro-brussels carpet. It is now one of the best equipped and most attractive cloakrooms in Cortland full of new and stylish garments for ladies and children.