THE POLITICAL OUTLET AND CLARK UNDER ARREST

President William McKinley (1897-1901).

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, July 30, 1897.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Political Outlook.

   The New York Times is not a newspaper which is given to making reckless, extravagant statements. Its utterances are characterized by sobriety. As Artemus Ward said of George Washington, "it never slops over." It is worth-while, therefore, to see what The Times thinks of the political outlook. This is the way it concludes one of its recent leaders:

   Three things we may fairly count on with reasonable certainty for four years, possibly for eight:

   The tariff will be made no worse.

   The currency will be made no worse.

   Whatever change takes place in either will be for the better.

   On this assurance every man may go to work with energy, courage and confidence.

   No candid person will challenge either of these statements and they are both of the first importance. Whatever changes may be made during the next four or eight years, in either the tariff or the currency, will be changes for the better; changes which will render the tariff a more efficient aid to business; changes which will render our currency system better fitted to meet every possible emergency. Accordingly this is the time for all sorts and conditions of men to take heart. The future is full of promise.

   ◘ "This is a white man's country and you negroes may as well understand this and keep your place." Judge James J. Banks of Alabama made this remark from the bench a day or two ago at a special term of his court which was called to try three negroes who were charged with assaulting a white girl. The judge ought to have known better than to use such language. This is not a white man's country. It is the country of any man, white or black, who behaves himself. If the Judge is not aware of that fact he would do well to read the constitution of the United States and thus make the acquaintance of the principles which underlie our democratic system of government, a system which makes no discrimination against color. The judge, too, showed his un-Americanism when he advised the negroes to "keep their place." In this country in which the grandest opportunities are open to all, in which the rail- splitter, the flat-boatman may become and have become president, this talk about any element in our population keeping its "place"' is gross impertinence.

   ◘ In a sermon delivered to a great congregation at Big Bethel, Ga., on Sunday last, Bishop Turner, of the African Methodist Episcopal church, addressed himself to the subject of lynching. "The condition of things in this country," he said, "is fearfully gloomy. Crime stalks abroad as never before in the history of the nation. The mania for lynching and mob violence is raging." The bishop, before concluding his sermon, said that at an early day he might issue a call to his church to set apart a day for fasting and prayer. He added that "It may be that the ordeal through which the negro is passing is intended to turn his attention to the land of his fathers, as I verily believe, and the sooner we begin to pray and inquire of the God who shapes the destinies of man what he will have us do, the better for ourselves and for Africa and for our country." This last observation warrants the inference that the bishop holds that the solution of the negro problem is conditioned upon an exodus to Africa.

   ◘ Politicians are shaking themselves up and wondering whether the heated spell has affected the brain of Secretary Lyman J. Gage of the United States treasury department, since on a recent trip with his family and friends on the lighthouse tender Violet for pleasure and recreation, the said Gage did actually pay all expenses out of his own pocket.

PAY FOR OVER TIME.

Decision by the United States Courts in Favor of Letter-Carriers.

   A case which has been pending in the United States courts for some time has recently been decided which will benefit the letter-carriers of the United States postal service and will cost the government several millions of dollars. Under the regulations of the department, eight hours constitute a day's work for letter-carriers. A careful record is kept in all free delivery offices of the exact length of time each carrier works each day, and since May 1, 1893, it has been strictly against the rules of the department for letter-carriers to put in more than eight hours' work in a single day.

   Carriers who could not cover their routes in the given time either had their routes shortened or other carriers were put on who could do the work within the prescribed time. This action was deemed necessary by the department from the fact that claims for pay for over time were being brought against the government by letter-carriers. When congress passed a law making eight hours a day's work the postal department ruled that an average system must prevail and that where a carrier worked but six hours one day and ten hours another day he was entitled to pay for two days only, having worked but sixteen hours in the two days. The carriers contended that it was not their fault that eight hours' work was not furnished each day, and that they were entitled to pay for eight hours every day, and for all time over eight hours that they might be required to work.

   The National Letter-Carriers' association, through their attorneys, Charles and W. B. King, of Washington, D. C., commenced an action against the United States government, which has resulted in the government being obliged to pay the claims. Cortland carriers are benefitted to the amount of $2,332.15, less their share of the cost of the action.

   The list includes those who are now or who have been letter-carriers and is as follows: William F. Maher, Samuel L. Palmer, Theodore Sheeley, Jr., Isaac D. Lester, Geo. T. Lester, Patrick F. Lyons, William H. Beach, Libbie Comerfort, administratrix, Michael Comerfort, Charles W. Fleming, Edward C. McEvoy, William E. Martin, and Joseph D. Freer. The smallest amount received by any one carrier is $37.50 and the largest, $273.31.

CLARK UNDER ARREST.

Sheriff Hilsinger Finds Him Concealed in an Elm-st. Shed.

   Robert Clark, for whom two warrants were yesterday issued by Justice T. H. Dowd was located late yesterday afternoon by Sheriff Hilsinger on a pile of straw in an old shed at the rear of Delaney's grocery on Elm-st. He was brought before the Justice, but was sent to jail for the night as it was thought he would be in a better condition to plead this morning. At 10 o'clock this morning he was arraigned on charge preferred by W. F. Rogers of McGrawville of defrauding Rogers by obtaining board and lodging and failing to pay for same. At his own request, the case was adjourned until to-morrow morning at 10 o'clock to enable him to procure an attorney.

