THE QUESTION OF THE CENTURY

Henry George.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, March 3, 1894.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Question of the Century.

   In the midst of the terrible pinch of hard times of 1893-4 one thing is gradually becoming clear—that is, that the economic organization of today is utterly inadequate to meet the needs of society and must be abolished and reconstructed on new principles. In New York nearly 70,000 people are suffering for want of food and clothes. In Chicago the number is still larger. At the woolen and cotton factories thousands of workmen go hungry because they cannot work at their trade of producing clothing.

   In the very same cities of New York and Chicago, where so many are starving, wheat is at the lowest price it ever reached. What is it that hinders the clothmakers from producing garments for the naked? What is it that hinders the starving from getting the wheat that will give them bread? On his part the farmer is suffering, and suffering fearfully, because there is nobody to buy his wheat and thus enable him to purchase the clothing which the factory workman ought to be making but is not.

   That is the situation today. What is the cause of it? What is the remedy? It is as if a hypnotic spell had been put upon the very wheels of industry and paralyzed them to inaction. The cause of it all lies deeper than the majority of even intelligent people imagine. The remedy is certainly not in souphouses and charity wood sawing.

   Henry George says the cause of hard times is to be found in the fact that a few people have taken possession of most of the land and run it up to enormous fictitious value, thus cutting off all the rest and rendering them hungry and homeless. The cure he proposes is to tax only land, and tax it so heavily that it will be no object to greedy speculators to grab it all away from the rest. Others as wise as George dispute this. Economic writers have shown only one thing—their inability to deal with the question. It is time for the American people themselves to take up the question, and putting aside all minor matters to think it out gravely, intelligently and conscientiously. The existence of this republic may depend on it.

IN FRONT OF A LOCOMOTIVE.

Two Ladies Upset upon the D., L. & W. R. R. Tracks.

   At about 10:45 o'clock this morning Mrs. A. D. Wallace and her guest, Miss Nellie Collins of Owego, had a very narrow escape from at least permanent injury and possibly death. The two ladies drove down Port Watson-st. and attempted to cross the D., L. & W. tracks in front of a switch engine which was coming up the track. The flagman was waving the flag and as they were partially across the tracks the young horse, belonging to Mrs. Wallace's father, Mr. John Hodgson, which she was driving, became frightened at either the engine or the flag and quickly turned to the left and began running up the track in front of the engine. He had only gone about twenty feet when the wagon was upset and both ladies were thrown out. Miss Collins lay insensible upon the track in front of the engine. The engineer sanded the tracks and the wheels slid along till within a few feet of her when it stopped. The engineer stated that had there been even a few cars behind the engine the momentum would have carried them over her body before he could have stopped them. He deserves a great deal of credit for his quick action.

   A number of people who happened to be near assisted the two ladies to the residence of Mr. George C. Hubbard and Dr. F. W. Higgins was called. Miss Collins was restored to consciousness and escaped as far as is known with a painful bruise on the side of her head. Mrs. Wallace also sustained a few bruises but was otherwise uninjured. Terry's cab took them to Mrs. Wallace's home.

   After the ladies were thrown out the horse ran up the street beside the tracks until he came to the Cortland Beef Co. There some one made an attempt to stop him and the animal dodged across the tracks to the platform of the station where he was captured by a brakeman upon the local freight. The axles of the carriage were badly bent and the whole vehicle was not materially improved by its experience.

Congressman Benjamin Funk.

Congressman Elisha Meredith.

ALMOST A CONFLICT.

BLOWS WERE NEXT IN ORDER IN THE HOUSE.

Mr. Meredith Shook His Fist In the Face of Mr. Funk and Then Members Interfered—All Over the Pensions Appropriation Bill—Speaker Crisp Called In to Restore Order—Fortifications Bill Passed.

   WASHINGTON, March 3.—The house entered upon the consideration of appropriation bills. The fortification bill, carrying something over $2,000,000, was passed in 25 minutes, and then the pension appropriation bill was taken up. This bill usually leads to a considerable display of political feeling, and this time was no exception.

   An altercation occurred between Mr. Meredith of Virginia and Mr. Funk of Illinois over the former's attempt to prove that there were many fraudulent pensions on the rolls, which almost resulted in a personal collision.

