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| Rear Admiral Edward D. Taussig. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 21, 1899.
WAKE ISLAND AWAKENED.
Old Glory Hoisted Over a Little Piece of Territory in Mid-Pacific.
The conditions under which Wake Island, midway between Honolulu and the Philippines, was taken possession of in the name of the United States by the commander of the Bennington on her voyage across the Pacific are given in a report to the Navy Department from CommanderTaussig.
The officer says he approached the island with the navigator at the masthead, steaming slowly along the southern and eastern sides to discover signs of habitation, and looking in vain for an anchorage. He did not circumnavigate the island, but seeing that the outlet on the north was barred not only by a wall of coral but also by a sandpit, he returned to the lee of the island. A landing was made and a flagpole was raised. Besides some pieces of wreckage, no signs of human occupation were visible. On the eastern side of the island, imbedded in the sand, an anchor was seen and what appeared to be the wreck of a lower mast was higher up the beach.
When the flag staff was in place the sailors were formed in two ranks facing seaward, and having called all to witness that the island was not in possession of any other nation, Commander Taussig ordered the American flag to be raised by Ensign Wettengell. Upon reaching the truck the flag was saluted by twenty-one guns from the Bennington. After the salute the flag was nailed to the masthead with battens, and a brass plate with the following inscription was screwed to the base of the flagstaff:
"United States of America, William McKinley, President; John D. Long, Secretary of the Navy; Commander Edward D. Taussig, U. S. Navy, Commanding the U. S. S. Bennington, this 17th day of January, 1899, took possession of the atoll known as Wake Island for the United States of America."
Commander Taussig describes the island thus: It was more heavily wooded than shown in the chart. Patches of grass were growing on the lagoon side of the western islet, and the shrubbery afforded nesting places for the many sea fowl. Fish were plentiful in the lagoon, and there was a swift current running out of the southern passage. The lagoon on the south side was shoal, but on the north side there was a long strip of deep blue water extending nearly its whole length. Outside the lagoon many sharks were seen crowding around our boats and around the ships.
"Had I been able to find an anchorage, I would have remained in this vicinity two or three days to reconnoiter more thoroughly the island and to take astronomical and magnetic observations, but having carried out the orders of the department, I took my departure for Guam."
A Summary of Happenings at Home and Abroad.
Jacksonville. Fla., July 20.—The United States District Attorney here has again been warned from Washington to watch for filibustering expeditions from the Florida coast against Honduras, Nicaragua and other Central American countries.
Tacoma, July 18.—The officers of the Olympia bring word that the City of Pekin is quarantined at Nagasaki and the American Maru at Yokohama, both of San Francisco-Oriental lines, with cases of the bubonic plague aboard.
Chicago, July 18.—Sixteen hundred members of the Boilermakers and Iron Ship Builders' Union have struck here. They ask for an eight-hour day, thirty cents an hour, and a half holiday on Saturdays in the summer. Two hundred and fifty men employed by the Chicago Furnace Company as ore shovellers also struck for more pay.
Cleveland, O., July 18.—Unless the local tug combine concedes their demands, all the tugmen in Cleveland harbor except those employed by the Independent line will go out on strike. The tugmen ask that the scale of wages in operation in 1891 be restored. Their wages are on the same basis as during the panic, while towing rates have advanced fifty per cent.
Natick, Mass., July 10.—Horatio Alger, Jr., died here. He was the author of numerous stories for boys and achieved marked success in that field of literature. Among his most widely read stories were those of the "Ragged Dick" series.
John H. Sparks' Shows.
