CONSUL LEE'S REPORT AND APPLE CROP IN DANGER

Consul-General Fitzhugh Lee.

Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, June 9, 1897.

CONSUL LEE'S REPORT

Has Not Yet Been Received by the State Department.

   WASHINGTON, June 9—Assistant Secretary Day said that the report of Consul General Lee upon the results of the investigation made in Havana in the Ruiz case had not been received at the state department. Consequently it was not possible to learn whether the publications purporting to be copies of the report were accurate.

  Assuming, however, that the consul general's conclusions are correctly set forth in brief, that Ruiz died while in jail in violation of his treaty rights, the question before the department od the largest importance is, what shall be the next step.

   The widow of Ruiz has filed with the department a claim for $150,000 for the death of her husband and it is surmised that the next step in the case will be the presentation of a claim against the Spanish government in her behalf.

Insurgents Are Well Armed.

   HAVANA, via Key West, June 9—In the country comprised between Cape San Antonio, Pinar del Rio and the Jucaro-Moron military line of the province of Puerto Principe there are 8,000 insurgents, well armed and subdivided into small bands. The latter live during the best part of the year in the woods and mountains. Besides these bands there are many thousands of Cuban natives in the insurgent camps who are either unarmed or only armed with machetes. In the "concentrated" towns there are only small numbers of men, the greater part of the inhabitants being women and children.

Dupuy de Lome.

BOTH WORK AND WORRY.

Difficulties of the Spanish Minister's Position.

CAREER OF AN ABLE STATESMAN.

A Professional Diplomatist—He Had a Fine Compliment For the President, but It Did Not Bring the Desired Fruits. Washington Notes.

   WASHINGTON, June 9—(Special.)—Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister, cannot be said to be a popular man in Washington social circles, but there is here a great deal of respect for him. Since he became the representative of his government at Washington he has had a most difficult role to play. Public opinion in this country has all the time been inimical to Spain, and in congress constant efforts have been made to provoke a quarrel between the two nations. The minister has met all these things with the calmness and dignity of a trained diplomatist. He has even succeeded in creating a small but active pro-Spanish party here. He did not lack for a spokesman in the senate when the resolution recognizing the belligerency of Cuba was under consideration. Under the former administration Mr. De Lome was more successful than be has been with this one. In President Cleveland and Secretary Olney he found a conservative spirit which aided him greatly in preserving the peaceful relations of the two countries.

A Hard Job.

   At times the Spanish minister has been sadly perplexed by the difficulties of his position. Now and then he has been ill as a result of his work and worry. Between public opinion, the dreadful American newspapers, congress, the filibusters and his own government at Madrid, which was inclined to look for achievement of the impossible, Mr. De Lome has had a merry time of it. A year or two ago at Madrid they had the idea that if there was an outbreak of Cuban sympathy in this country it must be through the negligence of their minister. All they knew was that they had sent him here for the purpose of keeping the Yankees in check, that they supplied him with ample funds, and they naturally were inclined to hold him responsible for anything that might happen.

   Senora De Lome once said to one of her social friends:

   "It is all very well for your people to talk about recognizing the belligerency or the independence of Cuba. But what do you suppose they would do with my poor Enrique when they got him back in Spain? They would hang him."

   But matters are not as bad as that now. The Spanish have finally learned that public opinion on this side the water is not to be controlled by court or diplomacy. Minister de Lome has done the best he could—as well as any one could have done under such discouraging circumstances. There is a great deal of admiration here for the manner in which the minister has carried himself.

De Lome's Career.

   Enrique Dupuy de Lome is what may be called a professional diplomatist. In Europe they train men for this service, while in this country we pick them up, as a rule, at haphazard, through political considerations. The Spanish minister is 48 years old. He was educated at the celebrated University of Barcelona. He studied law and was admitted to practice, but then entered upon a diplomatic career. After several years in the department of state at Madrid he became third secretary. For two years he was in the Spanish legation in Japan. Then be was sent to Brussels. In 1880 he was sent as first secretary to Buenos Ayres, and in 1883 he became first secretary at Washington. He afterward served at Berlin. In 1893 he was the Spanish commissioner at the World's Fair  in Chicago, and was afterward appointed minister to Washington by Canovas, the present premier. It will thus be seen that Mr. de Lome has had a thorough training and that be is a cosmopolitan. He speaks six or seven languages, and is a man of great shrewdness and ability. He is approachable and affable, but an intense Spaniard and royalist. He has a family of boys and girls.

His First Recognition.