   Mr. Meredith (Dem., Va.) made a rather sensational speech. He said that he protested against making the pension roll a roll of dishonor, in the name of a state that had paid three times as much for pensions as Vermont.

   Toward the end of Mr. Meredith's speech a most exciting scene occurred which almost eventuated in a personal collision between him and Mr. Funk of Illinois.

   Mr. Meredith was still talking about fraudulent pensions and having an animated altercation with Mr. Baker of New Hampshire over a case which had come under his (Meredith's) personal observation, where a union soldier was obtaining a pension for a disability which he (Meredith) claimed he did not have.

   "If I can judge from the fact that the man seems healthy and strong," said he, "and yet gets a pension by reason of a disability, when I see him day by day, and week by week, and year by year, in my plain homespun country way of speaking, I say that I believe that the man lied when he went before the officials and swore that he had been crippled in the army."

   "I want to say if the gentleman is honest." interrupted Mr. Funk (Rep., Ills.) rising in his place, "and is stating what he believes to be true, that if he does not make that case known to the proper authorities he is not a good citizen."

   "I want to say this." returned Mr. Meredith, hotly, "that if the gentleman undertakes to insinuate that I am dishonest, if the gentleman undertakes to"—without completing his sentence, Mr. Meredith left his place to the right of the speaker's chair and hurried over to where Mr. Funk was standing in a side aisle to the left.

   "I did not say so," protested Mr. Funk, as Mr. Meredith advanced toward him in a threatening manner.

   "You had better not say so," returned Mr. Meredith, still advancing up the aisle.

   A personal encounter was imminent. Members crowded down about the belligerents amid the most intense excitement and confusion.

   They were both talking at the same time. Finally Mr. Meredith clenched his fist and shook it under the nose of his adversary.

   By this time Mr. Funk, who had previously displayed no feeling, shouted out something about standing by what he had said.

   Mr. Meredith again assumed a threatening posture, but the members who had crowded around gently took him by the shoulders as if to prevent a blow from being struck.

   All this time Mr. Outhwaite, who was presiding on the committee of the whole, was pounding vigorously for order, but without effect, and Speaker Crisp, who had been hurriedly sent for, mounted the rostrum and assumed the gavel, as he is allowed under the rules to do when the house is in committee of the whole in times of great disorder.

   "I undertake to say that you are not my keeper," shouted Mr. Meredith, as he was backed down the aisle by his friends.

   "I stand by that proposition," shouted back Mr. Funk, who was held on one side by Mr. Doolittle and on the other by Mr. Payne, "either here or anywhere else."

   A few raps of the speaker's gavel produced a measure of quiet. The house  recognized the hand of the presiding officer.

   "The sergeant-at-arms will cause gentlemen to be seated," said the speaker in firm tones. "Every gentleman will be seated," he continued.

   The assistant sergeant-at-arms rapidly cleared the aisles and the members resumed their seats. The excitement quieted down.

   Mr. Meredith walked back to his seat and sat down.

   After order had been restored, Mr. Meredith arose and protested amid laughter that he was not excited, but that gentlemen could hardly do here what they might do elsewhere.

   With this parting shot he closed his speech and the house, which was at a high tension, on motion of Mr. Sayers, took a recess.

General Jubal A. Early.

GENERAL EARLY EXPIRES.

Sketch of the Career of the Famous Confederate Officer.

   LYNCHBURG, Va., March 3.—General Jubal A. Early died last night at 10:30.

   The part luck plays in making or marring men's fortunes is illustrated in General Early's career. More than once during the civil war he came very near turning the scale at important crises in favor of his people, yet he emerged from the conflict under a cloud which remained to embitter the last 30 years of his life.

   Early was a Virginian. He was born in Franklin county in 1816, graduated at West Point, served with the regulars in Florida, and with the Virginia volunteers in Mexico, and at the first Bull Run led a brigade. In his second battle, Williamsburg, Va., May 5, 1862, he was severely wounded and did not resume his command until the battle of Cedar Mountain, Aug. 19, 1862. He fought at second Bull Run and Antietam and had the good fortune to command the line on Marye's Hill which checked the Union advance at Fredericksburg in May, 1863.

