PEACE TERMS REACHED WITH SPAIN, CORTLAND COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY AND DEATH OF MR. GRAY

 

Eugenio Montero Rios.

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, December 9, 1898.

PEACE TERMS REACHED.

The Treaty Will Be Signed at the Next Joint Meeting.

IT IS NOW BEING FORMULATED.

The Spaniards Are Exceedingly Bitter Over the Result of the Labors—Two of Them Are Prostrated and Are in Bed—One of Them Interviewed.

   PARIS, Dec. 9.—The United States and the Spanish peace commissioners concluded their work and finally settled the terms of the treaty of peace. They will meet once more in formal session on Saturday or Monday next, when the Spanish commissioners, sorrowfully, and the Americans, with feelings of relief, will write their signatures upon the document which embodies the results of the war and the preparation of which has consumed 11 weeks, a longer time than the war itself. In the meantime the treaty will be engrossed under the supervision of Mr. Moore and Senor Ojeda, the secretaries of the respective commissions.

   The Spaniards are exceedingly bitter over the results, though observing the forms of friendliness and courtesy to the end. Senor Montero Rios, whose strong and persistent struggle to save for his country every possible asset from the wreck of her colonial empire has commanded the respect and admiration of his opponents, went from the council chamber to his bed in a state of complete collapse as the result of the long strain and his chagrin over the small fruits of his efforts. Senor Ojeda has been prostrated for several days and was unable to attend the last joint session.

   The Spaniards charge equal blame upon the European powers and the United States for their downfall. One of the Spanish commissioners said:

   "The European nations have made a great mistake in deserting Spain and leaving her to spoliation by the brute force of a conscientious giant. They all know that in the Philippines America has taken more than she can digest. She will ultimately sell the islands to England or Germany, and when the transfer is attempted it will precipitate general European strife.

   "We have refused to sell any islands in the Carolines. We never thought of considering an offer. Nor have we consented to negotiate upon any questions except those directly involved in the protocol signed at Washington."

 

George Miller Sternberg.

SEARCHING FOR FACTS.

War Investigators Resume Taking Testimony.

SURGEON STERNBERG A WITNESS.

He Was Rigidly Questioned About His Administration—He Admitted That Some Mistakes Were Made—He Thinks That Female Nurses Are Expensive Luxuries.

   WASHINGTON, Dee. 9.—The conduct of the medical service of the army was taken up by the war investigating commission and Surgeon General Sternberg was rigidly questioned about his administration. As soon as there was a prospect of war he had begun preparations, though not incurring any expense. He had models of chests made, he said, and equipment developed, but when he suggested to Secretary Alger the propriety of making purchases for his services, "the policy was to wait." He conceded it was a mistake not to have appointed more contract surgeons from those who had experience in the civil war for their experience would have been invaluable but he was ignorant at the outset of the permanency of the camps. It had been impossible for him even to read the great volume of reports submitted, owing to being overwhelmed with matters requiring personal attention. The regimental surgeons, he said, were good, bad and indifferent, but he recollected no instance of dismissal for incompetency.

   Threshing over the controversy between regimental and division hospitals, he credited the establishment of the latter to their success in two years experience in the civil war. He could not recollect whether the chief surgeon at Camp Thomas had reported that the sanitation there was bad. The department, he said, had ample evidence that typhoid cases during the war were largely mistaken for malarial fever until the cases reached the division hospitals and that malaria also had been diagnosed as typhoid.

   He said that with time, it was practicable to secure a fairly large number of nurses but their training took time and he admitted in war time might be at the expense of the patients.

   Witness admitted a real deficiency in medical supplies at times. At Santiago their landing was delayed owing to exigency of the times, and railroads failed to get them through in time at other points. Purchases, however, had been made largely from hand to mouth, due to lack of storage facilities and lack of time for calling for bids. Delays frequently had been caused through want of delivery to the proper medical officer.

   There was an animated discussion over a delay in outfitting the John English, which was purchased May 18 as a hospital ship. General Sternberg said after her purchase there was a lapse of three weeks during which no work had been done, that she sailed for Cuba on the date of the battle of Santiago, and that had she sailed five days sooner the medical supplies at the battle ground would have been ample. The witness refused to say the delay was unnecessary or on whom the responsibility should rest. Asked if it had been officially reported to him that there were surgeons at Montauk unfitted for duty because of bad habits, he said there had been one who drank.

