SHOOK UP THE SENATE

Joseph Foraker.

William Mason.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, May 24, 1897.

SHOOK UP THE SENATE.

Foraker and Mason Made Capital Speeches.

RHETORIC, SOUND LOGIC AND WIT.

Foraker Takes a High Place—Mason a "Hair Trigger" Chap —The Retort to Senator Elkins —Newspaper Reports From Cuba.

   WASHINGTON, May 24.—(Special.)—The debate on the Cuban resolution in the senate has brought to the front a number of new orators. Among all those who spoke on the resolution recognizing the belligerency of Cuba perhaps Senator Foraker of Ohio achieved the greatest success. Before Mr. Foraker came to the senate he had the reputation of being an excitable man. Every one knew he was eloquent, but his fame was that of a "fire alarm," of a man who depended largely upon rhetoric and noise for his impressiveness. How unjust this was to the junior senator from Ohio his first set speech in the senate amply demonstrated. He made an address which for solid argument, learning, research and effectiveness had not been equaled throughout the debate. Mr. Foraker apparently was not unmindful of the gossip that had placed him in the fire alarm category, and he evidently set out to show how much good stuff there was in him. He succeeded most admirably. It is now said on all sides that the former governor of Ohio has taken high place in the senate; that he has at one leap become a member of the little coterie of 10 or 12 senators who are the real leaders of that body. This is quick work, and the eloquent senator from Ohio may congratulate himself upon his success.

A heavier William Mason.

He "Rolled" In.

   Mr. Mason of Illinois made one of the most sensational speeches of the Cuban debate. Mr. Mason is a man of remarkable appearance. He is short and fat and almost as big one way as he is the other. He has a smiling face, a swarthy countenance and a big, base voice which rolls through the senate chamber whenever he lets it go. Speaking of rolling reminds me that one of Mr. Mason's fellow senators tells me they never ask Mason in the cloakrooms, where the grave and reverend senators dearly love their jokes, how he came to the capitol or where he has been. They invariably speak of him as "rolling" up to the White House or as "rolling" across the floor.

   When the jolly and rotund senator from Chicago made his speech on Cuba, it was with the determination to shake things up. He loves to be iconoclastic. He has a prejudice against traditions and such old, cobwebby things as the courtesy of the senate. International law he called "an ancient barnacle," and the senate itself he spoke of as a body in which the minority always ruled.

   Mr. Mason is really a very eloquent public speaker, but he loves to close his most eloquent passages with what the literary men would call bathos. For instance, he shouted at the top of his voice that the Republican party had placed a Cuban pledge in its national platform. This was very impressive, but a queer turn was given to the thread of his discourse when he paused, looked Mark Hanna, who sat near by, straight in the face, and said:

   "That was when we were looking for votes."

   A little later Mr. Mason most eloquently pledged himself to support the platform of the Republican party concerning Cuba, and did it with much impressiveness, but could not resist the temptation to indulge in one of his little quips at the finish, like the cracker on a whip. "I will stand by the platform," he shouted, "as long as I am on the pay roll." Of course the senate had a good laugh at this confession.

Needed No Coaching.

   There was one feature of Mr. Mason's speech which escaped the observation of most of the spectators. It was his coach. Perhaps it is not generally known that senatorial speechmakers have their coaches. But they do. New senators who are anxious to make a record on the occasion of their debut get some obliging fellow senator to sit near them and prompt them, to make suggestions to them sotto voce, to help keep their papers in order and occasionally to remind them "where they are at" in case they become flustered. Mr. Mason had such a coach, and a very good one he proved to be. It was Senator Chandler, the wasp from New Hampshire.

   "Take it easy, Billy," whispered Chandler when Mr. Mason became too much excited and was trying to lift the rafters off the senate chamber with his voice. "You are doing splendidly, old man, but don't speak quite so loud. Now you are all right. Don't be in a hurry. Take it easy. That's right." This was the way in which

   Mr. Chandler coached his man through 1 1/2 hours of stirring debate. The coach was expected to help out when it came to interruptions by other senators and to suggest repartee in case the actor appeared to need help. "But, bless your soul," said Mr. Chandler afterward, "Billy was so quick I couldn't get a word in edgewise when they were interrupting him. He is a 'hair trigger' chap, and no mistake."

Newspaper Reports.

   During the senate debate there was a great deal to say about the newspaper reports from Cuba. Senators, as a rule, do not appear to put much confidence in newspaper reports. In this case, however, the fact remains that the reports of our consular officers in Cuba have confirmed everything that the newspaper men wrote and disclosed much more. There is altogether too much of this business of discrediting newspapers, and 1 am sorry to say that some newspapers are engaged in befouling their own nests. My observation is that newspapermen almost invariably do their best to get at the facts. They prefer the truth to any exaggerations. Errors creep in, of course, but there is little excuse for this wholesale and carping denunciation of newspaper statements as false and misleading.

