SPAIN'S DOWNFALL AND REMEMBER THE MAINE

 

P. Mateo Sagasta.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, September 10, 1898.

SPAIN’S DOWNFALL.

Sagasta Convinced That His Cabinet Will Be Overthrown.

   MADRID, Sept. 10. The government's severe measures to prevent reports of the secret sessions of the cortes are nullified by the senators and deputies of the opposition, who are eager to inform the foreign correspondents as to what goes on. The last session of the chamber ended with Senor Silvela attacking the government and exclaiming:

   "The Sagasta ministry is a corpse, and we do not discuss corpses. We bury them."

   Senor Canalejas, who is a lieutenant in Polavieja's new party, urged an inquiry into the sources of the charges against the army and navy.

   The debate apparently weakened the government. It is reported that at the cabinet council Senor Sagasta told his colleagues that they must be prepared for the fall of the cabinet.

   General Blanco has appealed to the government for funds, representing that the situation in Cuba is most distressing. Senor Romero Giron, minister for the colonies, has asked the treasury for 100,000,000 pesetas. In reply he received 30,000,000. The Bank of Spain nominally holds 1,000,000,000 pesetas in International fours [sic], but the sums supplied to the government on this guarantee are already exhausted.

 

Capt. Gen. Ramon Blanco.

Gen. Nelson Miles.

MILITARY NOTES.

Brief Telegrams Relating to Our Conflict With Spain.

   Illness among the United States troops at Ponce, Porto Rico, is increasing. There are now more than 25 per cent of the men unfit for duty. Within a radius of a few miles from Ponce there are 1,000 soldiers in hospitals. In some commands there are 3 per cent of the men down with fever, principally typhoid.

  The president has named Senator George Gray of Delaware as the fifth member of the peace commission. This completes the personnel of the commission, which stands: Secretary Day, Senators Davis, Frye and Gray, and Hon. Whitelaw Reid.

   The Seventh Illinois regiment has reached home. They were all in perfect health. There has been but two deaths in the regiment since the men were called out. The regiment is composed entirely of Irishmen.

   Secretary Alger says that there is no friction between himself and General Miles, and their relations have always been pleasant. He says the reports to the contrary are only created by sensational newspapers.

   The attitude of the Philippine insurgent leaders is daily becoming more dangerous. So open is their opposition to the American authorities that the situation is strained and reconciliation may be difficult.

   Now, since many of the regiments have been sent home, Camp Wikoff has greatly improved in health and sanitary conditions.

   Captain General Blanco is preparing to leave Havana for Madrid within the next three weeks.

   The sword that General Miranda surrendered at Manila has been returned to him.

   General Miles visited the White House and the war department.

 

Emilio Aguinaldo.

THE FILIPINO CONGRESS.

TO BE CALLED AND CONTROLLED BY DICTATOR AGUINALDO.

He Will Appoint the Representatives from all Districts That Have Not Revolted, and This Will Give Him the Power—Trouble Feared Ahead.

   NEW YORK, Sept. 10.—A dispatch to The Herald from Manila says: General Aquinaldo, in his capacity as president or dictator, in calling a meeting of the Filipino congress has disclosed the fact that he has planned to have complete control of that body from the start. He will obtain control by appointing a majority of the representatives of the various districts. This so-called congress is to meet in Malolos on Oct 15, so that Aguinaldo will have ample time in which to choose the men who will uphold him in his dictatorship.

   With a pretense of fairness Aguinaldo provides, in his decree calling the congress to assemble, that Spaniards who have resided in the Philippine Islands for ten years may exercise the right of suffrage in the selection of representatives.

   In districts where no revolution has taken place Aguinaldo will himself choose the representatives, and it is by this means that he will obtain full control. The revolution has been confined to the Island of Luzon and a small section of Mindanao. On these two islands only will a vote be taken in choosing representatives in the congress. The vote on the Island of Mindanao will be confined to the small section where the natives have been in revolt. The insurgents will easily control the selection of representatives in these sections, so that the right of suffrage conferred upon Spaniards who have resided in the islands for ten years will have little or no bearing on the election.

   Since Aguinaldo has conferred upon himself the authority to choose representatives from the districts where no revolt has taken place, there will be no possible chance for any move to wrest the leadership from him. So far as this congress is concerned his authority will be as absolute as that which Spain has exercised.

   Santa Cruz, the last position held by the Spaniards on Manila bay, has been taken by the insurgents, who have followed up their success by seeking vengeance upon some of the priests of that section. This took the form of requiring the priests to ''do penance" by standing on the roadside for many hours.

   A story comes from Iba in the northern part of the Island of Luzon, about the cruel treatment of a Spanish bishop by rebel sympathizers. The prelate was beaten with clubs and compelled to disclose the hiding place of the money belonging to the church.

   The insurgents are strongly fortifying Malolos, where Aguinaldo has temporarily established the capital of the rebel government.

   That the insurgent leader is bent upon mischief becomes daily more apparent. An American officer of high rank has informed me that a crisis of affairs cannot now be delayed many days—a fact which, he says, should be fully considered by the government at Washington.

 

"REMEMBER THE MAINE."