John H. Sparks' New Railroad Shows and Trained Animal Exposition will exhibit in Cortland on Wednesday afternoon and evening, July 20. Admission only 10 and 25 cents. This show is known the world over as the largest, grandest, and best 25 cent show on the road with all new, startling, original and up-to-date features. The finest performing lions, wolves and elephants on earth are to be seen with Sparks' big one ring shows, together with a troupe of highly educated horses, ponies, mules, dogs, goats and monkeys, also a fine acrobatic and gymnastic performance and six funny clowns. See Romeo, the largest lion in captivity and Mary, the smallest baby elephant ever on exhibition. See the grand free balloon ascension with a parachute jump, also a free thrilling high tower dive from a ladder 80 feet high into a net. This is given free to all from the show ground at 1 and 7 P. M. Mr. Sparks offers a handsome bedroom suite to any couple that will take a trip in his big bridal balloon and get married. Now is your chance for a big novel wedding and a handsome present, and no danger of any accident at all. There have been hundreds of successful marriages in this big balloon and not a single accident. Now is a chance of a lifetime. Don't miss it.
STATE LEAGUE.
Will Remain Intact—Cortland Still in Second Place.
The State league has had its troubles the past week, Oswego, Schenectady and Cortland threatening to drop out, but it now looks as though all would stay. Cortland people should support their team well and come up liberally with subscriptions, as it has kept faith with the public and played no Sunday games and has played first-class ball. Had Cortland played Sundays it would have been far ahead of expenses today.
Last Thursday we defeated Oswego 2 to 0. Friday we won from Binghamton 10 to 8 and Saturday lost to the latter 20 to 6. Monday at Utica we won 4 to 1 and lost 2 to 0. Tuesday we lost two games there, 6 to 4 and 5 to 9. Wednesday we won at Rome 18 to 8 and were playing two games there yesterday.
To-day and to-morrow Schenectady is in Cortland and Monday and Tuesday Albany comes here.
The standing of the clubs Wednesday night was:
Opposition to the Saloon.
As an outcome of the visit to Cortland recently of Rev. H. H. Russell of Chicago, an anti-saloon league was organized last week with the following officers:
President—C. P. Walrad
Vice-Presidents—H. M. Kellogg, Prof. J. E. Banta.
Secretary—Rev. W. J. Howell.
Treasurer—F. E. Whitmore.
Police and Justice's Court.
POLICE JUSTICE DAVIS.
Standing room was at a premium in police court Monday and Tuesday, every man in town who could leave his work going thither to hear the evidence in the case of the People against Myrtie Hudson and Lillian Hudson, charged with keeping a disorderly house. Both cases were tried by juries, Myrtle Hudson occupying Monday, and Lillian Hudson underwent the ordeal on Tuesday.
The jury in the case of Myrtie brought in a verdict of guilty as charged in the complaint, and she was sentenced to the Western House of Refuge at Albion for three years.
Lillian was brought into court Tuesday and it was not until the middle of the afternoon that a jury could be secured, fourteen extra talesmen having been summoned in addition to the twelve jurors originally drawn. Late in the evening the jury announced that they could not agree and they were discharged. The case will be tried again next Monday. T. H. Dowd attorney for the People, E. E. Mellon for defendant.
Geo. Stage had a little matter of business in court Wednesday, having failed to properly support his child. The case was adjourned to August 23.
JUSTICE KELLEY.
The suit of F. Daehler against James Sherwood, an action brought to recover an account, was settled.
On Tuesday the case of the People against E. C. Brents was called. Mr. Brents lives on the corner of Pomeroy and Port Watson-sts. and owns a dog, which bit Waiter Crisp, who entered a complaint against Mr. Brents. Upon the defendant's promise to tend the animal out of town the case was dismissed.
On Wednesday James D. Guy appeared against Eva Utter to press a claim for $85.50 for services as physician, and judgment was given the plaintiff.
On Tuesday Justice Kelly issued summons in ten cases, five of which were later settled, and issue will be joined in the other five upon due service.
JUSTICE HARRINGTON.
The suit of Theo. Stevenson against the D., L. & W. railroad company, to recover damages for a broken plate glass, was settled last Saturday.
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| Main Street, Cortland, N. Y. |
WITHIN FIRE LIMITS.
MESSRS. HORTON AND TRUMAN TURNED DOWN.
Village Board Meeting—Paving Contract and Bond Approved—Bicycle Ordinances Adopted—No Blacksmith Shop Allowed in Orchard-St.
