THE GOOD ROADS QUESTION AND END OF AUTONOMY FOR CUBA

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 24, 1897.

THE GOOD ROADS QUESTION.

   Editor Cortland Democrat:

   I regret very much that, owing to business, I was unable to attend the Dairymen's and Farmers convention held in this city last week. Judging from the account given of same it must have been a very interesting meeting but, strange to say, the subject which in my opinion ought to have interested the farmers most at the present time was not mentioned at all.

   I have reference to the Higbie-Armstrong good roads bill, which provides for three State highway commissioners to take charge of all improvements and to designate the style of road. The assessment for all road improvement to be borne, 50 per cent by the State, 35 per cent by the county and 15 per cent by the town or benefitted district. Is it possible that such an infernal bill as this can become a law, in the midst of so many intelligent farmers?

   It is a duty that we owe to ourselves and our fellow farmers, to oppose it with all of our might and strength. Let us act at once before it is too late; let us pass resolutions demanding of the Legislature to leave the road question entirely alone, for we have at the present time the best road system known to the world.

   But the politicians are not willing to leave the management of country roads to the farmers any longer. There are big salaried offices mapped out, and I think it safe to say, without fear of contradiction, plenty of candidates for the same. Farmer candidates, bear you well in mind, need not apply; the dude with wheels in his head that does not know gravel from muck nor muck from gravel will take the preference providing, of course, that he be a live politician

   There are in this town of Cortland, if I am not mistaken, 85 pathmasters and certainly one competent road commissioner, representing 85 districts. Taking Cortlandville for an example, with 15 towns in the county, would give us about 1,275 pathmasters in Cortland county with 59 counties yet to be heard from, and still these politicians would have us believe that those three commissioners can give to this State better service than the seventy odd thousand farmer pathmasters. God pity us as a class if such is the case, for this is the lowest rating I ever knew farmers to have. I fully realize my incompetency to do justice to a subject of so much importance, and where there is so much at stake. The only apology I have to offer is this: where the farming interest of the county is threatened with such a calamity as now confronts us, some one ought to act. Keep the country roads out of politics. Let me ask the individual who owns a house and lot in this city of Cortland, or in any city or town in the United States, if he is willing to be taxed extra for the support of country roads when they are, as now, in a good and satisfactory condition to the public. To you I say join the farmers in opposing this bill and prevent it from becoming a law.

   Fellow farmers, is it not cheaper and better for us to do as our forefathers did, work our road taxes during the dull seasons of the year, as we are always permitted to do, than to pay the extra State, county, town and district taxes.

   I'll simply add let us make known our wishes in the strongest terms to our representatives.

   FARMER.

Capt. General Valeriano Weyler.

END OF AUTONOMY.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY OF CUBA OPPOSED TO IT.

Apezeteguia Regains His Power. Policy of Weyler Indorsed and Support Promised. War Will Continue.

   HAVANA, Dec. 21.—At to-day's meeting of the Conservative party, over 300 delegates, said to represent 81 per cent of the wealth of the island, were present. In all twenty seven speeches were made against autonomy, all the speakers agreeing that autonomy will not bring peace to the island, as proved by the protests of the members of the Cuban Junta of New York and the recent death of Lieutenant Colonel Ruiz and five other Spanish commissioners who have been killed by the insurgents.

   Senor Santos Guzman, a former President of Congress, began his speech at 4:30 o'clock this morning. He skillfully touched upon the patriotic sentiments of the Spanish people, and referring to President McKinley's recent message to Congress, he protested against it, alleging that it was offensive to Spain, to General Weyler and the Spanish army, and holding that it indicated probable early intervention, a "warning to a most haughty nation, which will not permit such a humiliation."

   The Executive Committee was authorized to cable a message to General Weyler, the substance of which was that at a mass meeting of the reunited Union Constitutional party the policy of His Excellency was indorsed and the party assured the General that he had its support.

Christmas Services.

