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| Ulysses S. Grant. |
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| Grant's mausoleum. |
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
The Man Who Was Honored.
The
splendid pageant and the impressive ceremonies which made last Tuesday forever
memorable by reason of the tribute which they paid to the name of Ulysses S. Grant, are now only memories—like the face and
the presence of the hero himself. But they are memories which will live with
his fame, for they honor the nation no less than the modest, unassuming yet
determined man, who found the path of safety and of glory for this people in
peace as well as in war. Never has the nation builded a mausoleum to a hero so
splendid as that which it dedicated in the metropolis. Never has it witnessed
such elaborate ceremonial.
Grant is
worthy of this supreme recognition. He was the head of the grandest army of
modern times, the victor in the noblest cause which has been referred to the
arbitrament of the sword. His figure is still a vivid one. His presence is one
which thousands of the living recognized. His service is still fresh in the
gratitude of his countrymen, who remember not only his exploits in the field,
but his patient struggle with disease, the sweet savor of self sacrifice in his
dying hours, which have endeared him to the people more than have the triumphs
of battle. It brought into bold relief the beauty, as well as the strength, of
his nature. "The bravest are the tenderest.'' He would be but 75 years
old, had he been spared to us. It is but twelve years since his life ended at
Mount McGregor, and his apotheosis began.
His is a
life that will bear review. The more closely it is studied, the grander do its
proportions become. Of his military genius, superb, transcendent, there can be
no question. He it was who thrilled the land with hope by the exploits at
Donelson and Henry, and lifted the thick curtain of darkness in the glory of
Vicksburg; and he it was who, after others had been tried and found wanting, led
the victorious legions of the Union through the Wilderness to the investment of
Petersburg and Richmond, and received the sword of Lee at Appomattox. He was
equally apt in strategy and the capacity of comprehensive command. He saved by
arms the republic which Lincoln saved by statesmanship. He was the military arm
as the martyred president was the civic arm which supported nationality and
fashioned the larger liberties which ensued in peace. He remains the foremost soldier
of modern times.
Prominent
as a soldier, he was equal to the demands of civic rule. Success in war made
him the president of the nation. As such he was as modest, as resolute, as
patriotic, as faithful to the constitution, with no policy, as he said, to
enforce as against the will of the people. Under him, reconstruction was ordained,
the honor of the nation restored, and the orderly succession to the presidency
assured as against the mutterings of revolution. Whatever of criticism may
attach to certain acts of his administration does not reflect upon him; for he
was honest throughout. Eight years of private life remained to him, when he laid aside the robes of office years which
witnessed his circuit of the globe and the tribute of all nations, the quiet
round of dally duty well performed, and the tragic circumstances of his
premature death. How vividly the military renown, the civic service, the modest
bearing, the solemn end were brought to us by the exercises which dedicated his
final resting place. They will be abiding memories in all our hearts.
For many
years New York city government was a name suggestive in the popular mind of
whatever was wasteful, corrupt and inefficient in municipal administration. Now
New York promises to become one of the best governed cities of the eastern part
of the Union. The waterworks are owned by the city. How well they are managed
is shown by the fact that last year the water rents paid for all the expenses
not only of the water system, but also of the whole department of public works
as well, such as street lighting, road paving and the care and repair of public
buildings. In this instance at least municipal ownership of a public enterprise
has been an unmitigated success.
The
Hawaiian Islands have been understood to be under a sort of moral protectorate
by the United States. While we have not claimed them, other nations have
understood that none of them should do so. Our missionaries civilized the
islands and drew thither the white population. The white inhabitants are
largely either the descendants of American missionaries or of the friends and
associates of American missionaries. Since the revolution which turned the fair
islands into a republic the people have looked longingly for annexation to us,
but have received one long straight snub. We shall now have to pay some
attention to them or let Japan have them. Which will the United States do?
Warships
Slip Their Anchor.
NEW YORK. April 29.—The fleet of American
and foreign warships which took a leading part in the Grant day celebration,
and has been the center of attraction in the Hudson river off the monument for
several days past, have weighed anchor and headed down the river. The English
boat Tlabot was the first to get underway, and slipping through the line of
ironclads with her crew and marines standing at attention on the decks. She was
saluted by the bands of the flagship New York and the Spanish warship Thersae
as she passed. The New York, followed by the Indiana and Columbia under slow
speed with the rest of the fleet, moved down the river amid the cheers of those
on shore.
What the
Cuban War Is Costing Us.
