Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, March
11, 1895.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Stick to the Facts.
No man, especially no candidate for office,
has any right to object to candid criticism, however severe, of his words and
acts. But he has a right to claim that his acts and words shall be truthfully
reported. When the "Citizens' Appeal" states that Mr. Tisdale has
"utterly refused to institute proceedings against the open law-defying
saloons," it makes a statement which everyone who knows Mr. Tisdale's
record knows to be incorrect. In the only case in which evidence was offered
him of the violation of the liquor law he instituted proceedings promptly, and
the case was only dropped when the temperance people who urged the proceedings
concluded that the evidence would not hold and withdrew the complaint. Mr.
Tisdale [incumbent village president] has held himself ready at all times to institute
proceedings when evidence was offered him. He has declined to make himself a
detective or a general public prosecutor, and whether he has acted wisely or
unwisely in this is a question which he is willing to leave to the individual
voters for decision. But he is entitled to have his position fairly stated.
We had not, until we read the Appeal, supposed that any one denied
that Mr. Tisdale had offered to institute proceedings in every case where
evidence was furnished him. He is entitled to fair treatment, even at the hands
of the citizens' paper.
Something
to Think About.
In an ordinary village election no objection
could or would be raised to the Republican village ticket. Even the
"Citizens' Appeal" says it is a good ticket "if the saloon
question is left out of consideration." Can any village officer do much to
settle the saloon question? And will it be any better settled if the Democratic
village ticket is elected than if the Republican ticket comes out ahead? Every
Democratic nominee and heeler seems to be at work to-day, and their hopes are
rising. What a spectacle it will be to see Republican Cortland with a village
board run by Democrats, as a result of the citizens' movement, and how terribly
hostile to the saloons such a board would be! [Satire.] It is well to think of all this
before casting your ballot.
◘ Fewer
miles of railroad were built in 1894 than during any time in 30 years. Perhaps
the rest will enable some of those already built to get out of the hands of
receivers.
◘ The
Japanese Admiral Ito is equal to any European in finesse and diplomacy. When
Admiral Freemantle and his staff visited Ito after he had taken Port Arthur,
several of the English officers asked Ito if they might not have some of the
captured souvenirs of the fight. Trophies of all kinds were lying about the
citadel in profusion. Admiral Ito readily granted the request and added to his
polished courtesy by offering to send the trophies to the English man-of-war.
He insisted on this courtesy toward the British officers. That evening each
officer received, with the compliments of Admiral Ito, a fine Remington rifle which
the English nation had sold to the Chinese and which had been captured by the
Japs.
◘ Engineer
Melville of the United States navy must feel flattered. France and Germany
are constructing triple screw cruisers on the plan designed by him, and now
England will do the same.
PEACE IN THE ORIENT.
Japan
Submits Terms, Which China Accepts.
OUR
MINISTERS INSTRUMENTAL.
NEW YORK, March 11.—A cable dispatch to The World dated Tokio, Japan, March 10,
says: China has been informed in general terms of the conditions upon which
Japan will consent to peace.
Japan has been notified that China is ready
to accept those conditions and to sign a treaty.
The correspondence by means of which this
agreement was arrived at was carried on through the United States
ministers to the two countries, Edwin Dun at Tokio and Minister Charles Denby
at Pekin.
Another
Victory For Japan.
YOKOHAMA, March 11.—On Thursday last the
Japanese captured the coast forts near Yinkow, the post of New Chwang, which
held out after the capture of Yinkow.
On Saturday the first division of the
Japanese army attacked a force of 10,000 Chinese under General Sung at Thien
Chwang Tai.
For four hours a fierce battle waged, but
the Chinese were defeated after losing 2,000 killed or wounded. The Japanese
loss was only 90 killed or wounded.
General Nodzu, who succeeded Field Marshal
Yamagata in the command of the first Japanese army, has been promoted.
More
Republican Views.
CORTLAND, N. Y., March 7, 1895.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—The disaffection which at present exists
among the Republicans of Cortland should be a source of deep regret to all
loyal members of that political faith. The attempt which is being made by the
leaders of the recently organized citizens' party, to absolve their followers
from all political obligations is treasonable to party fealty and a Republican
who supports a citizens' party candidate upon the ground that his party
allegiance is not involved is to the mind of your correspondent committing an act
by which he forfeits that claim to political fervor and consistency which
should characterize the conduct of every patriotic Republican.
