PROPOSED APPORTIONMENT

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Proposed Apportionment.

   The constitutional amendment enlarging the membership [50 senators and 150 assembly members] of the legislature and reapportioning the state, will be voted on in a separate ballot. Whether it is righteous or unrighteous has nothing to do with the case against misgovernment by the Democratic party, or with the case against David B. Hill's dangerous personality. Mr. Hill's anxiety to obscure the real issues and to put his bad record out of mind leads him to misrepresent the work of the constitutional convention and court support by inciting partisan feeling on false issues.

   "If that apportionment is carried, good bye to the Democratic party in this state for the next 20 years," says Mr. Hill, When the Democratic party perpetrated the present gerrymander in 1892, the machine leaders intended it for a "good bye" to the Republican party for a generation. The people took the matter into their own hands last fall, and—everybody knows the result. So, any apportionment, by which a party aims to perpetuate its power and uses that power to abuse the people's trust, will prove powerless to chain the popular will.

   But the proposed apportionment is not unfair. It is not a gerrymander. Anyone can test these claims who will trace the lines of senate districts on the map of New York, and compute the citizen population and vote of each proposed district. The unassailable truth is, as the figures prove, that under this apportionment the legislature will be Republican when the state at large is Republican, and Democratic when the state is Democratic. The cry that the state may be Democratic by 75,000 yet the legislature will be Republican, is uttered to deceive.

   The Buffalo Express has performed a good service in the cause of truth by carefully compiling the vote of 1891 and that of 1893, by lines of the proposed new senate districts. In each of these years a state election was held. In 1891 the Democrats carried the state; in 1893, the Republicans….

   Of these 28 country districts the Democrats carried nine in 1891 and five in the Republican year 1893. Of the three proposed Erie districts, the Democrats would have carried two in 1891. The land slide which overwhelmed Sheehan in 1893 can not be held to afford a fair criterion of what the result in a normal year would be. The Republicans should elect at least two at such times. In 1891 only one election district in New York City returned a Republican majority. If the proposed apportionment had existed then, the Democrats would have elected the entire 12 senators allotted to that city. On the vote of 1893 the Republicans would elect two and the Democrats 10. Considering that more than one-third of the citizen population of the Metropolis is Republican, and pays two-thirds of the taxes, the absurdity of the charge of Republican unfairness needs no comment.

   The Kings county division can not be accurately determined, owing to changes in ward boundaries by annexation, but approximately it is probable the poll of 1891 would give the Republicans three and the Democrats four senators. In the abnormal upheaval in that county in 1893 two districts would remain Democratic.

   In a year like 1891, therefore, when the Democrats lacked more than 25,000 of carrying the state by 75,000, 27 of the 50 districts would elect Democratic senators—a majority of four. In this connection our Buffalo contemporary says:

   If they had carried last year all the districts which they thought they had made sure of by their gerrymander, they would have had but 19 out of the total [36], a majority of only two. So the new apportionment gives them even better treatment than they were able to give themselves with the present number of senators, though they made the most shameless and unfair kind of a gerrymander. Where is the injustice?

   Injustice does not exist in the apportionment which Mr. Hill and his party friends denounce. It was not devised by a partisan body for partisan ends, but by a judicial assemblage to justly and fairly conserve the interests and rights of every part of the state.

   A like calculation applied to the assembly districts will show the same fairness and evenness of purpose and attainments even when viewed from a partisan standpoint. On the broader ground of justice to the rural districts of the state, to country as well as city, the equity and wisdom and moderation of the apportionment offer even stronger arguments in its favor.

For the Greater New York.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 16.—The greater New York commissioners held a meeting in the office of President Andrew H. Greene.  An address to the voters resident in the area of the proposed greater city was adopted and issued. The address recites that the area proposed to be joined under one government comprises 317.77 square miles, all lying within a radius of about 16 miles from the city hall and having a population of more than 3,000,000.

Railroads Incorporated.

   ALBANY, Oct. 16.—The Walden and Orange Lake Railroad company was incorporated with a capital of $100,000 to operate an electric road in the village of Walden, town of Montgomery, Orange county. The Buffalo, Attica and Arcade Railroad company was also incorporated to operate a steam road in the counties of Wyoming and Cattaraugus.

"Sally Ruffles" Drunk.

