THE LIQUOR QUESTION

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, February 10, 1897.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Liquor Question.

   At the coming town meeting the people of this town will for the first time vote on the liquor question under the provisions of the Raines law. The several propositions to be submitted to them have already been stated, but may very properly be stated again. These propositions are as follows:

   1. Selling liquor to be drunk on the premises where sold.—Shall any corporation, association, co-partnership or person be authorized to traffic in liquors under the provisions of subdivision 1 of section 11 of the liquor tax law in the town of Cortlandville?

   2. Selling liquor not to be drunk on the premises where sold.—Shall any corporation, association, co-partnership or person be authorized to traffic in liquor under the provisions of subdivision 2 of section 11 of the liquor tax law in the town of Cortlandville?

   3. Selling liquor as a pharmacist on physician's prescription.—Shall any corporation, co-partnership or person be authorized to traffic in liquor under the provision of subdivision 3 of section 11 of the liquor tax law in the town of Cortlandville?

   4. Selling liquor by hotelkeepers.—Shall any corporation, association, co-partnership or person be authorized to traffic in liquors under subdivision 1 of section 11 of the liquor tax law, as the keeper of a hotel in the town of Cortlandvllle?

   A person voting "yes"' on the first proposition votes for licensing any saloon or hotel, the proprietor of which pays his tax and is not debarred from selling liquor by any of the provisions of the law.

   The second proposition covers what is known as a "storekeeper's license,'' which is the one under which all the drugstores of Cortland, with two exceptions, are now selling. No groceries or other stores in Cortland, save drug stores and two liquor stores, have thus far taken out a license under this section. Without a storekeeper's license, a druggist cannot legally sell alcohol or spirits of any kind for any purpose, unless he have a pharmacist's license, and then he can sell only on the written proscription of a physician.

   If Proposition No. 3 were carried and No. 2 defeated, druggists could then sell on physician's prescription.

   If Proposition No. 1 were beaten and No. 4 carried, then hotels alone could sell liquor to be drank on the premises, and saloons would be deprived of license. It seems to be the intent of the law to give opportunity for the expression of all shades of opinion on the liquor question, from licensing nobody to licensing every one who can and will pay the prescribed tax.

   From the fact that a no-license board of excise in this town granted licenses to druggists to sell under physicians' prescriptions, there is little doubt that a majority of our citizens will favor the granting of pharmacist's licenses, and possibly of storekeeper's licenses also, under which, as above stated, most of our druggists are now selling. The main contest will come on the granting of licenses to saloons and hotels or hotels alone, and on these two questions the voters of the town will array themselves much as they have in previous contests between license and no-license.

   The question involved is one which appeals to men's judgments as well as their consciences. The consideration of whether the law will be maintained by local authorities is no longer involved. The state stands pledged to enforce the law by its specially appointed agents, and every voter, therefore, can decide as to what action he will take solely on the ground of what he thinks is best for the welfare of the community.

   The STANDARD has never assumed to dictate as to how men should vote on the question of license or no-license, but it has insisted and will insist that the law governing the liquor traffic, as well as all other laws, be honestly enforced. Heretofore the issue has been between prohibition or general license. Now those who favor a limited license will also have the opportunity to express their views. What this limit shall be is practically the question to be decided next Tuesday, and upon this we recognize that there is opportunity for an honest difference of opinion. It is a question which should be approached in all seriousness, considered candidly, dispassionately and unselfishly, and when a decision is reached as to the manner in which the duty which rests upon all our citizens in this matter should be discharged, every voter should have the courage of his convictions, and express through the ballot the belief which he holds.

Capt. Gen. Valeriano Weyler.

CUBANS NOT PACIFIED.

Weyler's Statement Seems to Be Wrong.

GAINING INSTEAD OF LOSING.

Will Spring a Surprise on Weyler When He Returns to Havana—Insurgents Wreck a Train

—Smallpox Is Spreading and Many Deaths Occur.