It is true that under some circumstances a
person is justified in disregarding party affiliations in order to effect a
social reform, but he should be certain of his course before by his public
desertion and active opposition he brings into disrepute the party in the
principles of which he had been a zealous believer and to which he had for
years devoted his energetic support.
Considerations of this nature today confront
the Republicans of Cortland. No royal Republican will question the necessity of
party organization, and it is essential to the maintenance of such an
organization that Republicans should at all times declare for the supremacy of
their own party, The time has not yet come for the cry of reform to tingle
unpleasantly in Republican ears, and in a public crisis it may be expected that
that party will as quickly respond to the call of duty, of justice or of reform
as it did thirty-five years ago. The coming election involves no issue but what
can be clearly defined and a dispassionate discussion should be to no one's
prejudice.
The citizens' party was organized for the
avowed purpose of electing officers who would pledge themselves to enforce the
excise law, and its necessity was proclaimed because the two great political
parties had refused to give countenance to any such issue. Conceding that the
Republican party in Cortland had actually refused to grant the request of the
"reformers" and there is no evidence that such is the case, let us
reflect for a moment and determine what are the powers reposed in a board of
village officers pledged to enforce the excise law.
The only authority upon which a village
board can act is derived from the charter granted to the village of Cortland by
the New York state legislature in 1889. By Title Four, Sec. 6 and the
subdivisions thereunder, it is provided that the board of trustees shall have
power to make ordinances, etc., to prohibit the selling of intoxicating liquors
contrary to law, and no other provision contained in this charter can in any
way be construed as authorizing the board of trustees to take any action
whatsoever in order to enforce the excise law. No action or prosecution can be
instituted either to collect a penalty or inflict a punishment for a violation
of this particular kind by the board of trustees of Cortland or by the
president of the village of Cortland. Any statement to the contrary by whomsoever
made is incorrect, and the person making such a statement is laboring under a
mistake.
It can be readily seen that the board of
trustees could pass a village ordinance prohibiting the sale of liquor contrary
to the law, but this would be but an idle repetition of the legislative
enactment. This practically sums up what a reform board of trustees and village
president would be capable of doing. And the absurdity of their position is
still more apparent when we stop to consider that the legislature has provided
for the punishment of all infractions of the excise law. There is no more
expense attached to the prosecution of a violation of the excise law than to
the prosecution of any other misdemeanor. Such a violation of the excise law is
made a misdemeanor, and the procedure in prosecuting the same is identical with
the procedure for the punishment of any other misdemeanor. And it is folly for
any man or set of men to proclaim that by the election of a village board of
officers, pledged to enforce the excise law, any impetus can be given to the
proper administration of the law or that the illegal sale of liquor will the
more surely cease.
It has ever been characteristic of men
completely engrossed with the idea of reforming that theory rather than
practice governs their conduct. A mind which exerts itself continually to
establish one particular principle becomes prejudiced, and it is not necessary
to say that a prejudiced mind is not qualified to consider with dispassion and
justice questions of a public nature.
Your correspondent does not question for a
moment the disinterestedness of the mass of the citizens' party. It is
inevitable that in every movement of this kind many who identify themselves
with it and are loudest in their protestations of loyalty have done so from
purely private motives. The Republican party in Cortland cannot permit such a
disaffection to disturb the even tenor of its triumphant way. There is no
question but that the citizens' party is a chimerical, hastily conceived undertaking.
The taxpayers of Cortland cannot afford to experiment with such a village
administration.
Under Mr. Tisdale's able direction the
affairs of this village have been admirably conducted. He has no power to
commence a criminal prosecution in the name of the corporation. Such a
prosecution must be brought in the name of The People of the State of New York,
and the complainant must sign his name to the complaint without an official
appellation of any kind. And it is highly questionable whether a village board,
or any other board, can station a policeman in a hotel or barroom against the
wishes of the proprietor, in the absence of a warrant.
This communication is directed to the Republicans
of Cortland by a citizen who in the coming contest sympathizes with neither the
liquor element nor the anti-liquor element, but who still retains confidence in
his party's integrity.
REPUBLICAN.
