THE TWELFTH CENSUS AND DEATH OF AN OLD RESIDENT

Walter Wellman.

Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, December 20, 1897.

THE TWELFTH CENSUS.

Congress Preparing For the Next Counting of Noses.

A CHANCE FOR THE SPOILSMAN.

The Census Bureau is not Under the Civil  Service Rules and Affords a Convenient Asylum For Political Hacks—Obstacles to the Whaler's Relief Expedition.

   WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.—(Special.)—In a little more than two years the twelfth census of the United States will be taken, and congress is already making preparations for it. It has been decided that the employees of the census bureau shall not be selected through civil service competitive examination. The friends of civil service reform were anxious to have the merit system applied to this important work, but they knew it would be useless to make the effort. Such a large part of all the government employment is already under the civil service that very little is left for the spoilsmen and politicians, and these gentlemen have been waiting for the census work to find places for their henchmen.

   In taking the last census some 3,000 or 4,000 persons were employed here in Washington alone, and they were appointed through political influence. Although the character of the men who made the census enumerations out in the country appears to have been pretty good, such was not the case in the office of the bureau here. It is within the mark to say that the census cost $1,000,000 or perhaps $2,000,000 more than it would have cost if the merit system had been adopted in hiring clerks here.

Eleventh Census Scandals.

   The bureau was made a sort of hospital for the poor relatives of senators, congressmen and others possessing influence. Men were employed at good salaries irrespective of their usefulness. Women were given places to please their patrons and friends in official life, and if all the scandals that lurked underneath the roof of the census office had been laid bare the good public would have had a great shock. The eleventh census cost the government about $11,500,000, which in the opinion of experts is several millions more than is necessary to secure the proper result.

   One reform which congress seems determined to make is to limit the number of subjects which the census shall investigate. In taking the eleventh census pretty much every sort of inquiry known to the investigator of industrial and social conditions was made, and often at an expense wholly out of proportion to the value of the material secured. The primary and constitutional purpose of a census is to ascertain the population of the country, and while many other things of importance may properly be inquired into the feeling is now very strong in congress that there should be a limit upon the number of special inquiries made. Some of the statistics gathered at great expense in the last census have not even yet been published, though it is nearly time for a new enumeration. Senator Carter, chairman of the census committee, pertinently suggests that statistics 8 or 10 years old cannot have much value.

Limitations of Reindeer.

   In the opinion of competent authorities the government is making a mistake in depending upon reindeer as the motive power for the relief expeditions which are being sent out to succor the crews of whaling ships caught in the ice to the north of Alaska and the miners on the Yukon river. The reindeer is a good draft animal when the conditions are just right, but he is a queer beast in that he balks at the slightest provocation. He is contrary, prankish and ugly. When he has a fit, he is difficult to control. He may go along for a day or two all right, and then he will turn and give so much trouble that only native drivers can do anything with him. The reindeer has an unfortunate habit of running away at night. Twenty years or more ago Baron Nordenskiold of Sweden took a herd of reindeer to north Spitsbergen and wintered there, intending to start with a sledge expedition over the ocean ice toward the north pole during the next spring. But one stormy night all his deer escaped to the mountains and none of them was ever recaptured.

   This is a risk which the relief party that is now on the way to Alaska in the Bear [ship] will have to run. If they succeed in landing their supplies and getting away on their long journey to Point Barrow with their reindeer herd, the first thing they know their animals may conclude to stampede to the mountains. If this happens, the expedition will be ruined. Another difficulty with reindeer is that they cannot live on the country unless grass or moss can be found, and it is difficult to find grass and moss in winter when the snow is so deep. Practically all the provender will have to be taken along, and as reindeer must have four or five pounds of food per day it is easy to see that he will soon eat up all he can draw.

Advantages of Dog Power.

   With dogs as the motive power there is the advantage of being able to feed them whatever can be shot—bear, walrus, seal, foxes, anything. If worst comes to worst, dog can be fed to dog. In case of emergency a dog can be kept alive and in harness on less than a pound of food per day, and even with this small ration he will give good work The experienced men here think the war department would have done better to depend upon dogs rather than reindeer as their motive power in these two relief expeditions.

   There is also doubt as to the advisability of sending the expedition toward Point Barrow to relieve the whaling crews. A well known arctic traveler said today it would be easier to reach the north pole in the spring, as Lieutenant Peary proposes to reach it, than to take a sledge expedition from St. Michael's to Point Barrow. If the crews of the imprisoned whaling ships have not enough food to last them through the winter, about which there is some doubt, they can easily save themselves by marching south along the coast till they reach the natives and the mission stations. It is much easier for them to march south with little to carry than for a relief expedition, heavily laden with stores, to go north to them. Besides, if the whalers took the matter in hand early enough they could have started on their southern journey as early as last September, while the relief expedition will not be able to set out overland till about Jan. 1 or in the dead of the dark arctic winter.

