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| Captainj John J. Pershing. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, June 22, 1903.
PERSHING'S CAMPAIGN.
Letter Describing Reduction of Moro Fort.
FIGHT BEGAN IN A RAINSTORM.
Artillery Posted So as to Drop Projectiles Into Fort—Deep and Wide Ditch to Be Bridged—Infantry Clambered Nearly In Line to Top of Parapet.
Washington, June 22.—Captain John J. Pershing, who was in command of the troops at the fight at Lake Lanao in the Philippines, has written a letter to a personal friend in the war department describing the battle.
It has been shown to Secretary Root, who authorized its publication. Captain Pershing says:
"Camp Vicars, April 27, 1903.
"I suppose your mail dispatches have brought you a full account of the Bacolod incident. In reality it was the best fight of the Moro campaigns, not so many Moros killed as at Bayan or Pandapatan one year ago, but fought according to some sort of system. Of course I have worked on this fight as I foresaw long ago that it must come and the whole thing from the beginning worked out as planned.
"First we got behind them, much to their surprise, and could post our guns above and drop projectiles down into their fort, so that the artillery fire in this case was not all noise. We had some work and some fighting to gain this position.
"Once there it was only a question of sitting down deliberately and waiting to see what the Moros would do. Many got away before the place was invested thoroughly. The fight began in a flood of a rain storm that lasted until dark and reconnoitering was difficult. So we did not find all the avenues of escape until next day, and I am glad now we did not, as they had such confidence in this fort, that they have been constructing for a year, that they took many women and children inside and these escaped during the night.
"The next day and night we held them fast, tried to get them to surrender, had two talks under flag of truce. No, they would fight it out. I called my officers together and gave each one his work.
Deep Ditch to Be Crossed.
"The main obstacle was a deep ditch, 35 feet wide and 40 feet deep, to be crossed. It was to be bridged with fallen trees and over all a bamboo bridge was laid. Everything in readiness, the assault began. In the face of a heavy Remington fire from the fort, the lines advanced against two faces of the fort, putting out of business every Moro that appeared. They could not use their port holes as we had battered them to pieces, although we could not with our light field artillery damage the earthwork.
"The bridge was completed by two companies detailed for that purpose, the trees having been previously cut and hauled as near as could safely be done. The assaulting infantry then swung across and formed line and clambered up nearly in line to the top of the parapet. Here they were met with Kampilan and Kris and a bloody hand-to-hand fight occurred, one soldier against two Moros here and there running his bayonet into a fanatic.
"The Moros plunged headlong into the deep ditch in their impetuosity. Too much cannot be said of the valor, the bravery, the courage and cool nerve of the American soldier.
''The majority of those left inside never reached the top of the parapet. It was a relief to me that none of our men were killed. Two will lose an arm each, the rest will recover with honorable scars but not maimed.
"Cholera existed in all that section and we did not examine the interior of the fort until after it was burned and wet thoroughly, for there were all sorts of underground galleries and passageways. Some officers in the assaulting line counted 60 dead on one floor and Moros say there were more than 100 killed inside, while the list outside bas been growing ever since the battle, so that 150 all told is a conservative estimate.
Survivors Want to Be Friends.
"I have labored with these Bacolod Moros for a year, through other Moros, some of them near relatives, tried to convince them of their foolishness in thinking of fighting us, but they have replied in insulting messages, and in fact the whole Laguna de Lano has anticipated a reverse for us. The lesson of course has been a severe one for them. The old Panandungan (a sort of Moro title, meaning chief counselor or something of that kind, in this case he had more power than the sultan) lost his life and the rest of them that are left have sent word that they want to be friends.
"We burned nothing but this main cotta and a few smaller ones from which we were fired upon, and I think the Moros all see that our purpose is to be humane as far as they will permit us. To my mind this practically settles the Lake Lanao troubles. We of course must explore the eastern portion of the lake for a distance of 10 miles that remains unexplored. I anticipate little trouble there, but there may be one or two hardheaded old dattos who will put up their red flags.
"The matter may now be said to be settled. There will never again be any continued opposition nor any general opposition. The sensible ones see that it is useless, and several of their old priests are now preaching the universal brotherhood of man. From Bacolod north to Marahui there were more United States flags displayed in the road and in rancheros than I supposed existed in all this country. I have been here nearly two years right in and about the Moro country, in the islands nearly four, and can but feel that I have accomplished something. I think it the largest single success that has been made in the islands.
"One year ago nobody knew nor had seen except myself the Moro in his native Laguna nor had they any idea of him nor of his fierce unconquerable nature. Today we have crossed the lake and have practically marched around it."
GREAT STRIKE ENDED.
Textile Council at Lowell Declared It Off.
EVERY DELEGATION FAVORABLE.
President Conroy Admits Defeat of the Unions—High Price of Cotton Precluded Hope of Success For Strikers—No Discrimination Against Strike Leaders.
Lowell, Mass., June 2.—The textile council Sunday afternoon declared the great strike in the Lowell mills at an end. Every union affiliated with the council was represented and the vote was unanimous.