These Magic Words Brought Americans Together in Paris.

   Mr. Archibald A. Freeman of Cortland, instructor in American history in Phillips academy, Andover, Mass., returned Thursday morning from a summer trip through France, Switzerland and Italy. He says his trip was a delightful one in every respect, but he could not but notice how bitter all the people on the continent are toward the United States and toward Americans.

   In this country we talk about the recent war with Spain to some extent, but over there they talk about it altogether. This is rather remarkable, as in the United States we are interested parties and it was our war, while on the other side none of the countries he visited were parties to the conflict and none of them would seem to have reason to be vitally interested. But they are, and especially is this so in France. They admire the fighting of the United States soldiers and sailors and their ability to shoot straight and to plant one shell after another in rapid succession in exactly the same spot, but at the same time they fear the Americans. They are alarmed at the possibility of this nation becoming a factor and a powerful one too in international affairs. They view with suspicion everything that we do.

   But the high water mark of this feeling is reached in Paris, and because of that fact the following incident, of which Mr. Freeman was a part is all the more interesting. While in Paris where he stayed several weeks he fell in with a party of Americans, and for some time they took their meals together at the same cafe. Among the number was one who had been there for quite a time. This young man had come to be upon pretty good terms with the leader of the French orchestra which was accustomed to furnish music in the café at meal times and by reason of some silent transfers that took place from the American to the French conductor it frequently happened that during the time that this enthusiastic son of Uncle Sam was present in the cafe the orchestra played American patriotic airs.

   One day four of them were sitting at a table enjoying their dinner, when they noticed three other young men coming down the diningroom headed straight toward them. They thought they were Americans, but were not quite sure. As the three were passing their table one of the four said in an undertone, but loud enough to be perfectly audible to the others, "Remember the Maine." Instantly the three stopped, turned straight toward that table, introduced themselves and shook hands all around. They sat down there for their dinner and the seven Americans were having a fine time together when the leader of the orchestra looking over toward them waved his baton and the orchestra began playing "Yankee Doodle." In a moment the seven were on their feet and marched down the diningroom toward the orchestra. Four of the seven pulled from their pockets small American flags which they waved enthusiastically, while the leading spirit of this company standing behind his friend, the orchestra leader, waved his flag as a baton, apparently conducting the orchestra. Then came Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," and then a medley of American patriotic songs in which all of the seven who could do so joined in singing.

   There was a sensation in that cafe. The Frenchmen were astonished at the doings of those Yankees and they were not pleased either, but the whole thing was done in such an orderly manner that they could not take any exception to it or raise any reasonable objection, and so they had to sit and swallow it. The leader of the orchestra was probably the only Frenchman present who thoroughly enjoyed the scene, for he was living in anticipation of what was to follow this display of American spirit, and he was not disappointed either.

 

PASSED MADISON-ST.

The Gang of Concrete Mixers on the Railroad Track.

   The gang of colored men engaged in mixing the concrete for the brick pavement on the railroad strip on North Main-st. passed Madison-st. to-day. The layers of Parkhurst curb will probably finish all the curb except street approaches north of Madison-st. tonight. The laying of the brick will be a short matter, and will probably not be done until the concrete is laid to the Cortland House. When that is done, the rest of the street can be leveled off, and the asphalt pavement laid.

   A gang of teams is engaged in hauling away the dirt from the railroad strip between the Cortland and Messenger Houses, and other teams are drawing paving materials, such as crushed stone, sand and cement to the workmen on North Main-st.

 

ANNUAL MEETING

Of the Cortland County Veterans' Association at Homer Sept. 16.

   The annual midsummer meeting of the Cortland County Veterans' association will be held at Homer, Friday, Sept. 16, 1898. A public meeting will be held at 2 P. M., at which an address will be delivered by Comrade Col. Anson S. Wood, department commander. Let every comrade come and bring his family.

   J. J. WALKER, Pres.

   P. W. Chaffee, Sec.

 

FIVE FRIENDS

Made by One Friend.

   Good teeth.

   Strong brain.

   Steady nerves.

   Good digestion and a well fed feeling go with Grape-Nuts, the famous food.

   Good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or supper.

   Grocers sell Grape-Nuts. [paid advertisement.]

 

Cortland Hospital.

Hospital Notes.

   Yesterday morning there were two surgical operations at the hospital. Two patients have returned to their homes to-day, leaving ten in the house receiving treatment.

   Miss Alice McMoran of Greene enters the training school for nurses to-day, and Miss Blanche Freeman of Truxton entered three weeks ago, making seven nurses besides the head nurse. Three or four are kept out nursing in private families all the time.

   Needed—old muslin, old quilts for padding, old knitted underwear for mop filling. A dressing bureau and a wardrobe are needed for use in nurses' rooms. Fresh vegetables, fresh and canned fruits, eggs, etc., are always very acceptable.

 

NEW TELEPHONE LINE.

Better Service Between Cortland and Auburn—Other New Lines.

   The Empire State Telephone and Telegraph Co., of which the Cortland service is a part, has just completed the erection of a new set of poles and the stringing of four new No. 12 wires between Cortland and Auburn to replace the one old No. 14 ground wire which was formerly used. This will give two complete metallic circuits and will greatly add to the service, not only between these two places directly, but also for all the intermediate points.