   HAVANA, via Key West. Feb. 10.—The various reports and statements of Captain General Weyler, announcing the pacification of the province of Pinar del Rio and the almost complete disappearance of the insurgents in that part of the island, are far from being borne out by facts.

   As intimated in these dispatches when the Spanish commander made remarks referred to, if Pinar del Rio were as quiet as he stated, what has become of the arms, horses, ammunition and stores, etc., of the 7,000 men whom he admitted were under arms there. As a matter of fact the insurgent forces in Pinar del Rio seem better off, more thoroughly equipped and disciplined than at any previous state of the campaign. In support of this assertion the following statements have been gathered from the most reliable sources:

   In the neighborhood of Catalina and Las Cuevos are the insurgent leaders

Varona Rivero and Luis Perez with about 1,200 men well armed and having plenty of ammunition, but they are poorly clad.

   In the zone of Jaucia and Mula is the insurgent leader Lazo with some 600 men. Lazo is wounded in both arms.

   In the districts of Bayas, Rio del Medio, Managnacos, Pena Blanca and Pan de Azucar are various groups of insurgents with a total of over 500 men under Vidal Ducasi.

   At the Heights of Gobernadors and the Sierra del Rosario the insurgents are under the command of Brigadier General Rius Rivero and the leaders Jose Manuel Barrio and Perico Delgado. They consist of infantry and some cavalry, estimated to number about 800 men.

   At Sora is a force of insurgents under Antonio Nunez. Nunez, however, is also said to be wounded.

   At the Loma Heights is the Torro Bermudez band, and at Bayate and in the district of Punta Brava are the insurgents under Garraga and Lucas Martinez.

   The insurgent leader Federico Nunez is at Las Mangas, and near Arabia la Carlota and Artemisa are insurgent forces under Lorau.

   These forces alone, those of the known leaders of the insurgents in the field, are estimated to number about 5,000 men, and yet the captain general claims that Pinar del Rio is "pacified."

   In addition to these forces is a strong body of insurgents, which seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the neighborhood of Havana. The whereabouts of this force is attracting much attention and is known to be causing the Spanish staff considerable anxiety.

   The friends of the insurgents intimate that a big surprise is being prepared for Captain General Weyler when he tries to return to Havana.

   On Feb. 1 the insurgents destroyed, using dynamite, a culvert situated at a point about 115 kilometres from here, between Taco Taco and Bacanagua, Pinar del Rio. At the moment of the explosion an exploring train from Vuelta Abajo was passing over the culvert and the engine fell through.

   The culvert was totally destroyed and one passenger on the train was killed. The engineer, two firemen, a captain of the artillery volunteers, Suarez, and five soldiers of the battalion of Asturias, were seriously wounded; two of them have since died of the injuries thus received. In addition eight soldiers were slightly wounded. They were sent to Palacios as were the rest of the wounded.

   The explosion caused a panic among the passengers, who were eventually transferred to another train. The line was interrupted on Tuesday.

   Dionesio Ysarragorre, a well known insurgent, surrendered last week at Trinidad. He was immediately liberated under the captain general's decree, but was afterward arrested at Union with a companion, Caciniro Vivas.

   Thousands of persons are being vaccinated daily throughout the entire province. In spite of this, it is asserted, about 6,000 cases of smallpox exist in Havana, and during the last four days 30 persons, or 8 per cent of the entire mortality, have died from this disease.

   Advices from Remedios say that General Maximo Gomez has moved from the district of Sancti Spiritus to La Siguanea, which caused rumors to be circulated of a probable conference between the generals, and eventually of the conclusion of peace. But these reports have since been denied from insurgent sources.

   At Regia the Spanish authorities arrested Charles Scott, an American. [United States] Consul General Lee says that up to the present time he has been unable to ascertain the charges made against Scott.

SPANISH REPORT.

Severe Engagement In Which Insurgents Are Driven Back.

   HAVANA, Feb. 10.—The Peurto Rico and Araplies battalions, while reconnoitering in the vicinity of Santa Clara, Vega Alta, Camajuani and Placetas, have destroyed 400 huts.

