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| Joseph Chamberlain. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, September 8, 1899.
TROOPS UNDER ORDERS.
Great Britain Has Three Regiments Ready to Start For Cape Town.
NO CALL FOR RESERVES.
Arrests for Treason in the Transvaal Continue to Cause Considerable Uneasiness.
London, Sept. 7.—The "St. James Gazette" says that the War Office will send three brigades of infantry to Cape Town. The paper says that the regiments are under orders to leave on twenty-four hours' notice, and adds that in army service circles war is considered inevitable.
It is officially stated that the story that a proclamation calling out the reserves was about to be issued is untrue.
A despatch to the "Times" from Newcastle, Cape Colony, says much uneasiness is felt, owing to the fact that arrests for treason continue to be made in the Transvaal, despite the assurances to the contrary given by State Attorney Smuts. It is generally believed that the arrests are merely the beginning of an aggressive policy on the part of the Boers which, although postponed for a while, was not abandoned. The authorities are alarmed over the panic that has been created and are striving to allay the uneasiness. It is improbable, however, that the Uitlander leaders will return to Johannesburg until the situation becomes clearer. These men believe it would be useless to run risks which would serve no purpose.
The railways are still unable to cope with the rush of people who are leaving the Transvaal.
The indefinite character of the reply of the Transvaal Government to Colonial Secretary Chamberlain's last despatch strengthens the conviction that the Boers simply aim to gain time.
The Times's Pretoria correspondent says that the predominant view of the situation is that the last despatch from the Transvaal Government opens the way for a ''modus vivendi" since Colonial Secretary Chamberlain's proposals regarding the right of franchise after five years residence have been compiled with.
A despatch from Pretoria says that the tension is apparently lessened, though the reason for this is not known. The despatch declares that it is not likely that President Kruger will attend the Cape Town conference.
A despatch to the London office of the Standard and Diggers' News dated at Johannesburg is rumored there that the Transvaal Government has agreed to the conference with the British representatives at Cape Town.
The Manchester Guardian's Johannesburg correspondent telegraphs as follows: "The State Secretary and State Attorney inform me that the warrants for the arrest of Editors Pakeman and Monypenny were made out some time ago to be executed if the men tried to leave Johannesburg. The local officials have determined to serve these warrants.
A LENGTHY SESSION.
VILLAGE BOARD BURNS MIDNIGHT OIL.
The Church-st. Matter Revived—Engineer's Estimate of Cost of Harrington-Ave. Sewer—Port Watson-st. Dirt Wanted at Home.
The village board held one of the longest sessions of the year Monday evening, the work of the evening being protracted until some time after midnight. Contrary to general expectation, the petition asking for the paving of Groton ave., while containing the signatures of a sufficient number of names, was not presented to the board, the reason being because the street is not sewered its entire distance, as stated in the DEMOCRAT of last week.
Engineer Allen, who was directed at a previous muting to present an estimate of the cost of a sewer through Harrington-ave., reported that the sewer must necessarily be laid fourteen feet below the surface, and that the cost would approximate $664. Rock was struck at twelve feet below the surface. The question being asked whether the board could cause the work to be done without an appropriation, President Holden dryly remarked that it might by "elastic jurisdiction.'' The report was finally referred to the sewer committee.
Attorney E. E. Mellon addressed the board in regard to the disposition of the dirt taken from Port Watson-st. on account of paving. He believed the dirt belonged to the property owners on the street, and that they should say where it should be placed. The wish of the residents of the residents of the street was that it should be used on Dr. Smith's lot at the corner of Greenbush and Port Watson-sts., instead of being taken to other streets. He stated that ninety per cent of the petitioners for paving wished the lot filled.
President Holden stated that the board designed to give the abutting property owners all the dirt they required to grade their lawns properly, and to use the rest on the streets where needed.