   Mrs. John Anewald, better known as Sarah Henry or 'Sally Ruffles," was last night as drunk as a bat. After drinking about all she could hold she went to E. Dodge's store on North Main-st. and created such a rumpus that he had her arrested. In police court this morning she was fined three dollars. She did not have the money, but she subsequently obtained it from a friend.

   She is the woman whom John Anewald married last summer, a notice of which was published in The STANDARD at that time. The couple have been spending a rather extended honeymoon at the Park Hotel.

Wheelmen race, 1890.

A BIG BUSINESS.

Bright Outlook For the Hitchcock M'fg. Co.'s Wheels.

   Mr. William O. Nivison of the Hitchcock Manufacturing Co. leaves to-night to attend the annual convention of the National Carriage Makers' convention at Philadelphia. He takes with him samples of the Hitchcock wheels, which will be on exhibition during the convention.

   While Messrs. C. B. Hitchcock and W. O. Nivison were in New York three firms contracted for one thousand wheels for the coming season. The Hitchcock company expect to sell ten thousand wheels next season and have already purchased the saddles for that number. At present they are behind their orders for "The Cortland" wheels and their business so far is much better than they had any idea it would be.

   They are now experimenting on the manufacture of wood rims with a black gum wood which they obtain in Georgia. Their experiments have shown that, with the large facilities which they already have in their shop for bending wood for cutters, they can manufacture a rim from this wood which will be stronger and lighter than either elm or hickory.

   This new departure of the Hitchcock company bids fair to be one of the leading industries of Cortland.

SKIPPED HIS BAIL.

The Sureties Pay the Amount Into the County Treasury.

   The sureties upon the bail bond of Robert E. Morrissey, who was indicted for grand larceny in the second degree, have paid to District Attorney Jerome Squires the sum of $300, the full amount of the bond. The same was immediately deposited to the credit of the county with County Treasurer W. H. Foster.

   Morrissey had skipped his bail and at the last court of sessions an order was granted, upon the application of District Attorney Squires, to prosecute the sureties. Upon due notice the money was forwarded and a suit avoided.

   Morrissey was indicted for obtaining a horse and carriage from Cincinnatus parties and disposing of it. The crime was committed about a year ago and an account appeared in The STANDARD at the time.

THE VILLAGE FATHERS

Grant a Franchise For a Double Track on Main-st.

   At the adjourned meeting of the board of trustees last evening the following walks were ordered new and repaired: Mrs. A. J. White, repair walk on East side of Reynolds-ave.

   Charles Shaw, repair walk on north side Park-st. and new walk opposite blacksmith shop occupied by William Hill.

   On motion of Trustee Swan, the Cortland & Homer Traction Co. were given license and consent to lay a double track through Main-st. between the Cortland and Messenger Houses under the state law and subject to the conditions of the franchise already granted them, and on condition of their laying so much of their track between said points as this board of trustees may direct after the laying of the sewer through said Main-st. The motion was seconded by Trustee Warfield.

   Trustee Swan called for the ayes and nays and Trustees Scudder, Warfield and Swan voted aye and Trustee Doubleday nay. The motion was declared carried.

   One of the stipulations in granting the franchise was that only one of the tracks should be laid till after the sewers are put in, when the other one can be put down. This will bring the sewers in the center of Main-st.

   The following bills were allowed and ordered paid:

Street commissioner's pay roll, [$242.70]

   Thomas Mulligan, repairs and tools, 19.85

   John Garvey, laying abutments on bridge on Homer-ave., 401.50

   Homer & Cortland Gas Co., 131.54

   F. A. Bickford, salary, 25.40

   Martin & Call, coal and wood, 49.50

   Theodore Stevenson, insurance, 24.50

   Telephone exchange, rental of telephone, 9.00

   Police force, 98.00

   Homer & Cortland Gas Light Co., 40.54

   Davis, Jenkins & Hakes, insurance, 24.50

   Health commissioner's payroll, 70.00

   The meeting was then adjourned till October 29 at 7:30 o'clock.

A Business Change.

   The jewelry firm of Clark & Nourse was yesterday dissolved by mutual consent, Col. Uri Clark retiring and Mr. F. B. Nourse continuing the business. These gentlemen came to Cortland from Ithaca seven years ago and bought out the stock and business of J. C. Gray. During this time they have greatly broadened their line of goods and increased the stock carried. Everything which they have had is first-class and the assortment of goods has always been much finer than that usually found in a place the size of Cortland.

