Cortland
Evening Standard, Saturday, October 2, 1897.
THE
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
A Gold
Bug and Republican Affair—It Grinds Out Republicans for Nominees.
The report of the Democratic county
convention in yesterday's STANDARD makes very entertaining reading, though it
contains only the skeleton of the most entertaining features of that very
notable affair. The same axle grease which had been used at the Cortlandville
Democratic caucus had been applied to the convention machine, but as there were
more cogs and gears this time to care for there was an occasional squeak and
grind. The machine moved resistlessly on, however, and the fellows who got
caught in it were speedily reduced to the consistency of sausage.
The convention was unusually full—this word
is used in no uncomplimentary sense—every town showing its quota of delegates.
And why shouldn't it have been full, when the ripe grapes of county offices
seemed dangling almost within reach? Here was a rare chance for the very hungry
and very thirsty. Hope, long delayed, was apparently about to be realized.
The machine first ground out, without a
hitch, David W. Van Hoesen, Esq., of Cortland for member of assembly. Mr. Van Hoesen
has heretofore been known as a Democrat, but whether he voted for McKinley or
Bryan last fall, and whether he believes in 16 to 1 [silver to gold ratio] or a
gold standard, are both questions which wait an answer. The odds are that he
was and is a gold bug. At least, while his party was laboring and sweating for
the white metal last fall, and "suffering the stings and arrows of
outrageous fortune" because of it, David wasn't engaged in organizing free-silver
clubs or making free-silver speeches to any alarming extent. He lay back and
let others play the martyr act, and now the free-silver martyrs are turned down
and David bobs up serenely and appropriates the Democratic nomination for
assembly, with a Republican attachment. Such a record may make him solid with
the gold bugs, but how about the supporters and advocates of the immortal
Chicago platform? If Mr. Van Hoesen wants to let the public generally and
Democrats in particular know how he stands on the silver question and other
Chicago doctrines, we offer him the leading place in our editorial columns in
which to declare himself.
The Hon. O. U. Kellogg, in whose nostrils
free silver is supposed to be a stench, nominated for district attorney Mr.
Edwin Duffey, who voted for McKinley last fall, like a man, and who has too
much brains, education and honesty to believe that the Almighty established 16
to 1 as a holy ratio. Mr. John Courtney, Jr., joined the golden procession by
seconding Mr. Duffey's nomination, which was straightway declared unanimous,
and the white-winged dove of peace and harmony roosted serenely on the gilded
perch which had thus carefully been prepared for it.
Having nominated Mr. Van Hoesen for the
assembly, and Mr. Duffey for district attorney, it was then only a step further
to nominating an out-and-out Republican for county clerk. There is no question
about Mr. Bushnell's Republicanism. He has back of it a war record, and makes
no secret of it. But even though Mr. Van Hoesen's nomination, and that of Mr.
Duffey, had gently smoothed the way for Mr. Bushnell, the suspicion did work
its way through the moss on the backs of several delegates from "out
towns" that the nomination of barefaced Republicans was hardly the
legitimate purpose of a Democratic convention.
No wonder that one of them inquired if Mr.
Bushnell were a Democrat, and when the chair, with rare delicacy, grace and
discretion, replied that "he had understood that Mr. Bushnell had been
identified with the Republican party," it was no wonder again that a
Bourbon statesman from Solon inquired "if it was not a fact that the
convention was called to nominate a Democratic ticket for Democrats." Nor
was it any wonder that even echo did not answer this pungent and pertinent
question. The machine certainly was answering no questions. It simply ground
on, and ground out Mr. Bushnell. The fellows who asked such superfluous
questions were ignored. They were neither up to date nor up to snuff.
When Editor Ed L. Adams, the Democratic
leader of Marathon, presented the name of that well-known Republican leader in
southern Cortland, Mr. Arthur E. Brainard for sheriff, and urged his
nomination, all the delegates save Dr. Halsey J. Ball of Scott—an old Cortland
boy, by the way—were paralysed. The doctor was staggered, but managed to pull
himself together in time to utter a sound Democratic protest against giving a
Democratic nomination to a Republican when there were Democrats who wanted it.
The doctor's speech presented the only true Democratic principle enunciated
during the entire convention. Why should the Democratic children's food be
thrown to Republican dogs, he reasoned. And only echo answered,
"Why?" It was thrown, just the same, and the doctor was so
thoroughly, demoralized—not to say knocked out—by Mr. Brainard's prompt nomination,
that he lost all his bearings and made a jump for the Republican bandwagon by
nominating another Republican with an army record, Mr. J. C. Atwater of Homer, for
superintendent of the poor. But though the doctor meant well, his enthusiasm was
misplaced, and Dr. Kinyon, a gentleman from Cincinnatus who "has
heretofore been identified with the Democratic party"—but whether as
Bryanite or gold bug does not appear—was given the plum.
