THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Grover Cleveland.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, December 9, 1896.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The President's Message.

   The length of the last annual message of President Cleveland to congress is, perhaps, justified by the importance of the various topics treated, for it is evident to any intelligent American that at no time since the incoming of the present administration, have both our foreign relations and our domestic problems been of larger interest or graver concern than at this moment. Without indulging in minute criticism either of the matter or manner of the message, we shall content ourselves with an abstract of its principal features, for the benefit of our readers who have neither the time nor the inclination to read the document in full.

   The message opens with the congratulations of the executive upon the peaceful termination of a political contest [McKinley vs. Bryan] involving much of bitterness and passion, as the magnificent evidence of the patriotic disposition of the people, and the assured stability of American institutions against all storms which may beset them.

   It then proceeds to a discussion of our foreign relations and treats of the Cuban question in a very unsatisfactory manner. The president discusses this question with amplitude—the paragraph in reference to Cuba is one of the longest in the message. But the amplitude does not go hand in hand with exactitude. Nothing could be further from accuracy, for example, than his declaration that the American people "view with wonder and admiration the cheerful resolution with which vast bodies of men are sent across thousands of miles of ocean and an enormous debt accumulated, that the costly possessions of the gem of the Antilles may still hold their place in the Spanish crown." "With admiration," forsooth! Where does Mr. Cleveland find the Americans who view "with admiration" Spain's desperate attempts to retain the oppressed Cubans in the house of bondage, to deny them the inalienable right of liberty? We suspect that this variety of Americans does not exist outside the frontier of the Cleveland imagination.

   Premising that it is difficult to perceive that any progress has been made towards the pacification of the island of Cuba or that the situation of affairs as depicted in his annual message of last year has in the least improved, the president proceeds to outline the present condition of affairs, carefully balancing the pros and the cons. This done he states and negatives several schemes which have been suggested as a solution of the Cuban problem—the accordance of belligerent rights to the insurgents, the recognition of their independence, the purchase of the island, affirmative, and if need be, aggressive intervention. Then comes the president's own suggestion looking to a termination of the struggle. He recommends that Spain shall offer to Cuba "genuine autonomy." This he defines as "a measure of home rule which, while preserving the sovereignty of Spain, would satisfy all rational requirements of her Spanish subjects." He adds the interesting piece of information that "it was intimated by this government to the government of Spain some months ago that if a satisfactory measure of home rule were tendered the Cuban insurgents and would be accepted by them upon a guaranty of its execution the United States would endeavor to find a way not unobjectionable to Spain of furnishing such guaranty.

   Now it is perfectly obvious from the course of events in Cuba that this suggestion of "genuine autonomy" will not for one moment be considered by the insurgents. They will reject it with scorn. The only proffer of autonomy which will meet with what they are convinced are "rational requirements" will be a proffer of freedom and independence. That is what they are fighting for and they are in no mood to accept anything less. The time for the proposed compromise, which would practically be a victory for Spain, has passed. Why should the insurgents accept it? Certainly the future from their point of view is full of encouragement, since they are justified in believing that Spain has well nigh exhausted her sinews of war and that her finances have reached such a desperate pass that she cannot procure a fresh supply.

   Having advanced his proposition for possibly genuine but obviously restricted autonomy, the president in closing his discussion of the Cuban question remarks that "it cannot be reasonably assumed that the hitherto expectant attitude of the United States will be indefinitely maintained.'' The majority of the people of the United States, we are inclined to think, believe that the present "attitude" would be "indefinitely maintained" in case the Cleveland administration were to be "indefinitely maintained.'' It is an attitude which finely illustrates what Dickens calls the art of how not to do it.

  

Capt. Gen. Valeriano Weyler.

WEYLER IN THE LURCH.

Completely Outgeneralled by Antonio Maceo.

GREAT EXCITEMENT IN HAVANA.

Spaniards Admit That the Insurgents Have Crossed the Trocha After Turning Weyler's Flank—Spaniards Again Announce the Death of Antonio Maceo.

   HAVANA, Doc. 9.—It is now semi-officially admitted that Antonio Maceo, the insurgent leader, passed the military line of Pinar del Rio on Friday last near Mariel, the port at its northern extremity. He was accompanied by the son of Maximo Gomez.