   At Gettysburg he commanded a division in Ewell's corps and led the same troops in the Wilderness campaign of 1864 up to the battle of Cold Harbor. After that battle he was sent to Lynchburg to oppose General David Hunter's attacks upon that important position. After repulsing Hunter he planned an invasion of the border states. General Lee gave him full discretion in the matter, and with 12,000 men (according to Confederate historians) he crossed the Potomac at Shepherdstown the first week in July. Grant's army lay at that time in front of Petersburg, fully engaged in the effort to inclose [sic] the place with besieging lines.

   So rapid were Early's movements that the Washington authorities had no forewarning of the raid. "Maryland was in a state of terror. The president called out the militia of the eastern states, and after considerable urging Grant sent the Sixth corps from Petersburg to Washington. On July 9 Early defeated a force composed of the garrison of Baltimore and a division of the Sixth corps, all under General Lew Wallace, at Monocacy Junction, Md., and immediately marched to the gates of Washington.

   Meanwhile his cavalry detachments threatened Baltimore and destroyed the railways north of that city, but the delay caused by these operations was fatal to Early's plans. It was the 12th before he was ready to attack the Washington defenses, and then a reconnaissance showed him that they were garrisoned by veterans of the Army of the Potomac. He abandoned the movement and returned to the Shenandoah valley.

   Sheridan soon confronted Early in the valley with troops from the army at Petersburg and defeated him in two battles, at Opequon and Fisher's Hill, Sept. 19 and 20. But on Oct. 19 Early surprised Sheridan's camps at Cedar Creek and came very near redeeming the valley from Union control. Sheridan saved his army by the memorable ride from Winchester and a stirring appeal to his troops.

   At the opening of the spring campaign in 1865 General Custer defeated Early at Waynesboro, and Lee was compelled by public opinion to select another commander for the Confederates in the valley.

   After the war General Early practiced law in Richmond and New Orleans and was associated with Beauregard in managing the Louisiana lottery. He died a bachelor, having had his first romantic love affair spoiled by the fickleness of a northern girl whom he rescued from drowning at White Sulphur Springs during his cadet days.

   The lovers were engaged, and the lieutenant was anticipating a happy termination to the romance when his hopes were blasted by the receipt of a newspaper containing a notice of the marriage of his charmer with a northern man. He put aside the uniform, with its hateful associations, and left the army until war's alarms summoned him to the battlefields of Mexico. After the Mexican war he returned to civil life.

   In 1867 General Early published a memoir of his campaigns. He was for a time president of the Southern Historical society.

ARMORY ATHLETICS.

CORTLAND WINS THE TUG-OF-WAR CONTEST AT ELMIRA.

They Won the Relay Race Too, but the Judges Gave it to Elmira. Decision Taken Good Naturedly by Cortland.

   The armory of the Twenty-sixth Separate Co., N. G. S. N. Y., at Elmira was Thursday night filled to the doors by a great crowd eager to see the athletic contests. The Cortland Athletic association had teams entered in many of the contests and the boys did very creditably. The contests were the forty-yard dash, the quarter-mile run, running high jump, half-mile run in heavy marching order, relay race and tug-of-war. In the three first contests Cortland men took good positions but won no prizes. In the relay race Elmira won the toss and took the inside. Gaffney led out for Cortland, followed by Welsh, Reagan and Hilligus, and Cortland won by one-half a lap, but the scorers failed to record one lap for Gaffney and the judges awarded the prize to the Twenty-sixth company. The audience hissed their disapproval.

   As the boys hope to have Elmira up here the last of the month and hope to do them up then they took the decision good naturedly and let it pass. But all those who kept the score except the official scorers noticed that Gaffney made his full run.

   The tug-of-war contest aroused the greatest interest. Cortland first pulled with the Mansfield (Pa.) Normal school and won by fifteen inches. The Mansfield school then forfeited the next heat to Elmira, and Elmira and Cortland pulled, the latter winning by seven inches. The beautiful Mexican onyx clock came to Cortland to ornament the clubhouse.

   The boys arrived home at 9:46 yesterday morning.