   Two of the wires will be used for a direct service, a kind of trunk line, between Cortland and Auburn, being cut into at only one point, Glen Haven. This will give Glen Haven also just an excellent service as can be found anywhere.

   The other two wires run directly to Scott and then there is a branch put in, one set of wires going down the east side of the lake and the other down the west side. The east line will cover telephones at Scott, Glen View, Spafford, and a number of the country residences and cottages along the lake shore. The other includes telephones at New Hope, Carpenter's Point, and other places along [Skaneateles] lake.

   The matter is also being considered of extending the Virgil line to Harford and Harford Mills, and linemen have already gone out to look over the ground. In case there is sufficient encouragement of patronage it will probably be done at once. If it should not prove to be wise to do it Manager Nolan says that the Virgil line will probably be abandoned, as it is not used sufficiently to warrant its continuation alone.

   Willet is also an aspirant for telephone connection with the world, and that matter is to be considered very soon.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The Epworth league of the First M. E. church will hold a business meeting Monday evening at 7:30 o'clock.

   —On account of the coolness of the weather the band concert and dancing at the park to-night will be postponed.

   —The first regular fall meeting of the Women's Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. will be held at the association parlor Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 13, at 3:30 o'clock.

   —A special meeting of the board of managers of the Cortland hospital will be held at the residence of Mrs. Hugh Duffey, 80 Port Watson-st., Monday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.

   —The street car track will on Monday have to be broken at the Cortland House, and passengers on the McGrawville, park, and all east side cars will have to transfer at that point for a while.

   —Services at St. Mary's church will be held as usual to-morrow, notwithstanding the fact of the fire during the week. First mass will occur at.8:30 A. M., high mass at 10:30, Sunday-school between the masses and vespers at 7:30 P. M.

   —There will be no meeting at the Y. M. C. A. rooms to-morrow, but the first meeting after the summer recess will be held next week Sunday and will be a mixed meeting for both ladies and gentlemen, and to this students will be specially invited.

   —H. C. Blodgett has rented the hall at the old Floral Trout park [near East Avenue, Cortland] to a company of twenty-five men from away who are coming here to work on the paving on account of the inability of the contractors to secure all the local help they need. The men are expected to arrive on Monday.

   —The novel sight of a horse attached to an open buggy lying down in the harness in front of Stowell's store attracted much attention this morning. The animal did not seem to be sick, but just tired and had lain down to rest. He had chosen a first-class mud hole for his resting place, and his looks when he got upon his feet again can be better imagined than described.

   —A partial list of the winners of premiums in the horticultural department of the Broome county fair at Whitney Point this week published in the Binghamton Republican shows that a large number of prizes go to Mrs. A. C. Robacher of Marathon, whose display of cut flowers of every variety aroused much admiration on the part of spectators as well as commending itself highly to the judges.

   —Europe would seem to be alive with anarchists who are seeking to murder royalty. Thursday of this week announcement was made of an unsuccessful attempt at the life of the czar of Russia by blowing up his carriage through an explosion of gas. To-day the report comes of an unsuccessful attempt to shoot the new Queen Wilhelmina of Holland, and of the successful attempt to assassinate the empress of Austria with a stiletto.

 

FROM CAMP MERRITT.

Letter front George E. Hitchcock of the First Regiment, N. Y. Vols.

   Mr. Harry Hitchcock has received a letter from his brother George E. Hitchcock, formerly of this place, who enlisted at Oneonta in Company G of the First regiment, N. Y. Vols. It was written from Camp Merritt, San Francisco, in August before the company went on to the Sandwich Islands. Some part of it will no doubt interest many friends in Cortland. Among other things Mr. Hitchcock says:

   The weather is very fine here to-day, better than we have had since we came here. Our food is exceedingly poor, and the straw we lie upon is getting to feel like stone.

   The latest report is that Company G and about twenty men from the Binghamton company are to go on Tuesday on the mail steamer. We are all hoping that this is true.

   I went on guard again Friday at 9 A.M. and had to stay till 9 A. M. on Saturday. We had charge of twenty-one prisoners. They were all nice fellows except three and they had to be watched close. They were not desperate, but had to be watched so they would not get out. We have two hours on duty and four hours off duty each time.

   It is hard writing for I have nothing better than a drum head to write upon. We are having a good time here considering where we are and what we are doing. The ground is so hard here that we had to get a pile driver to put down the stakes to our tent, and I guess we shall have to get a derrick to draw them up with. We get up at 5:45 and answer to roll call; 6 to 6:45 exercises; 7 o'clock mess call, or breakfast; 8:15 guard mount; 9 to 11:30 A. M. drill; 12:30 dinner; 5 P. M. dress parade. There are about 1,350 men in line at the dress parade and it takes about three-quarters of an hour. Then comes supper at 6 o'clock. At 11 o'clock all lights must be out.

   There are a lot of people here all of the time to see us. I send you tintype. It is not very good, but I had my hair cut short because I thought we were going where it was hotter, and I would not like football hair.