   WALTER WELLMAN.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Certainly Something New.

   It was Herbert Spencer who made the cynical observation that the resources of modern philanthropy and medical science as applied to the defective, the weaklings, the diseased and badly born were rapidly bringing about the survival of the unfittest in the human race.

   The observation is brought to mind by the so-called infant incubator devised by a Frenchman, M. Lion. Being both philanthropic and inventive, he considered to himself how many of the large percentage of infants weakly or prematurely born whose lives are snuffed out quickly might not be saved under proper conditions. Accordingly he incubated in his mind the baby incubator. It is a glass case containing a spring mattress of the softest, most luxurious construction and downy blankets and linens. It is heated underneath by a pipe of hot water and ventilated by a tube that lets in fresh air. The temperature of the case is kept higher than that of ordinary living rooms and every two hours the mites of humanity are taken from their cages into a room of the same temperature and nourished.

   The enterprise is sustained through admission fees willingly paid by mortals who wish to gaze on the incubator babies. An infant is considered to be prematurely born unless it weighs at least five and one-half pounds. The inventor of the incubator declares it possible nearly always to save the life of any infant weighing as much as two pounds, unless it gets a chill before it comes into his matchless glass case. If it weighs less than two pounds, the chances are all against the child's life, even with the incubator. Seventy-two per cent of the infants received in the incubators live. Doubtless in after life many of them will wish the machine had never been invented, but that they had just been allowed to drop out natural.

   The invention is in successful operation in several cities in France and in a few instances in Great Britain. One of the machines has recently been established in New York, and it is the inventor's benevolent hope to see them in use in all cities for rich and poor alike.

   ◘ The United States has at this time in Paris at least one artist of whom the nation may be proud. He is Henry O. Tanner of Philadelphia. He has been a pupil of Benjamin Constant, under whose tuition he has progressed so rapidly as to have had for several years his pictures on exhibition at the French salon. His subjects are generally selected from some Bible story. This season has witnessed for the young American the crowning triumph of having his picture in the salon purchased by the French government for the Luxembourg gallery. We omitted to mention that young Tanner has a black skin.

Russian battleship Poltava.

BEAR AND CELESTIAL.

Russia Follows the Example of Germany.

SECURES A SLICE OF CHINA.

Occupation of Port Arthur Arouses Many and Varied Comments on the Continent—Japan Protests—Has Germany and Russia Combined?

   LONDON, Dec. 20—The correspondent of The Times at Pekin says: "China approves of the Russian fleet wintering at Port Arthur, being persuaded that this action is taken in the interest of China and necessitated by the German occupation of Kiao-Chau."

   A dispatch to The Times from Shanghai says the occupation of Port Arthur (by Russia) cannot fail to provoke popular indignation in Japan, where public opinion is already excited over the Kiao-Chau affair.

   According to a dispatch to The Daily Mail from Shanghai the high officials of the Chinese court have advised the emperor, in view of other complications, to remove the court to Nanking (the "Southern capital").

   The dispatch says it is reported there that overtures have been made to England to exercise protection over the Yang-Tse valley and the West river, and that numerous rumors are current regarding the activity of the British squadron in Chinese waters.

   Telegrams from all the continental capitals show that Russia's step at Port Arthur is regarded as tantamount to a permanent occupation and a reply to Germany's action. A well-informed St. Petersburg correspondent says there was no agreement between Russia and Germany, and that the latter simply warned Russia when the occupation of Kiao-Chau was already decided upon.

   The Novoe Vremya pretends that Japan has no cause for complaint, "since China is only giving the same shelter to Russian ships as Japan had hitherto so kindly afforded." This view is not held in Berlin, where the papers are already talking of the possibility of Prince Henry having to shake his mailed fist at Japan that is supposed to be secretly backed up by England. Some of the Berlin papers express anxiety, but most of them welcome the news from Port Arthur as justifying the German position at Kiao-Chau, if not as actual evidence that Russia and Germany are acting together.

   Curiously enough Emperor William visited the Russian ambassador on Friday night on his return from Kiel, ostensibly to congratulate him on the name day of Emperor Nicholas. The visit lasted an hour. There is no doubt now that the emperor and the ambassador discussed Chinese affairs.

   The Paris papers, without pretending to be deceived by Russia's innocent explanations, are pleased with the action of the ally of France.

   The burden of Viennese comment is, what will England do?