   There was much excitement here when it became generally known that Maceo had crossed the military line with, it is understood, a strong force of insurgents, especially when coupled with the fighting between Spanish troops and insurgents close to this city. It seems evident that the insurgent commander has not only clearly turned the flank of Captain General Weyler, but he has succeeded in getting in his rear and crossing the famous military line near the port which has been used as a base of supplies for the Spanish troops in Pinar del Rio.

   The importance of this movement cannot be exaggerated. The exact whereabouts of General Weyler is not known, but he is believed to be hunting for Maceo in the mountains in the extreme eastern part of Pinar del Rio, while the insurgent chief has seemingly doubled on his tracks, turned the flank of the Spanish general and passed in his rear, in the direction of the city, crossing the military line at will and, possibly, being by this time in the vicinity of the capital of Cuba. If Maximo Gomez has carried out the plan attributed to him, that of pushing westward to the support of Maceo, a junction of the two main bodies of the insurgent forces may be expected shortly.

   Nothing appears to be known of the strength of the insurgent force with Antonio Maceo in this province. In fact, it was not until the news was being passed from person to person in the street that the authorities would give a half hearted admission of the truth that Maceo had crossed the military line. This, it is believed, will alter the whole situation, and important events may occur within a short time.

   There is no doubt that the insurgents have recently been increasing greatly in number about the capital. The stray bands of 30 to 50 "bandits" met by the Spanish troops have now swollen to the proportions of insurgent forces of 2,000 to 4,000 men.

   Only this day a week ago a bold attack was made upon Guanabacoa, which is really a suburb of this city, and 70 houses were burned by the insurgents, who also killed all the men forming the garrison of one of the forts.

   Therefore, it is not astonishing if people are now anxiously asking themselves from what quarter the next attack will be made. It seems to be admitted, however, that Maceo will strike before Weyler can hurry back from Pinar del Rio.

   Indeed, it is currently reported that the captain general has been wounded in an engagement with the insurgents before the latter crossed the military line and that he may not be able to return here, except as a prisoner of the Cubans.

   The authorities, naturally, are doing all in their power to minimize the importance of the crossing of the trocha by Maceo and intimate that he is, as usual, according to the Spaniards, running away from them.

   This does not alter the fact that the hare has escaped the hunter and the hunter may find it difficult to get home.

   The friends of the insurgents here are overjoyed at the new turn taken in the campaign, and they are boasting that both Gomez and Maceo will soon be knocking at the gates of Havana. To this the Spanish officials simply say, "Wait and see; the end is not yet." But, there is no denying that the supporters of Spain here are looking much crestfallen and discouraged. Even a defeat at the hands of the insurgents, it is admitted, would have been better than the humiliation which the Spanish troops have suffered in being so successfully out-maneuvered by the insurgents.

SENSATION AT AMSTERDAM.

Prominent Citizen's Odd Way of Espousing Florence Haun's Cause.

   AMSTERDAM, N. Y., Dec. 9.—Raymond Christman, a prominent business man and trustee in the Baptist church, has created a great sensation in this city by erecting in his family lot in Greenhill cemetery a handsome and costly monument for Florence Haun. It is inscribed "Florence Viola Christman, erected to the memory of a wronged child. Dead to the World but alive in Christ."

   Mrs. Haun shot and killed her lover, Charles Laundry, in this city, in November, 1895, and is now serving a life sentence for the crime in Auburn prison. Christman has become interested in the woman. He had himself appointed her guardian, has given her his name and is trying to secure a pardon for her. He claims she is dying with consumption and that this is the reason why he erected the monument.

MORE BURGLARIES.

Hubbard's Grocery and Sarvay's Shoe Store Entered Last Night.

   Burglars were again getting in their work last night. The grocery store of

H. B. Hubbard was entered and the contents of the money drawer, amounting to $3.68 taken. A pane of glass at the rear of the store next to Clayton-ave. was broken and the inside shutters forced inward. The cash drawer was left unlocked last night, so that the miscreants had no trouble in getting at its contents. The exit was made by unlocking the rear door from the inside, which was left open.

   The burglars did not fare so well at Sarvay's shoe store on Railroad-st. in the way of booty. Here the putty was scraped off and a pane of glass removed. Last night Mr. Sarvay left no money in the money drawer and left the drawer unlocked. This drawer was pulled out and so left, but nothing else was disturbed and nothing is missing.