   A children's service will be held at Grace church in this village on Christmas eve at 7 o'clock. A regular service with special music will also be held on Christmas day, Saturday, December 25 at 10 o'clock, A. M., concluding with the celebration of the holy communion.

FROM EVERYWHERE.

   Searchers for ginseng root of whom there are hundreds in Central New York may be interested in knowing that those who buy the stuff from them realize enormous profits. It sells to the Chinese for $15 a pound. The cost of exportation runs from $2 to $3 a pound. Those who dig the roots get about $3 a pound. The middleman receives a profit of $10 on each pound sent abroad. The market is unlimited —Exchange.

   Four years ago a system of savings banks was instituted in the Geneva schools whereby scholars in the day schools might deposit any sum from one cent to one dollar weekly or oftener with their teachers. The result has been that the children of that city have saved $7,000 in four years.

   Binghamton has its money all in sight for a new $400,000 beet sugar refinery and is about to send two of its residents to Europe to look up the latest and most improved machinery for use in the plant. It will have a capacity of 400 tons per day.

   An exchange says: "During the canaling season of 1897, 1,591 canal boats passed through Cayuga and Seneca canal, a marked increase over the business of a number of previous years."

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

Merry Christmas.

   We extend to the readers of the DEMOCRAT a greeting: We wish them a very "Merry Christmas."

   Wherever the sun shines on a Christian people to-morrow, it matters not in what part of the world they may be, the day will be celebrated as the chief of Christian festivals. It is right and proper that we should rejoice and be glad of heart in celebrating the day which marks the greatest event in the world's history; the beginning of a new era, which caused even the heavenly hosts to rejoice as they proclaimed: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

   It does not matter whether we celebrate the exact date of the Nativity or not, as to which there is some doubt, if glad hearts rejoice and happy voices join in songs of praise in commemoration of the event, for it is that which we celebrate and not the day, and it is certain that early in the history of the Church, as early as the fifth century, that the 25th of December was accepted as the day and never has been changed.

   The Nativity has furnished a theme for song and verse through all the centuries of the Christian era, and will for centuries to come.

   ◘ It will be seen by dispatches on our first page, how utterly hopeless the scheme of autonomy for Cuba really is. The people of Spain are not willing to grant any real autonomy. The Spanish Conservative party in Cuba now openly oppose it, and the Cuban patriots have refused to listen to propositions which they knew were not made in good faith, and never would be carried out. In the meantime the war continues, the slaughter and devastation still goes on. What will [our] Congress do?

William McKinley.

Washington Letter.

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)

   WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1897.—Mr. McKinley has surrendered to the anti-civil service wing of the Republican party and has promised to remove the bars to some thousands of offices by issuing an executive order annulling a large portion of the extensions of the civil service rules made by Mr. Cleveland. This is just what was expected when the antis developed so much strength in the House. Mr. McKinley has always deferred his own opinions to those of what he considered the controlling element in his party. He couldn't stand the threats that were made to him by both Senators and Representatives of what would happen in Congress after the Christmas recess, if he didn't open some of the offices to hungry Republicans.

   A glance of what was accomplished during the two weeks that Congress was in session, before adjourning to January 5, shows that the Republican talk about rushing things at this session was only talk.

   Mr. Nathan B. Scott of West Virginia must have undergone a radical change since last spring, when he announced publicly that he would not accept the position of Commissioner of Internal Revenue unless the Deputy Collectors, Gaugers etc., were taken from under the civil service rules. As no change has been made in the civil service rules, although one has been promised, and the nomination of Mr. Scott to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue was among those sent to the Senate just before adjournment for the holiday recess, it is natural to presume that Mr. Scott's mind did the changing.

   Hon. A P. Greeley, Acting Commissioner of Patents, who has been instrumental in ridding the patent bar of its most notorious crooks, is now gunning for some of the minor crooks—those men claiming to be patent attorneys, who induce inventors to pay them to secure foreign patents on their inventions by making them believe that the foreign patent can be sold as soon as obtained, when they know absolutely that any foreign patent granted on the invention would be invalid and unsalable.