The Church-st. sidewalk controversy was renewed Monday evening. A year or more ago a petition was presented to the board, signed by a majority of the property owners on the west side of Church-st., asking that they be allowed to move their sidewalks several feet to the east, outside the row of trees. No action was taken on the petition at that time and it was supposed the matter had been dropped. Early in the evening it was rumored that the board was to be asked to take the petition from the table and act favorably upon it.
Early in the evening C W. Stoker, Theo. Stevenson and W. D. Riley were present to antagonize the change. Being informed by President Holden that no request had been made to revive the subject, these gentleman retired, but later in the evening Messrs. E. H. Brewer, W. W. Kelsey and A. F. Stilson appeared and urged that the prayer of the petitioners be granted. Meanwhile a self-appointed courier had notified the opponents of the scheme, and they soon returned. E. H. Brewer spoke for the property owners and he asserted that every owner between Railroad and Port Watson-sts. wanted the change. Mr. Kelsey and Mr. Stilson corroborated Mr. Brewer's statement.
C. W. Stoker opposed the change, insisting that legal complications were likely to arise which would be unpleasant for the village, He read a copy of a deed given to the First M. E. society in 1821, and his deductions were that if the walks were moved on the west side of the street the church people could lay claim to a portion of the street. Mr. Riley said he had signed the petition, but if it was to make trouble he wanted his name taken off. The board decided to visit the location Wednesday afternoon and investigate for themselves.
The first estimate of the expense of paving Lincoln-ave., amounting to $7,932.95, was submitted by Engineer Allen, and a warrant was drawn for that amount, less $500 deduction for twenty days overtime in the completion of the contract at $25 per day.
A large number of bills were audited, among them being the attorneys' and stenographer's charges in the case of Michael Nix, charged with violating the excise laws. Trustee White opposed the payment of these bills, calling for a yea and nay vote, and casting his vote in the negative.
A SMALL BLAZE.
Carriage Goods Co.'s Shop On Fire—No Great Damage.
Shortly after 12 o'clock Monday noon the fire alarm bell struck four times, and the firemen hastily prepared themselves for a run. For some reason the alarm failed to sound anything but the four strokes, and for a time the firemen were at a loss to know in which direction to go.
It was soon seen that the indicators or registers in the rooms denoted 414 as the box from which the alarm was rung in, and the companies hastened to the corner of Pendelton and Port Watson-sts.
The fire was located in the japanning [lacquer] room of the Carriage Goods shop, caused by an explosion of gas. The fire was discovered by one of the shop hands who was eating his dinner, and he with several others who had remained at the shop to eat their dinner immediately put into operation the fire apparatus furnished by the company. When the firemen arrived two streams of water were turned into the room, but owing to the oil and benzene the water did very little execution towards subduing the flames. Some one conceived the idea of smothering the fire with ashes, and the suggestion was hastily acted upon with good effect.
The loss was so slight that no application for insurance was made.
TIRED OF LIFE.
Miss Emma Brong Takes Arsenic—Caused by Despondency over a Quarrel with Her Lover.
A young lady named Emma Brong who has for the past year lived with Mrs. O. T. Chatterton at the corner of Elm and Pendleton-sts., took a dose of arsenic Saturday night with the view of ending her life.
Miss Brong left her home at about 8 o'clock, stating that she was going up town. She came home at about 11 o'clock accompanied by a young man for whom she is said to have entertained a strong affection for some time. She left him at the door and when she entered the house was crying. Upon Mrs. Chatterton asking what was the cause she stated that she and the young man had just had another disagreement. She went immediately to her room and Mrs. Chatterton dismissed the matter from her mind. She was, however, aroused at about 12:30 o'clock by Miss Brong asking for water, which she immediately took to her. Mrs. Chatterton noticed that she was greatly excited and after questioning her for some time was startled by Miss Brong saying that she had taken arsenic.
Mr. Chatterton. who had not yet retired, was immediately dispatched for Dr. Sornberger, who was unable to go, but telephoned for Dr. VerNooy, who responded at once. In the meantime Mrs. Chatterton had administered such antidotes as she knew.
