AN ANTI-SNAPPER SOFT SNAP

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, September 10, 1894.

AN ANTI-SNAPPER SOFT SNAP.

Custom House and Postoffice Influence in Cortland County.

   The convention of the representatives of Cortland county Democracy held in this village on Saturday last was a notable gathering. Never, probably, in the history of the county have so many holders of government office come up to make county nominations. The official contingent included the following: One national bank examiner, one pension examiner, one custom house official, and a half dozen or more postmasters.

   The Cortland postmaster acted as a reserve, not to be called on except in case of urgent need. The managers of the affair thought it would look better when the Cortland Democrat's calliope began to whistle and steam forth the praises of the convention if the name of the postmaster-editor did not appear among the delegates. Besides this, the alacrity with which Hill and Murphy had the nomination of Editor Jones confirmed, when other nominations were hung up, has always been somewhat against his anti-snapperism, and has left a suspicion that his devotion to the consecrated one is not of that copper-bottomed, double-riveted character that would stand a heavy strain.

   Presumably faithful sentinels from this town, or from the official contingent, were posted on various delegations to see that the shaky ones did their duty. Geo. C. Hubbard of Cortland looked after Homer, but surprised every one by apparently slipping his trolley and offering a resolution endorsing Hill. This was specially astonishing because he has been regarded as one of the rankest anti-Hill men in the county. It can only be explained on the ground that he traded this eulogistic wind for some solid votes, or that he designed it in the interest of harmony, as salve for the wounds of the beaten Hillites.

   Wm. B. Hunt of the Custom House looked after the appraisal of the Lapeer delegates. Postmaster Wilson of Marathon was planted in the Preble garden, and spread himself like a burdock; Geo. L. Warren of Cortland helped Mr. Wilson to hold steady the administration lines in the same town, and Michael Comfort, also of Cortland, was the third foreigner who labored to express the yearnings of the Democracy of the northern tier of towns.

   James R. Schermerborn of Cortland, backed by Pension Fxaminer Dana, aided to raise the war cry for Willet and swell the tide of anti-snapper enthusiasm, and Major General John Courtney, Jr., with headquarters in the saddle, issued his orders from the far-off hills of Cuyler.

   Truth compels us to say that the general's forces showed excellent discipline. Gratitude for loaves and fishes past and present, and hopes of more to come, swelled their bosoms and gave them "hearts for any fate." At every toot of the bugle they formed and wheeled and charged with reckless heroism for victory or death. When they left the field it was only after they had carried the day, and in order to give their weary general a chance to rest and plan a new campaign and prepare new orders. It had come to his ears, as it has to many other ears, that one or two of the unsuccessful candidates at the recent Republican County convention are indiscreetly endeavoring to get signers enough to a paper to place an independent ticket in the field, and General Courtney wishes to know how this move results before he makes out the Democratic county ticket.

   In this he shows political wisdom, though a Democratic endorsement of an independent Republican nominee will not count for very much this year. And just now there is a great deal better prospect of a Democratic kick against Custom House and postoffice influence in Democratic county conventions than there is of any opposition large enough not to be ludicrous against the remarkably strong Republican county ticket. There was more than the mere rumbling of a coming storm in the convention of last Saturday, and it may result in a general ripping up of things Democratic hereabout.

KILLED BY THE CARS.

MATT UNDERWOOD LOSES HIS LIFE WHILE INTOXICATED.

He was Struck by a D., L & W. Train—His body was Horribly Mutilated—He Leaves a Wife and Son.

   As one of the Italians at Whitney's Point was going to do some washing early Sunday morning he discovered the remains of Matt Underwood strewn along the track back of the cemetery.

   The unfortunate man was last seen Saturday night in an intoxicated condition. He had started for his home which is about two miles below the village. It is not known whether he had fallen asleep on the track or had staggered in front of a passing train and been struck by it. Among other things, a bottle was found in his pocket.

