THE NATIONAL DEBT

National Debt, "A Great Question."

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, January 11, 1895.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The National Debt.

   Aug. 31, 1865, the United States government owed $2,381,530,295. This was the highest point of the national indebtedness. The rapidity with which the greater part of that debt has been paid furnishes one of the most brilliant achievements in modern finance. An older nation could not have accomplished it. We can never do it again probably, for the public resources of this new country are more nearly at the end than they were in 1866, and they are growing less every year.

   The war closed in 1865. In 1866 the nation began to pay its billions of debt. By the end of June, 1867, $38,000,000 had been paid. The payment steadily increased until in one year, 1870, the sum wiped out was $115,000,000. That was the largest amount ever paid in any one year. The decrease went on. The panic of 1873 interrupted the payment somewhat, but not seriously. In 1879 the resumption of specie payments caused Secretary Sherman to borrow $90,000,000 in gold, by which sum the debt was increased.

   Then it began to go down again. It decreased from nearly $3,000,000,000, till it was only $585,029,330. That was the amount in February, 1894, when the treasury again began to borrow gold. Since then the debt has been increased by $100,000,000. But while we were paying we did it at the average rate of over $64,000,000 a year, $12 a minute. We are going to pay the rest of it too.

◘ In a paper read before the American Economic association Labor Commissioner Carroll D. Wright pronounces the Chicago "combination strike and boycott" an epochal event in the labor movement and in the industrial development of this country. He says it was an incident in a revolution which is quietly taking place in this country, a revolution begun when congress passed the interstate commerce law in 1887. As to the Chicago strike, Colonel Wright says it demonstrated first the right of the national government while not interfering in the operation or control of strikers themselves to send troops into a state to protect its own interests, whether the state asked for them or not. It has shown the assertion of the right of the civil courts to expand the power of injunction and mandamus, to define crime under certain circumstances, "to execute their own views by legal process, to interpret their own acts and impose sentence." In brief, it has forced the recognition of the fact that railroads represent public as well as private interests, and that railway employees are quasi-public servants. "But this is essentially state socialism and compulsory legislation." Colonel Wright further considers the interstate pooling bill now pending in the senate as a "socialistic measure equaling the compulsory insurance legislation of Germany."

◘ It may as well be admitted and faced squarely that the atrocities committed upon the Armenians by the combined Turks and Kurds, that, too, under the authority of the Turkish government, have never been excelled in fiendishness by any of the deeds of the savage red Indians of America. Early settlers of this country have been known as a last resort to kill their wives and daughters to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Indians, considering quick death the more merciful fate. Yet civilized white nations treat with Turkey on equal terms.

◘ Various European celebrities are making a very good living telling Americans what the people of the old world think of us. This has gone about far enough. Americans who form their opinions of their own country and people on the basis of the judgment formed by foreigners are great fools. It is time we turned around and told Europeans what we think of them.

Sam Byram.

UNION VETERAN LEGION.

Installation of Officers—Memorial Service to be Held Jan. 24.

   At the assembly of encampment, No. 129, Union Veteran legion, held last evening one recruit was mustered in and the following officers were installed:

   Colonel—Lucius Davis.

   Lieut. Col.—Geo. E. Ashby.

   Major—Ed M. Seacord.

   Officer of the Day—E. D. Phillips.

   Adjutant—Leonard Wightman.

   Quartermaster—L. P. Norton.

   Chaplain—Geo. W. Smith.

   Surgeon—G. D. Crittenden.

   Officer of the Guard—Chas. D. Geer.

   Sergt. Major—Lyman Jones.

   Q. M. Sergt.—John Miller.

   Color Bearer—David C. Beers.

   Sentinel—Jared Stout.

   Past Colonel—Wm. J. Mantanye.

   Comrade R. W. Bourne was the installing officer. The former officers who have held since the first muster in of the encampment in 1893, declined reelection.

   Com. W. H. Morgan has been appointed aide-de-camp and G. S. Van Hoesen assistant inspector general on the staff of National Commander James Tanner, each with the rank of colonel.

