 |
| Grover Cleveland. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday,
December 5, 1895.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
The
President's Message.
President Cleveland's third annual message
is another sorry offender against brevity and compactness, but the president at
any rate has had the wisdom to dispense with the perfunctory summaries of
department reports which have wasted so much of the space in his previous
messages and in those of his predecessors. Practically the entire document can
be arranged under two heads—foreign relations and national finances. These two
topics seem to have been absorbing the chief executive's attention.
Under neither head is there anything
sensational. The message as a whole has a moderate and dignified tone, bespeaking
an industrious and honest president, if not a great one. In his discussion of
foreign affairs, Mr. Cleveland makes an error in urging that we should withdraw
from the Samoan tri-protectorate, as was shown a year ago, when a Democratic
congress utterly ignored his recommendation. But on most of the other matters
under [this] head the president's position is conspicuously just and sound. He
has rightly sensed the opinions of the American people. As to the imprisonment
of poor Waller, he intimates that the
production of the evidence under which the ex-consul was convicted will be
rigidly insisted on and he adds that "it is expected that some
satisfactory solution of the manner will shortly be reached."
More vigorous measures for the protection of
the seals in Behring Sea are recommended, and England's culpable neglect to
carry out her share of the agreement is stated in plain terms. The president's handling of the Venezuelan
problem is one which will dismay some of his superserviceable friends and delight his opponents, for here Mr. Cleveland comes squarely over to the position
occupied by the Republicans. His words on this point will occasion a very
unpleasant sensation in some quarters. As a complete acceptance of the
Republican attitude they are well worthy of being fully quoted. Mr. Cleveland
declares that the general conclusions which he has reached and caused to be
communicated to the British government are in "substance, that the traditional and
established policy of this government is firmly opposed to a forcible increase
by any European power of its territorial possessions on this continent; that
this policy is as well founded in principle as it is strongly supported by
numerous precedents; that as a consequence the United States is bound to
protest against the enlargement of the area of British Guiana in derogation of
the slights and against the will of Venezuela; that, considering the disparity
in strength of Great Britain and Venezuela, the territorial dispute between them
can be reasonably settled only by friendly and impartial arbitration, and that
the resort to such arbitration should include the whole controversy, and is not
satisfied if one of the powers concerned is permitted to draw an arbitrary line
through the territory in debate and to declare that it will submit to
arbitration only the portion lying on one side of it. In view of these conclusions,
the dispatch in question called upon the British government for a definite
answer to the question whether it would or would not submit the territorial
controversy between itself and Venezuela in its entirety to impartial
arbitration."
We quote these words in full, not only
because they are an absolute indorsement of the Republican position, but
because they are by all odds the strongest and most significant portion of the
entire executive message. They embody a distinct affirmation of the Monroe
doctrine in its most positive form as the "traditional and established
policy of this government, well founded in principle as it is strongly
supported by numerous precedents," and a further emphatic declaration that
this policy directly applies to the present controversy between Venezuela and
Great Britain. Moreover the president insists that not only a part, but all of
the territory in dispute must be submitted to arbitration.
This assertion of President Cleveland will
come as a sudden and stunning blow to the noisy Anglomaniacs from a quarter
whence they least expected it. These
chattering relics of provincialism have mistaken their man. Mr. Cleveland may
in times past have given them some encouragement, but when put to the real test
he shows himself a statesman of broader mind and truer insight than they in
their folly have imagined. They confidently expected him to pinion and muzzle
the Monroe doctrine in English interests. On the contrary, he has reasserted it
with a force which it has not felt since thirty years ago it sent the French
eagles whirling out of Mexico. To this part of his message, Mr. Cleveland's
enlightened and patriotic fellow-countrymen, of all shades of politics, will
respond with grateful rejoicing.
As to the President's financial
recommendations, the gist of his long discussion of the subject is an
amplification of the idea which Secretary Carlisle has already exploited—the
retirement of the greenbacks and of the treasury notes issued under the Silver Purchase
act of 1890. He would have these notes exchanged for long-term gold bonds bearing
a low rate of interest. The objection to
this plan, is that it would divide the honest money forces in congress and
unite the cheap dollar people solidly against it. If there is any suggestion
calculated to provoke the Democratic silver men to violent anger it is the issuance of any more gold interest-bearing
bonds. Mr. Cleveland's recommendation is submitted with the best intentions. It
will receive some support among the conservative classes of the North and East,
but with the national senate constituted as it is at present the idea must be
dismissed as totally impracticable.