   An attempt was made to enter the grocery of C. F. Thompson. A portion of the putty was removed from a pane of glass when probably the intruders were frightened away.

   It is very evident that all the recent burglaries are the work of the same parties as the manner of entrance in each case is the same and it seems that money is the object.

An Exciting Runaway.

   A very exciting runaway occurred at the D., L. & W. station Monday night. Edward Garrity was going to meet the 6:13 train and when opposite the lumber yard of H. F. Benton, a farmer backed his team out of the yard and the wagon which was loaded with lumber crashed into the side of the omnibus. Young Garrity jumped out and seized one of the farmer's horses by the head just as the farmer started to drive away. The farmer lost control of the team which ran down Pendleton-st. and around the water tank, where Garrity dropped off. The team then bounded over a large pile of ashes, across all the tracks, between two box cars, and then down the east side of the tracks to the junction, where it was stopped. It was remarkable that the lumber was not scattered broadcast and that the horses were not injured.

Obituary.

   Mr. R. Bert Smith was born in Freetown, Cortland county, May 20,1867, where he grew to manhood with his parents. At the age of sixteen he was regenerated, and joined the Baptist church. Five years later he went to Syracuse, found and married Miss Lucy West in October, 1891. Of his father's family there are father, mother and two brothers to mourn the death of their son and brother. There is left one little daughter one and one-half years of age with his wife to mourn their loss. The funeral of the deceased was held at the home of his parents in Cortland from thence to his final resting place in Marathon. For the kind sympathy and aid shown by friends and neighbors the bereaved friends wish to publicly express their sincere thanks and especially the quartet for their services.

BREVITIES.

   —The front of Jewett's jewelry store was yesterday treated to a new coat of paint.

   —One tramp giving his name as John Ryan of Troy was discharged from police court this morning.

   —The installation of Rev. John T. Stone as pastor of the Presbyterian church occurs to-night at 7:30 o'clock.

   —W. T. Smith, formerly with the Omnibus & Cab Co., is the new superintendent at the Hitchcock wagonworks on Elm-at.

   —Mr. Edward P. Elliott gives the third entertainment in the Normal course tonight at Normal hall. He will give the play of "Hazel Kirke."

   —New advertisements to-day are—Warren, Tanner & Co., Holiday Presents, page 6; Baker & Angell, Bargains, page 5; McKinney & Doubleday, Diaries, page 4.

   —J. W. Cudworth was called out of town to-day to attend the funeral of a relative and, therefore, he will not be in his office until Friday.

   —The quarterly conference of the W. C. T. U. occurs at Cuyler to-morrow. Two cents a mile on the Lehigh Valley railroad if ten or more go in a party.

   —A drunk from Cortland pleaded guilty to the charge this morning in recorder's court and was sentenced to pay a fine of $2 or go to jail for ten days.—Auburn Bulletin.

   —About two weeks ago Philip A. May stopped a runaway horse on Main-st. for W. J. Hollenbeck. This morning Mr. Hollenbeck presented Mr. May with a $5 bill as an acknowledgment of the service.

   —Residents of the town of Cortlandville who are entitled to town and county orders issued by the board of supervisors will find them at the First National bank of Cortland, where they have been left for delivery by Supervisor Smith. Each supervisor has taken charge of the orders for his own town.

   —Rev. John McVey, D. D., pastor of the North Presbyterian church of Binghamton, will deliver the charge to the people to-night at the installation of Rev. John T. Stone as pastor of the Presbyterian church, in place of Rev. G. Parsons Nichols, D. D., of the First Presbyterian church, Binghamton, who is prevented from performing that duty by some throat and voice difficulty.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Charles Donohue and family have moved to Cortland, where Mr. Donohue will work in Cooper Bros. foundry.

   Steven Waters has resigned his position in the box factory. T. D. Goodell is running the machine formerly run by Mr. Waters.

   Fred Hart of Homer called on friends in this place Tuesday. Mr. Hart has accepted a position in Binghamton and will soon leave for that city.

   Mrs. George H. Butts is on the sick list.