   The National Board of Trade, which held its annual meeting in Washington after telling Congress just what its duties were toward every imaginable sort of legislation, indorsed the work of the little "Monetary Commission" before knowing what that work was, a mark of confidence, which neither Congress nor the people will repeat when the wonderful financial bill, brought forth by the "Commission," is laid before Congress. The "Commission" has completed its work—it was really completed before they met—and adjourned sine die, after calling for a reassembling of the Indianapolis gold bug convention in that city on January 25. But the wildly impatient public is not to be kept waiting until then to learn the exact nature of this great work of finance, members of the "Commission" say it will be ready for introduction in Congress when that body reassembles January 5. Meanwhile the substance of the bill may be found by the curious in the bill submitted to the House Committee on Banking and Currency by Secretary Gage.

   Some things are funny enough to make a horse laugh. For instance, at almost the precise moment that Senator Chandler was solemnly protesting in the Senate against Senator Stewart's assertion that the administration of Mr. McKinley was for the single gold standard, Secretary Gage was telling the House Committee on Banking and Currency that the administration was in favor of the maintenance of the present gold standard at all hazards.

   It seems a bit strange that what is likely to prove to be the most far-reaching legislation of Congress, previous to the Holiday recess, or for that matter, of the entire session, should have been entirely overlooked by all of the eagle-eyed newspaper correspondents, as well as by about nine out of every ten Senators and Representatives until the bill containing it had been passed by the Senate and the House and sent to Mr. McKinley for his signature, which it, of course, will get, as it is an administration scheme to try to make up for the utter failure of Mr. John W. Foster's effort to get England and Canada to agree to stop pelagic sealing in the Pacific. The bill purported to be merely a measure to stop pelagic sealing by American citizens, and as such, received little attention, but it stops much more than that. It stops the greater portion of the mammoth income of the rich Londoners who control the secret process of dying sealskins, and it stops the profits of the Canadian sealers, because it destroys the best market the sealskins have, by prohibiting the bringing of sealskins in any condition into the U. S. under penalty of confiscation.

   It may interest certain Marylanders to know that Senator Gorman has no idea of leaving that State; also that he intends to remain actively in politics after his retirement from the Senate March 4, 1899.

HERE AND THERE.

   The DEMOCRAT wishes you a very Merry Christmas.

   The Holiday vacation at the Normal [School] continues until Tuesday. Jan. 4.

   Our subscribers should all get an 1898 calendar with their paper this week.

   The case of the People vs. Fred Davis comes up in Justice Dowd's court this morning.

   A mothers' meeting north will be held Wednesday, Dec. 29, at 1 o'clock, at the home of Mrs. Bentley, 22 Woodruff-st.

   S. W. Aldridge, Optician, will be at the office of Dr. M. L. Halbert in Cincinnatus Thursday, Dec. 30, 1897. Examinations free.

   Cortland E. Corwin, an old resident of this county, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Hiram J. Reese in Blodgett Mills, Sunday Dec. 19, aged 86 years.

   Don't miss seeing the funny comedy, Out of Sight, at the Opera House to- morrow afternoon and evening. They carry their own band and orchestra.

   We have all the symptoms of good sleighing soon. There is a fine foundation and about an inch of snow now. Two inches more would make fine slipping.

   Fleming & Co. will give a New Year's party at the Summit House, Summer Hill, N. Y., Friday evening, Dec. 31, 1897. Good music and a good time guaranteed.

   The class in sight singing conducted by Mr. George Oscar Bowen, met as usual Monday evening, but will not meet again until after the holidays, one week from Monday evening.

   The Salvation Army will serve a free dinner to the poor in the large store under their rooms on Port Watson-st. to-morrow. If you have not been called upon, volunteer some eatables and send them. It is a worthy cause.

   Trenton rock has finally been struck by the drillers for gas at Auburn, at a depth of 3,315 feet and they are now expecting a flow of gas at any moment. People are confident that gas will be struck and the price of farm land in the vicinity of the well is advancing.