   Two battalions of the brigade of General Segura, near Manajabo, and two others in the vicinity of Escambray and Guaracabelle, and as far as Placetas, have destroyed hundreds of huts and factories and quantities of stores, killing nine insurgents in so doing.

   Colonel Arjona, returning to Ciego de Avila, after raising the siege of Arroyo Blanco, has had another severe engagement with the enemy at Juan Criollo and at the plantation of Viejo, driving the insurgents from their positions and inflicting upon them a loss of over 50 men. The troops had one killed and 13 wounded.

   During a number of small engagements which have taken place recently in Pinar del Rio, Havana and Matanzas the insurgents left 31 men killed, and the troops captured four prisoners. The government forces in these engagements had two men killed and 24 wounded.

PHONES IN THE SENATE.

An Exchange Is Being Placed In the Capitol Building at Washington.

   The senate is about to set up a telephone exchange of its own, and before March 1 will have in working order the most ingenious and at the same time, the most compact and the handsomest switchboard ever constructed.

   Those who are familiar with telephone appliances hold that the virtue of the service lies in the perfection of the switchboard and that nothing may be omitted in this direction the leading electrical experts of the country have been called into consultation as to this particular board, while the local Bell telephone managers have spent weeks over the solution of difficulties incident to the situation. The board itself has been manufactured by Tiffany out of the finest mahogany possible to obtain.

   At present only the offices of the senate will be connected with the board, but ultimately the committee rooms will have the service, so that each room will have communication not only with every other room, but also with the long distance service of the country.

   The result of the new departure will be a decided reduction in the rates charged for the individual telephones, all of which now are connected directly with the central office, 1 1/2 miles from the capital.—New York Sun.

Soldiers' Monument and Cortland Normal School.

AN APPROPRIATION

To Protect the Soldiers' Monument to be Voted for at the Town Meeting.

   At the coming town meeting there will be a vote submitted to the people as to whether or not an appropriation of $800 shall be made to build an iron fence, or otherwise suitably enclose the plot of ground on which our beautiful soldiers' monument stands.

   This has become necessary in order to protect the monument from desecration and the lawn from being cut up into paths by bicycles. This monument was erected through the efforts of the old veterans of Grover post and the citizens of Cortlandville and dedicated as a "Centennial offering of Cortland county to the memory of those who fought in defence of the Union."

   Four of the original eight trustees named in the articles of incorporation have passed away, namely J. C. Carmichael, J. W. Benjamin, Isaac Perry, Chas. Gilbert. It is due their memory as well as the survivors of that awful struggle, that this monument be cared for and protected from harm. The lawn for twenty years has been mowed gratuitously by the old sexton of the First M. E. church, Daniel Nye, the janitor of the Normal school and the comrades of Grover post, G. A. R.

   Every citizen has an interest in this monument of which we have reason to be proud. It was erected at an expense of $5,000 and the bronze statute modeled after the Seventh Regt. soldier in Central Park, New York, is a thing of beauty, unexcelled in the state of New York. The trustees purpose to erect a fence enclosing the entire plot between the walks with gates on the north and south.

   Located as this monument is, in the very center of our beautiful city it would be a reproach to us to have it neglected. Thoughtless persons, young and old, in the past have marked the granite pedestal with chalk and pencils, have stood upon its base with muddy feet, thrown papers and peanut shells over the grass, stolen the flowers with which it has been decorated on Memorial day, and since the advent of the bicycle paths have been worn diagonally across the plat by wheelmen and even wheelwomen. It is hoped that there may not be a single person voting "no" on this proposition at the coming election.

   VETERAN.

BREVITIES.

   —The Sons of Veterans last night conferred the first degree on one candidate and the second and third degree on two candidates.

   —New advertisements to-day are—Gladding & Card, Laundry, page 5; W. W. Bennett, Sterling Ranges, page 6; Vito, Beyond Suspicion, page 6; S. Grover Graham Co., Dyspepsia, page 6.

