CHEAPER POSTAGE SOUGHT AND BEAR HUNT IN CORTLAND

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 16, 1898.

CHEAPER POSTAGE.

The Subject Discussed by the National Board of Trade.

   WASHINGTON, Dec. 16.—The first matter which came before the meeting of the national board of trade was the report of the committee on reciprocity and export trade presented by Mr. Ebersole of Cincinnati. Resolutions embodied in the report, and which were adopted call attention to the gratifying increase in the export trade of this country, especially in manufactured products, and recommend that reciprocal treaties should be negotiated, especially with the countries of the American continent. It was also resolved that in the board's opinion the commercial, manufacturing and industrial prosperity of the country would be greatly promoted by the nearest practical approach to the establishment of complete reciprocal relations between the United States, the Dominion of Canada and the colony of Newfoundland.

   From the committee on postal affairs, Mr. Giddings of New York presented a report which recommended that congress carefully look in the matters of rates paid to the railroads by the government for carrying the mails with the view of revising such rates on a basis that would be equitable to the government and to the railroads. The hope was expressed that a reduction in rates may pave the way to improvements of the service and the adoption of 1-cent letter postage, and if the latter is not immediately possible, at least to secure in the near future 1-cent local letter postage.

   In the resolutions of the committee it was stated that the law determining the rates for handling mail matter by rail had not been modified for 20 years, although freight rates had declined about 35 per cent and passenger rates about 17 1/2 per cent. The report was adopted.

   A report from the same committee was also adopted favoring the enactment of the Loud bill or some similar legislation amending the postal laws relative to second class matter, which at the present rates is calculated to make a heavy drain on the postal revenues; also a resolution favoring the negotiating with other countries of a treaty for the adoption of an international postage stamp and for the reorganization of our present parcel post system whereby much lower rates can be offered for the transmission of parcels of merchandise.

   A motion was made by Mr. Anderson of Pittsburg for the reconsideration of the vote on the resolution which was defeated at the previous meeting favoring a reduction of the tax on distilled spirits from $1.10 to 70 cents per proof gallon. After discussion the motion was adopted, but a motion to lay the resolution on the table subsequently prevailed.

   After a quantity of routine business had been disposed of, the board adjourned to meet on Jan. 23, 1899.

 

Samuel Gompers.

EXPANSION AND LABOR.

The Subject Discussed by Delegates to the Kansas City Convention.

   KANSAS CITY, Dec. 16.—National expansion, whether or not it should be indorsed by the American federation of labor, was the subject of discussion at the convention. The question was debated with considerable show of heat, champions for and against that principle speaking with great ardor on the theme.

   The question came up on the introduction of a resolution denouncing expansion, introduced by the resolutions committee, and following the suggestion for its expression in President Gompers' annual address. Samuel P. Donnelly of New York talked strongly for expansion.

   Delegate Lloyd of Boston followed in a strong speech against expansion. He said that an alliance with Great Britain or any other government would be a sad blow to organized labor of the United States. An alliance of the workers of the world was what was wanted; not an alliance of the government of the world. Continuing Mr. Lloyd declared he would have the Federation of Labor serve notice upon every politician in the country that a man voting for expansion would place himself in deadly enmity to organized labor and that organized labor would work for his defeat at the polls.

 

William McKinley.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

President McKinley at Atlanta.

   The reception of President McKinley at Atlanta is a gratifying manifestation of southern patriotism. Had he been of the same political faith as the great majority of the southern people, or even represented the cause for which they fought so bravely, they could not have greeted him more enthusiastically. The event must be regarded as the closure of the era of unfriendly feeling that has divided the two sections since the civil war. Hereafter they must be regarded as forming in spirit as well as in law one country, devoted to the maintenance of freedom and the promotion of a higher civilization not only at home but abroad.

   The president's speech before the Georgia legislature was conceived in his best vein. He seized upon the spirit and significance of the occasion and set them forth with moving eloquence. ''Sectional lines, " he said, "no longer mar the map of the United States. Sectional feeling no longer holds back the love we bear each other. Fraternity is the national anthem, sung by a chorus of forty-five states and our territories at home and beyond the seas. The Union is once more the [commonality] of our lives and loyalty, our devotion and sacrifice. The old flag again waves over us in peace with new glories which your sons and ours have this year added to its sacred folds… Every soldier's grave made during our unfortunate civil war," he continued, "is a tribute to American valor. And while, when these graves were made we differed widely about the future of the government, those differences were long ago settled by the arbitrament of arms—and the time has now come in the evolution of sentiment and feeling, under the providence of God, when in the spirit of fraternity we should share with you in the care of the graves of the Confederate soldiers."

   "The cordial feeling which now happily exists between the North and South prompts this gracious set, and if it needed further justification, it is found in the gallant loyalty to the Union and the flag so conspicuously shown in the year just passed by the sons and grandsons of those heroic dead."

   After the generous emotion that these simple but noble words inspired, we ought never to hear again an utterance that places the North and South in antagonism. Too long already have demagogues been permitted to avail themselves of the passions of a deplorable conflict to grasp and wield political power for their own benefit. From now on, they should be treated as enemies of their country. If they were to gain the ascendancy again and sever the union that President McKinley has created by one of his masterly strokes of tact, the American people will be deprived of one of the greatest, if not the greatest, achievements of the war with Spain.