   An Ohio man was at the White House the other day looking for an office. While waiting in the anteroom for an audience with the president he became communicative to the newspaper men standing about. He told how well he had known all the Ohio presidents—Hayes, Garfield and McKinley.Finally he asked if any one present could tell when and by whom President McKinley received his first public recognition. No one could tell, and the office seeker had to answer the question himself, which was just what he wanted. He pulled from his pocket a well worn memorandum book and said:

   "Here, sir, is the first public recognition given William McKinley. It is from the diary of General Rutherford B. Hayes, kept while he was at the head of the Ohio troops in Virginia. Let me read from it:

   "'Our new second lieutenant, McKinley, reported today—an exceedingly bright, intelligent and gentlemanly young officer. He promises to be one of the best.'

   "That, sir, is what Rutherford B. Hayes wrote of William McKinley Dec. 13, 1862. 'One of the best,' that's just what he is, whether as private soldier, second lieutenant or commander in chief of the army and the navy."

   Notwithstanding all this the Ohio man did not get the office he was looking for.

   An esteemed western senator was talking about a possible war with Spain the other day and praising the American navy. "Why, sir," said he proudly, "we have great battleships, immense floating fortresses, armed with the most powerful guns, that can sail at least 15 fathoms an hour."

   Librarian Spofford has a great task on his hands. As soon as congress adjourns he is to move the library of congress to the new building. There are, according to the latest reports, 748,115 volumes in this library, besides 245,000 pamphlets and a vast number of pictures. It will take 60 days to make the removal with as many helpers as can be conveniently employed.

APPLE CROP IN DANGER.

Tent Worms a Thousand Times More Numerous Than in Fifteen Years.

   The following from the Ithaca Journal applies equally well to Cortland county, for the apple tree worms seem to be very active here:

   The ravages of the apple tree or tent worm in Tompkins county threaten the destruction of a large part of the crop. Nor is the scene of the worm's activity confined to any particular locality, being general throughout central and eastern New York. They are said to be 1,000 times more numerous than at any time in fifteen years. In many trees in this county as many as thirty nests may be counted and the trunks and principal limbs of others are completely enveloped in the veil-like web in which the insects breed and rest nights. In some localities trees which have been wholly neglected have already been entirely stripped of leaf and blossoms. Farmers who do not take prompt action to destroy these pests are likely to lose their crop, not only this year, but next as well.

   Three methods are advised for fighting the insects. In the evening, when the worms have retired to their tents, a coarse woolen cloth on the end of a pole may be thrust into the nest and twist until the web, worms and all, are securely wound about it. In this manner the pests may be brought down and destroyed. Another way, though not so thorough, is by burning the nests with a torch, also after the eaters have quit their work for the day. With this, however, the worms not burned are liable to drop to the ground, because of the heat, and find their way back to the tree. The third method is spraying and this should be done anyway to insure a thoroughly effective way of extermination. Spraying is best accomplished in the day time, when the worms are out feeding.

  

WEATHER-CROP BULLETIN.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY,

ITHACA, N. Y., June 8, 1807.

   The following information is condensed from the reports of crop correspondents for the week ending Saturday, June 8, 1897:

   The weather of the week was cold, cloudy, with heavy rains in eastern and northern sections, but in western counties but little precipitation fell. General frosts occurred on the 1st and 2nd. That of the 2nd was the more severe, and in a few scattered localities damaged some young corn and potatoes, and garden truck. Wheat, barley, rye, and generally oats, and clover and other grasses, have made rather slow growth, but continue in fine condition. In parts of Livingston county, however, some oats seed seem to have rotted in the ground. Corn and potato planting is not yet finished. Early planted is up, and in some places being cultivated, but recent planting starts very slowly and much has rotted in the ground. A great deal has already been replanted. With regard to the growth of vegetation the season is from a week to fourteen days behind last year. Some have been so delayed that fields designed for oats are now being prepared for millet or buckwheat. Corn generally has been planted, but much fodder corn is yet to be put in. Next week will find the bean crop generally planted, and transplanting tobacco plants well begun. Hops continue in fine condition although there are some reports of a poor crop being anticipated, The first cultivated strawberries have been picked in the lower Hudson valley; the crop promises unusually well. Fruit prospects remain practically unchanged, except that there is increasing complaint of the stripping of apple trees by the tent caterpillars.

   A storm of hail and high winds in western Oneida county on the 3d did considerable local damage to crops and buildings.

   The following is extracted from the national bulletin for the week ending

Monday, May 31, 1897:

   The week has been unfavorable to corn throughout the principal corn producing states, being much too cool for germination and growth, while complaints of poor stands are quite general. In the central and west Gulf States the conditions have been more favorable, the outlook in Texas and Oklahoma being flattering, while improvement in the condition of the crop is reported from Louisiana and Mississippi. Planting is nearing completion in the more northern states.