The trouble with Mr. Cleveland in his
consideration of the national finances is that he has mistaken effect for
cause. He devotes all his attention to rehabituating the currency, while the
real secret of the financial weakness which afflicts us is the insufficient
national revenue. Mr. Cleveland is human. He is naturally reluctant to con fess that the
only important measure of legislation that his party has passed for thirty-five
years has lamentably failed to fulfill the purpose for which it was enacted;
that the Democratic tariff for revenue only is not producing income enough to
meet the national expenditures. Yet that is the hard, cold truth of the
situation. If the tariff were so amended that the revenue could be increased
and a final step put to the accumulation of this huge deficit, the currency problem
would take care of itself for the time being. Mr. Cleveland totally ignores
this first and most pressing duty of congress, and leaves it to the Republican
leaders to take the initiative. Fortunately the responsibility will be safe in
their hands.
◘ Undoubtedly the wish was father to the
thought which seems to have emanated originally from the brain of some British
editor that the United States, Great Britain and Japan should form an alliance
to prevent the further aggression of Russia against Japan and elsewhere. Such
an idea is craziness. The American government will follow the Washington
doctrine while time lasts and avoid entangling alliances with European and
other powers. And, even if this were not the case, why should the United States
form an alliance with Great Britain against Russia? From the beginning of our
republic till now Russia has been the best friend and the only consistent
friend the United States has ever had in Europe. She stood our friend when
England, only for her influence, would have recognized the Southern
Confederacy. She also stood our friend at a critical period earlier in our
history. Shall we slap our best friend in the face just to please a nation that
except for trade purposes is not our friend at all? Not if we know it. The true
policy will be for Japan and Russia to get together and have a friendly
understanding. Then they can defy their mutual enemies.
COMMISSIONERS
REPORT
Fix the
Value of the Randall Land at $600 per Acre.
The report of Commissioners Eggleston, Carley
and Van Hoesen upon the appraisal of the land of William R. Randall, Wilhelmina
Randall and Antoinette R. Huntington, which was required by the Erie &
Central New York
railroad, was delivered at 12:20 to-day. The commissioners find that the
railroad should pay the owners of the land at the rate of $600 per acre. The
railroad requires 3.76 acres and the total sum to be pain is $2,256.
Work will be pushed along on the east side
of the land of Frank Welch which is still in question, all necessary material
being hauled around his premises. If the winter should prove open the building
of the road could be pushed on very rapidly as all the grading is done.
SUPERVISORS' BANQUET.
AT THE
CORTLAND HOUSE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
Many
Guests Present—Delicious Menu Served—Fine Speaking—Splendid Good Time.
The banquet of the board of supervisors last
evening at the Cortland House was a great success from whatever point it is
considered. The board with their guests began to assemble in the corridors and
parlors of the hotel about 9 o'clock. After an hour pleasantly passed in hearty
greetings and laughing reminiscences, the doors of the spacious diningroom were
thrown open disclosing through the drapery a very pretty picture. The tables
had been artistically arranged in the form of a circle extending entirely
around the large room. They were very handsomely decorated with palms and
strewn liberally with chrysanthemums. The procession to the diningroom was led
by Chairman Crane, who occupied the seat of honor at the west side of the room,
while the several members of the board with their guests took the seats
assigned them about the outer circumference of the circle.
The following very appetizing menu was
served in a manner highly creditable to the well known reputation of this
excellent hotel on all such occasions:
It was 11 o'clock before the cigars were
lighted and Chairman Crane arose to formally welcome the guests, which he did
in his usual happy style and closed by saying that no regular program had been
laid down for the evening, but as there were several well-known eloquent
gentlemen present, it was the desire of the board to hear from them and to that
end he called on J. C.
Barry, the clerk of the board, to act as toastmaster for the evening.
Mr. Barry, speaking as a representative of the
board, outlined the reasons why the board had invited so cosmopolitan a representation
to be present. He referred to the work done by the board during the two
[annual] sessions, of the very pleasant friendships formed among its members,
and of the doubt in the future as to their ever meeting again in the same official
capacity.
