INDEPENDENCE OR DEATH AND NOTABLE PARLOR TALK

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, October 16, 1897.

"INDEPENDENCE OR DEATH."

Cubans Do Not Want Annexation—They Battle for Freedom.

   LONDON, Oct. 16.—Colonel Jose Zayas, who says he is accredited by the Palma Cuban Junta of New York as minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain to the Cuban republic, in an interview is quoted as expressing the belief that the war in Cuba will not last another year. Spain, he adds, cannot finance the campaign and should have accepted the insurgents' offer of $150,000,000 under the guarantee of the United States.

   Colonel Zayas does not anticipate assistance from the United States, claiming that all the Cubans desire is fair play and the recognition of belligerent rights, so that they can secure the necessary supplies for their troops.

   In conclusion the Cuban minister is quoted as saying: "There is no truth whatever in the opinion expressed in England that the Cubans desire annexation to the United States. We are fighting for independence and do not hanker after annexation, which will not be the outcome of the struggle. There is not the least likelihood of the Cubans accepting autonomy. Independence or Death is our motto."

Evangelina Cosio y Cisneros.

Becomes an American.

   NEW YORK, Oct. 16.—Evangelina Cosio y Cisneros has adopted this country as her home. She will drop the "Senorita" and become plain "Miss." She has signed her declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States. She entered the naturalization bureau accompanied by Mrs. J. Allen Foster. Before fixing her signature to the declaration she placed a small American flag in her lap. This formality over, she proceeded to the county clerk's office and paid her fee of 20 cents, which entitled her to an attested copy of the document. Under the terms of her oath she has renounced all allegiance to Spain.

"LIBERTY AND UNION."

Monument Marks the Raising of the First Liberty Pole and Flag.

   TAUNTON, Mass., Oct. 16.—In the presence of nearly 3,000 persons an immense granite boulder, appropriately inscribed, was dedicated by Governor Wolcott and members of the Old Colony commission.

   It marks the spot where, in October. 1774, was raised the first liberty flag and pole in the colony. The flag bore the words: "Liberty and Union," and since has been known as the "Red Flag of Taunton."

   On the same spot Oct. 24, 1786, General David Cobb, in command of 400 militiamen and volunteers, subdued a body of insurgents in Shea's rebellion, which had gathered to prevent the session of the supreme judicial court in Taunton and to seize its papers.

   The exercises included addresses by Judge Edmund H. Bennett, Governor Wolcott and others.

YELLOW FEVER.

Forty-Eight New Cases and Three Deaths Reported.

   NEW ORLEANS, Oct 16.— Forth-eight new cases of yellow fever and three deaths are reported. The large number of cases, however, did not represent a corresponding increase in foci. From a single house on Bourbon street four cases were reported in a bunch.

   In a double cottage on Third street two cases were found on one side and three on the other.

   A promising feature of the situation is that recoveries and discharges of patients are numerous. This is the 41st day of the fever, and the total recoveries exceeded the total number of cases now under treatment.

  

Fever Patients Discharged.

   GALVESTON, Tex., Oct. 16.—The last of Dr. Guiteras' alleged yellow fever cases has been discharged as cured. Of four cases found by local physicians one has been discharged and three are practically well. Galveston and Houston citizens and physicians have been conferring to show that the disease is the same in both places, and not yellow fever, in order to induce other parts of the state to raise their quarantine.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

The Question of Regularity.

   The Cortland House literary bureau announces that the county committee which was appointed at the Cortland House convention decided on Monday last that a contest should not "be waged before the county clerk and the courts for a decision of the question as to whether the true Republican ticket or the ticket of the Saunders-Brown-Duell faction should have a place under the Republican emblem on the blanket ballot, or take the other place and leave the decision of that question to the people." The bureau also expresses the belief that "the committee acted wisely in this matter."

   In view of County Clerk Palmer's written decision which was made the following Wednesday, holding the Taylor hall convention and ticket to be the regular Republican county convention and ticket, it would seem that both the Cortland House county committee and bureau were wise and sound in the conclusions which they reached.

   Yet The STANDARD was pretty sharply criticized in certain quarters for reaching precisely the same conclusion as to the disputed question of regularity some time previous. As to the formal regularity of the two conventions, we believe that the courts would sustain Clerk Palmer in the decision at which he arrived after a careful examination of the facts and the law. And the action of the Cortland House committee, of the Republican state committee and of the Republican clerk of Cortland county makes a very satisfactory and complete endorsement of The STANDARD in the position it has taken.