Mule spinners and loom fixers were included in this vote, despite statements that they would oppose a return to work.
There was no dissension. The situation was discussed carefully and with no suggestion of excitement. The vote showed every delegation favorable to a return to work and the sentiment was that the vote take immediate effect.
When asked for a statement, President Conroy smilingly said: "We now worship at the altar of defeat, but later we shall rise again and conquer."
Agent William S. Southworth, secretary of the agents, said: "It will be impossible to start the balance of machinery so as to employ at once all who will come back. Running with an incomplete force for three weeks has disturbed the balance that usually exists between stock and prices in the various departments. A mill may have depleted stock in certain kinds of yarn and for that reason be unable to start all of its looms, even if the full complement of help is available. It is for the selling agents and the treasurers to decide in view of the market whether we shall attempt to run in full."
The strike began on March 30th and involved about 17,000 operatives. The mills were shut down until June 1 when the agents opened the gates and the majority of the operatives went back to work.
The strike has cost in wages about $1,300,000.
It is understood that the agents will take back all the old help they have room for and will make no discrimination against the leaders of the strike movement.
The high price of cotton precluded any hope of the success of the strikers' campaign for a 10 per cent increase.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
Beans as Food.
The federal department of agriculture has given prominence by publication to the researches by Prof. Harry Snyder of the Minnesota experiment station in regard to the nutritive value of beans and the scientific method of their preparation for the use of man.
The ordinary white navy bean in the dry state contains 22.5 per cent of protein or muscle and energy, or 50.6 per cent of carbo-hydrates or heat, 1.8 per cent of fat, and 12.6 per cent of water. Beans, however, are slow of digestion, and put a heavier tax on the intestinal tract than almost any other vegetable food. This is due to the fact that they are made a part of the average bill of fare only at intervals and not regularly each day. and to the further fact that they are more often made a considerable portion of a meal rather than confined in lesser quantities with other foods.
Professor Snyder points out that if the housewives would by the use of a small quantity of soda remove the skins, the gaseous character of the bean would be modified and the process of digestion vastly aided. Half a teaspoonful of baking soda in two quarts of water would remove the skins from a pound of beans. In parboiling two-thirds of this water and 84 per cent of the soda are absorbed. The soda assists digestion, entered into chemical combination with the protein material of the beans. Only .06 of 1 per cent of the nitrogen is lost in the cooking.
A pound of beans contains one-fifth of a pound of digestible protein and somewhat less than three-fifths of a pound of digestible carbo-hydrates, mainly in the form of starch. In the experiments reported over a pound of baked beans was consumed per day by men engaged part of the time in active outdoor work. It is believed, however, that not more than six ounces of baked beans should be consumed in the daily ration.
Though the amount of protein in beans is large, they contain only a small amount of fat, and hence the addition of fat, either by salt pork or butter, in preparing for the table is reasonable, since it makes a better balanced article of diet.
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Of the Cortland Central School at the Opera House Tuesday Evening.
The commencement exercises of the graduating class of the Central high school will be held at the Opera House tomorrow evening at 8 o'clock with the following program:
The Graduates.
The graduating class is as follows: Iva Mae Barnes, Lillian Helena Carty, Olive Newella Cogswell, Minnie Lena Conrad, Gertrude Irene Dailey, Anna Rebecca Hull, Gentry Love Oakley, Katharine O'Connor, Grace Florence Odęll, Addie DeLilah Palmer, Angie Wealthy Pike, Katharine Elizabeth Townsend, Clarence Eugene Geer, George Daniel Lucy, Charles John McAleer, Harry Arthur Mott, William Francis Quinn, Daniel Robert Reilly, Ford Lysander White.
Class Officers.
The class officers are as follows:
President—D. Robert Reilly.
Vice-President —Iva M. Barnes.
Treasurer—Addie D. Palmer.
Secretary—Harry A. Mott.
SERMON TO GRADUATES
Of the Cortland Normal School by Rev. Ward Mosher of Ithaca.
Last evening in the Presbyterian church occurred the annual sermon to the graduating class of the Normal school, the speaker of the evening being Rev. Ward Mosher, pastor of the State-st. M. E. church of Ithaca.
The church was well filled, it being necessary to bring in chairs both down stairs and in the gallery. Bouquets of cut roses adorned the pulpit. The members of the class, faculty, and local board entered the church through the side doors from the Sundayschool [sic] room and occupied seats reserved for them.
In the absence of the pastor Rev. Robert Clements, the opening exercises were conducted by Rev. James Rain, pastor of the Congregational church. The Scripture lesson was the 23rd chapter of Joshua. The anthem, "Gloria in Excelsis," was rendered in an excellent manner by a quartet consisting of Messrs. John Byrnes, and H. W. Carver, and Misses Florence and Aria Hubbard.
Mr. Mosher took as his text "Choose you this day whom ye will serve," Joshua xxiv, 15, and his sermon was a scholarly effort.