Judge A. P. Smith was obliged to leave the
banquet hall to catch the 11:20 train for New York and was persuaded as he was
going out to say a few words. He was in a happy mood and for five minutes cracked
jokes, roasted different ones present and closed with an eloquent climax.
Mr. Barry called upon the following
gentlemen in the order named, assigning them such impromptu toasts as he saw
fit. Very graciously one and all responded, in some of the brightest, wittiest
and most eloquent impromptu efforts heard in Cortland in many days. All the
remarks were good and it would be impossible to characterize one beyond
another. The gentlemen responded in the order named: A. P. Smith, E. E. Mellon,
John Courtney, Jr., James H. Tripp, N. L. Miller, F. J. Cheney, Ed L. Adams, H.
L. Bronson, D. W. Van Hoesen, Geo. S. Sands and B. T. Wright. Dr. Kinyon,
supervisor from Cincinnatus, then closed the speech making in a very happy
manner speaking for the board.
Mr. Barry read letters of regret from
Messrs. F. P. Saunders, C. H. Stevens and W. H. Clark and a telegram from Dr.
H. I. Van Hoesen.
Hon. James H. Tripp then arose and after
expressing his views as to the grand and royal time which the guests had
enjoyed, asked the guests to join him in tendering to the board of supervisors
a vote of thanks for their generous hospitality. It is needless to say, this
was carried with a significant "aye."
Mr. Barry then on behalf of the board
thanked Mr. Tripp for his kind words, and also the guests for the kindly
sentiments expressed, and bade all a formal good night. On departing words of
pleasant good night and happy cheer were heard on every side. All were highly
appreciative of the very excellent manner in which everything was done that
could possibly be done by the proprietor of the Cortland House, Dorr C. Smith.
He has dealt with supervisors so long that he knows just what to do for them
and for their friends.
The invited guests who were present were the
following named gentlemen:
Clayton E.
Rowley, John Courtney, Jr., F. J. Cheney, Hugh Duffey, Wilber Holmes, W. H.
Foster, Geo. S. Sands, B. F. Lee, J. H. Tripp, R. E. Dunston, C. S. Pomeroy, E.
J. Bockes, Adam Hilsinger, E. C. Palmer, B. T. Wright, D. W. Van Hoesen, T. E.
Dye, Will Tarbell, F. M, Benjamin, [Mr.] Comerfort, E. W. Childs,
O. P. Miner, Ed L. Adams, A. P. Smith, E. E. Mellon, Frank P. Hakes, W. A.
Stockwell, F. Cy. Straat, T. E. Courtney, A. S. Brown, N. L. Miller, H. L.
Bronson.
CORONERS INQUEST.
NO
IMPORTANT EVIDENCE YET BROUGHT OUT.
Conductor
and Brakeman Sworn—Great Crowd in Attendance—Nothing but Theory.
The coroner's inquest to determine the cause
of the wreck of the night express at Preble Sunday night and the consequent death
of the engineer and fireman and also the passenger who died in New Jersey
Tuesday morning as a result of his injuries, was begun at Preble at 10:30
o'clock this morning. Coroner Moore was present and the jury consisting of
Morris Spoore, Lorenzo Allen, A. A. Knapp, Philander Manchester, Duane Van Denburg,
John Ackles, Edwin Wilbur, John H. Gay, Seth Hobart, A. Harter, C. Z. Shepard,
and A. H. Vosburg. The inquest was held in the town hall which was packed
almost to suffocation. A number of railroad men were present and some of the
detectives. District Attorney Burlingame was the legal adviser and assistant of
the coroner.
The first witness called was John Carroll, a
brakeman on the wrecked train. He
testified that he was sitting in the forward end of the sleepingcar at the time
of the accident. His first intimation of an accident was the applying of the
air brakes, followed by a sudden stop and jar. He got out of doors as soon as
possible and noticed that the switch lever was blocked up. The bull's eye
switch light was out. He went back to Tully to flag any train that might be following
and staid [sic] there until the wild cat engine came along. He thinks he was
the first one at the switch. On the way to Tully he saw no person whatever.