   Coming to the history of the Santiago movement, General Sternberg explained that there had been an abundance of medical officers and supplies sent to Santiago and said the trouble, as far as he could judge, arose in their landing and distribution. He said emphatically that he could do no more in his office than send supplies where he thought they were needed and respond promptly to requisitions. All this he declared most positively had been done.

   General Beaver asked: "Were you at any time hampered in the discharge of the duties of your office by any of your superiors in the department?"

   General Sternberg hesitated considerably and said: "No, certainly not to any appreciable extent."

   There was a pause at this point and General Sternberg hastened to add: "You will understand that one man cannot do everything at once, and there were occasional delays in getting the ear of the secretary, but nothing beyond this."

   "Then," said General Beaver, "we are to understand you had at all times the hearty support and good will of those over you in forwarding the work of your department?"

   "Yes," was the reply, "most undoubtedly."

   As to the general condition of troops in mobilization camps, he said the trouble could nearly be summed up in the two phrases: Neglect of sanitary measures," and "Letting the troops remain too long in one camp."

   "You have to do one or two things," said he. "You must maintain your permanent camp under the sanitary condition of civilized life or you must follow the Indian method and shift your camp when you foul your ground. But you cannot prophesy as to what you can do in any particular case till you find the actual conditions you have to face. I can make rules, which if followed, will insure reasonable immunity from typhoid, but I cannot insure their being followed by the men in the field. Just so, you can boil water for camp use but cannot compel men to drink it. This was a frequent experience."

   As to a new ration for the tropics. General Sternberg said he has made no specific recommendation yet, but had a competent officer now investigating the methods of the British army in Jamaica and hoped soon to be able to make a report. Touching the subject of female nurses General Sternberg said seriously but somewhat sadly, that "they were expensive luxuries." He said the war department was getting requisitions now for bureaus, rocking chairs and other things which were unknown under the male nurse regime.

 

Lt. Richmond Hobson.

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

Hobson's Choice.

   Naval Constructor Hobson, who is already a military hero, has executed a feat which makes him suddenly a moral hero. He has refused $50,000 offered him by a New York lecture bureau to lecture. The reasons which he gives of his refusal are so extraordinary as to  take away the breath of the speaker after popular fame. He says: "Before the sinking of the Merrimac my lectures would not have been worth more than 50 cents. The sinking of the Merrimac seems to have made them worth $50,000. The work which so suddenly raised my stock in literary trade was done in simple execution of my duty as an officer, and I do not feel that I have a right to use the performance of that duty for my financial betterment. I therefore decline the offer."

   This is so squarely opposed to popular methods that it is naturally an astonisher. The man actually refuses to receive $50,000 for simply doing his duty. He points out that the accidental sinking of the Merrimac has nothing whatever to do with his intrinsic ability to lecture. He seems to have struck the lecture bureau and the whole system of literary star catchers on the cheek. Let us try and fancy, if we can, the actress, who having obtained a divorce and a good deal of notoriety, suddenly receiving an offer from a theatrical manager of $1,000 a week. Let us imagine her saying: "Before I obtained this divorce I was only worth $60 a week. The decision of the court has not raised my acting ability one cent, and I refuse the offer." This is unthinkable.

   It is just possible that a man trained in a school to do his duty may take a view of these things altogether different from that of the man who is trained to do the public.

 

   ◘ A prominent United States Senator, when asked the other day what was to be the business before the next congress, laconically answered—canals.

   ◘ Canada and the United States have been formally introduced, and the consequence is they have been carrying on a very pleasant tete-a-tete at Washington.

 

Government Purchases Lookout Mountain.

   CHICAGO, Dec. 9.—A special to The Record from Chattanooga, Tenn., says: The government has formally purchased at private sale the Lookout Point property for which negotiations have been pending for some months.

 

Henry T. Dana, M. D.

COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY

To Hold a Future Meeting at Some Time at the Hospital.

