Cortland
Evening Standard, Tuesday, February 16, 1897.
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
A Bill that Ought to Pass.
Assemblyman Sanger has introduced a bill
which is distinctly in the interest of unpurchased elections. As the law now
stands all persons who run for office in this state are required to file a
statement of the expenses which they incur in conducting their canvass. This is
a wholesome law—or at least it would be in case its spirit as well as its
letter were lived up to. It is to be feared, however, that in too many
instances, it is a dead letter. Mr. Sanger proposes to improve upon it by compelling
not only candidates but persons who act as agents for candidates, political
committees and related organizations to file similar itemized statements. The
statements filed by some of the candidates after the last election demonstrated
the need of additional legislation on this subject.
Obviously it is not difficult for a candidate,
bent upon compassing his election by unlawful means, to nullify the existing law.
John Doe, for example, who is running for an office, hands the local committee
his check for a good round sum remarking with a wink, as he does so, that he
does not care to know what they do with the money and that he understands the
district is a close one. Then the committee goes ahead and floods the district
with "pap."
After election John Doe files a statement to
the effect that his sole expenditure was so and so, all of which he placed in
the hands of the district committee. If the committee as well as John Doe was
required by law to file a statement showing just what use it made of all the money
which came into its hands, the task of reducing bribery and corruption to the
lowest terms would be much less difficult than it is to-day.
A bill corresponding to the one which Mr.
Sanger has presented was introduced at the last session, but for some reason or
other it failed to get through. Whatever the reason may have been it could not
have been a valid one—not one which would have commended itself to the people at
large. The purchase of elections is one of the crying evils of the day and an
earnest and fast growing public sentiment is behind the demand that it shall be
stamped out. It has been suggested that it would be well to pass a law
excluding from the public service any person whose election expenses were more
than one-half of the annual salary of the office for which he ran. Such a law
would help. In the nature of things it is hard to cure a wrong of this nature.
Unprincipled persons, who are anxious to bribe or be bribed, can generally find
a way of accomplishing their purpose. But it is the duty of public-spirited
citizens constantly to fight such reprobates.
Mr. Sanger's bill is a step in the right direction,
a sound, practical measure. There is no politics in it, and it is so clearly in
the interest of good government that it ought not to encounter any opposition
either from Republicans or Democrats.
◘
The latest freak development in
Kansas politics is the proposed introduction of a bill in the legislature
providing that county offices shall be sold at public auction to the lowest
responsible bidder. According to the terms of this bill, each applicant shall,
on the first day of January in each year, submit a bid, stating the minimum
amount for which he will act in a stated official capacity, each bid to be
accompanied by a certified check for $50 as an earnest of good faith. The bids
will be opened by the sheriff and county clerk and the lowest bidder will get
the office.
The scheme is worthy of Kansas populism.
 |
| Maximo Gomez. |
GEN.
GOMEZ WOUNDED.
Wounded
In the Leg and Horse Killed Under Him.
ROUTED
THE SPANISH TROOPS.
Attacked
the Spaniards Under Colonel Arjona While En Route From Arroya Blanco to Ciego
Avila—Same Leg as Last Year.
HAVANA, Feb. 16.— From private advices
received here it is learned than an engagement between Spanish troops and
insurgents has taken place.
A company of Spaniards under command of
Colonel Arjona, while on their way from Arroya Blanco to Ciego Avila, were
attacked by the insurgents under command of General Gomez.
While gallantly leading his troops, General Gomez was wounded in the leg, the bullet striking the same leg and nearly in
the same place where he was shot last year.
The wound forced him to resign the command
to Leader Roseis, who assumed command and conducted the rest of the skirmish,
which resulted in driving back the Spanish.
Shortly after General Carrillo arrived and
assumed command of the Cubans.
General Gomez also during the engagement had
his horse shot from under him.
