UNCLE SAM'S POLICY ON CUBA

Grover Cleveland.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, October 21, 1896.

UNCLE SAM'S POLICY.

No Change of Attitude Toward the Cubans.

SENSATIONAL RUMORS DENIED.

The President Will Continue the Same Neutral Policy Which Has Been

Pursued — New Trial Granted the Crew of the Competitor.

   WASHINGTON, Oct. 21.—It can be stated on good authority that there has been no change in the declared policy of the government with respect to Cuba, nor is any contemplated. As is well known, the sympathies of the administration as individuals in a large measure are with the insurgents, but if they gain their independence it will be without any intervention other than amicable on the part of Mr. Cleveland.

   From the inception of the present difficulties in Cuba the administration has used all reasonable diligence in preventing the fitting out in this country of hostile expeditions against the Spanish authorities in Cuba, and this vigilance will be continued to the end.

   The government has taken this course for the purpose of showing to the world that international law is held sacred in the United States, and also for the purpose of making it impossible for Spain successfully to prosecute any claim against the United States for damages growing out of filibustering expeditions, as might be the case were the officials less alert in preventing such expeditions and in prosecuting offenders.

   It can be stated also that the sending of the revenue cutter Windom to sea with sealed orders has no special significance whatever beyond the purpose of the treasury officials to keep secret from Cuban agents the movements of the revenue fleet.

   Hitherto insurgent agents in this country, through Cuban sympathizers, have managed to secure all necessary information regarding any contemplated movement even in advance of American officers, and as a result the purposes of the government have been defeated.

   This has occurred so often that the officials have determined to put a stop to it as far a s possible by issuing sealed orders to the captains of revenue cutters, which orders are not to be opened until well at sea.

NEW TRIAL ORDERED.

Crew of the Competitor to Have a Chance For Their Lives.

   HAVANA, Oct. 21.—The supreme court of war and marine has ordered the preparation of new cases against the crew of the American schooner Competitor, who will now be tried before an ordinary marine court martial. The preliminary steps have already been taken. Laborde, the commander of the schooner, and Melton, the American newspaper correspondent, will be tried in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of 1881.

   During a skirmish at the plantation of [Galdfre], province of Pinar del Rio, nine insurgents have been killed. Among the dead is Captain Enrique Jerez.

   A dispatch from Matanzas announces that the insurgent leader, Aguilla, has been killed.

   Consul General Lee is in good health, and the report circulated by La Lucha in a dispatch from Washington, to the effect that the general had been asked to be recalled, is classed as untrue.

Civil Service Examinations.

   ALBANY, Oct. 21.—Open competitive civil service, examinations will be held at Albany, Utica, Watertown, Malone, Elmira, Poughkeepsie, Binghamton, New York city, Middletown, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Olean in the week beginning Nov. 16, for the following named positions: Clerks, junior clerks, messengers, architectural draughtsmen, medical interns, junior physicians, women physicians, apothecaries, electrical engineers, assistant electrical engineers (dynamo tenders), steam engineers, assistant steam engineers (including firemen), inspectors of public works, butter experts, milk experts, cheese experts, vinegar experts.

LARGE AS A NEWSPAPER.

BALLOT TO BE USED AT THE COMING ELECTION.

Over 43,000 Ballots, to be Used In Cortland County Including Amendment Ballots

—Some Duties of the County Clerk In Preparation For Election.

   The STANDARD has received from the secretary of state a specimen of the official ballot to be used at the coming election. The ballot is 17 by 23 inches, the size of a large newspaper. It contains eight party columns, but, since no independent nominations have been filed, the ballot which will be used in Cortland county will contain but seven columns. At the head of each column is the party emblem, and a circle for receiving the cross which denotes a straight ticket.

   The Republican emblem is an eagle, the Democratic, a five pointed star, the National Democratic, a ship under full sail, the Prohibition, a fountain, the Socialist Labor, an uplifted arm holding a hammer, and the People's, a clover leaf.

   The seventh column is for names which are not printed on the ballot, but for whom the elector desires to vote. The ballot should be marked with a lead pencil having black lead, and any other mark than the cross mark used in voting, or any erasure, invalidates the vote. In voting a straight ticket a cross is made within the circles above one of the party columns, and to vote a split ticket a like mark is made opposite the named of those for whom the elector wishes to vote.

   The STANDARD job rooms are now busy in printing the ballots for use upon Nov. 3 in this county. Everything about the ballot is prescribed by law, including the quality and weight of the paper, the style and size of type to be used, the spacing and arrangement of the names upon the ticket. The printing of an election ballot is one of the most particular jobs that a printer ever undertakes, for an error of any kind upon the ballot would invalidate the election.

   In the preparation of the ballots the printer consults with the county clerk concerning any point about which he may be in doubt, and where there is any question as to the interpretation of the law the printer always yields to the county clerk for he gets his instructions from the state and is alone responsible to the state for the correctness of the allots. The county clerk examines every proof and puts his "O. K.'' over his signature upon each proof before the printing is begun. A copy of the election law is always at hand for reference as a court of last resort. Inasmuch as the attention of County Clerk Palmer is so much taken up with the other numerous duties connected with that office the matter of the ballots is referred to Deputy County Clerk H. T. Bushnell, who was previously county clerk, and who has had much experience with the preparation of the ballots in former years, and who by reason of his experience and careful study of the law is probably the best informed man upon the matter of ballots in Cortland county

   For use this year Cortland county requires in its twenty-nine election districts 17,300 official ballots and 4,325 sample ballots, making a total of 21,625 regular ballots. There is a constitutional amendment to be voted for this year, for which just as many more ballots will be required, making 43,250 ballots in all that are to be prepared and furnished. For this nearly 1,700 pounds of paper will be required.