Prize Speaking at McLean.

   The prize speaking at the McLean school on Thursday evening was a grand success and reflected much credit upon all who took part, as well as upon the principal of the school, Mr. John R. Vunk, and those who assisted him in drilling the young people. The following was the program:

   Music—Normal quartet, F. B. Niles, R. E. Corlew, J. N. Meaker, M. L. Farrell.

   The Battle of Gettysburg, Allen Stout.

   Nobody's Child, Olla Dutcher.

   Master Johnnie's Next Door Neighbor, Lena Robinson.

   Music.

   The Battle Flags, Isaac Benham.

   The Maniac, Lillian Benham.

   The Little Regiment, James Kennedy.

   Song of the Market Place, Mary Per Lee.

   The Dying Trooper, Albert Cross.

   Music.

   The judges were Messrs. A. B. Freeman, Jr., R. E. Corlew and M. L. Farrell of the Normal school. They had some trouble in deciding as to the merits of the speaking, but finally awarded the first boy's prize to Albert Gross, with honorable mention to Isaac Benham, and the first girl's prize to Mary Per Lee, with honorable mention to Lillian Benham. The boy's prize was a Wirt fountain pen. The girl's prize was a pearl handled gold pen.

   Among the audience were ten couples of students from the McGrawville school, who went over to enjoy the ride and to see how the McLean speaking compared with that of their school. Twenty Normal boys also went over and they had supper at the Elm Tree house before returning. Some impromptu speeches followed, Mr. Vunk acting as toastmaster.

Annual Jug Breaking at McGrawville.

   The annual meeting and jug breaking of the Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary society of the Presbyterian church, McGrawville, N. Y., occurred at the manse on Thursday evening, Mar. 1. An appropriate program was rendered, consisting of devotional exercises, singing, recitations and a silent reading.

   After the reading of Judges vii:15-23 and a word of comment by the pastor, the jugs were broken and their contents counted. The total amount raised by the society thus far this year, including the contents of the jugs, is $70, to be equally divided between home and foreign missions.

   During the year the society has held monthly missionary teas at the homes of the different members, seventy-two ladies of the congregation being appointed to provide simple refreshments for these meetings. This committee of seventy-two was divided into twelve sub-committees of six ladies, each committee furnishing refreshments for one meeting during the year. This plan has resulted in an increased interest in the great object of the society, the extension of the kingdom of Christ.

BREVITIES.

   —Additional local will be found on the sixth page to-day.

   —The ordinance of baptism will be administered at the First Baptist church, to-morrow morning, at the close of the sermon.

   —There will be a praise service, conducted by Mr. A. M. Waterbury at the East Side readingroom [sic] Sunday afternoon at 4:15 o'clock.

   —Rev. G. H. Brigham will preach in Memorial Baptist chapel, Sunday afternoon, at 4 o'clock. A cordial invitation is extended to all, especially residents of the neighborhood,

   —Syracuse celebrates the centennial anniversary of its founding on Monday, March 5. Public exercises will be held in Wieting opera house and it will be a gala day throughout the city.

   —Mr. E. S. Burrows has received his yearly box of Shamrock from his cousin, Rev. Ashley Craig, rector of a church at Fullamore, Kings county, Ireland. The box was sent Feb. 19 and arrived in fine condition.

   —Mrs. Sarah Patrick Hutton, mother of Rev. Alfred J. Hutton, pastor of St. Peter's church in Rochester, formerly pastor of the Presbyterian church in Cortland, died at her late home in Penn Yan on Feb. 19, at the age of eighty years after a protracted illness.

   —The Old Homestead quartet gave an excellent concert at the Opera House last night. The quartet is exceedingly fortunate in its first tenor who has a fine voice, Miss Girardeau, the reader, was well received, and her selections seemed to be well adapted to her style and ability.

   —A meeting of the board of directors of the Cortland and Homer Horse Railroad Co., was held yesterday afternoon. The gentlemen representing the Scranton company who want to buy the road and put in electricity were present and the whole matter was talked over. It is reported that the interview was very satisfactory to both parties and, though no transfer of stock was made, or decisions action taken, still preliminary steps were made looking toward that end.