"Anticipating a considerable falling
off of imports of Havana tobacco," says Mr. Dingley, "because of the
revolution in Cuba, we reduce the estimates of additional revenue to be derived
from the tobacco schedule to $4,000,000."
The meaning of this is that in this one item
the Cuban war is to cost our government a loss of over $3,000,000 of annual
income. This is only a single item of this bill of costs and, comparatively
speaking, not a very important one. The main cost of the Hispano-Cuban war
which falls upon this country is that involved in the loss of our commerce.
The trade between our ports and the ports of
Cuba to and fro should amount to at least $100,000,000 annually. With anything
like a civilized government established on the island these figures would be
doubled, and we should effect exchanges to the amount of not less than
$200,000,000 per annum, but Spain never was able and never will be able to
provide a civilized government for Cuba, and consequently our commerce with the
island will never be normally developed as long as Spain keeps possession of
it.—Philadelphia Telegraph.
VILLAGE CHARTER BILL.
A
UNIFORM MEASURE WAITING THE SIGNATURE OF GOVERNOR BLACK.
Will
Undoubtedly Become a Law—It Will Affect Cortland—Villages Classified According
to Population—New Provisions for Boards of Trustees, and all Village Officers—Water,
Sewer and Lighting Boards—Census Called For.
ALBANY, April 29.—One of the most important of
the bills now pending before Governor
Black as the result of
the closing legislative days is the general village charter law which provides
a uniform charter for the government of all the villages of the state. This
bill has become one of the thirty-day bills, upon which the governor has till
May 24, or thirty days after final adjournment, to act. It is in reality a codification
of all existing special and general laws on the subject prepared by the
statutory revision commission, which has been at work upon it for a period of
two years.
The bill, affecting as it does every village
of the state, is one of the most important measures of the last session. When the
draft was completed it was given to Assemblyman Fred L. Downs of Orleans county,
chairman of the committee on villages, and he fathered the measure through his
committee and through the legislature. Several hearings were held by the
committee after which in company with the members of the statutory revision
commission Assemblyman Downs revised it, after which it was passed.
The new law is to take effect July 1 of the
present year and codifies the general laws of 1847 and 1870 and amendments thereto.
Villages of the state are divided into four classes, those of the first class having
a population of 5,000 upwards, those of the second class from 3,000 to 5,000,
those of the third class from 1,000 to 3,000, while those of the fourth class
will be those having less than 1,000 population. Villages of the first class
are to have from two to eight trustees, of the second class from two to six, of
the third class two to four and those of the fourth class only two. In villages
having more than two trustees the number is to be fixed by the village itself.
The terms of all trustees are to be for two years, with half the board elected
each year and in all cases where a special election is not held prior to March 1,
1898, to determine the number of trustees that the village shall have the
number is restricted to two. All trustees in office when this act shall take
effect are to continue in office until the first Monday after the third Tuesday
in March next and the special election for the purpose of determining the
number of trustees shall only be held upon a petition signed by twenty-five
taxpayers of the village. Trustees also are to be elected by wards if the citizens
of a village shall favorably vote on the proposition.
The office of police justice and assessor is
continued for the terms for which incumbents were elected and by the bill trustees
may also act as assessors, or the board may appoint a committee of its number
for that purpose and upon a petition of twenty-five taxpayers the proposition
may be presented at any general election held in the village for the purpose of
electing separate boards of assessors. To entitle a person to vote upon such a
proposition he must not only be entitled to vote for such an officer, but also
he or his wife must be the owner of property in the village assessed upon the last
assessment roll. Separate boards of tire, water, light, sewer and cemetery commissioners
are also provided for where such boards are desired else the trustees may
perform the duties of these separate boards.
Trustees are given the right to designate an
official newspaper and also to establish fire limits and prevent the
construction or rebuilding of wooden buildings within such limits; to prescribe
a new form of procedure to enforce ordinances forbidding the erection of wooden
buildings within fire limits and extends the power of the board of trustees to
pass ordinances. All ordinances adopted by the fire, sewer, light or cemetery
boards if they exist must be approved by the board of trustees before they
become operative in cases where penalties are named for violations.
A lien of assessment for paving, sewers,
fire protection, construction and repair of sidewalks or sprinkling is a first
lien and superior to any other class upon property benefited or assessed. Two
ways are provided for the collection of taxes, one that the board of trustees
may direct the treasurer to sell an interest in property for unpaid taxes for the
shortest period of years, not exceeding fifty, after which any person who will
pay the taxes may take the property. Section 126 then provides that an action may
be commenced to collect taxes the same as
an action upon any contract.