Dr. Ball's good intentions were recognized,
and his sudden conversion to Republicanism rewarded—in rather a ghastly manner,
perhaps—by nominating him to head the list of coroners, and he is now
scratching his head to find out what corpse, or corpses, he is to sit on—whether he is to hold an inquest on the dead body of the Cortland county
Democratic party, or on Bryanism in this bailiwick, or on himself, as the last
survivor—now, alas, also dead—of the supporters of the immemorial and immortal
doctrine that the loaves and fishes of office should go to hungry Democrats, and
not be wasted on stall-fed Republicans.
As the doctor was "unanimously"
named for coroner, it must be that the convention had full confidence in his
ability to wrestle successfully with any or all of these grave questions.
There is a puzzled lot of Democrats in this
county. They are vaguely and almost hopelessly inquiring of themselves, Where
am I at? They are repeating the school-boy slang, "Am I, or am I not am I.
If I am not am I, who am I?" And what they are, or where they are going to
turn up next, nobody can tell. They may get mixed up and vote the regular
Republican ticket instead of the Democratic-Republican ticket. Their leaders
have been doing a rash thing in turning them loose in Republican pastures. If
they once get to voting for Republicans, there is danger of their keeping right
on. It is like giving a fellow brought up on hard cider a sip of champagne. We
wonder that their managers dare run such a frightful risk—for they have
virtually declared that it is all right for Democrats both to nominate and vote
for Republicans. If this be true, what is the use of a Democratic party,
anyway? Why not all vote the Republican state ticket this fall, come right out
into the Republican ranks, get registered under the new organization and have
only one party in the county, and that a "whoosher"—and Republican?
"While the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return."
"What will the harvest be?"
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
A
Statement.
The STANDARD has hoped that some basis might
be found on which existing differences between Republicans in this county might
be settled. It has exerted itself, we think successfully, to bring about a wise
organization of the party in the county, to secure an equitable representation
of Republicans in county conventions, and to obtain a sure guaranty of pure
primaries and fair nominations. It has sought to bring influences to bear to
heal the existing breach and make Republicans present a united front. In order
that it might not be charged with factionalism, while it has recognized and
supported the Taylor hall convention and nominees as regular, and placed that
ticket with the Republican emblem at the bead of its editorial columns. It has
also—in the face of considerable criticism—kept standing in another column the
names of the nominees of the Cortland House convention, without reference to
their regularity, as a matter of public information and as a concession to the
wishes of many life-long Republicans. It has done this in the interest of
conservatism and harmony, and in order that, should there be any opportunity or
amicable adjustment of Republican differences, this paper might be able to
assist therein, not as a factional organ but as representative of the entire
party.
Until yesterday there was no reason why an
agreement between the opposing factions—even though one had been declared
regular and the other irregular by the state committee—might not have been had.
But the endorsement by the Democratic county convention of part of the Cortland
House nominees, puts an end to all hope of Republican harmony this year, and
therefore makes useless any further continuance in our columns of the
publication of a ticket which, though made up of Republicans we have felt
unable to recognize as regular.
Much as it deprecates their action, The
STANDARD will throw neither mud nor stones at the Republicans composing the
Cortland House ticket, or at their supporters. It will have neither abuse nor
hard names for any of them. They are men who have been loyal to the great fundamental
principles of the party's national policy, and have done valuable service in
the party ranks. Many of them have been and we hope still are our friends. We
only regret that even for a single year they have separated themselves from
their fellow Republicans. and that, on the broad platform of the plan of
organization adopted by the regular county committee, room enough could not
have been found for all Republicans to stand together, with past differences
forgotten, with a single ticket supported by all, and with a common faith in
future harmony and party success assured by a fair and practical method of
securing and declaring Republican opinion and wishes.
◘
The exchange of prisoners after
the Cubans under General Garcia had gained the battle of Victoria de las Tunas
in the eastern part of the island is itself a recognition by Spain of the
belligerency of the rebels. If they were mere traitors, guilty of bearing arms
against their government, then every one of the Cuban prisoners captured at Victoria
de las Tunas should have been treated as such. But the stern logic of the
situation confronted the Spaniards, and they knew that any severity on their
part toward Cubans captured in the fight would have been avenged tenfold by the
patriot commander, who had many more Spanish captives than Weyler's soldiers
had of Cubans. So in this instance at least a recognition of belligerency was a
necessity. But it is to be noted that this is the first time such general
exchange has taken place.
 |
| Capt. Gen. Valeriano Weyler. |
Weyler Is
Recalled.