   The next assembly is Jan. 24, and pursuant to resolution passed last night it will be an open memorial service for Lieut. Col. Samuel M. Byram, who died Dec. 30, and was lieutenant colonel of this encampment. Veterans, ladies and the public generally are invited to attend. The ritual memorial service of this great military order is very impressive and fine, and Col. Byram stood high among his comrades and the citizens generally as a brave soldier, a true comrade of the legion and a good and useful citizen.

HOMER DEPARTMENT.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   This evening will be ladies' night at the Columbia club. Invitations have been informally given by members of the club to their friends for a dancing party. Mangang's orchestra will furnish the music. The house committee who have charge of the arrangements consists of Messrs. F. C. Atwater, G. A. Brockway and L. P. Bennett.

   Invitations have been sent out for the wedding of Mr. J. Starr White and Miss Stella Hutchins which will take place at the home of the bride's parents on William-st. in this village on Wednesday evening, January 16, at 8 o'clock.

   A forcible warning was given yesterday to the funny boys of the town who delight in throwing snowballs at the passersby. A rustic lad was walking down Main-st. and the crowd of boys in front of the Union building improved what they supposed to be a fine opportunity. They struck him at the first shot, but instead of taking it kindly the offended farmer boy turned back and after knocking the ringleader of the gang out in the first round he waded into the party with his umbrella and soon cleared the field, after which he proceeded down the street unmolested.

   The largest audience which has congregated at Keator opera house in several years witnessed the performance of "Chick, the Little Avenger" given there last evening. This interesting melodrama was well produced before an appreciative house who were liberal with their demonstrations of approval. Mrs. E. S. Burrows verified all that had previously been said of her. She is a talented soubrette and with her companion Larry provoked continual laughter. Mr. Hakes was best seen in the role of the Irish servant though his impersonation of the backwoodsman and the jailer were very commendable efforts. Mr. Cummings who had one of the most responsible and difficult parts of the piece proved himself entirely equal to the occasion. He was familiar with his role and gave it an effective rendering. To say that the remainder of the cast formed an excellent support to the foregoing would be an injustice to the majority—they were more than that. Mrs. McCormick and Miss Daniels were very pleasing as the sister and sweetheart of the hero. Both ladies rendered their parts with much feeling and excellent taste. Mr. McCormick as the villain's dupe made quite a hit, but it remained for Mr. Roe to take the audience by storm. His was one of the most carefully studied and conscientiously rendered parts in the piece which thoroughly merited the hearty applause that repeatedly greeted him. Near the close of the last act he was presented with a handsome bouquet of white roses from his admiring friends in the house. The remaining characters were well represented by Messrs. Bates, Davis, Hovey and Foster. The entertainment was a thorough success and the [fire department] boys are to be complimented on the result of their undertaking. A few entertainments like that last evening and less of the so-called "professional" would tend to greatly increase the patronage of this place of amusement. The door receipts last evening amounted to $90.

SILVER WEDDING.

Mr. and Mrs. James B. Kellogg Entertain Their Friends.

   Yesterday was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. James B. Kellogg and they commemorated the day by entertaining their most immediate relatives and friends at their elegant home at 43 North Main-st.

   A most appetizing repast was served at 6 o'clock, after which Judge A. F. Gladding of Norwich read a poem written by Mrs. Johnson of Speedsville and Mrs. H. C. Beebe of Syracuse read another one of her own production. Both were very appropriate as they were written for the occasion.

   At the close of the selections each guest was presented with a picture of Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg, taken together, as a souvenir.

   Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg were the recipients of many beautiful presents, nearly all of which were of solid silver.

   The evening was spent most delightfully in a social way and the guests departed after wishing their host and hostess many more happy anniversaries.

   Those present were Judge and Mrs. A. F. Gladding and Mrs. J. C. Gladding, Mr. J. E. Gladding, Masters Donald and Dickinson Gladding of Norwich, Mr. and Mrs. T. F. Verrier of Binghamton, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Vedder of Lincklaen, Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Davey of Whitney's Point, Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Beebe and Miss Agnes Beebe of Syracuse, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Gladding, Mr. and Mrs. Ledyard Brown, Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Brown, Misses Nina and Jessie Brown of South Otselic, Hon. and Mrs. A. A. Carley, Hon. O. U. Kellogg, Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Curtis, Mr. and Mrs. D. D. Bosworth, Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Colegrove, Mr. and Mrs. L. W. Aldrich of Cortland.