Many
Citizens Heard From.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—The campaign of vilification carried on
in behalf of the so-called "citizens" ticket ought not to succeed,
Citizens, without regard to party, should join in putting down such a campaign
and look at the matter from a business point of view. The people who nominated
Hon. Wayland D. Tisdale for president are not "whiskey Republicans,"
nor in sympathy with criminals, neither is Mr. Tisdale of that class. He has
been a faithful official and a good citizen. Cortland village is not to concede
the slander that it has chosen criminals to office.
Great interests are involved which should
not be obscured by the fog of vituperation. The sewer contracts commenced last
summer are only half completed and the electric road is only half completed.
The conditional franchise was granted the electric company by the trustees
during Mr. Tisdale's administration. These works should be completed under the
supervision of a village officer who is conversant with them and the contracts.
Lincoln used to say it was bad policy to swap horses while crossing a stream.
The village officers have nothing to do with excise laws, to enforce which town
and county officers are already provided, but the village officers have much to
do with these other public works. A large number of the leaders in the
onslaught on Mr. Tisdale are exempt from taxation [clergy] and may not
appreciate this argument, but others will.
MANY CITIZENS.
Some
Suggestions.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—If Republican voters will stop and think
of the disasters and the trouble which have come to the party by side issues,
and wild-headed schemes gotten up and advanced by men who lose sight of the
practical and fundamental principles of the Republican party and go off upon a
single issue, thereby sacrificing and weakening their party, it seems that the
so-called "citizens' ticket" will secure but few votes on Tuesday.
How can the true and upright Republicans
expect to have the laws best carried out, by defeating their own party and
electing Democrats, or by standing by the straight party nominees?
Every one knows that the violations of law,
being complained of, must be prosecuted through the Republicans now in office,
if at all, and such actions cannot be brought before any of the village
officers to be elected this spring.
Any citizen, whether in office or not, has
the right to make complaint to Police
Justice Bull or to the district attorney, and the complaints must be made to
one or the other for violations of the excise law. If made to the district attorney,
then the matter goes before the grand jury. If made before the police justice,
then a trial can be had before him, and the method of drawing a jury—if a jury
trial is demanded, is by drawing the names of 12 men from the general trial
jury list from a box in which all of the names are deposited. This method of drawing
juries in criminal cases took effect last fall and is new.
It seems that the only real issue left is
that a few men want to get a village board that will try to saddle upon the
taxpayers of Cortland village a large sum for the sole purpose of handing out
the money to a favored few for specified purposes unauthorized by the village
charter, while we have officers now paid to do the work in a proper and legal
manner.
Do the citizens who are to vote next Tuesday
want to pay a big price for two or three very cheap detectives, and resort to
the unpractical and disreputable methods which were resorted to two years ago
in trying to convict lawbreakers?
Let those who have knowledge of the
violations of the law go [to] the proper officers and make their complaints and
see if they will not be recognized.
A TAXPAYING REPUBLICAN.
Miss
Lewis' "Cleopatra."
Miss Lillian Lewis will present her big spectacular
production of "Cleopatra" at the Opera House Tuesday night. The prices
for "Cleopatra" have every where been on the $1.50 scale. Prices here
will be from 50 cents to $1. Miss Lewis' "Cleopatra" is a glorious
production of a grand and classic drama. Shakespeare's text is intact—for the
only alterations are the cutting of such pans of the dialogue as are not
needed. The original of every Shakespearean play is much too long for acting
purposes, and every acting version must be cut down or the play would not end
before 1 or 2 in the morning. The introduction of ballet, chorus and tableaux
vivants is in accordance with Shakespeare's text. Miss Lewis' production of
"Cleopatra" is one of the finest spectacular productions given any
dramatic composition.
Still
Another Republican.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—There seems to have come upon a number
of our citizens who claim to be Republicans a disposition to carry out the rule
or ruin plan in the Republican party. They are joined by another set of men who
never have the good of that party at heart, but who are under all circumstances
its most radical enemies, and from their combined action a so-called "citizens'
ticket" has been produced. It is a set of nominations, if reports are
true, produced by the most rank, underhanded and obnoxious methods which has
been presented to the voters of our village within the memory of man. They
would have the people call it a "reform ticket," but when a set of
men of all kinds and creeds of the disturbing elements of political doctrines
expect to gain the confidence of enlightened and honest voters, they should be
openhanded and fair in their methods. No greater political crooks were ever
known in Cortland county than some of the now would-be "reformers." The
dose is too obnoxious gentlemen, and the stamp of maliciousness stands out too
boldly to give you the right to win. It is but fair to say that there are some
honest, candid and conscientious men engaged in the movement, but the only
reasonable excuse for them in their present predicament is that they are not
more thoughtful and less hasty.