   After Coroner Seymour had viewed the remains they were placed in charge of Undertaker M. O. Eggleston and at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon were interred. The funeral was held at the cemetery. The deceased was about 60 years of age and leaves a wife and a grown up son.

OFF FOR SARATOGA.

Elmira and Cortland Knights Templars Start on a Special.

  A private excursion party consisting of Knights Templars and their families from Cortland and Elmira went to Saratoga this morning to attend a three-days' session of the grand conclave of the grand commandery, K. of T., of the state of New York. The special excursion train consisting of a passenger coach and combination passenger and baggage car arrived in Cortland over the E., C. & N. from Elmira at about 11 o'clock this morning. It contained members and their families to the number of forty, of St. Omer's Commandery, No. 19, K. T.

   The Cortland party went in a special car attached to this train, and included the following: Commander and Mrs. A. B. Nelson, Past Commander and Mrs. G. L. Warren, Past Commander and Mrs. H. T. Dana and daughter, Mrs. Barnard of Syracuse, Captain General and Mrs. Albert Allen and daughter, Miss Harriet Allen, Generalissimo C. S. Bull, Mr. and Mrs. A. D. Wallace, Mr. and Mrs. Fitz Boynton, Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Hakes, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bushby, Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Bliss, Messrs. Delos Bauder and A. Leach.

   The excursionists were joined at Canastota by Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Williams. Conductor W. D. Coe and Engineer James Barlow were in charge of the train. The party expect to return Wednesday evening.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.

Last Week of the Regular Session of the Body.

   ALBANY, Sept. 10—Today begins the final work of the constitutional convention so far as the expense to the state per diem for each member is concerned. It is not, however, at all probable that even with the caucus rule adopted last week the convention will be able to finish its work. Up to this time it is the plan of the leaders to take an adjournment from Saturday of this week until two weeks from today, which will be the first day of October, to allow the members, a great many of whom are delegates to the two conventions at Saratoga, to take part in them without interfering with the work of the convention.

   The plan of the majority, so far, is to take up measures on third reading and begin their final passage or defeat tomorrow morning.

   By that time caucus rules will have been adopted to force all measures to a vote without any discussion on the main proposition; but even with such procedure as this, the minority, in offering amendments and asking for votes on all propositions, will be able to prevent the passage of more than two or three of the proposed amendments.

   The assembly and senate apportionment will probably be taken up first, in order to get it out of the way and upon this it is expected there will be another fight between the minority and majority.

   The educational article will follow and this also will take up a good share of the time until Saturday. The forestry article will also attract some attention.

   The other amendments on third reading will probably lay over until the convention meets again before they are finally considered.

The Niagara Falls Matter.

   ALBANY, Sept. 10.—The Niagara river matter has not as yet been disposed of, and will come in for a share of the debate today in the constitution convention. Mr. Becker of Erie has prepared a substitute which he believes will protect municipalities now taking water for the purpose of running elevators, furnishing a city water supply or running motors, and will also protect the state if it desires to take water for canal purposes.

   The substitute proposes that the right to divert the water of the Niagara river shall be regulated by the commissioners of the land office in such a manner that the diversion will not in any way impair the beauty or grandeur of the falls or of the state reservation property, but will expressly reserve the power of the legislature to regulate the diversion of waters for canal purposes and for canal slips. The legislature may also preserve the rights of municipal corporations to use water for fire, sanitary or household purposes. It is believed that this proposition will be favorably received.

STATE CONVENTIONS.

The Season Opens at Saratoga Tomorrow With the Populists.

   ALBANY, Sept. 10.—The convention season of the Saratoga resort opens tomorrow with the Populists, closely followed next week with the Republicans and the week following with the Democratic gathering.

   The People's party convention will probably be composed of one delegate from each assembly district and the others on the usual basis.

   The interest naturally centers in the Republican and Democratic conventions as the ones of the two dominant parties in the state.