LONDON, Oct 2.—A special dispatch received
here from Madrid to-day says that Captain General Weyler has been recalled from
Cuba. His successor, it is added, has not yet been officially announced.
To Form a New
Cabinet.
MADRID,
Oct. 2.—Senor Segasta, the Liberal leader, has been entrusted by the Queen recent
of Spain with the task of forming a new cabinet.
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED.
Cornell Freshmen
Win Prizes Worth $200 Per Year.
ITHACA, N. Y., Oct. 2.—The following members
of the freshman class were awarded scholarships by the Cornell faculty. The
examinations were open to the entire entering class and are worth $200 a year for
two consecutive years on the basis of freshman and sophomore percentages:
John Olmstead Dresser, arts, Brooklyn.
George E. J. Pitzer, civil engineering,
Newark, N. Y.
Howard Earl Gear, mechanical engineering,
Buffalo.
John Sedgewick Gay, arts, Mynderse.
Willis Haviland Carrier, electrical
engineering, Buffalo.
Herbert S. Wood, arts, Washington.
Leonard Jessie Reynolds, arts, Potsdam.
James Walter Griswold, civil engineering,
Ithaca.
Claire Seymour, arts, Gloversville.
Marion Pratt, arts, Syracuse,
Sherwin Ward Haas, civil engineering.
Clayton.
Ernest Selah Holcomb, electrical
engineering, Ithaca.
Richard Harry Johnston, arts, Brooklyn.
BALDWlNSVILLE'S
GAS.
Some Interesting
Facts That May Prove Suggestions.
Mr. L. M. Loope, in answer to a letter of
inquiry, has received from W. W.
Swetland of
Baldwinsville some facts relating to the new gas wells at that place that may
prove of interest to Cortland people in view of the agitation here toward
putting down a test well. There are nine wells in Baldwinsville varying in
depth from 1,850 to 3,000 feet. The cost of the wells is $1 per foot. Most of
the gas has been found in the Trenton rock at a depth in this rock of from 60
to 280 feet. Two of the best gas-producing wells, however, in Baldwinsville were
found in Utica shale and Medina sandstone. The opinion of experts is that the
gas in that locality will not give out. The pressure in those wells is from 500
pounds to 1,160 pounds to the square inch and is the heaviest of any wells in
this state.
Baldwinsville is piped by a stock company known
as the Baldwinsville Heat and Light Co. The company at present has 242 patrons.
Two wells supply all the gas used by the company. The pressure of these is
1,200 pounds and 1,400 pounds respectively to the square inch. The cost to
consumers is 25 cents per thousand feet, and all are reported as highly pleased
with it both for light and for fuel.
The Syracuse Heat and Power Co. also makes
use of gas from the Baldwinsville wells for fuel. The gas is carried in pipes
the twelve miles to Syracuse.
The wells at Fulton have not proved as
successful as those at Baldwinsville.
At Ilion the Standard Typewriter Co. is
sinking a well of its own near the factories hoping to supply itself with light
and fuel by the means.
At Attica a gas well was being sunk and when
down 1,600 feet the pressure was so strong that it lighted the 3,000 pound
drill so that it was impossible to bore further. The drill was removed and the well
is now supplying 250,000 feet per day.
THE SCHOOL CENSUS.
The Work on the
Bi-ennial Will Begin Next Week.
The work of taking the bi-ennial school
census will begin early next week in Cortland, as it will in all parts of the
state in accordance with an act passed in 1895 requiring that a school census be
taken between Oct. 1 and Oct. 31, every alternate year, in each city or town
having a population of over 10,000 people. The work of taking the census in
Cortland has been entrusted to Truant officer Isaac W. Brown, who has appointed
as his assistants, John W. Strowbridge, W. W. Gale and J. F. Wheeler. Each of
the census takers will enumerate a ward [district].
The primary object of the bi-ennial census is
to determine the exact number of children of school age in the city, and to
discover whether or not the compulsory education law is being compiled with. Without
such a method the state would have no means of determining if the statute is
being carried out.
The following are the facts required to be
ascertained: The names and ages of all persons between the ages of 4 and 16.
The number of persons in each town or city coming within the application of the
law between the ages of 4 and 16, who are unable to read and write. The number
of persons over 4 and under 16 years of age who do not attend school because
they are obliged to work within school hours. The number of persons between 4
and 16 years who are attending other than public schools.