   The names of the county candidates at the head of our editorial columns are unquestionably the formally regular Republican nominees, and they are entitled to whatever advantage belongs to candidates representing party regularity.

NOTABLE PARLOR TALK.

MRS. SUSAN AYERS HOUGHTON SPEAKS AT ELMIRA.

A Company of Ladies Enjoyed a Pleasant Hour at the Home of Mrs. John B. Stanchfield Listening to the Cortland Lady.

(From the Elmira Star of Oct. 13, 1897.)

   Elmira has many clubs and reading circles doing a constant and earnest work year after year. About two years since The Star devoted two columns of space to the history of several of these clubs, but there are some so quiet in their conduct that they pass unnoticed and unnoted. Most of these have little machinery to keep in motion and give their entire time and energies to the immediate work in hand, usually a course of reading with comment and exchange of ideas and sentiments—a simple but sure means of improvement. Some of them have been in existence for years—one for more than twenty.

   Among the organizations for reading and literary work is the History club, which meets at Mrs. John B. Stanchfield's on Tuesday afternoons. Yesterday this club and a few invited guests enjoyed the privilege of hearing Mrs. Susan Ayers Houghton of Cortland in a parlor talk, introducing a series of four papers prepared with reference to clubs pursuing history courses. They are on the subject of American history, and strongly plead for its study. Mrs. Houghton is herself an ardent lover of all history and especially of American history. Two years since she took a Ph. D. degree at Syracuse university, gaining the distinction by her work in history. Mrs. Houghton had previously taken an M. A. degree. Her study has been careful, conscientious and ardent, and she brings to her parlor talks the force of conviction and grasp of situations that belong to a mastery of so great a study. Travel, industry and thought have widened her view and brought a development that takes hold of the meaning and uses of the subject so dear to her, and of the trend and problems of events and the march of nations. And there is an absence of the abstract in her presentation, which is grateful to those who love mankind. The great of history move the destinies of the humble, and Mrs. Houghton does not lose sight of the throbbing human life that has felt the retrogression or progress of epochs. Statistics are necessary to the study of history, but the coursing blood of man's vitality is more. No student of history can broaden who cannot feel a kinship with the personality of other days. This kinship it is Mrs. Houghton's aim to accentuate, and if wherever she can be induced to use her influence, coupled with her scholarship, to this end history clubs and classes will find an uplift and wider sense of their work.

   Mrs. Houghton passed her infancy, childhood and girlhood in this city. She was married to Rev. Oscar Houghton and thus removed from Elmira to the life of the Methodist itinerancy. But she has always been a frequent visitor to her father's home on Lake-st. and has been here as a pastor's wife at Hedding church. Her acquaintance in this and other cities is wide and cultured. In Syracuse she was a resident student for two years, taking her Ph. D. degree on the day of her son, Harris Houghton's graduation. Mrs. Houghton has traveled in Europe and has been a wide and profound reader. Her friends in this city take pride in her attainments and those who may be privileged to hear further papers are assured of a real pleasure.

   Mrs. Houghton yesterday made a noble plea for the preservation in this city of those landmarks, papers, records and relics, that will be of use to posterity in their study of home history. She deplores the destruction of so many pamphlets and other printed papers that are associated with the past and are a loss irreparable. She made a suggestion that some place be set apart for the preservation of these things, and spoke of the Steele Memorial building as a suitable receptacle. This suggestion has a merit that we can ill afford to pass indifferently by. The writer has frequently in print expressed a regret that the past is so carelessly regarded from the point of historical interest, and its relics so neglected. Any society or body of public spirited people who would lay the foundation for reform in this line would honor themselves and confer a lasting benefit.

COUNTY CLERK PALMER.

Ordered to Show Cause at Ithaca on Monday, Oct. 18.

   An order was granted by Supreme Court Justice Walter Lloyd Smith this morning on application of N. L. Miller as attorney for E. C. Alger and Eugene W. Bates, returnable at Ithaca next Monday at 2 P. M., directing County Clerk Palmer to show cause why an injunction should not be granted restraining him from placing the so-called Independent Citizens' ticket on the official ballot. The order was served on Mr. Palmer this afternoon. Mr. Palmer will appear by attorney at the time designated.

HOSPITAL BENEFIT.

Baseball Game Next Thursday—North Side vs. South Side.