One great trouble with the Republican party
is that it has among its members men who now and then get an idea that they are
better than their party and above it, and instead of bringing about reforms
within the power of the party and by its aid, and ever ready support for true
reform, they start a crazy one-idea theory, and it is surprising how many
disappointed narrow-minded men will follow them. No other political party in
existence has accomplished so much good for the nation or has been so pure and
upright in its plans and its management of public affairs with a history with
pages of glowing, honorable acts, always supporting principles and laws for the
greatest benefit of the whole people. And yet we find among us men who are
willing to tear away its foundation, which has been built upon the experience
of nations and of ages by master minds. Its foundation of support is every
city, village hamlet and town, aye the individual members, one by one, who
support it, and whenever a single voter takes his support from it, in any
election, whether village, town, city, state or national, that man is more or
less a traitor to his party and to its principles.
Those who say they are still Republicans,
and wish people to so understand it, and are engaged in the so called
"citizens' movement," even in this local matter, are taking from the
Republican ranks, men some of whom will never return to it. That has been the
experience of and the result of all such movements in the past, and stands as a
matter of unchallenged history.
Complaint
is made that the laws governing our beautiful village have not been carried out,
especially so during the past two years. Where have these "reformers"
been all this time? The courts have been open, the grand juries have met and
gone, time and again, but have these men made any complaint? Have they been
refused a hearing when they could have presented their knowledge of the wrongs
of which they now complain? As citizens,
was it not their duty to have presented themselves to the proper tribunals in
the interests of good government, and wholesome regulations, and told what they
knew of crimes being committed? Instead of taking the responsibilities of men,
they have chosen to shirk them and then kick at others. Such conduct is not
manly, nor is it fair. It is a pretext and a pretended excuse to get in some
venomous work by a few.
Every Republican voter in Cortland village
should come to the polls on March 12 and show his loyalty to his party and its
principles and vote for the straight Republican ticket and vindicate his
manhood.
A petition was recently published, signed by
worthy men, addressed to the board of supervisors, asking that they raise the
salary of the district attorney, and also that he be required to prosecute all
crimes in all courts held in this county. Such a petition is mere nonsense, for
the state legislature, by its laws defines the duties of a district attorney, and
the board of supervisors have no power in that direction. By looking at the
laws of 1892, Chap. 18 of general laws, Article 2, Section 12, Subdivision 5,
as to the general power of the board of supervisors, it will be observed that the
board have no powers to change the salary of the district attorney during the term
of his office, and therefore the salary of the present district attorney having
been fixed by resolution at their annual meeting last fall, they have no power
to either increase or diminish it during his term of office, and the petition simply
asks the board of supervisors to do something which they have no power or right
to do.
STILL ANOTHER REPUBLICAN.
Republican
Yet.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—"Hurrah for Higgins! Close every
suspected drug store or saloon or hotel without law, judge or jury, and outlaw
every village officer and mark him "villain" because it has not been done
before!" This is the plain cry and platform of those who, under the name of
"citizens' party" are trying to cut down the Republican party. All
liquor sellers and disaffected ringers who join with them are of the salt of
the earth, while those good citizens who do not join and echo their shibboleth
are denounced as "whiskey Republicans" and reprobates guilty of the
unpardonable sin and criminals. Will the good people of Cortland submit to this
and be led away by falsities?
Those who are so denounced because they
stand by the excellent nominees of the Republicans are among our most reputable
citizens: President Wesley Hooker, Hon. A. A. Carley, Hon. W. D. Tisdale, Hon.
R. T. Peck, Hon. J. E. Eggleston, D. F. Wallace, C. F. and Theo. H. Wickwire,
G. J. Mager and many others of our best citizens included. Look at the list of delegates
to the village convention that nominated the Republican village ticket. Good
citizens and men of high character and responsibility, in every sense, the peers
of those who made the citizens' ticket. Of liquor sellers there were some in
"citizens' " convention.