   Glenn Bowker and Edward Crozier, the two boys arrested last week for robbing Pierce's candy and cigar store on North Main st., when brought up for trial on Saturday morning, pleaded guilty to the charge. Police Justice Mellon, after giving the boys some timely advice, sentenced each to thirty-five days in jail.

   They had a wet time in the basement of McKinney & Doubleday's store on Saturday, caused by the bursting of the large water main which supplies water to run the elevator. The break occurred in the alley way back of the store, but sufficient water reached the basement to damage quite an amount of wall paper stored there.

   Mr. John C. Seager, the wide-awake coal dealer, proposes to take advantage of the new territory opened up by the E. & C. N. Y. railroad. Seeing an opening for business in the eastern part of the county, he is about to open a branch establishment at Cincinnatus for the sale of coal, feed, fertilizers, cement, etc. He will occupy the store of P. H. Heed in that place and the branch will be in charge of a Homer man.

   Cora Phillips, who was arrested last week charged with stealing a bunch of keys from Fred J. Hilligus, and who on being arraigned pleaded not guilty and demanded a jury trial, was brought up for trial Saturday morning. Through her Attorney, T. H. Dowd, she changed her plea to guilty and asked for the clemency of the court. Police Justice Mellon sentenced her to four days in jail and ordered her to leave town at the expiration of that time, on penalty of putting into execution a previously suspended sentence of fifty-nine days.

  

TOMPKINS COUNTY.

   TOMPKINS.—Quite a large number of new houses were built the past summer in Ithaca but there are more vacant ones than have been seen for years.

   Simpson & Casey have let the contract for remodeling the Ithaca hotel to Messrs. Driscoll Bros. & Co., who were the lowest bidders. The improvements are very extensive in character and will cost $l7,900 for this contract alone.—Ithacan.

   Ten Groton men are working their level best to raise each $1 000 with which to go to Klondike. Three already have the money and the others are well started. Groton will be represented in the gold region.

   The Anatomical Department of Cornell University is the recipient of the body of another chimpanzee. The museum now contains eight well preserved ape brains, namely, one gorilla, two chimpanzees and five orangs.—Ithacan.

   The steel cylinders which the Groton Bridge & Manufacturing Co are making to be used in the foundations for the Monroe, La., bridge, are seven feet in diameter. They will rest on wooden piling and be filled with concrete.

   Efforts have been made and arrangements are about completed for a lecture course for Freeville during the winter. Many speakers of note it is expected will be present and take part. The first lecture will probably be given about the last of January or the first of February, and a complete list of speakers will be given later.

   Some trouble has occurred of late between boys from the George Junior Republic and Freeville boys and has resulted in several fistic encounters, one young man from that village being quite roughly handled last Friday night. It is reported that a party of the Republic boys came down Saturday night with the avowed intention to "clean out" the town boys, but the evening passed without disturbance.

McGRAWVILLE.

   MCGRAWVILLE, Dec. 21.—Mrs. W. C. Taylor of Syracuse spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. H. K. Alexander.

   Christmas tree exercises will be held at the Baptist and M. E churches on Friday evening.

   Mr. and Mrs. G. O. Barnes, who have been canvassing for the McGraw skirts in Westchester Co. returned on Tuesday and expect to spend the winter here.

   Arthur Benjamin, who has been undergoing treatment in a Syracuse hospital, has so far recovered as to be able to spend Sunday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Benjamin.

   Cortland Corwin, a resident of this village for over forty years, died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Hiram Reese at Blodgett Mills, Sunday morning. The funeral was held on Tuesday at 2 o'clock P. M. Mr. Corwin is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Lafayette Laken of McGrawville, and Mrs. Hiram Reese of Blodgett Mills.

   Quite a number of the workmen who worked on the E. & C. N. Y. R. R., and who have been waiting a long time for their pay, were made happy on Tuesday by the announcement that Contractor Jacoby was in Cortland ready to pay every man in full. They were not long in making the journey to Cortland and came back with the needy in their pockets.