An unpleasant affair came before the village board at its meeting Monday evening, and the action of the trustees, while strictly in accordance with the village ordinance, seems to work a hardship for two young men of the village. Stephen S. Horton and Ezra Truman, both expert blacksmiths, recently bought a lot in Orchard-st. west of Gillett's livery, and then purchased the old building formerly used by the Knights of Labor north of the Homer-ave. railroad crossing, and intended to tear it down and use the material in erecting a blacksmith shop on the Orchard-st. lot, where they could engage in business. These gentlemen proceeded with their arrangements without first bringing the matter before the village authorities, not thinking that legal complications would arise. At the last previous meeting Messrs. Horton and Truman appeared before the board and asked permission to erect the building on the lot referred to, and as the matter was a proper one for investigation a committee was appointed to look into the matter and report. Trustees Thompson and White were appointed as such committee, and they found that in 1895 fire limits were established which prohibit the erection of any wooden building in Main-st., or within three hundred feet of that street. They made measurements and found that the west line of Messrs. Morton & Truman's lot is only 250 feet from the curb on Main-st., and they were compelled by the terms of the ordinance prescribing the fire limits to report adversely upon the petition. Messrs. Horton & Truman are both industrious young men, skilled in the art of blacksmithing, and it is unfortunate that they entered into arrangements for erecting the building without previously conferring with the board; but the village authorities had no alternative but to refuse consent. It was also stated that the people living in the locality of the proposed building are decidedly opposed to its erection.
The contracts with the Warren-Scharff Paving company for the paving of Tompkins-st. and Lincoln-ave. were received with the bonds, and as they had been pronounced correct by the village attorneys, the board accepted them and affixed their signatures to the documents. The sureties on the bonds are W. S. McKellar and the American Surety Co. of New York, the bond on the Tompkins-st. job being $15,000, and $5,000 on the Lincoln-ave. job.
The board took the bicycle ordinance by the horns and adopted by-laws substantially the same as given in the DEMOCRAT of last week, the only change being in the riding on sidewalks and the speed limit. The two sections referring to these are given below in full:
No person shall ride any bicycle, tricycle or velocipede upon any sidewalk of any street of the village of Cortland opposite any part thereof which is paved or shall hereafter be paved, or upon any sidewalk of any unpaved street when the adjacent road surface is in a rideable condition.
No person or persons shall propel, or cause to be propelled, any bicycle or vehicle along any street within the village of Cortland at a dangerous rate of speed, or around street corners, over crosswalks or on sidewalks, when passing pedestrians at greater rate of speed than four miles an hour, or on any sidewalk at any time at a greater rate of speed than six miles an hour.
The Oastler Steam Road Roller company, through a representative, offered to sell the village a ten-ton roller for the sum of $8,000, or it would lease one from now until the next annual charter election for $750, No action was taken in the matter.
Building Costs More.
The Binghamton Herald has been investigating the cost of building materials, and gives the result of its findings as follows:
It costs more to build a house today than it has in some time past and this is due to the increased price in nearly every kind of building materials. There is very little building going on in the city and this may be considered partly due to the increased cost of materials.
A prominent builder stated to a reporter that the contractors in the city were required to get a considerably better price for their buildings than when the cost of building materials were more reasonable. Lumber dealers state that they do not know how long the present prices will be maintained, the further rise or decrease in price being dependent upon many conditions.
But it is not only timber that has gone up in price. During the present year there has been a remarkable advance in all kinds of iron goods. Different varieties of nails which sold for $1.60 at the opening of the year are now worth $2.75, an advance which makes an appreciable difference in contractor's bills. Those hardware merchants who were lucky enough to have a large stock of nails on band were about the only ones who noted the increase in price with pleasure. Nearly every kind of iron and metal goods handled by local hardware men, including those used in houses and other buildings have gone up 20 per cent.