   One senator was neatly caught in his carping against the newspaper fraternity.

   "We do not know anything about this war In Cuba," declared Senator Elkins, "nothing save what the newspapers have told us. Can we predicate official action on newspaper reports? Now we know that there is a war between Turkey and Greece"—

   "How do you know it?" asked Senator Foraker as quick as a flash. The poser raised a great laugh at Mr. Elkins' expense, for every one saw the point at once. The only information any one in this country has had about the European war has come through the newspaper dispatches. 

   WALTER WELLMAN.

WILLIAM E. WOOD

Promoted to be D., L. & W. Freight Agent at Syracuse.

   Mr. William E. Wood, who for the past five years has been the very popular, obliging, energetic and efficient agent for the D., L. & W. R. R. at the Cortland station, has been promoted in the service of that road to be the Syracuse freight agent to succeed T. E. Barnum, who in turn is promoted to be a division freight agent with headquarters at Binghamton. The tender of the new position was wholly unsolicited by Mr. Wood and in fact, he did not know that a vacancy was to occur there till last Thursday when he was notified of his new appointment if he would accept the place. The matter was held under consideration till Saturday afternoon when it was accepted.

   The compliment conveyed in this appointment is a very high one, for Syracuse is the largest city but one on the line of the D., L. & W. outside of New York, and by reason of the very sharp competition In freights in that city is, excepting New York, the most important station on the road. But Mr. Wood has earned his position and will unquestionably fill it to the satisfaction of all. He was nine years in the freight office in Syracuse before coming to Cortland, beginning as a boy in the lowest position there and rising step by step till he became chief clerk in the office. There are at present five men in that office who were there when he began as a boy fourteen years ago, and now he returns to take charge of the office.

   The freight business of the D., L. & W. at Cortland has continued to grow steadily during Mr. Wood's residence here, though on account of hard times the books show that at many other important stations on the road [have seen] a falling off. This has been due largely to his energetic and unceasing work and his personal popularity with local shippers. He has been alive to all that was going on around him and the fact that this new opening has come to him unsolicited is evidence that his superiors consider his work here a success.

   Many friends in Cortland will congratulate Mr. Wood upon his advancement though they are sorry to lose both himself and his wife from their midst. They have both been prominent in the social life of the place during their residence here. Mr. Wood was recently elected a member of the board of education of Cortland, and has shown himself capable and efficient there. He is also a director of the Tioughnioga club and in these capacities as well as in many others he will be missed.

   His successor has not yet been appointed, but Mr. Wood expects to go to Syracuse about June 1 to enter upon his new duties.

THE E. & C. N. Y R. R.

Everything Points to the Early Building of the Road.

   Everything now points to the early beginning of the work of construction of the Erie & Central New York R. R. It had been promised that the deed of the right of way across the Welch estate between Cortland and McGrawville, which was the only sticking point of that kind, would be delivered Saturday afternoon. By reason of the absence from town of the attorney who was to draw the deed this promise could not be fulfilled, but it is expected that the deed will be delivered to-morrow evening. The promise is made and we understand that full directions for the drawing of it have been given by Mr. Welch.

   The financial part of the question has been taken care of. The other day there were $1,500 lacking of the sum required that the directors of the road should realize from the sale of bonds. This sum has been met. The directors of the road held a meeting this afternoon in the office of Attorney I. H. Palmer to close up all odds and ends. They were all jubilant at the successful result of their labors.

   Mr. Bundy said to a STANDARD man at the close of the meeting that he did not know now of one single earthly thing that could or would stand in the way of the building of the road. He should write fully to-night to the Mellon Construction Co., to whom the contract for building has been sub-let, and he expected that the order for beginning construction would be given at once and that work would be begun within a few days.

The Main-St. Pavement.

   Owing to the carious condition of the Main-st. pavement, the celebrated Funny Fakirs company will not appear on the street Wednesday evening, but may be seen at the advertising social which is to be held in the parlors of the Presbyterian church on that evening.

   They will introduce a number of new novelties and give a very pleasant musical mélange.

   Other features, both instructive and amusing, are being arranged by the committee in charge, and you can well afford to drop in for a few minutes.

   The church is only a Stone's throw from Main-st.

   Supper served from 5:30 to 8 o'clock if you care to eat.

Death of Mrs. Earle.