CARRIAGE INTERESTS.

New York Leads the Union—Interesting Statistics.

   The January number of The Hub, a trade journal for carriage and sleigh manufacturers, gives some interesting statistics in regard to the manufacture of carriages and sleighs in this country. There are 4,571 carriages and sleigh manufactories in the United States. New York leads with 692 factories, Pennsylvania comes second with 571 factories, Ohio is third with 419 factories, Illinois has 259, Michigan has 238, Missouri 231, Indiana and Massachusetts each have 211, New Jersey has 173, Wisconsin 158, Iowa 132, Minnesota 107, Maine and California each 103, and all others less than 100 each. Forty-one states are mentioned as having carriage factories, the one having the smallest number being Wyoming with one factory.

   The total capital invested in the manufacture of carriages and sleighs is $93,455,257. The average number of employees is 62,594. The total wages amount to $34,687,827. The cost of all materials is $46,022,769. The value of all products is $102,680,341.

   In New York state with its 692 factories the total capital invested is $14,124,810. The employees number 9,963 people, of whom 968 are engaged as officers, firm members and clerks, and 9,000 are doing the actual work of manufacturing. The total wages paid amount to $5,972,888. The cost of all materials is $6,371,872. The value of all products used is $15,567,776. There are manufactured 24,048 road carts, 58,491 buggies and phaetons, 14,176 other light carriages, 1,392 landaus, broughams, victorias, cabriolets and coaches, 3,573 other heavy carriages, 10,012 light and heavy spring wagons and transfer and express wagons, 10,724 farm wagons and carts, 34,392 sleighs, 475 vehicles of some other kind.

BREVITIES.

   —Two lodgers spent last night in the cooler.

   —The Crescent club take a sleighride to McLean to-night.

   —A number of Normal students left this morning for Truxton to take teachers' examinations.

   —The Chautauqua circle will meet this evening at 7:30 o'clock with Mrs. Shirley on Railroad-ave.

   —The sheriff's sale of the goods of Forrest & Tenny's grocery, which was to have been held to-day, has been adjourned till Jan. 14.

   — A Cornell Experiment Station bulletin says that the number of acres devoted to the culture of grapes in Western New York are as follows: Chautauqua, 26,000; Canandaigua, 5,000; Keuka, 10,000; Seneca, 6,000; Cayuga, 3,500; scattering, 7,500; total, 58,000.

   —There will be a special meeting of Grover Post, Grover Relief Corps, and Sons of Veterans on Monday evening, Jan. 14, at G. A. R. hall at 8 o'clock. A full attendance of the three organizations is requested, as important business is to come before the meeting.

   —Dr. E. B. Nash will address the meeting at the Rescue Mission rooms, 12 1/2 West Court-st., at 7:30 o'clock Saturday evening. The meeting will be in charge of Thomas Crozier. Everybody is invited, especially the unconverted and the working men and woman of our city.

   —The other day a man mounted on top of a street car was holding a broom dipped in tallow up against the trolley wire. His action excited general attention and the explanation universally received was that greased lightning runs best on greased wire.—Ithaca Cor., Groton Journal.

Fish and Game Protectors.

   SYRACUSE, Jan. 11.—The New York State association for the Protection of Fish, Game and Forest elected Frank J. Amston of Rochester president; Robert B. Lawrence of Flushing vice president; John B. Sage of Buffalo treasurer.

THREE SOLDIERS DROWNED.

Crowd Witnesses the Accident, but Unable to Aid Them.

   NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont., Jan. 11.—Three United States soldiers left the Niagara fort in a boat with the intention of crossing the river to this town. They succeeded in getting within about 200 yards of the shore when their boat stuck fast in the moving ice.

   They drifted for some time, when a heavy wave upset the boat, throwing the three men into the water. They succeeded in getting on the keel of the boat and cried piteously for help. Although the shore was lined with people no assistance could be rendered, and one by one they fell into the water and were drowned.