   The Republican convention will be the most interesting because of the fight that will be made by the candidates who have hoisted the banner of candidacy and the general uncertainty that seems to exist as to who the candidate will be.

   The Democratic convention will have little or no trouble with its gubernatorial nomination, but may find some trouble in selecting a running mate for Governor Flower, although at this writing it is probable that a slate will be agreed upon long before the convention meets.

   The representation by delegates in the Republican and Democratic conventions differ very materially. Democratic representation is based on assembly district divisions, each district being apportioned three delegates. The full convention, therefore, being composed of 884 members.

   The Republicans, on the other hand, make their representation at conventions dependent upon the vote cast in each district at the preceding presidential election. Each assembly district gets one delegate and one for every 1,000 Republicans or majority fraction thereof. Their full body this year will therefore consist of 730 delegates.

A Diminutive Baby.

   NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 10.—George Frome, an employe of the Cresent City Railroad company, is the father of perhaps the smallest living baby in the world. The child is a boy, perfect in form, with regular features. Its weight is nine ounces. From the crown of its tiny head to the soles of its feet is about 10 inches. Its arms are not larger than a man's thumb and its legs in proportion. It is in the best of health and its mother says it can cry as vigorously as any other baby. Mr. Frome is 45 years old, weighs 175 pounds and is hale and hearty. The mother is 44 years old and weighs 125 pounds. The couple have had 17 children, two of whom, besides the baby, are Lilliputians. One of them is Frank, 18 years old, weight 40 pounds, who is with a circus company. The other is 12 years old and weighs a little over 16 pounds.

USS Minneapolis.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Avoiding Strikes.

   One fact is apparent in the midst of all labor troubles: wherever a friendly spirit exists between employers and employed, there are apt to be few strikes.

   For three generations the Cramp ship yard has been in operation at Philadelphia. In all that time there have been only two strikes in the works, and these two were speedily and satisfactorily adjusted. Many of the carpenters and workmen in the shipyard have been in the employ of the Cramps from the time that they were old enough to drive a nail, and they are now gray-headed. In some instances grandfather, father and son have lived their laboring life in the shops. Most of the men are of American birth and ancestry. The disturbing element in workshops came to America with the foreigner. Low priced labor and strikes go together.

   Between the Cramps and their employees there exists the old-fashioned spirit of community of interest between master and man. The prosperity of the one means the prosperity of the other, and the men understand this. When the Minneapolis spurted out from the Cramps' shipyard and showed herself the fastest cruiser, the men went wild with delight.

   N. O. Nelson, the metal artificer, many years ago drew his workmen out of St. Louis and planted his factories in a convenient suburb. He established the profit-sharing system with his men. Today he is rich. His men own their homes, their old age is provided for, and the clubhouse, libraries, parks and gardens give them more than the advantages they would have in a city. There has never been a strike.

   The same story over again might be written of Alfred Dolge, the great felt-maker of Dolgeville. The profit-sharing system is in vogue. A model settlement of workingmen's homes is clustered about the factories. There are no strikes.

   Near Bloomington, Ills., are the coal mines operated by a company of which Vice-President Stevenson is president. In the midst of the labor convulsions this summer these mines have suffered somewhat, but less than any others in the state, although they are among the largest. At the beginning of the coal strike the men at Bloomington went out on sympathetic strike. But there was an arbitration meeting, at which the men agreed to go back to work at their old wages in return for certain concessions made them. The dispatch announcing the adjustment of the difference says, "There has always existed a kindly feeling between employer and employee here."

  

A Tompkins County Fish Story.

   Danby people had all the fish they cared for yesterday. The water in the upper dam, which was noted as one of the best fish ponds in the country, was run off into the lower dam. The amount of the fish left high and dry, and their size, was astonishing. Fine extraordinarily large pickerel, bullheads, etc., by the hundreds were there, and after every one who chose had taken all they cared to, wagon loads were taken away and buried.—Ithaca Journal, Sept. 8.