 

A BEAR HUNT

May Occur Next Week, but Bear Meat is Sure.

   Cortland may have a real live bear hunt next week. The only objection to it is that the bear might turn hunter and clear the field. In that case all these fine stories of sportsmanship that come down each year from the North Woods would vanish into thin air. But there is a live bear in town and C. F. Thompson has determined that he will sell dressed bear from his market for Christmas.

   It is the same bear of which Cortland people have heard much in the past. It is the one which was caught in Hamilton county in August, 1895, by E. C. Rindge, Ed Robbins, H. H. Robbins, C. L. Kinney, Arch Stevens and others. For two years past, owned by Mr. Thompson, he has been rusticating on Fitz-ave. [West Main Street], growing fat and developing his coat for that splendid robe which Mr. Thompson has been promising himself shall adorn his sleigh in the near future. He now weighs over 400 pounds. He is tame and will do almost anything his keeper asks of him. He recognizes his name, "Jim." But the decree has gone forth and Jim's days are numbered.

   Just how the end will come has not yet been determined. Mr. Thompson hinted that Albert Edgcomb has been begging him to take the bear into the center of Mr. Randall's flat, turn him loose and give him a shot at him, but when a day or two ago he intimated to Albert that he thought favorably of the proposition Albert was just about to accept an invitation to start at once for New York to spend Christmas with friends and was afraid he wouldn't be back in time.

   Mr. Thompson may as an accommodation decide to save the bear till his friend comes back, and he may give someone else a chance. But in some way or other Bruin must be prepared to honor the Thompson market with his presence at no distant day.

 

HOUSE PARTY AT TRUXTON.

Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Bryant Entertain Cortland Guests.

   Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Bryant of Truxton to-day give an old-fashioned house party at which a number of Cortland people are the guests. Nearly all of them went up on the 10:43 train this morning and will return at 7:51 to-night. A few, however, took advantage of the fine sleighing and perfect weather for a delightful sleighride.

   The guests are Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Call, Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Call and daughter Frances, Mrs. Frank Schellinger, Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Crombie, Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Stockwell, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. McKinney, Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Beard, Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Barker, Mrs. Phebe J. Maine, Mrs. F. B. Nourse, Mrs. H. L. Bliss and Mrs. H. H. Pomeroy.

 

Disinfection is Complete.

   Dr. W. J. Moore desires to say that his house has been completely disinfected, all carpets and pieces of furniture which were used in the sick rooms have been burned, all other furniture and effects in the house disinfected, the walls of the house have all been washed down with the most approved disinfectants and nothing remains about the place which can  convey [smallpox] infection. New paper and paint will be put on, so that when this part of the work is completed there will be nothing left to suggest the interior of the house as it was, and there is no possibility of any one being infected with the contagion by anything in or about the house.

 

Adelbert J. Barber.

FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS.

Chief Engineer Adelbert J. Barber Nominated for a Third Term.

   The joint nominating committee consisting of three representatives from each of the five fire companies met last night in Fireman's hall and voted to recommend the following for officers of the department for the coming year.

   Chief Engineer—Adelbert J. Barber of Water Witch Steamer & Hose Co. No. 1.

   First Assistant Engineer—Harley P. Davis of Orris Hose Co. No. 2.

   Second Assistant Engineer—Daniel Reilly of Emerald Hose Co. No. 4.

   Secretary—David S. [Godfrey] of Hitchcock Hose Co. No. 6.

   Treasurer—Edward N. Sherwood of Excelsior Hook & Ladder Co. No. 3.

   Chief Barber has held the office of chief of the fire department for two years and has received a high compliment in being nominated for a third term. The election will be held next Wednesday night, and without a doubt the men nominated last night will be chosen.

 

BREVITIES.

   —Chief of Police Parker has appointed Officer Sidney N. Gooding captain of the night police force.

   —In Justice Parker's court the case of Norman Thompson against the village of Cortland has been discontinued, the case having been settled.

   —Theodore Stevenson yesterday sold for H. L. Gleason the house and lot next east of the Presbyterian church on Railroad-st. to T. H. Wickwire. Consideration $2,500.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Baker & Angell, Jenness Miller Shoes, page 4; L. N. Hopkins, Christmas Palms, page 4; C. F. Brown, Useful Presents, page 4.

   —In the program of rhetorical exercises at the Normal school as recently published the name of one of the speakers was given as Miss Nina Shaw. It should have been Miss Lena Shaw.

   —The Cortland Athletic association desires us to say that the person who took the three pool balls from the tables in the association rooms Wednesday evening will save himself further trouble by returning them at once.

   —The present schedule of Lehigh Valley trains is so unfavorable to Ithaca that the merchants estimate it has cost them $10,000 a month for the past two months that it has been in operation.—Ithaca Journal.

   —A prominent professor was recently approached by a student who evidently had not been very successful in a recent final examination. "Professor," said he plaintively, "I had a severe head ache during that examination and—" "Yes," replied the professor, "your paper gave me a severe headache."

   —The attention of the street commissioner is respectfully called to a few trees on South Main-st., the branches of which hang so near the ground, since the walks have been raised up to conform to the new grade, as to strike in the faces of pedestrians when the wind blows them downward and as to make it impossible to carry an umbrella under them without damage to the umbrella. Fifteen minutes' work with a saw or hand-ax will do the business.