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| William Rufus Day. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Thursday, August 11, 1898.
AGREED ON A PROTOCOL.
Important Step Taken In the Peace Negotiations.
SPAIN ACCEPTS OUR TERMS.
This Was Done After She Failed to Secure Better Ones.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.—The preliminary negotiations looking toward the confirmation of peace advanced a long stride when the secretary of state and the French ambassador agreed upon the terms upon which future negotiations for a treaty are to be conducted and reduced these to the form of a protocol. This protocol, it is true, is yet to be signed and is to be submitted to the Spanish government before the formal signatures are affixed but the administration's view as to the progress made was set out in Secretary Day's remark: "It is expected that this protocol will be executed."
There is always the possibility in dealing with the Spanish government that it may recede at the last moment from an implied agreement, but it is scarcely probable that it would be willing to involve the French ambassador in the difficulties that would follow what to the world would seem to be a repudiation of his benevolent efforts in behalf of Spain.
There must be a delay—possibly from 24 to 48 hours—before the next step can be taken and the protocol made binding upon both the United States and Spain by the attachment of the signatures of the plenipotentiaries, Secretary Day for the United States and M. Cambon for Spain. The delay will be attributable largely to physical causes.
As to the character of the protocol, it can be stated on authority that the terms are in all practical points those set in the abstract of the president's conditions published from the White House a week ago. From this fact, it is deduced that the extra conditions or qualifications sought to be imposed by the Spanish government were abandoned at least in large part by the French ambassador. This deduction is supported by the circumstances that just before the conference between Secretary Day and M. Cambon, which resulted in the agreement, there was a prevalent impression, based upon the utterances of public men who had talked with the president that the Spanish answer was unsatisfactory and that the negotiations changed so suddenly after the conference, it may be fairly assumed that the ambassador abandoned the conditions which the president was reputed to have regarded as unsatisfactory.
It is believed that the protocol carries within itself provision for the cessation of hostilities. On this point the naval contingent is urgent that our government adopt the policy of refusing to enter into an armistice without acquiring some substantial pledge to secure the consummation of peace. What they particularly desire is that our government shall demand as a condition of the cessation of hostilities the surrender to the United States military forces of Morro castle at the entrance of Havana harbor and some such points of vantage at the other important ports in the territory soon to fall under our control.
The peace negotiations are now believed to be advanced to a point where the president has felt warranted in turning his attention to the selection of the commissioners to be charged by the United States with the drafting of a treaty of peace. So far as can be gathered but one name has been positively determined upon, namely, that of Secretary Day, who will head the commission. Beyond that point there is no certainty, although some prominent names have been brought forward. Mr. Woodford, our last minister to Spain, has been so mentioned, though as he is credited with entertaining a desire to return to Madrid in the capacity of United States minister after the war, the two ambitions might conflict.
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| Infanta Maria Teresa. |
CONDENSED WAR NEWS.
Brief Telegrams Relating to Our Conflict With Spain.
Coama, Porto Rico, has been captured by General Ernst's brigade after a five hours' engagement. American loss was seven wounded, all members of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania volunteers. The Spanish loss was 12 killed, including the major commanding, and three officers wounded. Our troops took 200 prisoners.
General Gomez, with 3,000 men attacked 4,000 Spaniards under General Jiminez Castellanos between Las Villas and Camaguey. The battle lasted nearly all day before the Spaniards were driven from their entrenchments. Over 300 Spaniards were killed and many wounded. The Cuban loss was 130 killed.
Lieutenant Raymon de Carranza, of Spanish spy fame, who was supposed to have sailed for England three weeks ago in accordance with an order from the Canadian government to leave the country, is still in Montreal.
The Merritt and Chapman wreckers now think the Infanta Maria Teresa is held in position by a rock through her bottom forward, but they expect to haul her off soon.
The president has promoted Sampson eight numbers, Schley six numbers and made them both rear admirals.
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| Rear Admiral George Dewey. |
DEWEY'S THANKS.
The Admiral Grateful For the Thanks of Congress.
ATLANTA. Ga., Aug. 11.—Congressman Livingston of Georgia has received the following letter from Admiral Dewey, bearing date, Flagship Olympia, off Cavite, Philippine Islands, June 27:
"My Dear Sir—I have just learned from the last papers that I am indebted to you for the introduction in the house of representatives of the resolutions, extending to me the thanks of congress for the naval engagement of Manila bay, May 1.
"I need hardly tell you that I am most sincerely grateful to you as the author of that resolution, bringing as it does the highest honor that can come to an American naval officer in his professional career. But it is a great pleasure to acknowledge my debt of gratitude and thank you in unstinted measure for the part you took in obtaining for me that greatest distinction.
"It is a source of additional pleasure to me, a Vermonter, that the mover of the resolution was not a man from the North, but from the far South. This is one of the signs of the times. In the hours of danger there is no South, no North, but one united country. May we never hear of sectionalism again. There are no lines drawn in the navy. I need not say it may interest you to know that my flag lieutenant, Lieutenant Brumby, is a Georgian by birth and appointment.
"Again thanking you most cordially, I remain very gratefully and sincerely,
"GEORGE DEWEY."