Dr. VerNooy labored over the patient until about 5 o'clock, when he considered counsel necessary, and Dr. Neary was called in, and together they worked until about 8 o'clock Sunday morning, when Wright's ambulance was called and the young lady removed to the Cortland Hospital.
Miss Brong is a daughter of Nathan Brong, who resides at No. 17 James street. She has not lived at home for some years, and for the past ten years has been thrown upon her own resources. She has been in poor health for some time, which probably added to her despondency.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.
Both school commissioners of this county Democrats! That is the biggest joke since the Republican split on a memorable September day two years ago.
When the Republican press talks of the prosperity caused by bountiful harvests, as if it was a result of Republican rule, they intimate plainly that their readers are fools.
Spanish testimony is not usually worth very much, but when the Spanish general at Manila predicted that the Americans would win every fight and yet fail in the campaign, he seems to have come very near the truth.
The absurdity of the administration organs in trying to brand as traitors the millions of loyal Americans who do not believe it right to do wrong, is too obvious to need demonstration.
The Republicans have made school commissioner nominations in both districts which will be easy to defeat at the polls. A large number of Republicans will bolt their nominations and stand ready to back the Democratic nominee in each district—all that is necessary to the latter's success being to pick out a clean candidate in each case and this will be easy.
Of course President McKinley cannot afford to appear otherwise than optimistic. This is his war, in which he embarked without consulting Congress or the people. He insisted through, his agents at Paris upon acquiring this [Philippines'] territory regardless of any desires of the inhabitants, and refused to conclude peace with Spain unless these people were handed over to him as chattels.
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| William McKinley. |
Washington Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON. D. C. Sept. 4, 1899—The Republican claim of a walk over in Ohio, this fall, has been a hollow pretense from the first, and it has grown hollower every day since the Democrats nominated Hon. John R. McLean for governor. It will not be denied that Mr. McKinley knows Ohio politics thoroughly. It is significant, therefore, that the first thing he did, after his return to Washington, was to hold a conference with several Ohio Republicans, and that one of the results of that conference was a cablegram to Boss Hanna, telling him to hurry home from Europe, in order to take charge of the campaign of his ticket.
Mr. McKinley regards Mr. McLean as a strong and dangerous candidate and he knows that if Ohio goes Democratic this year, it will give such a boom to the already rapidly brightening Democratic prospects, that the election of a Democratic President will become well nigh a certainty. He is determined to prevent this if he can possibly do so, and in addition to Hanna's methods, which will be worked to the limit, the whole power of the administration will be used to help Hanna's ticket.
Although Mr. McKinley only remained in Washington from Saturday afternoon until to-day, when he went to Philadelphia to attend the G. A. R. encampment, where he hopes to put in some good political licks and incidentally to prevent a fight being made upon the present management of the pension bureau by the old soldiers, he found time to see some of the capitalists who, for purely selfish reasons, are trying to get the government to mix itself up in the revolution in Santo Domingo, by declaring a protectorate over the most turbulent and belligerent mob of "niggers" ever known to exist in any portion of the world. With all his anxiety to please these capitalists it is not believed that Mr. McKinley will dare to do what they wish him to do. He has troubles enough now without hunting for new ones.
The Sampson clique in the Navy Department, which has been able to keep Sampson in command of the North Atlantic squadron when other officers were entitled to that honor, will have him ordered to shore duty after the Dewey reception in New York, whither he is bound from the South Atlantlc on the cruiser Chicago, in time to participate in the Dewey ceremonies. Not satisfied with having done so much for Sampson, the clique is still working to prevent Schley getting an important command, although he is clearly entitled to the sea duty he asked for many months ago. There are three men eligible to succeed Sampson as Commander of the North Atlantic squadron—Schley, Romey and Farquhar, but if the efforts of the clique are successful, as now seems likely, Schley's name may be considered out of it.