BREVITIES.

   —In police court this morning, one plain drunk. $3 fine.

   —Regular monthly meeting of the Y. M. C. A. directors this evening at 8 o'clock.

   —A company of Pennsylvania capitalists are looking over the ground and considering the possibility of an electric road from Oneonta to Richfield Springs.

   —A report reached Cortland this afternoon that lightning struck a church steeple at Marathon this morning. A few shingles torn off made up the only damage reported.

   —An adjourned regular meeting of the C. A. A. [Cortland Athletic Assoc.] will be held at the club house this evening. Every member is requested to be present, as some new and important business is to be transacted.

   —In addition to the places which the Cortland riders secured at the Whitney's Point races on Friday, mentioned in Saturday's issue, Mr. D. Norton, C. W. C, won third place in the quarter and half-mile open races.

   —The Oneonta Star chronicles a sad state of affairs as follows: "Owing to the absence of water sufficient to run their cylinder press, the Unadilla Times has been issued for the past two weeks in auction sheet size."

   —Sixty-seven one-hundredths of an inch of rain fell in Cortland yesterday and thus far to-day, and thirty-four hundredths on Saturday. A plump inch of rain ought to do some good, and the end apparently hasn't come yet.

   — "Barbara" and "Gloriana," which were presented at the Opera House Saturday evening, were two of the finest high-class comedies that have visited Cortland for some time. Only a small audience was present to witness them.

   —The Hitchcock Manufacturing company will, on Wednesday, take about fifty Cortland cyclists to the State fair at Syracuse. The cyclists will ride the Cortland and Silver King wheels made by the Hitchcock company. Twenty-four of the wheelmen have formed a drill team and execute a number of military movements on the wheels.

  

Sudden Death of J. J. Davern.

   Mr. Jerry J. Davern died very suddenly at 10:35 o'clock yesterday morning.

   At about 9:30 o'clock Friday morning, as he was not feeling well, he went to his home at 80 North Main-st. Those of his friends whom he met and talked with that morning little thought that it would be the last time they would see him on the streets. An hour later he was taken ill and died forty-eight hours afterwards.

   The deceased was 64 years of age. He was born in Ireland and came to Syracuse when only 17 years of age. He was married at that city and afterwards moved to Marathon, from which place he moved to Cortland seventeen years ago, and has since resided here. He was a member of St. Mary's church and one of our best and most favorably known citizens. He leaves a wife, eight children, four brothers and one sister.

   The funeral will be held at 10 A. M on Wednesday at St. Mary's church.

Tea Table Talk.

   The college man in politics has taken the pains to look up the fact and finds that eight presidents of the United States did not attend college. They are Washington, Jackson, Van Buren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, Johnson and Cleveland. The other fifteen, including Grant, who was a West Pointer, were all college-bred men. Harvard has furnished three.—Syracuse Post.

Joiner's Business College.

   The business college of James E. Joiner opened to-day for the fall term at rooms 14 and 15, Wickwire building, over the store of Dickinson & McGraw. During the summer months the rooms have been completely refitted. New desks and chairs have been put in and all conveniences for thorough and effective work. There were something over a dozen scholars in attendance to-day.

   The course is a thorough one, and includes bookkeeping, penmanship, shorthand and typewriting. Mr. Joiner has made his reputation as a faithful and successful teacher while an instructor in Dakin's business college in Syracuse. He has also met with marked success in his previous term here in Cortland. He will instruct all the day classes personally, while Miss Minnie Perrine, who is one of the most rapid and expert stenographers in Cortland, will act as assistant instructor in shorthand in the evening school. There will be three sessions each day: from 9 to 12; from 1:30 to 4 and from 7 to 9 o'clock.

   The Business College Journal, recently published, gives a complete outline of the work pursued and of all minor details. It can be obtained upon application to Mr. J. E. Joiner, Cortland, N. Y.