"The increase in price of metal goods made a large difference in the value of our stock," said a hardware dealer, "but it was needed to make up for the constant decrease in the price of goods which had been noticed by hardware men for the last several years. The price of goods carried by the dealers during that period kept dropping little by little and one inventory differed greatly from the preceding one by this constant decrease. When the present scale of prices came they came with a rush and very few were expecting them."
Plumbers' and steam fitters' supplies are bringing greatly advanced prices. Iron pipe and all kinds of wrought iron have increased in value nearly 100 per cent. If the house or building to be erected is to be fitted with piping for water or steam, the bills for this pipe will be about double what they formerly were. Cast iron has not gone up as much as wrought iron, there only being a rise of 30 percent in cast iron goods. Brass goods are high, an increase of 50 per cent being made in them, over the prices of last year. Galvanized iron, in fact, all iron used in heating apparatus, or in equipping buildings with gas, water, or machinery is now selling at an advance of 50 per cent, cast iron excepted.
Labor to some extent is commanding more money than in '98. Carpenters, who formerly worked ten hours and received $2.60 a day are now only working eight hours and draw the same pay. Thus contractors must figure on paying 25 cents per day more for each good mechanic of this trade in his employ. There is just an increase of the equivalent of an hour's work on every man, no matter what the wages may be. Other employes [sic] generally employed upon buildings either by working shorter hours at the same wages or by demanding higher wages, make the cost of their labor greater.
Cement and brick have fallen into line and those who need these constructive materials will pay considerably more for them than they did some months ago. The bidders upon the pavement contracts state that all varieties of pavement bricks have gone up, and owing to the corresponding rise in the price of cement and labor they were required to increase their bids over those offered a few months before.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
"Investigations," remarks the Buffalo News, "are expensive luxuries, but Tammany politicians make them absolutely necessary sometimes," and the Albany Argus very pertinently adds: "Up to date, this State has expended something like $70,000 in investigating canal frauds which Tammany politicians didn't make absolutely necessary."
Ex-Senator Dubois says that if the Republican platform comes out squarely for the single gold standard, as now seems likely, it will elect Bryan by Republican votes; that he knows of thousands who voted the Republican ticket in '96, solely because of the promise to bring about a wider use for silver, who will under no circumstances vote a gold standard ticket. Mr. Dubois says he regards it as certain that the Republican platform will contain as strong an anti-trust plank as the Democratic platform, but thinks the individual voter should have no doubt as to which party will really combat the trusts. Mr. Dubois also says that he is certain the tickets will be headed next year by Bryan and McKinley, as in '96.
Gov. Roosevelt was reminded by the turning down of several men whom he had recommended personally to Mr. McKinley for appointment to be officers in the [military] volunteers, that there are other politicians in New York, who have pull with the administration. Not only were some of Roosevelt's men turned down, but there were New Yorkers appointed whose names were not even referred to him by Mr. McKinley. The authority for this statement is an official of the war department, who knows the endorsements on the papers of every man who was appointed. Perhaps Roosevelt would have had better luck if he had withheld his declaration in favor of Mr. McKinley's renomination a little longer. Publicly committing himself probably weakened his pull.
We all remember the way in which Spain deceived her people at home in regard to the exact status of the war in Cuba and how Spanish defeats were cabled home as victories. And we have not forgotten how universally the practice was condemned in this country and, in the face of that, it has now developed that the great McKinley administration has all along been adopting similar tactics in regard to the Philippine news that reaches this country. A censor at Manila has cut out every news item sent American papers by their correspondents which tended to show the real conditions, such as prohibition of hospital reports; suppression of full reports of field operations in the event of failure; number of heat prostrations in the field; systematic minimization of naval operations, and suppression of complete reports of the situation. The excuse given by General Otis is that the actual truth "would alarm the people at home," or "have the people of the United States by the ears." The eleven correspondents at Manila addressed a formal protest to General Otis, but that will not mend matters. Just bear in mind this censorship and read the letter of Mr. F. W. Sylvester which follows; then draw your own conclusions as to the administration's expansion policy.