He said that he felt a personal interest in Cortland Normal school as the dearest member of his family was a graduate of the institution.
The speaker divided the discourse of the evening into three heads:
First, "Whence came I?" The evolutionist tells us that we come from the past, up through the various stages of life, plant, and animal, and finally man. The atheist tells us that we are the product of force. We are not the product of force nor the result of natural growth, but of intelligence. Chance did not make such perfect pieces of mechanism as the eye, the ear, the heart, etc., they can be nothing but the result of divine intelligence.
Secondly, "Why am I here?" Are we here but to gather into our lives the things that tend to make us happy? If we live to ourselves we die to all that is good and useful. Successful men are men of service. They serve and the world calls them great. In your work teach more than books. We forget what we learn in books, but personality and character stay with us as long as we live. Teach honesty, that honesty that would not even cheat a railroad corporation; teach bravery, moral courage, the world demands it. Teach your pupils to "fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." Teach them to be true.
Thirdly, ''Where am I going?'' Look at the human soul, was it made for this life alone? As we grow old and gain experience, as we grow more nearly perfect we are taken away, and is this the end? There certainly is a future beyond the grave. "In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."
There are two paths which we can choose, one leads to success, the other to failure. How important it is that we should choose a good leader. When we are through with this active life, we will forget the struggles and hardships, and think only of the great future. It pays to choose the right path. "Members of the class of 1903, may you be blessed in your work, may you always be true, and good and faithful."
At the conclusion of the sermon Mr. Byrnes sang "My Hope is in the Everlasting," in an especially effective manner.
GIFT TO GRACE CHURCH.
A House and Lot on Fifth-ave. Left as a Bequest.
Before her death the late Mrs. Elizabeth L. Barber deeded to Grace Episcopal church the house and lot, 11 Fifth-ave., Cortland, and left it as a free gift to that church. The deed, according to her request, was not delivered till after her death, but it has now been delivered and recorded. The place is one for which Mrs. Barber paid $1,200. It is well located and the house is in good repair. A very nice little income is yielded from this, and it cannot fail to be acceptable to the recipient.
Ithaca News Sued for Libel.
An action for libel has been begun against the Ithaca Publishing company and Frank E. Gannett, publisher of the Ithaca News, by the firm of Tucker & Vinton of New York City, the contractors who have been building the dam in Six Mile Creek gorge. It is a civil action involving $50,000 damages. The specific charges relate to statements published which affect the reputation of these contractors, and statements concerning the quality of the work. The action is brought in New York county, and will probably be tried in that county sometime in September. The firm of Tucker & Vinton is represented by its legal advisors of the law firm of Seymour, Seymour & Harmon of 40 Wall st. The complaint has been served and will be returnable in twenty days. According to the statement of the attorneys interested, the Ithaca Water Works company is not involved in the case.—Ithaca Journal.
It is understood that The News will ask for a change of venue to Tompkins county.
THE COURT RECORD
In the Case of The People vs. A. D. Wallace.
The question has been raised as to the exact charge upon which A. D. Wallace last Saturday pleaded guilty in Supreme court. The court record of the clerk reads as follows:
The People vs. A. D. Wallace.
On motion of District Attorney Dowd the defendant was arraigned. Pleaded guilty, etc., to Section 348 of the Penal Code. John Courtney, Jr., attorney for defendant.
Defendant sworn to statement, etc. Court sentenced the defendant to pay a fine of $250 and to be confined in the county jail for 250 days or until the fine shall be paid.
The defendant promptly paid the fine as stated and was at once discharged.
The section in question of the Penal Code under which the place was entered reads as follows:
Section 348—Persuading another person to visit gambling places. A person, who persuades another to visit any building or part of a building, or any vessel or float, occupied or used for the purpose of gambling, in consequence whereof such other person gambles therein, is guilty of a misdemeanor; and in addition to the punishment prescribed therefore, is liable to such other person in an amount equal to any money or property there lost by him at play, to be recovered in civil action.
[This news item relates to a police raid on the York Hotel, formerly the Messenger Hotel, for gambling and other illegal activities—CC ed.]
BREVITIES.
—The third quarterly conference of the Homer-ave. M. E. church will be held on Friday evening, June 26.
—The 9:20 train on the Lackawanna was thirty minutes late this morning owing to the breaking-in-two of a train just this side of Syracuse.
—There will be a regular meeting of Tioughnioga Court, No 410, in Empire hall at 8 p. m. Tuesday. Officers will be elected and members are requested to be present.
— Bishop Ludden of Syracuse confirmed a class of 400 at St. Patrick's church at Binghamton yesterday, seventy-five being adults and the remainder children. The service lasted over two hours. This is the largest class that ever joined a Binghamton church.
—The new display advertisements today are: G. H. Wiltsie, Silk coats, page 5; A. S. Burgess, Clothing, page 8; Warren, Tanner & Co., Suits, Coats, etc., page 8; C. F. Brown, Huyler's candies, page 5; Perkins & Quick, Paints, page 6; S. Simmons, Clothing, page 8.