   During the last few years Mr. Nourse has been in fall charge of the affairs of the firm, as Col. Clark returned to his old home at Ithaca and repurchased the jewelry store which they sold when they came to Cortland. This has absorbed his time and attention at Ithaca. Now Mr. Nourse has bought out his partner. He will go to New York in a few days to purchase a new stock of staple and holiday goods, and when he returns his store will be even more attractive than ever. Upon his return he will have something to say through the columns of The STANDARD regarding his purchases which will greatly interest our readers.

Normal Entering Classes.

   From the records of the Normal school it appears that the September entering classes for the past twenty years numbers as follows: 1875, 101; 1876, 106; 1877, 70; 1878, 85; 1879, 128; 1880, 98; 1881, 83; 1882, 150; 1883, 95; 1884, 134; 1885, 96; 1886, 109; 1887,103; 1888, 149; 1889, 136; 1890, [108]; 1891, [152]; 1892, 146; 1893, 128; 1894, 165.

   [We put brackets on words and numbers that are uncertain and cannot be read clearly on newsprint images. We also insert bracketed explanations for  clarification—CC editor.]

BREVITIES.

   —The D., L & W. pay car made the boys happy again this morning.

   —The sewer commissioners met last evening and audited the contractors' bills.

   —Dr. F. D. Reese will lead the prayermeeting at the Memorial Baptist chapel Tuesday at 7:45 P. M.

   —The entertainment to be given by the Cortland City band minstrels will occur about the first of December,

   —Christian Endeavor rally at Congregational church on Wednesday evening, Oct. 17. Able speakers. Everybody attend.

   —The Alpha Chautauqua circle will meet with Mrs. F. J. Doubleday, 44 Port Watson-st., on Saturday evening, Oct. 20, at 7:30 o'clock.

   The Y. P. C. U. of the Universalist church hold their quarterly business meeting to-night. Every member of the union is urged to be present,

   —The board of education met last evening and besides transacting the usual routine business appointed Mrs. William Polley substitute teacher.

   —A regular meeting of the Y. M. C. A. auxiliary will be held Thursday, Oct 18, at 8 P. M. in the Y. M. C. A. parlor. Every woman interested in the work is invited to be present.

   —A special meeting of the Royal Arcanum will be held at 8 o'clock to-morrow evening in Maher Brothers' store to make arrangements to meet Grand Regent Justus F. Price of Brooklyn.

   —There will be an entertainment and supper given Oct. 20 in Lincoln lodge rooms by the Royal Templars of Temperance at 8 o'clock P. M. Admission and supper 10 cents. Every body is invited.

   —Miss Crissy of Elmira, who was to come to Cortland this week to organize a dancing class, is unable to be here this week. She expects to be here Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Notice of the exact time will be given later.

   —The home for aged and dependent veterans and their wives, soldiers' mothers and army nurses is to be located at Oxford, Chenango county, and a site has been chosen. The home will be erected at a cost of $125,000 and will accommodate 1,200 people.

   —A Dago, who resides on Dunsmoor Park and works on the electric railway, was arrested yesterday on complaint of his wife, who claimed that he was crazy, had struck her and put her out of the house. She did not appear against him this morning and he was discharged.

   —The Republican league rooms will be open every evening until after election. Regular meetings of the league will be held every Monday evening. Every Republican, whether a member of the league or not, is welcome to the rooms and is invited to be present at the the meetings.

   —Vesta lodge rooms were last evening a scene of gaiety. Odd Fellows from John L. Lewis lodge, from Preble, Cuyler, McGrawville and DeRuyter lodges were present. All of the degrees were conferred on candidates and an appetizing supper was served at midnight, after which the gathering broke up.

   —Since 11 o'clock this morning street cars have been running the whole length of the line without transfer. Mr. Garrison is trying by every means in his power to accommodate the public and will try to have as few transfers as possible. Whenever in the process of rebuilding it is necessary to take up any track, the STANDARD will announce it.

   —The annual reunion of the Tenth New York cavalry is held in Syracuse to-day. Mr. C. W. Wiles of Delaware, O., formerly of Cortland, was elected secretary of the organization at its first reunion held in 1866, and served in that capacity uninterruptedly until last year when he was elected colonel, the highest office in the organization.