   —The East Side mothers' meeting which was postponed from last Thursday will meet Thursday, Feb. 11, at 3 o'clock at the home of Mrs. Knickerbocker, 26 Crandall-st. A general attendance is desired.

   —A phonograph concert is to be given at the First M. E. church on Monday evening, Feb. 22. A phonograph of great power and excellence will be used and selections from celebrated soloists, bands and orchestras will be produced.

   —An important business meeting of all who are to act as ushers at the Y. M. C. A. convention is called at 7:15 to-night in the association rooms. Young men who are willing to serve as ushers and who have not handed in their names are invited to be present.

   —The secretaries' conference of the Y. M. C. A. begins in the Congregational church to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock. These exercises are open only to the state secretaries. The state convention itself begins at the Presbyterian church to-morrow night and is open to all.

   —The membership contest between the Reds and Blues of the Young Men's club of the Baptist church has closed, the former coming out victorious. Pursuant to the conditions of the contest the Blues met last night and made preliminary arrangements for serving a banquet to the Reds in the church parlors, Feb. 22.

   —Mrs. Cyrus Terpenning died this morning at 6 o'clock at her home, 10 Halbert-st. The cause of death was consumption, with which she had been afflicted for many years. She was 52 years of age. The funeral will be held from the house Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the service being conducted by Rev. E. B. Gearhart. Burial in Cortland Rural cemetery.

   —The special train to Ithaca will leave the Lehigh Valley station to-night at 7 o'clock sharp. The round-trip fare will be 70 cents and the train will reach Cortland on the return at about midnight. There will be three electric cars at the station in Cortland to-night when the train returns, two to go up North Main-st., and one to go as far down on the McGrawville line as may be necessary to accommodate the passengers.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   A number of friends of Mrs. Charles Cummings met at her home on Centre-st. Tuesday evening to celebrate the anniversary of her birthday. Refreshments were served and, after an evening of pleasure, the guests separated leaving a fine token of their esteem with Mrs. Cummings. Among those present were Arlie Ensign, John D. Gutchess, Jr., E. Fancher Kinney, A. Wayland Chapin, Misses Cora Haughton, Jessie Pritchard, Effie Henry, Fannie Clark, Mary Wright, Mrs. Cora Loomis, Mr. and Mrs. James Gilbertson, Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Chapin, and Mr. and Mrs. Byron Lyons.

   Linus Maybury was in Cincinnutus Tuesday.

   A conversational meeting will be held in the rooms of the Men's league at 3:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon. Subject, "Strength." All young men are cordially invited.

   Invitations are out for the wedding of Leon Holmes and Miss Emma Parkerson.

   Rev. R. H. Rollins of Catskill, N. Y., will deliver a lecture in the Baptist church on Wednesday, Feb. 17, under the auspices of the I. O. G. T. Mr. Rollins is a fine speaker and is sure of a crowded house. All are invited, especially young men.

   Thursday evening the Baptist church will give a valentine social at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Shuler. A pleasant time can be assured.

   Fred Fish of Canastota is in town on business.

   Miss Pearl Wheeler of Brooklyn is visiting at Joseph Carruthers' and with other friends in town.

   Mrs. W. F. Rogers has returned from Washington, D. C. While gone Mrs. Rogers visited the White House and shook hands with the president [Cleveland], attended Dr. Parkhurst's church and was seated in the pew with Mrs. Cleveland, Mrs. Stevenson and Queen "Lil," late of the Hawaiian Islands and visited congress. She also visited Washington's tomb and residence at Mt. Vernon, and sat in the pew which he occupied, and Lee's mansion at Arlington.

   A pleasant surprise was given Arthur Neely by a few of his friends at the residence of his father, E. B. Maybury, on Monday evening. Among those present were Charlie Reakes, Floyd Chapin, Dan Grant, Arthur Ayres, George Hoag, Floyd Phillips, David Hammond, Arthur McElheney, Rollo Briggs, Misses Satie Maybury, Louise Salisbury, Linnie Brown, Vinnie Brown, Grace Beattie, Lula Morse, Lula Underwood and Edith Stevens.