Case of
Three Friends.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16. —The United States
supreme court heard argument in the case of the United States vs. Steamer Three
Friends, on the motion of the attorney general for a certeori to the circuit court
of appeals for the fifth circuit, to bring the case to the supreme court, the steamer
having been libelled for condemnation on the charge of violating the neutrality
laws controlling the relations between the United States and Spain.
The court adjourned without announcing an opinion
until the first Monday in March.
Susan B.
Anthony's Birthday.
ROCHESTER, Feb. 16.—Miss Susan B. Anthony
received congratulatory notes from all over the country on her 78th birthday. A
reception in her honor was held at Powers hall, which was largely attended.
VILLAGE
TRUSTEES.
Budget
for Next Year Completed—Settlement With the Collector.
The business that occupied the attention of
the [Cortland] board of village
trustees last night was the making up of the budget of village expense for the
coming year, besides auditing a large number of bills. The sum of $30,350 was
appropriated for the general expenses of the village, and the board voted to submit
to the voters of the village at the next charter election, March 9, four
propositions for special appropriations.
The first is to raise $12,900 for school
purposes. This is $900 more than the amount raised last year, and is the full amount
asked for by the board of education.
The second is to raise $1,438.24 to make up
the deficiency in the police department.
The third is to raise $500 for the purchase of
hose and other supplies for the fire department. The board of fire engineers
asked for $1,000 for their use, but the board decided to submit to the people a
resolution calling for only half of this amount. The board of engineers also
asked for a proposition for the purchase and maintenance of a team at the engine
house, but the board voted not to submit it.
Another very important question that the
voters of the village will be called upon to decide is, whether the village shall
appropriate $3,000 in addition to the $4,500 now allowed by the charter for
street lights, and thereby have lights all night every night in the year
instead of only half of the night for twenty-two nights out of a month.
The board last night settled with Village Collector
H. H. Pudney, whose report shows that of the taxes for this year only $65
remain uncollected, and that of the taxes for this year together with the
unpaid taxes of previous years, there remains, only $209 uncollected.
Trustees Webb and Wallace were appointed a
committee to settle with the village treasurer on March 1.
For
Village President.
During the past week strong pressure has
been brought to bear on Mr. D. F. Wallace to induce him to consent to the use
of his name for village president. Mr. Wallace has been urged especially by citizens
who have been pleased with the businesslike administration of Mr. Benton and
have been anxious to have him renominated; but inasmuch as he has positively declined
to serve again, they have recognized in Mr. Wallace the same qualities which
have made our present president so successful.
At first Mr. Wallace would not agree to
serve if elected, but promised to take the matter under consideration, and
finally gave his consent to the use of his name. Mr. Wallace said, in doing so,
that the place was one which he would not seek, nor would he ask the support of
any delegate or make the slightest effort to secure the nomination, but that since
he was not now actively engaged in business, and could therefore give the time
which the office demanded, if he were nominated and elected he would accept it as
an obligation which he owed to the public, and discharge its duties to the best
of his ability.
The citizens of the village without regard to
party are to be congratulated that a man of Mr. Wallace's capacity, business
experience, integrity, high standing and faithfulness to every trust committed
to him, has consented to serve as village president if called to do so. Mr.
Wallace is thorough in everything he undertakes, energetic, sound in judgment, public
spirited and broad and liberal in his views, though opposed to all
wastefulness. His partial freedom from business would enable him to give more time
to the office than he otherwise could, and with his special fitness for it
would make him a model official and one who would leave his mark for good on the
village. That such a man has consented to the use of his name ought to insure
his nomination and election.
Town
Meeting In Progress.
The [Cortlandville] town meeting is in
progress to-day. The polls opened at sunrise this morning and will close at 5:37
this afternoon. There are four polling places in the village and the vote is
thought to be larger than a year ago. At 3:30 this afternoon the vote in the
village districts was as follows: Dist. B, 434; Dist. C, 460; Dist.
D, 488; Dist. E, 529.
Dist. A is at McGrawville.