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| Emilio Aguinaldo, former president of Philippines. |
McKinley's Bad Policy to Blame.
Herewith is presented a comprehensive statement of the situation in the Philippines.
It is written by P. W. Sylvester, a member of the firm of Louts Spitzel & Co., one of the largest merchant and shipping houses in the Far East, contractors to the Chinese government, agents for the Maxim-Nordenfeldt Gun and Ammunition company of London, the Thames Iron Works and Shipbuilding company, and other firms of like standing and is copied from the National Watchman.
Mr. Sylvester returned to London lately from Manila and Hong Kong. He has intimate personal knowledge of Aguinaldo and his followers. It was he who sold Aguinaldo arms through Consul Wildman.
He is recognized as one of the highest authorities on trade conditions in the East. No other man has had such opportunity to learn the exact facts.
OXFORD STREET, LONDON, July 1.
Our campaign against the Filipinos is bound to be expensive, unsatisfactory and deplorable. There is no doubt that eventually we shall conquer or wear these people out, but it will cost more American blood and money than the present administration ever supposed.
I am an American with patriotic sentiments as strong as those of any American citizen. I was on the most intimate and friendly terms with all the Filipino officials, from Aguinaldo down, and therefore you must agree with me that any statement I make is without bias.
The foundation of all the trouble lies in the policy adopted by the administration when sending General Merritt to the Philippines. The policy was to ignore the Filipinos—a policy not only unwise but mad. Things had gone too far.
If a proper and less aggressive policy had been pursued at the outset every Filipino would to-day be loyal to the Stars and Stripes.
The Filipino leaders were taken over to the Philippine Islands by an American war vessel. American officials encouraged them to organize an army to fight the common enemy.
Although General Merritt's policy was to ignore the Filipinos, he never raised any objection to their fighting in front of the American troops. Although Aguinaldo and his followers could not understand the general's peculiar position up to the day of Manila's capture, the thought never entered their heads that they were acting in any way hostile to the American government's wishes.
The capture of Manila was an opera-bouffe affair. Everything was prearranged.
The earthworks nearest Manila had been taken by the Filipinos and were occupied by them. There were 20,000 Filipino soldiers in front of the American forces. The Filipinos were asked to evacuate, and did so in complete ignorance of the Americans' intentions. When the American troops marched into Manila the Filipinos tried to follow, whereupon several United States regiments turned on them with fixed bayonets.
Aguinaldo told me that if the American Government would assure his people that the Philippines would not be handed back to the Spaniards his army would disband immediately.
I do not want to relate the details of the Philippines that occurred almost daily, differences in which I know the Filipinos were not at fault. It would fill volumes.
My opinion is that the administration's policy has been influenced by the business element of America, presuming that the acquiring of these islands means an enormous foreign trade. This impression is wrong. We cannot establish a preferential tariff over these islands in favor of Americans without antagonizing all other nations. All other things being equal, American merchants will never be able to compete in the Philippine Islands with foreign merchants, because the minds of the Filipinos have become so thoroughly poisoned against Americans that they will not buy anything American that can be obtained elsewhere.
As to the act that brought on hostilities—the attempt of two Filipinos to cross the American lines, being fired upon and with some companions firing upon the Americans in turn—it is a matter of official record that all the higher Filipino officers were in conference in their headquarters at the time. The two Filipinos certainly were not acting under orders.
It is also a matter of record that as soon as Aguinaldo got news of the conflict he sent a messenger begging the Americans for God's sake to desist, declaring that whatever a few of his soldiers had done was without authority.
Aguinaldo was told that it was too late; the natives must take the consequences. Had Aguinaldo's message of peace been listened to many American lives would have been saved.
The strict censorship exercised over the press in Manila is against our American principles of free thought and free speech. We must have something to conceal, and what surprises me most is that the American press has submitted to it.