   Except in Kentucky, where the outlook is less promising than it was a few weeks ago, the conditions of the past week have been favorable to winter wheat. The crop is now heading as far north as Nebraska and Illinois, and harvesting will begin in Missouri by about June 10. Some wheat has been cut in Virginia, and harvesting continues, with good yield in Texas.

   Spring wheat has been injured by frost in the Dakotas, some being killed in Dakota. In Minnesota the early sown is doing well, but the late sown has made slow growth. Over the southern portion of the winter-wheat region the conditions have been more favorable.

   Tobacco planting has made favorable progress in states of the Ohio valley and most of the crop has been planted in Virginia. In South Carolina and Florida it is much in need of rain.

   E. A. FUERTES, Director,

   R. M. HARDINGE, Assistant Director.

BREVITIES.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—H. G. Stone, Special Inducements, page 6; W. J. Perkins & Co., We Study to Please, page 4.

   —The corrected time table of the New York Central R. R. according to the revised schedule is to-day and will be hereafter found upon the third page of STANDARD.

   —Mr. Charles D. Stanard and Miss Cora B. Pitts, both of Delphi, N. Y., were married Tuesday, June 8, 1897, at Baptist parsonage in Truxton by Rev. S. H. Haskell.

   —Nineteen new members were initiated at the regular meeting of the Order of United American Mechanics Monday evening. Seven new applications for membership were received.

   —Prof. Burt L. Bentley has become the fortunate owner of the elegant Decker Brothers concert grand piano which was used at the music festival last week, having effected an exchange with Mr. A. Mahan, and now has an instrument in every way most satisfactory to him.

   —A meeting will be held at Fireman's hall at 7:30 o'clock to-night to discuss plans relating to a Fourth of Jury celebration in Cortland. All interested are cordially invited to come. It is thought by many that it would be far preferable to spend the money at home rather than out of town.

Physicians Meet at Norwich.

   Dr. F. W. Higgins and Dr. F. D. Reese yesterday attended the annual meeting of the Third district branch of the Central New York Medical association at Norwich. Each read a paper. Dr. Higgins' paper was entitled "The Pathology of Cancer," and Dr. Reese's was entitled "Troubles Arising from Phimosis." In the absence of Dr. Jewett, Dr. Higgins as secretary, read his paper entitled "Medical Expert Testimony." Dr. Higgins was re-elected secretary, and the meeting in 1898 will be held at Syracuse.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Mrs. Alma Ensign, the aged mother of W. H. Ensign, is very sick at the home of her son.

   The funeral of the late Samuel Doud was held Tuesday. Rev. J. J. Cowles had charge of the services. The Odd Fellows attended in a body and a large number of friends from this and other towns were present. The floral tributes were absent.

   Dr. F. H. Forshee returned from Ithaca Tuesday and reports the operation performed upon George Webster as highly successful.

   Franklin B. Tripp of Floyd, Oneida count, N. Y., was in town Tuesday in attendance at the funeral of the late Samuel Doud.

   Mrs. Parmelia Owens, widow of Henry Owens, a former resident of this village and mother of Darius Owens and Mrs. Robert Atchinson, died Monday morning at the residence of the latter in Freetown of fatty degeneration of the heart, aged 78 years. The funeral will be held at her late home Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial in the McGrawville Rural cemetery.

   While Earl Landers was taking an evening walk on Monday evening he met two men on the bridge of South-st., one of whom ordered him to halt. Mr. Landers acted Fitzsimmons on one and out ran the other. He was somewhat frightened, as he had a large amount of money with him, but is gradually recovering his color. It is thought the parties are known.

   Charles Cummings has rented the lunch room which was started a few weeks ago by John Adams and will conduct it as such. While it has been generally known for some days that Mr. Adams was not at home, The STANDARD has refrained from publishing the facts in the hope that he might return and explain his absence. On Wednesday morning of last week he took the car for Cortland, leaving George Webster in charge of his business and promising to return on the next car. Since then nothing has been heard from him and Mrs. Adams closed the lunch room and has now leased the fixtures to Mr. Cummings. Mr. Adams is a member of the G. A. R. and S. O. V., having been commander of the local G. A. R. post. He is also a member of the village board of health. Mrs. Adams, who is an estimable lady and has the sympathy of many friends in her anxiety, states that before moving here her husband had a brain difficulty and left in about the same
manner, but returned in a short time. There certainly seems no reason for his absence for he seemed to be doing a good business and drew a small pension besides. He is a member of the Baptist church and a pronounced temperance advocate. Among the many reasons circulated none seem to be reasonable except a repetition of his former trouble.