The little hamlet called Higginsville, with
the well-appointed hotel kept there by Mr. Freer, is proving an attractive
resort for sleighride parties. Mr. Freer always does all in his power for the
convenience, comfort and pleasure of his guests. His hospitality was last night
enjoyed by a large party of Cortland people who left Cortland at 6 o'clock,
many of them comfortably stowed away under the robes in the large four-horse
tallyho of J. B. Morris, while others went by private conveyances.
The party numbered fifty-eight. On arriving
at the hostelry, the party enjoyed a warm supper prepared in Landlord Freer's
best style. "Happy Bill" Daniels was also along, and wherever
"Happy Bill" is, all are happy. The evening was spent in dancing [on
an underpinned coiled spring dancing floor—CC editor], and the party returned
home at midnight.
NEW HEAD
NURSE
Engaged
at the Hospital—Comes With Abundant Experience.
Miss Catherine Brown of Cazenovia, a
graduate of the House of the Good Shepherd, Syracuse, has been engaged as head
nurse at the hospital and will commence her duties during the week. Miss Brown
is highly recommended for the position by some of the leading physicians and
surgeons of the staff who have had opportunities for observing her work.
The two junior nurses, having been required by
the executive committee to withdraw from the training school because of their
insubordination and disloyalty to the institution, their places will be
supplied, as need demands, from the candidates now waiting for vacancies to
occur. As Miss Brown comes as a working head nurse, the managers will be able
for the present, to dispense
with the services of one under-nurse.
HIS
NINETIETH BIRTHDAY.
Mr. Daniel
Pierce Surrounded by Five Generations Last Saturday.
In the classic town of Homer on Feb. 12
occurred a gathering, the like of which is seldom seen in any land at the present
age of the world, when so many of the fathers pass away before their children even
become men and women. Five generations assembled under one roof to celebrate
the ninetieth birthday of their great-grandfather, Mr. Daniel Pierce. Still
further back in the generations did this gathering extend, and the great-great-aunt
took the place of her sister in the extended family circle.
They are all familiar to many of us and the
name of Shedd brings to our minds a sweet face that tells its tale of almost a
century. She has been in and out among us since the early days of Homer and has
left a train of blessedness and peace that will shine on after her final
departure.
The hero of the occasion is one of the Pierce
boys whose father and mother came from "down East" early in their wedded
lives, bringing from old Brimfield their one daughter and settling down upon
the green banks of Tioughnioga's twin stream, East river, where the youngsters
sung their childish lay:
"As i's
going to Baltimore
'Twas yesterday an day to fore,
i tole my mother my toes 'as sore
A dancing on the sandy shore."
The attractions of the valley with its
ancient sounding water and its Indian name, Tioughnioga, coursing between neighboring
hills, drew the family from their country home to settle in Homer village and
the name of Pierce was well established early in the annals of this quiet
neighborhood.
Now "Uncle Dan" and his brothers have
"Pierced" the country through and through and have furnished some
prominent citizens as business men for Cortland county, as
well as promising boys for Homer society, and to-day many another name appears
among the family connections particularly that of Merrill; three generations of
this name united in the homestead to celebrate their ancestor 's 90th birthday.
McGRAWVILLE.
Crisp
Local Happenings at the Corset City.
The lecture to be given by Rev. R. H.
Rollins of Catskill in the Baptist church on Wednesday evening is to be under the
auspices of the I. O. G. T. instead of I. O. O. F. as published. This is to be
an old-fashioned temperance lecture and free to every one who with their
friends are invited.
P. B. C o r w i n and son Ernest of Freetown
were calling on friends in town, Monday evening. Mr. Corwin has received orders from the war department to report for duty as assistant superintendent of the Cypress Hills National cemetery in Brooklyn until a vacancy as superintendent shall occur. He expects to leave in a few days.
Business is improving in this village. The
McGraw Co.'s box factory is running full time this week and part of the Corset factory
employees are working nights.
Glen Swee, who has been sick, is out again.
George Pitcher of Hastings is visiting
friends in this village for a few days.
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