   The British fleet now in Chinese waters consists of 1 ironclad, nine cruisers and 18 smaller vessels. The Times, commenting editorially this morning on the situation in China, says: "Instead of the kaiser's mailed fist we have Russia's velvet glove; but the grasp is not less vigorous and unyielding. Great Britain ought now courteously to invite China to extend the same privileges to the British fleet at Chusan."

USS Helena.

Gun Boat Helena's Long Trip.

   NEW YORK, Dec. 20—The gun boat Helena, commanded by Captain Swinborn, left the Brooklyn navy yard to join the Asiatic squadron. It will take a year for the boat to get to the end of its proposed trip. On the way stops will be made at Bermuda and Gibraltar. Commander Swinborn will take the boat along the north coast of Africa, later getting into the Euphrates river. It is the intention of Commander Swinborn to pay a visit to the Shah at Teheran.

Death of an Old Resident.

   Cortland E. Corwin, one of the oldest residents of Cortland county died Sunday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hiram J. Reas, at Blodgett Mills. His age was 86 years, 8 months and 1 day. Mr. Corwin was the son of Ezra Corwin, one of the founders of the Presbyterian church in Cortland. He was born in Cortland April 18, 1811. All of his life has been spent in this county, residing part of the time in Cortland, part of the time in McGrawville, and since the death of his wife in 1883, with his daughter in Blodgett Mills. His wife was Miss Julia Eggleston of Cortland, a sister of the late Asabel Eggleston, and he was married to her in 1834. He had been a strong man with excellent physique and had almost always been well, till his last illness came about six weeks ago, and this was due to no special disease, but was a gradual breaking down of the whole system.

   Mr. Corwin attended the reunion of his family at Binghamton Aug. 25, and was one of the two oldest members of the Corwin family present. The other one referred to was Mr. Selah Corwin of Middletown, N. Y., who was of the same age. Only Saturday morning Mr. Corwin received an invitation from his Middletown relative to visit him. When his daughter, Mrs. Reas, told him of it and asked him what reply he would like to send he said, "Tell him I am very feeble." He was conscious till almost the last, and then went quietly to sleep and breathed shorter and shorter till the life had departed.

   He was a member of the McGrawville Presbyterian church, and was at the time of his death one of its deacons. He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Lafayette Lakin of McGrawville and Mrs. Hiram J. Reas of Blodgett Mills.

   The funeral will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the house and burial will follow in the Cortland Rural cemetery.

The Water Main Burst.

   Saturday afternoon the large water main which supplies the motor for running the elevator at McKinney & Doubleday's burst in the alley way at the rear of the store and before the water could be shut off flooded the basement and damaged a large stock of wall paper which was stored there. Had the break occurred at night when no one was in the store serious damage would have resulted. As it is, quite an amount of paper is damaged as the water reached a depth of nearly two inches on the basement floor before the flow could be stopped.

BREVITIES.

   —The graduating class was photographed last Saturday morning by Hyatt & Tooke.

   —The Musical-Literary club will meet this evening at the home of Mrs. David Wesson on Prospect-st.

   —A regular meeting of Grover Post, No. 98, G. A. R., and the annual inspection by Inspecting Officer H. B. Greenman occurs to-night.

   —Prof. T. J. McEvoy will deliver a lecture on Friday evening, Jan. 7, before the Gamma Sigma and Clionian fraternities of the Normal.

   —The Cortland Athletic association has issued invitations to a roast pig and game dinner to be given in the rooms at 8 o'clock P. M. on Jan. 1.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—L. N. Hopkins, Christmas Palms, page 6; Opera House, "Out of Sight," page 5; Smith & Beaudry, The Last Week, page 8.

   —Unless historians are mistaken it was 277 years ago to-day that the Puritan fathers and mothers stepped ashore from the Mayflower by way of Plymouth Rock.

   —The meeting of Grover Relief corps, No. 96, to-morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock will be an important one. Among the items of unfinished business will be the election of a treasurer.

   —Dougherty & Miller as attorneys for the mortgagee, Miles J. Peck, sold at public auction at the courthouse Saturday a farm of fifty acres in Solon, on which there was a claim due of $172.90. The property was purchased by J. A. Graham of Cortland at $1,050.

   —As has been previously mentioned in The STANDARD Managers Wallace and Gilmore of the Opera house have been trying to secure Rhea for an engagement in Cortland earlier than the one for which she was originally booked, so as to get her here in the Holidays. Twice they thought they had succeeded, but in both cases they have failed, and now she will come on the date originally scheduled, Tuesday, Jan. 11. There will be no mistake or question about this date.