   The semi-annual meeting of the Cortland County Medical society was held in the supervisors' rooms in Cortland, Thursday afternoon. In the absence of the president the meeting was called to order by the vice-president, Dr. R. L. Smith, at 2 o'clock, these members being present: Drs. Bennett, Dana, Carpenter, Higgins, Neary, Beach, Reese and Ver Nooy of Cortland, Whitney and Green of Homer, Henrick and Smith of McGrawville, and Smith of Marathon. Dr. Miller of Marathon was also present and, on motion, was invited to take part in the meeting.

   The first paper was by Dr. C. E. Bennett on "Addison's Disease," and the discussion following was mainly on the value of the glandular extracts in certain cases.

   Dr. Ver Nooy gave an interesting paper on "Recurrent Papilloma of the Larynx" with the report of a case, a child two years of age. Operative means was often necessary for a cure, but in some instances spraying the parts with absolute alcohol had acted beneficially.

   Dr. R. L. Smith gave the vice president's address, his subject being "Smallpox," and the paper which was a very interesting one throughout brought out a lengthy discussion, as was expected, and was taken part in by most of the members, special reference being had to the late McLean epidemic and as to whether it was genuine smallpox or not, and if not, as to what it was. Most of those who had seen the McLean cases, or that of Dr. Moore, were of the opinion that it was smallpox, though of a very mild type.

   Under the head of miscellaneous business the secretary read a letter from Mrs. Ella M. Buck, secretary of the Cortland Hospital association, inviting the society to hold one of its meetings at the hospital. Dr. Dana moved that the thanks of the society be extended to the Hospital association for its kind invitation and that the time of the meeting be left to the society to select at a future time. Carried. Moved that the secretary write to Mrs. Buck extending the society's thanks for the invitation. Carried.

   On motion the meeting then adjourned.

   F. H. Green, Secretary.

 

Death of Mr. Gray.

   Intelligence has been received in town of the death of Mr. Alonzo W. Gray at his home in Watkins, N. Y., this morning at 6:30 o'clock. Mr. Gray was formerly a resident of Cortland, and also of Homer, and was well known throughout this section. He was the brother of Mr. Henry C. Gray of Hartford Mills and of Frank Gray of Janesville, Wis. Of his own family he leaves only a son, William, of Denver, Colo. Mr. Gray was highly respected as a business man and noted for his generous, genial qualities.

 

BREVITIES.

   —The gross receipts from the Ithaca band fair just held slightly exceed $750.

   —The second of the Assembly series of dances will be held in Taylor hall this evening.

   —Vesta lodge, I. O. O. F., will give a social hop in the lodgerooms to-morrow evening.

   —The children of the Rob Roy dancing club and their friends are to be given a reception in Taylor hall next Wednesday evening by the Dillon Brothers.

   —The lecture at the Congregational church this evening by Dr. Griffis will be postponed on account of the death this morning of Mrs. Griffis. The supper will be served as expected.

   —The Corlonor society and the Young Men's Debating club of the Normal school have arranged for a sleighride to-night to the home of one of the members of the former society, Miss Benham, who lives near McLean.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Baker & Angell, Holiday slippers and shoes, page 4; Baker & Angell, Jenness Miller shoes, page 7; McKinney & Doubleday. Students' standard dictionaries, page 5; C. F. Brown, Christmas gifts for the ladies, page 8; McKinney & Doubleday, Opening and souvenir day, page 8; Smith & Beaudry, Watch this space, page 4.

 

FOR MILK PRODUCERS.

The Organization Has Secured an Advance in the Price.

   CORTLAND, N. Y., Dec. 9, 1898.

   To the Members of the Local Union of the F. S. M. P. A.:

   BRETHREN—The executive committee of the Central union went to New York Nov. 30 and had a conference with the executive committee of the Milk exchange composed of seventeen members, and the result was an advance of one-fourth cent per quart from Dec. 1. So you can see we have gained something: First, recognition as an organization; second, an advance of one-fourth cent a quart for our milk. Also let me inform you that the directors of the Central union held a meeting at Binghamton on Dec. 8, when a plan was presented and a committee appointed to go to New York (when proper authority is given them by the members of the local union) and negotiate for the sale of the milk produced by the members of the organization for a stated time and price. It is quite probable that you will be called upon in the near future to give this committee the power of attorney to negotiate for the sale of your milk. Let us take courage and endeavor to secure the much coveted prize. Truly Yours,

   J. D. F. WOOLSTON, President of Lackawanna Route Union.