But Mr. Brown and his assistants are determined
to do more than this. They are going to make a thorough canvass of every house
and block within the corporate limits of Cortland, so that when they are
through they will know the actual population of the place.
Mr. Brown and his assistants will act under
the law of the state, and parents who think of shutting the door in the face of
the census taker or of kicking him down the front steps, should think a second
time; neither should they take him for a book agent nor a corn salve peddler,
and introduce him to the faithful canine, before fully assuring themselves that
the caller is not a representative
of the census department.
The law, which is well equipped for
emergencies, provides that parents who shall refuse to disgorge any information
about their young hopefuls, which the fact gatherer shall desire, or who shall
falsify such information as they do give, shall be liable to a fine not to
exceed $20 or to a term of imprisonment not to exceed thirty days.
Books filled with blanks especially arranged
for the work are furnished by the department of public instruction, but had not
arrived this morning. The work will begin as soon as these books arrive, which
will be early next week, in order to insure the completion of the work by the
end of the month. The books will be kept in Cortland for reference, and a summary
made up from them will be sent to Albany.
 |
| Cortland Hospital. |
HOSPITAL
ASSOCIATION.
The Annual Meeting
to be Held on Monday, Oct. 4.
The annual meeting of the Cortland Hospital
association for the year 1897 will be held at the hospital on Monday, Oct. 4, at 3:30 P. M. Members of
the board of managers will be elected to fill the places of Mrs. L. J.
Fitzgerald, Mrs. A. M. Ettling, Mrs. H. J. Harrington, Mrs. I. Whiteson, Mrs.
W. H. Clark, Mrs. A. E. Buck, whose terms of office expire at that time.
An advisory board will also be elected in
place of the following: Rev. J. A.
Robinson, Messrs. H.
F. Benton. Robt. Purvis, B. F. Taylor, T. H. Wickwire, P. E. Whitmore, C. F.
Brown, Ernest M. Hulbert and E. E. Mellon.
All persons who have contributed the sum of
$2 or more toward the
support of the hospital are members of this association, and it is hoped they
will attend this meeting and take part in the elections.
This meeting will be preceded by the regular
monthly meeting of the board of managers, beginning at 2:30 P. M., sharp.
BREVITIES.
—The West End Brownies defeated the South
End Juniors by a score of 15 to 14 this forenoon.
—Republican headquarters at E. C. Algers's office
have been connected with the telephone exchange.
—Free dancing at the park to-night. McDermott's
orchestra will furnish the music. Cars will run as usual.
—The executive committee of the Republican county
committee met this afternoon at the office of E. C. Alger.
—The Syracuse University football team
passed through Cortland this morning en route for Ithaca to play Cornell this
afternoon.
—New display advertisements to-day are—L. N.
Hopkins, Palms, page 6; A. S. Burgess, Fall Hats, page 8; Opera House,
"Madame Sans Gene," page 5.
—The Cascadilla football team arrived in
Cortland this morning from Ithaca and are playing the Normals this afternoon.
They are registered at The Kremlin.
—The next
attraction at the Cortland Opera House will be the great Broadway theatre
production, "Madame Sans Gene," which comes here on Saturday night,
Oct. 9.
—To-morrow being the first Sunday in October
the services in the churches will begin in the evening at 7 o'clock instead of
at 7:00 o'clock, and will continue at that hour till next April.
—Mr. John Latimer of 101 Homer-ave., while
painting a house on Tompkins-st. Thursday afternoon, fell to the ground,
sustaining a severe shaking up though nothing serious is anticipated.
—The regular union meeting of the young
people's societies of the various churches will be held with the Christian Endeavor
society of the Congregational church Sunday evening: at 5:30 o'clock.
—In Justice Kelley's court this morning the
case of The People against Grant Weeks, charged with assault in the third
degree on John W. Jones, was adjourned to Oct. 29, the defendant calling for a jury
trial.
—To-morrow will be rally day in the Sunday-school
of the Congregational church. A program of exercises appropriate to the day has
been prepared and a full attendance of all members of the school is earnestly
desired.
—Mrs. Emilie Underhill Burgess,
superintendent of the department of peace and arbitration of the state W. C. T.
U. will speak at the First M. E. church to-morrow evening at the usual hour of
service. Her theme will be "Peace and Arbitration."
—The Republicans of Tompkins county at their
county convention held at Ithaca last Saturday nominated Mr. Theron Johnson of
Dryden for member of assembly from Tompkins county. Mr. Johnson in a son of
Philo A. Johnson of Harford and is the present supervisor of the town of
Dryden.
No comments:
Post a Comment