   The music of the ax and saw is heard on all sides. Many cords of wood are being cut from the trees uprooted by the recent cyclone and good body maple wood is being delivered in this village for $1 per cord. Thousands of trees are down, too valuable for wood and not only the stationary mills of C. D. Greenman & Co. and William Meldrim will have all the logs they can turn into lumber but two mills north of the village [sic]. The mill of John McChesney and Frank White on the farm of Frank Dunbar is nearly ready for business. Two miles east on Clinton Maybury's farm the mill of Cyrus Oothoudt is being located and on John Tucker's farm about the same distance to the northwest, Henry Dockstader is sawing 125.000 feet of bass wood which Mr. Tucker has sold to Wickwire Bros. of Cortland, besides a large quantity of logs for neighboring farmers. Greenman & Co. have bought the timber on Frank Burlingham's east slope and are cutting it. It looks as if McGrawville was getting to be quite a lumber center.

TAYLOR.

   TAYLOR, Dec. 7.—Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Wire are moving from Union Valley and will live with his father.

   Miss Lucy Potter, who is staying at her brother's in Pitcher, spent Sunday in this place.

   Dr. A. D. Perkins and wife of South Otselic were guests at Frank Cook's Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. L. Cook were at the same place Sunday.

   Miss Ora Weaver of the Brackle [Lower Cincinnatus area], who has been staying in this place for several weeks, returned home yesterday.

   Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Bennett are in Syracuse this week. While there Mr.

Bennett will select his Holiday goods.

   A donation and oyster supper will be held in the M. E. church Wednesday evening, Dec. 18, for the benefit of Rev. E. Benson. All are cordially invited to come and make this one of the best donations we have ever had.

   The Epworth league meeting was led by J. C. Rogers last Sunday evening. The next leader is Mrs. K. P. Weaver.

   Mrs. Tom Weaver has returned from Truxton.

   The sick in this place are nearly all improving.

   William Andrews visited his brother in Cortland last week.

CINCINNATUS.

   CINCINNATUS, Dec. 8.—John W. Osgood was in Cortland two days of last week.

   Reno Hoag of The STANDARD was in town a part of last week.

   There have been two or three cases of chicken pox in town the past two weeks.

   Carl Dillenbeck of Homer is visiting friends here.

   Rev. O. L. Cooper of Wellsbridge was in town Saturday.

   Charles Benson of Minneapolis, Minn., who was called to German by the death of his brother William, called on old friends here Monday.

   Mrs. Charles Davis has presented her resignation as teacher in the primary department of the union school to take effect at the time school closes for the Holiday vacation. Miss Nellie Hayes has been engaged to teach the balance of the term.

   Miss Allie Harrington has so far recovered from her attack of typhoid fever as to be able to again be out.

   Mr. and Mrs. F. M. Benjamin and Mrs. F. L. Nichols were in Cortland Monday, Mrs. Benjamin and Mrs. Nichols returning that day and Mr. Benjamin going to Binghamton.

   J. S. Smith and family of the lower village spent Tuesday, Dec. 1, at the home of Mrs. Smith's father, A. J. Smith, it being his 87th birthday. Mr. Smith is a remarkably well preserved man for one of his advanced age. He is seen upon our streets everyday stepping along as smartly as a man of fifty. It is the earnest wish of his many friends that he may be spared to enjoy many more birthdays.

EATON HILL.

   EATON HILL, Dec. 7.—Mr. Hoyt is very busily engaged drawing lumber and wood to Greene.

   Alta Blancher has returned from her visit in Binghamton.

   Guy Covey was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. George Leach one day last week.

   Mrs. Mercie Covey was the guest of Mrs. J. B. Hills last Friday.

   Joe Gibson and Mrs. Ulysses Eaton were in Marathon last Saturday.

   Mr. D. E. Covey and wife were the callers at J. E. Pierce's a few evenings ago.

   We learn that Penelope [hamlet near Willet] is to give a very interesting entertainment some time in the near future.

   Chas. Starin commences his third term of school Monday. That speaks well for a teacher. He boards at Mr. Ford's.

   Several from this place attended the funeral of the son of Ed Benson of German last Sunday. Elder Cooper officiated, assisted by Rev. Mooney.

   L. B. Covey and Herbie Covey were in Greene Corners on business last Saturday.

   Bertha Leach and her friend, Miss Minnie Bush of Greene were the guests at George Covey's last Saturday and Sunday.

   There is to be a donation Dec. 16 at the schoolhouse hall for the benefit of Rev. Willson.