Right
is given to water commissioners to contract for furnishing water to the village
and repeals all laws heretofore passed in reference to contracts for water. The
light commissioners are also empowered to contract for light and repeals all
laws heretofore passed in reference to street lighting while the same course of
powers and repealing the previous laws on the subject is given to the sewer
commissioners.
A simple plan for the reincorporation of
special villages to come under the present law is provided by submitting the
question to the people at a special election called for that purpose or at an
annual election during February or March of any year.
One of the most important features of the
bill calls for an enumeration of inhabitants of each village to be taken under the
direction of the board of trustees in January, 1898, and in the same month for
each four years thereafter for the purpose of establishing the classification
under which the village is to come.
The bill when enacted will not directly affect
the villages incorporated under special acts, although it will indirectly as all
villages incorporated under special acts and their laws as to water, fire, light,
sewers and cemeteries are general laws and those in many instances are repealed,
therefore the only real law on the subject will be this new one relating to
villages.
The printed bill is a voluminous document of
150 printed pages, eight of which are given up to detailing laws that are repealed
by the new law. Coming as it did from the statutory revision commission there
is no doubt but that the bill will be signed by the governor and will therefore
become one of the most important of the new laws of 1897.
C. N. A., Bureau of The Standard.
Rheumatism
Cured In a Day.
"Mystic Cure'" for rheumatism and neuralgia
radically cures in one to three days. Its action upon the system is remarkable
and mysterious. It removes at once the cause and the disease immediately disappears.
The first dose greatly benefits. T. F. Anthony, ex-postmaster of Promise City,
Ia., says: "I bought one bottle of 'Mystic Cure,' for rheumatism and two
doses of it did me more good than any medicine I ever took." 75 cts. Sold
by W. J. Perkins, City Drug store, Cortland. (6m)
THE
PROTECTIVE POLICE.
They Intend
to Continue the Organization, Though not Active Firemen.
Last night was the regular meeting of the
Protective Police, and the company held its meeting. It was voted to continue
the organization, although the village trustees have passed a resolution
disbanding the company.
The Protectives claim that they exist under
a special act of incorporation, and propose to continue under the provisions of
that act, though not as active firemen.
WHEREAS, The board of trustees of the village
or Cortland put into the budget of estimated expenses for the current year, an
item of $100 for maintenance of the Protective Police, which sum was duly voted
at the last charter election, and,
WHEREAS, The present board of trustees have
voted to discontinue the services of the Protective Police as active firemen,
Resolved, That the board of trustees be requested to pay the said $100 to the Cortland
hospital association, and that said Hospital association be informed of this
request.
SEVERE
ACCIDENT.
A
Partridge Frightened the Team and it Ran Away.
On Tuesday Elmer Smith and his uncle, Elias
Steele of Cheningo, drove to Ithaca, where they sold a large quantity of
[maple] sugar. Last evening, while returning, their team was frightened this
side of McLean by a partridge, flying up from the roadside. Both men were
thrown from the wagon, but Smith hung to the lines and after being dragged some
twenty-five rods stopped the team. He was badly cut over the eyes. Mr. Steele
received a gash three inches in length on the forehead and another four inches
long on the right side of the head from which the scalp hung dangling. His left
ear was torn, open two-thirds of its length.
Dr. Edson sewed up their wounds and covered
them with court plaster and they left for home at mid-night.
BREVITIES.
—The street drinking fountains were started
to-day.
—New display advertisements to-day are—F.
Daehler, It Beats the World, page 6.
—W. T. Nix, the new policeman, has been
assigned to the Second ward beat by Chief Linderman.
—The Syracuse Stars were on the southbound
train over the D., L.& W. at
10:17 this
morning, enroute to Scranton.
—The Alpha C. L. S. C. will meet with Mrs.
M. A. Sell, 7 Homer-ave., Monday evening, May 3, at 7:30 o'clock. Roll-call, "Epaminondas."
—Mr. E. D. Mallery is having a steel ceiling
placed in the City drug store in his block. The ceiling is of the same pattern
as that in the store of F. Daehler.
—Mr. W. R. George, president of the George
Junior Republic of Freeville, will speak at the Congregational church tomorrow
evening at 7:30 o'clock. Subject, "Missions in New York City."
—Every resident of every incorporated village
in Cortland county should read the Albany dispatch which to-day appears on our
fourth page relating to the uniform village charter bill which has been passed
by the legislature and which will undoubtedly become a law within the next
thirty days by the signature of the governor. It directly affects the
government of every incorporated village in the state and makes some
considerable changes from the present law along some lines.
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