   Mrs. Luanna Bennett Earle died at 11:20 o'clock last night at her residence, 37 Pendleton-st., after an illness of five months with jaundice. She was 89 years, 5 months and 20 days of age and the only surviving relative of the immediate family is a son, Mr. Sylvanus Earle of Trumansburg, who has been in Cortland with his mother more or less for the last few years. Mrs. Earle was born In Unadilla, Otsego county in 1807.

   The funeral will be held at 8 P. M. tomorrow, and the remains will be taken on the 12:27 P. M. train to Ithaca Wednesday for burial.

Club Run to Ithaca.

   The cycling division of the Cortland Athletic association made a club run to Ithaca yesterday, and all report a very enjoyable time. The wheelmen left Cortland at 9 o'clock, and fine roads were found all the way. At Ithaca they were the guests of the Ithaca Cycle club, and an appetizing dinner was laid before them at the Ithaca House. The boys were shown about the city by the Ithaca wheelmen, and spent a short time at Renwick park.

   Those who went on the run were cycling Captain Fred Pierce, Clarence Maltby, Charles Williamson, Maurice Brotherton, Gray Joy, T. E. Byrnes, Richard Brady, James Hamil, C. O. Burrows, Arthur Brunie, V. R. Merrick, Ed Lanigan, John Monigan, George Chamberlain, Harry Henry, Riley Bostwick, Arthur Scuddamore, A. K. Weatherwax, Howard Tuttle, Charles Dowd.

BREVITIES.

   —A meeting of the board of governors of the C. A. A. is called for this evening at 8:30 o'clock.

   —The mothers' meeting north will be held at Mrs. Theodore Sheeley's home Wednesday at 3 P. M.

   —There will be a W. C. T. U. parlor meeting to-morrow evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Kinney, 182 Railroad-st. All friends of temperance are cordially invited.

   —The younger generation of fishermen seem to be putting their older friends completely in the shade. Ward Wickwire on Saturday landed a trout that measured a plump twelve inches in length.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Dey Bros., Dress Goods, page 7; Chas. H. Fuller, Postum Cereal, page 7; Case & Ruggles, Shirt Waists, page 6; F. Daehler, Clothing, page 4; Palmer & Co., Shirt Waists, page 4.

   —Drs. E. A. Didama of Cortland, H. C. Henrick of McGrawville and F. H.

Green of Homer have been recommended by Congressman Sereno E. Payne for appointment as members of the hoard of pension examining surgeons for this county.

   —The replevin case of Patrick Driscoll against Henry Goddard and Thomas Carr, in regard to the owner of a horse, which was tried before Justice Kelley and a jury Thursday and resulted in favor of the defendants, has been ended, as the plaintiff has returned the horse to the defendants.

   —Those who have heretofore furnished conveyances for the use of the Woman's Relief corps on Memorial day and others who are willing to do so this year are requested to meet with their carriages front of G. A. R. headquarters, corner of Main and Railroad-sts., Monday afternoon, May 31, at 1:30 o'clock.

  

HOMER.

Gleanings of News From Our Twin Village.

   HOMER, May 24.—Mr. Fred Hart has recently been presented by the E. C. Stearns Co. of Syracuse with a new Stearns 1897 wheel.

   Ray Martin and Horace K. Smith of Syracuse are in town on business to-day.

   The vested choir of Calvary church will meet this evening at 7:30 to rehearse the music to be rendered on Ascension day.

   Mr. Fred Emmens of Syracuse is in town to-day.

   Samuel Morris spent Sunday with his family on West-st.

   "Spare the rod and spoil the child." The rod was certainly not spared in a case which caused quite a sensation on Main-st. this morning. A youngster was discovered on the street by his father after school had begun this morning, and to remind the boy of the fact that he was not in school where he should be, the father promptly inflicted punishment upon him.

   Mr. Harlan Potter of Scott spent Sunday at the home of his brother, Dr. L. W. Potter on Main-st.

   Grace and Edwin Hobart of Brooklyn are in town to spend the summer with their uncle, Mr. Cyrus Watson.

   While arranging the decorations for the band fair to be held in the opera house this week a dispute arose between the manager of the Homer band and the secretary of the drum corps over some bunting, which, it is said, was loaned to the band by some member of the drum corps. It is alleged that the representative of the corps entered the opera house and commenced taking down the bunting owned by his organization which disarranged all the other decorations. He was told to desist by a member of the band and upon refusing to do so was removed from the hall. The affair is to be settled in court.

   Mrs. Emma Dixon met with a rather severe injury by spraining her ankle in front of the residence of W. H. Foster.