The next witness was H. H. Darling, the
conductor of the train. He testified that when leaving Tully he was four minutes
behind time. After passing Tully he
was running at the rate of forty or forty-five miles an hour. He described the
position of the wrecked cars and engine, their position being as already stated
in The STANDARD. Engineer Young and Fireman Roof were running that night in
place of William Gray and Michael Hogan, the regular engineer and fireman. He
said he could give no motive for the wreck.
An adjournment was then taken until 1:30
this afternoon. The inquest will probably continue into to-morrow.
There is nothing new which so far points to
the wreckers, except that four tramps were yesterday afternoon arrested in
Buffalo. They gave their names as Frank Sherman, Lawrence Frye, Anthony Lawrett
and William Lee. When searched one was found to have a switch key in his pocket
and a copy of a Syracuse paper containing an account of the wreck. They were
sent to the penitentiary for four months on a charge of vagrancy and before
their release their records will be looked up.
POLICE
COURT.
Three
Dollars or Three Days—The Excise Cases.
One offender was brought before Justice Bull
this morning charged with public intoxication. He was fined three dollars or
given three days in jail. He chose jail.
The excise cases of H. Corcoran, Wallace &
McKean, M. H. Ray and John Dowd,
which were held open until 8 o'clock yesterday were adjourned until Saturday,
Dec. 7 at 10 A. M.
Dennis Cronin appeared and, through his
counsel. Riley Champlin, withdrew his former plea of not guilty, pleaded guilty
and sentence was suspended, Mr. Cronin having already discontinued business and
agreed not to go into the business again.
The case of Wm. Donegan which was set down
for 10 o'clock to-day was again adjourned until 10 A. M., Monday, Dec. 9.
''A
Thoroughbred'' To-night.
The New York Herald says of "A Thoroughbred"
which shows in Cortland to-night:
"This successful London comedy was presented
to a large audience at the Bijou last night, and scored an emphatic success. It
is difficult to decide whether the piece is a comedy or a drama. Many of the situations
are intensely dramatic and many extremely humorous. We have seldom seen an audience
"roar" the way it did at the side-splitting love scene of Willie Green's
in the last act. That "quiet little game of poker" will also be
remembered. The company was adequate to the requirements of the different
roles. Mr. Wilson as Willie Green and Kate Johnson as Mrs. Strongmind made
hits. Miss St. Clare as Kate wore some beautiful gowns.
BREVITIES.
—The Alpha C. L. S. meets at Mrs.
Doubleday's, 44 Port Watson-st., Monday evening, Dec 9.
—New advertisements to-day are—McKinney & Doubleday, page 7; D. Appleton &Co.,
page 6: Syndicate Publishing Co., page 3.
—The supervisors closed their annual session
to-day at 11:30 o'clock and adjourned. The full report of the proceedings of
the adjourned session will be given to-morrow.
—A regular meeting of W. C T. U. will be
held on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 3 P. M.
Items of interest will be most gladly listened to from as many of the union as
can be present.
—Messrs. Ford & Johnson who have been
for a few weeks conducting a shoe store at 112 Main-st., closed up their business
last sight and returned to Binghamton this morning.
—The attention of all members of the Cortland
county bar is called to the list of appointments of the supreme court of the
Sixth judicial district which is found on the sixth page of to-day's issue.
—Among those who went to Preble this morning
to attend the coroner's inquest were Coroner W. J. Moore, District Attorney
Miles Burlingame, Ex-Sheriff
John Miller, Dr. Jerome Angel, C. F. Blackman and a STANDARD reporter.
—Mr. Edwin Duffey entertained twenty-four
ladies and gentlemen at his law office in the Schermerhorn building last
evening. It was a regular meeting of a whist club and that fascinating game was
the order of the evening. Very nice refreshments were served.
—It is said that the engine "Sam
Sloan" which was wrecked at Preble Sunday night and which had previously
been through two other accidents, will be rebuilt. The new "Sam
Sloan" will, however, be very much like the boy's jack-knife which had
been provided with a new handle and a new blade, but was still his jack-knife.
—Frequent inquiries are made regarding the
Industrial Edition of The STANDARD. Work is being pushed as hard as possible
day and night. More than half the pages are already printed. Unless something
unforeseen occurs to hinder, the first completed copies will come from the
bindery about Dec. 20 and others will follow at the rate of from 500 to 1,000
per day.