   The actual printing of the ballots is always a matter of haste, for there is continually a possibility of addition to the ticket through independent nominations up to fourteen days before election when the secretary of state certifies to the names to be used upon the ballot and his certification is filed with the county clerk. After that time no name can be taken from the ballot. Even if a candidate dies his name must be printed, though if another nomination is made in his place and the proper certificate, is filed with the county clerk that official Is authorized to prepare a paster ballot which he must deliver to the inspectors of election in the districts affected by the change. The inspectors pass the pasters over to the poll clerks and the poll clerks are required to affix them to the official ballot in the proper place before passing the ballots out to the voters.

   The ballots must all be completed by the printer and delivered by him to the county clerk in time for that official to get them ready for delivery to the several town clerks on the Saturday before election which this year falls upon Oct. 31. 

   The county clerk under the amended law is required to deliver a variety of articles to the town clerks. Instead of his delivering the ballots at the several towns as formerly the town clerks now have to come to the county clerk's office to get what they need. The law prescribes what shall be delivered to each town clerk. The official ballots are put up In a manilla box, wrapped in a manilla paper and the package is sealed and labeled. Another similar package contains the sample ballots, a third package contains the official amendment ballots and a fourth package the sample amendment ballots. In addition, each town clerk in this county will receive packages containing the following: Four distance markers, twelve cards of instructions, two poll books, three blanks for inspectors return, three ballot clerks' return sheets, two tally sheets, fifteen pens, eight penholders, two bottles of ink, eight pencils, eight blotters and one stick of sealing wax. There are also envelopes for sending the returns back to the county clerk's office on the day after election. These packages are not to be opened until after the polls are opened on the morning of election and everybody is in his [place] when the seals are broken by the inspectors of election, who deliver the ballots to the ballot clerks and the other articles to the poll clerks or to those who may have need for them during the election.

   It is apparent from this that the county clerk's office will for a few days before election be a very busy place and the utmost care must be used by the one in charge that no mistakes are made in the putting up and delivering of the several packages of ballots to the proper parties.

A PECULIAR OPERATION

Of Trephining Performed Yesterday by Veterinarian J. C. Stevens.

   Veterinarian J. C. Stevens performed a peculiar operation called trephining on a horse owned by Mr. Archibald Fuller yesterday afternoon. The operation consisted not in pulling a tooth, but in punching it out. The tooth in question was the fourth molar on the right side of the upper jaw and had previously been broken off close to the gum. The part of the tooth remaining was two inches long and one and one-half inches in diameter. The horse had been condemned in Syracuse as being affected with glanders, but Dr. Stevens found that it was a carious or decayed tooth.

   By careful measurements the base of the tooth was located and then by means of an instrument for the purpose a hole nearly an inch in diameter was bored through the bone to the base of the tooth and then the tooth was driven down and out by the use of hammer and punch. The tooth cavity was then filled with gutta percha.

BREVITIES.

   —Ladies' night at the Tioughnioga club to-night.

   —New advertisements to-day are—G. O. Whitcomb & Co., new delivery, page 6; W. J. Perkins, on pleasure bent, page 4.

   —Mrs. G.J. Mager is entertaining a number of her friends and neighbors at tea this evening in honor of Miss Harrison of New York City.

   —Mrs. John S. Franklin died at 2 o'clock this afternoon at her home in Chicago [near Gracie Road], N. Y., at the age of 57 years and 15 days. The notice of the funeral will be given to-morrow.

   —Inspectors and election and poll clerks, who have not yet provided themselves with copies of the new election law, may procure them from Town Clerk E. C. Alger.

   —There will be a meeting in the interests of Bryan and free silver in Taylor hall to-night at 8 o'clock. Mrs. Nickerson of Lansing, Mich., and L. E. Lincoln of Buffalo are the speakers.

   —Tully Hose company No. 1, of Tully, is preparing for an entertainment and ball to be given Friday night. Among the artists who appear are Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Lanigan and Mr. Charles Roe of Cortland. McDermott's orchestra will furnish music.

   —The pupils of the dancing academy are showing marked improvement under the instruction of Dillon Brothers. Last night a class of thirty-five scholars was in attendance and a private club known as the Eureka dancing club was organized.

   —The remains of Mrs. Alice E. Ballsy, who died in Philadelphia Sunday, aged 54 years, were brought to Cortland last night and a short funeral service was held at 2 o'clock this afternoon from the residence of her aunt, Mrs. Emily E. Bierce, 6 Greenbush-st. Interment was made in Cortland Rural cemetery.

   —Messrs. Hyatt & Tooke, photographers, have just completed some improvements in their studio which add much to the beauty and convenience of the rooms. The partition between the operating and finishing rooms has been moved eastward ten feet, enlarging the operating room, which has been repapered, both walls and ceilings.

   —Proprietor Daniel Kernan of the North Cortland House is to-day superintending the building of a fine cinder path on the east side of the street opposite his hotel. The path extends from the fair grounds to O'Leary & McEvoy's store, where the walk has always been very poor. An excellent piece of work is being done. Let some one push the good work on farther and continue the cinder path up to the Rood place above the gas house where the sidewalk begins again.