Aguinaldo and his followers are not the ignorant men most people suppose them to be. He deplores the present war as much as any one. He is satisfied that there is no earthly chance for his people to accomplish anything by force of arms; he bases his chances for success and for obtaining favorable terms upon three things:
First. The climate, lack of roads and the consequent difficulties of following him into the interior.
Second. He knows enough of American politics to realize that when Congress meets and the loss of American life and money is brought up and discussed in the press there is a possibility of his being offered favorable terms.
Third. He hopes that a protracted warfare, paralyzing the business of the European houses in Manila, will bring about intervention by some foreign power.
If our troops coop up Aguinaldo and his followers in Luzon, I believe that Aguinaldo will then realize that his case is hopeless and will come to terms with the United States government and end the war. The greatest stress must be laid upon the necessity of thoroughly patrolling the whole coast of Luzon.
There are over a thousand islands in the Philippine group and Aguinaldo's plan will be to get away from Luzon to one of the other islands as soon as active preparations are made to make it too hot to hold him upon Luzon.
F. W. SYLVESTER.
HERE AND THERE.
We are on the down grade of 1899.
Who in Cortland will have the pull in the appointment of census enumerators?
Seymour Dibble was obliged to come down with $3 in police court Monday for getting drunk.
The rumor that Chief Parker of the police force is about to tackle a bicycle is pronounced a canard.
F. Albert Bates of Cortland and Miss Anna Wright of Homer will be united in marriage on the evening of July 27.
The electric car service to McGrawville has evidently been abandoned, as the name of that village has been removed from all cars.
Harford will soon have a new postmaster, Fred Shapley having been appointed in the place of John C. Jones, resigned.
The pay car which went over the D., L. & W. road Wednesday made its last trip, as payments will hereafter be made by check.
Remember the A. O. H. excursion to the Thousand Islands to-morrow. It will be one of the most delightful trips of the season.
The drill team of Excelsior hook and ladder company drill on the Athletic association's grounds in preparation for the contest at Ithaca.
The preliminary work of paving Lincoln-ave. was begun Tuesday, excavation being made for the curb, which will be laid before the earth is removed from the center of the street.
The village assessment roll is completed, and every taxpayer should examine it and see that no mistakes are made. It may be seen at the office of F. W. Kingsbury, DEMOCRAT building.
Clayton H. Buell will tell all about Cortland's haunted house in the Elmira Telegram next Sunday; in addition to which the Telegram will contain some racy reviews of important current local events by Mr. Buell.
Leo Howard, the young lad who was afflicted with lockjaw as reported in the DEMOCRAT last week, died Friday night. Including this case there have been thus far thirty deaths from lockjaw in this state since the Fourth, every case resulting from the deadly toy pistol.
The Sunday-school of St. Mary's church will hold its annual picnic at Cortland Park July 27, the children leaving the church in trolley cars at 10 o'clock. Tickets may be obtained of Rev. Father Flynn. Entertainment of various kinds will be provided at the park.
When Mother Shipton prophesied as far back as 1448 that "carriages without horses shall go," and that "iron on the water shall float," she seemed possessed of a wonderful prophetic vision. The only failure in her entire forecast was the announcement that "the world to an end shall come in 1881."
W. W. Ames, editor of the DeRuyter Gleaner, has just issued a very pretty book of seventy pages, entitled "The Mystery of Muller Hill." which is of much local value, as it treats of a mysterious event which has always been recalled with great interest in Central New York. The price of the book, postpaid, is 35 cents.
G. F. Beaudry has had a novel advertising turn-out on our streets this week. His children drive the wee bit of a pony attached to a small dog cart about the village, blowing tin horns to attract attention, and very naturally every one looks at the novel turn-out. Besides the rig they cannot help seeing an advertisement in large letters setting forth the merits of a bicycle.
It is said that a Cortland physician
recently prescribed leeches for a patient. The next
day he called and inquired of the wife: "How is your husband?" Imagine
the Doctor's consternation when the good wife replied: "Doctor, he is no
better. Charley wouldn't eat them leeches raw, and so I fried them for him, but
he seems to be getting worse, if anything."