The whole cry of the "reformers"
is misleading. Not one of them is willing to come forward and be known as an
informant or complainant against an alleged law breaker, but they cry out
because others do not stop liquor selling without that legal formality. Village
officers are only given power under the law and charter of the village to
enforce by action in the corporate name the laws and ordinances applicable to
the village, and other officers are provided by law to enforce laws applicable
to the people at large and which must be enforced in the name of The People of
the State of New York. Yet these calumniators say that village officers are
criminal because they do not usurp the powers of other officers and engage in
litigation which they have no right to touch officially and break the
law.
The penal code makes it a misdemeanor for
people to ride or drive any vehicles on any sidewalk, punishable by fine and
imprisonment, and bicycles have been declared to be vehicles and within the
prohibition. Because the village officers, in response to popular sentiment
have tried to enforce the law as to the sidewalk between the Cortland House and
postoffice on Main-st. by a slight penalty of $5 only, an effort is made to
stir up a prejudice among bicyclers against the present board. This shows the
consistency of these people, blaming men for trying to enforce a law applicable
peculiarly to villages, and also because they do not usurp the functions of
other officers and try to enforce a law the enforcement of which is confided to
other officers. "O for a thousand tongues to chant thy praise Hypocrisy!''
We think that our people will not help the
triumph of such a scandalous campaign, no matter under what flag it carries on
its piracy.
REPUBLICAN YET.
One More
Republican.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR: Isn't it time that the decent people of
this village called a halt upon the present tirade? Certainly, when, in a
single article, that by "Still Another Republican" in Saturday's STANDARD,
the terms, ''self-styled enforcers of law,'' "fanatics," "those
the only avenue to whose brain is through their prejudices,'' "disturbers,"
"vilifiers of decent men" are applied to Rev. J. L. Robertson, the intelligent
and cautious Presbyterian pastor and the whole body of the ministers of the
village; Dr. F. J. Cheney, the principal of the State Normal school and the
entire list of professors in that school; Professor C. V. Coon, superintendent
of the public schools; Professor E. C. Cleaves of Cornell university; Dr. F. D.
Reese and most of the physicians of our village; C. P. Walrad, president of the
Cortland savings bank and late president of the village; J. D. F. Woolston, the
popular grange president; H. M. Kellogg, our trusted railroad commissioner, and
a long list of the solid business men of the community, bank directors,
manufacturers and merchants—men who have led in the independent citizens'
movement,
Yes sir, it is time to call a halt upon the present
tirade. We use no epithets. We let our enemies do that. The one severe thing
that we say and reiterate, is that the party tickets are the whiskey tickets because
they are not committed against whiskey. Every whiskey man in town will vote for
one of them, and, if either one of them carries, the saloon men expect they
will not be molested.
Some of
the points made by "Still Another Republican" are well taken, but
certainly not all of them. We do not contend for some special way of enforcing law;
there are several ways, but we do declare that it is high time that the law be
executed. And, furthermore, we are aroused to the fact that a village
administration in full sympathy with this law enforcement would be vastly more
likely to do the work than an administration expressing no sympathy and utterly
unwilling to make any such pledge.
ONE MORE REPUBLICAN.
A Word
for F. D. Smith.
To the Editor of the Standard:
SIR—In the excitement of the past week over
the several tickets to be voted for at the election to-morrow, one thing seems
to have been overlooked. There are four tickets in the field for commissioners of
the village schools and only three for the head of the tickets. This is very
liable to throw the school commissioners into the hands of the Democrats. Do
the people want this—especially when one of the Democratic nominees was once a
janitor of the high school, and was discharged by the present board for
incompetency. Would such a man be competent to discharge the many important
duties devolving on a board of commissioners?
The citizens' convention indorsed two of the
retiring board, but nominated a Democrat (Mr. Jayne) in the place of F. D. Smith,
who also retires. Mr. Smith was conceded by all the board to be one of its most
valuable members. He was chairman of the building committee and the new school
stands as a monument to the work so well done by him. In every way he was
always to be depended upon and was competent in every respect. If his temperate
habits are to be considered, his record during a business career of twenty-five
years in Cortland will speak for itself. Many of the citizens' party claim to
be as good Republicans as those who do not indorse them, yet they nominate a
Democrat in place of Mr. Smith, and ask their Republican friends to vote for a
Democrat, as against him. Do we want a Democratic board of commissioners in
this Republican town? Is this point not worthy [of] consideration at the polls
to-morrow?
ONE OF THE PRESENT BOARD.
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