In Police Court.

   Five tramps occupied the cooler at the police station last night, and this morning were ushered before Police Justice Mellon. Three of them declared that they were not vagrants and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Their cases were put over until 3 o'clock this afternoon. Two others, who gave their names as Thomas Dale and David Fenton will be the guests of Sheriff Hilsinger for ten days.

A TRAMP'S CHOICE.

Can Find Work in the Country but Does Not Like Country Life.

   A representative of the traveling fraternity known as tramps or knights of the road appeared at a back door of one of Cortland's residences yesterday at about noon and asked for something to eat. The lady of the house, who has undoubtedly had other similar callers in the past began to question him as to his ability and willingness to work.

   The conversation ran something like this:

   Housewife—My husband has to work for what he has to eat.

   Tramp—Well, I wish I could find work.

   Housewife— Why, can't you find work?

   Tramp—Oh, yes, I can find plenty of work in the country, but I don't like country life a bit.

   The housewife very properly slammed the door to "Weary Willie's" face, and he is probably now hunting for work "in a great big city."

Hospital Report for June.

   Number of patients to hospital June 1, 6; number of patients admitted during June, 4; number of patients discharged during June, 6; number of operations performed in June, 3; number of deaths in June, 1; number of patients remaining July 1, 3.

LEHIGH TRAINS COLLIDE.

Claimed That Signals Were Disregarded—Two Killed.

   BUFFALO, July 30.—Two Lehigh freight trains collided at Depew Junction at 6:45 this morning, killing George Ellersbee, engineer, of Manchester and Chas. Eddy, fireman, of Sayre. James Radcliffe, fireman, of Sayre was slightly injured. Eddy's body was recovered but Ellersbee's is still under the wreck. The trains were two heavy freights, one westbound from Manchester to Buffalo, the other eastbound, Buffalo to Sayre.

   It is said the signals at Depew Junction were disregarded by Ellerabee or that he did not see them and the two trains plunged into each other. The engines were a complete wreck and fifty cars were strung on the tracks. Depew Junction is seven miles east of Buffalo. The coroner with ambulances from here has gone to the scene of the wreck.

FARMERS DISCOURAGED.

Wet Weather Hinders Work and Damages Crops.

   Complaints of the damage to crops and the losses caused by the unseasonable heavy rains come from every direction. Continuation of the rain will prove still more disastrous, and the cessation in the downpour and the sunshine to-day have proved a welcome change to every one, and it is to be hoped that the report of fair weather for to-morrow may prove true.

   Farmers are becoming very much discouraged. Wheat and rye that have been cut are growing in the shock and from the lake region comes the report that the standing grain has begun to sprout.

   New York City has been deluged with rain nearly [every] day since the middle of the month and from the vicinity of Elmira it is reported that the continued wet weather is causing serious damage to farm crops. It is feared that a large portion of the wheat crop will be completely ruined. The damp weather has seriously affected the berry crop. Black and red raspberries have been thrown on the market at ruinous prices. The berry farmers have been compelled to dispose of their crops as fast as they are picked because the rains have deteriorated the berries so that they spoil within twelve hours after leaving the vines.

   This is but a sample of what is true in nearly every section of the state and people in Cortland county may find consolation in the fact that they are no worse off than others.

BREVITIES.

   —The combined Sunday-schools of Binghamton will run an excursion to Tully Lake Park Tuesday, Aug. 3.

   —The matter of constructing a cinder path between Elmira and Watkins is being agitated by the wheelmen of these places.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown, The Man Who Grabs, page 8; National Bank of Cortland, Report, page 6.

   —A regular meeting of the board of managers of the Hospital association will be held at the hospital Monday next, Aug. 2, at 3 P. M.

   —An Atchison man who has tried every means for obtaining happiness says that he found none that resulted as well as a resolution to keep his mouth shut.—Atchison, Kan., Globe.

   —You cannot have a prosperous town unless you spend your money at home where you earn it. Every dollar you spend in other places helps to build up that city or town at the expense of your own.—Exchange.

   —The New Haven Register says that a banker in New York has written a letter to New Haven, declaring that unless Yale agrees to row Cornell next year his two sons, just ready for college, shall be sent to Cornell instead of Yale, as he intended.

   —If aerial navigation is really practicable, the Alaska gold excitement should give it a great boom. The men who could get there with flying machines would have a big advantage over gold hunters traveling the long and dangerous route by land and water.

   —Salamanca is to have another manufacturing establishment, and work will be begun on the erection of the buildings within two or three weeks. A company, of which a wealthy Boston leather dealer is one of the principal members, will erect a large glue factory, which will employ forty or fifty men. The plant will cost about $30,000.

McGRAWVILLE.

Crisp Local Happenings at the Corset City.

   Waldemar S. Kelley is engaged in farming for Arthur O'Donnell.

   Our people were startled Thursday by a bright light which upon investigation was found to be the sun shining. It did not shine long enough to do any harm however but the novelty attracted much attention.

   Rev. and Mrs. N. S. Burd returned Thursday evening from a two weeks' visit in Hornellsville.

   Mrs. Wesley Walker has so far recovered as to visit her sister, Mrs. Wm. T.

Burditt of this place.

   N. F. Mather of Cortland is spending a portion of his vacation in McGrawville.

   Smith & Jones, dentists, Wallace building, Cortland, N. Y. Dr. Jones will be at McGrawville office every Wednesday.