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
If there had been no other reason for our intervention in Cuban affairs, the perpetual danger to our land from yellow fever would have been worth considering. For example, Cuban fever imported into New Orleans in 1878 cost the country the loss of many thousand lives and of $200,000,000. Havana and Santiago have been the two great hotbeds of this dreadful epidemic. Now that we have taken possession of one of these danger centers, the application of sanitary skill and experience may be looked for. The present condition of Santiago is an abomination. But there is good reason for supposing that what General Butler's stern energy and gumption did in New Orleans in 1863 can be duplicated in the Cuban city. If the problem is a more difficult one, sanitary science is vastly better equipped to meet it today. The situation of Santiago, surrounded by healthy and breezy hills too, offers excellent opportunities for the treatment of fever patients under desirable hospital advantages. Our own sick soldiers are enjoying the benefit of the test. There is no reason why the yellow fever terror in Cuba cannot be so shorn of its threats as to cease to alarm the world. But to accomplish this will require the dominating force of American energy and knowledge imported into native shiftlessness. Spanish ignorance has kept the disease endemic for 200 years. But what English capacity and vigor did in Jamaica can be easily repeated.
PAVING BEGINS TO-MORROW.
THE HOSPITAL CORNER WILL BE THE SCENE OF OPERATIONS.
Representatives of the Paving Company Arrived Last Night and Engineer Allen Is In Town—There are Many Applicants for Work on the Big Job, Which Will Cost Over $70,000.
It is expected that the actual work of paving Main-st., [Cortland], from the hospital corner on the north to the south boundary of the Wickwire wire works on the south, a distance of 5,050 feet and 6 inches, will be begun to-morrow morning.
Messrs. W. B. Warren of Utica and W. Stuart Smith of Rochester of the Warren-Scharff Asphalt Paving company, who have the contract, arrived in town last night prepared to begin the work. Paving Engineer Henry C. Allen of Syracuse came this morning and this forenoon staked out work at the north end of the street, where it is expected operations will be begun to-morrow.
Engineer Allen and the contractors have opened offices in the new Sampson building, third floor. The contractors have to-day been looking for a site to locate their manufacturing plant, but have not decided definitely upon a location though it will probably be near the south end of Main-st. The combination Parkhurst curb and gutter is to be laid first at proper grade, and then the pavement will be laid to it.
Village Clerk Crombie has for several days been besieged with applicants who want to work on the big job. While of course Mr. Crombie has no power of hiring laborers, applicants present themselves to him as being an official of the village. Not only Cortland men in large numbers have applied, but there are applicants from McLean, Dryden, Homer, Marathon, Truxton, Cuyler, DeRuyter, and other surrounding towns. Besides men, a large number of teams will be needed for transportation of materials from the railroads and from the manufacturing plant. When the work gets fully in operation, the street will indeed present a busy appearance.
ILLUSTRATED LECTURE.
Entertainments in Summerhill and Groton City by Prof. T. J. McEvoy.
Thomas J. McEvoy will give his illustrated lecture on "The Spanish-American War" in the Congregational church, Summerhill, Friday evening, Aug. 12, and in the M. E. church, Groton City, Saturday evening, Aug. 13. The lecture has been entirely revised so as to cover all the important events of the war; and the [stereopticon] views, which now number 112, include all the points of historic interest in Cuba, Porto Rico, and the other islands of the West Indies, and also those in the Philippine Islands. The entertainment is given for the benefit of the churches.
THROUGH A TRESTLE.
Three Loaded Cars at Calls Coal Yard Jumped the Track.
Three cars loaded with coal crashed through the trestle leading to the coal pockets at the yard of former Village President Duane E. Call on the Lehigh Valley at Elm st., at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, but fortunately no one was injured. The cars contained about twenty-four tons of coal each, and while being pushed up the grade to the trestle, the rails spread, letting the cars down on the ties. The engine was pushing them at a rapid rate, and when the trestle was reached, the middle car crashed through it to the ground, and turned over on its side. The car next the engine stood on end, and the front car fairly hung on the part of the trestle remaining. Jay Dubois and Will Call were on the forward car, and both aver that the experience was a hair raiser, and one which they do not care to have repeated.
OLDEST WOMAN DEAD.
Mrs. Margaret Fallon, who it was claimed was the oldest woman in the United States, died at the residence of her son James Fallon, one mile north of King Ferry, N. Y., Saturday evening. There was some doubt as to the statement that she was over 100 years of age, and her relatives sought out records which showed that she was born in Lusmuth Parish, King's county, Ireland, some time during the year 1781. Mrs. Fallon's husband died over fifty years ago and since that time she had lived alone. Nine children, five daughters and four sons, the eldest of whom is over 80 years, survive her. Daniel Fallon is the eldest son and he is a retired railway man over 75 years old.—Auburn Advertiser.
BREVITIES.
—New display advertisements are—A. S. Burgess, Men's Shoes,
—The annual reunion of the Purvis and Keech families will be held at the home of Isaac Keech between Dryden and Harford, Aug. 18,1898.
—Nearly sixty candidates were taking the uniform teachers examinations at the Normal building to-day and twenty more were taking the examinations with a view to entering the Normal [School] at the opening of the fall term.
—The man who sends a dollar for "an elegant, tinted engraving of the battleship Maine, approved by the government" will get two cents' worth of revenue stamps and 98 cents' worth of experience, to say nothing of what it costs to send the order.
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