   A baseball game that will no doubt attract a large crowd will on Thursday,

Oct. 21, be played at the fair grounds beginning at 1:30 o'clock. The North side will play against the South side, Railroad-st. being the dividing line. The batteries of the two teams will be Ketchum and Townsend, and Yerkes and O'Neil, all of the Cortland team of the past season, though it has not yet been decided with which team either of the batteries will be identified. These gentlemen have volunteered their services for the game without expense, and everything else is contributed, the use of the grounds included. The admission will not exceed 15 cents, but the exact figure has not yet been fixed. More complete details will be given as they are arranged. If the day should be stormy the game will occur on Saturday.

Frederick Warde in "Iskander."

   It is a pleasure to announce an appearance of such an eminent actor as Mr. Frederick Warde, especially in an entirely new creation, as in the case at the Cortland Opera House, Thursday, Oct. 21. The play is W. D,. Eaton's new production "Iskander," a romance of the the "Cross and Crescent." The author of the play has woven his materials from many well known authorities, prominent among them being Disraeli's "Rise of Iskander" and Dr. James M. Ludlow's "The Captain of the Janissaries." 

   The life of the warrior and patriot, "Iskander" should prove a happy medium for the author around which to write a play for such an actor as Mr. Warde. The career of no hero of history knows more or vicissitude, adventure, prodigious feats at arms and lofty ideas bravely followed out, than even the meager records of his own day allotted to this magnificent character. Its location gives the scenic artist, costumer and armorer an opportunity for a very elaborate production, which Manager W. M. Wilkinson has provided on a scale of excellence, commensurate with the dignity of his star, the excellence of the company, and the beauty of the romance.

   Tickets on sale at Rood's Tuesday at 2:30 P. M.

BREVITIES.

   —Daniels' orchestra furnished music at a party in Pitcher last night.

   —After to-night it will be too late to say "I wish that I had registered."

   —The Cornell freshmen football team is playing the Normals at the fair grounds this afternoon.

   —The many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Moon will regret to learn of the serious illness of their little son.

   —The STANDARD is indebted to Hon. F. P. Saunders for a copy of the factory inspector's report for 1896.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Chas. F. Brown, Face Bleach, page 7; Opera House, "A Husband by Deputy," page 5.

   —The Y. M. C. A. bathrooms are being repainted and will not be ready for use to-night. All interested will please take note of the fact.

   —Mr. J. D. F. Woolston this morning showed us four turnips raised by Joseph Shevalier near Messengerville that were so large that they filled a half bushel measure. The largest one measured 26 inches in circumference.

   —The Auburn Bulletin says that the Lehigh Valley R. R. is making surveys to build a branch from Auburn to Geneva, where it will connect with the main line, giving a through line from Auburn to the West.

   —The Sunday-school of the Universalist church of this place will give a harvest concert to-morrow night commencing at 7 o'clock sharp. The church will be suitably decorated with all the fruits of the season. A full house is anticipated.

   —The service at Grace Episcopal church to-morrow morning will be appropriate to the observance of the semi-centennial anniversary of the founding of the church. The sermon by the rector will be largely historical with practical and timely applications.

   —Mr. Leopold Jordan, the dramatic author and novelist, is the business manager of "A Husband by Deputy" and he is in Cortland attending to the preliminary arrangements for the production of the comedy at the Cortland Opera House on Friday evening, Oct. 22.

   —By an oversight, the Universalist church did not report the recent accessions to its membership. But on Oct. 3 eight persons were taken into the liberal fellowship. Six were baptized, the other two having been baptized before. Some more candidates are awaiting the next communion.

   —Miss Lena Dalton, delegate from the Congregational society of the state Christian Endeavor convention held at Elmira, will give her report in the chapel of the church to-morrow evening at 6 o'clock. The songs most popular at the convention will be sung by a specially arranged choir of young people.

The Earth a Poor Conductor.

   The theory of the earth as a conductor is dismissed in a recent issue of The

American Electrician by Dr. [Louis] Bell, and the conclusion reached is that the conductivity of the earth is so meager that, except in the case of very high voltages or very minute currents, it is quite insignificant in practical affairs; in railway return circuits the earth return does much more harm than good; for power service the earth is useless as a return, and in telegraphy alone does it appear likely to serve a permanently useful purpose. This is in marked comparison with the idea formerly prevalent and used in the calculation of ground return circuits, that the conductivity of the earth is infinite.