Gen. Fitz Lee gave the war department a little more than it expected when it asked him and the other department commanders in Cuba, to make reports on condition of affairs under their jurisdiction by adding the following recommendations to his report: "That a census of the island be taken as soon as possible; that the question of suffrage be carefully considered and a decision reached regulating the same; that a modern system of jurisprudence be introduced, so that elective officers can be voted for; that a general election be ordered for a president or a chief magistrate, a vice president and a congress or legislature to consist of two branches, and all other officers of a republic, as well as municipal elections; all of which can be determined, regulated, and prescribed by a convention composed of delegates in proper proportion from the different provinces, which shall meet as soon after the census is taken, as possible. In this way the pledged faith of the U. S. government to Cuba can be kept." Orders were given in the war department to suppress this report, but somehow it got out.
In view of his close personal relations with Mr. McKinley, the statement in a report made to the war department by Gen. Leonard Wood, that the military control of Cuba will have to continue for a long time, is regarded as significant. That sort of opinion from our officers will be made to justify an indefinite military occupation of the island, notwithstanding present talk of municipal elections over there in the spring, if the people of this country do not compel different action on the part of the administration.
The administration is crowing loudly because the August financial statement shows a surplus of a little more than four million dollars, but it is not calling anybody's attention to the fact that more than three millions of that surplus came from the sale of the old custom house site in New York City; nor to the comparative smallness of some of the regular government payments for that month. There is nothing in the present state of government finances to do any crowing over. There is bound to be another big deficit at the close of this fiscal year, just as there was at the close of the last. A small surplus in several months of the year will not affect the general result, and nobody knows that any better than Secretary Gage.
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| Thomas Platt. |
Political Notes.
Tom Platt is never quite so happy as when Teddy Roosevelt is engaged in discussing the wickedness of the forces behind his political opponents.—Washington Post.
There are quite a number of little men asking to succeed Tom Reed in Congress. and it will take quite a number of them to fill his seat.—Memphis Commercial.
Prof. Schurman says: "I think that Aguinaldo is acting honestly in money matters." This only aggravates his offense. The "nasty little beast," what business has a savage like him to act honestly!—Portland Argus.
The stupid English newspapers have been reviewing Gov. Roosevelt's war history and are unable to understand how he was able to have so many pictures taken while he was engaged in licking Spain.—Washington Post.
The minority governor emerges from his seclusion at Oyster Bay to play the county fairs on his alleged superior popularity over Gov. Black whose poll was more than 100,000 greater two years before than that of Roosevelt.—Rochester Union.
Maybe if a Democratic assembly were elected next fall, it would find a way to steer those nine-million-dollar canal frauds around the statute of limitations. The thing is worth trying, at any rate. This matter ought not to be permitted to drop out of sight.—Catskill Recorder.
"We Americans are practically agreed that we don't want the Philippines in the Union as States." Then if there is any other way save by a protectorate of establishing a government there which shall make our flag mean what it means in the United States, will some imperialist point it out?—Buffalo Express.
One thing that President McKinley persistently omits to explain in speaking of the Philippine campaign is the censorship. It seems to be doing more harm to the American cause than to that of the insurgents, and the American people are becoming thoroughly dissatisfied with it. As it appears to serve no good purpose, why is it not abolished?—Philadelphia Ledger.
If the governor should make a trip through the reservations of the New York Indians, as they are to-day, we fear he would not find them a good illustration of the beneficence of our rule over a dependent race. Whatever may have been accomplished in the Indian Territory, the comparison of the New York Indians of to-day with their ancestors of pioneer times is one which would better not be brought up in connection with the Philippine question.—Buffalo Times.
The people who forget taxes in the intoxication of military enthusiasm, usually pay handsomely for their spree. The nation which revels in war, right or wrong, cannot long be free or peaceful. The nation which lacks judgment to condemn an unjust and unnecessary war, is quite as badly off as the nation which lacks courage to fight a just war. But appeals to reason will, so the Republicans are hoping, be lost in the sound of martial music and loud hurrahs. We shall see.—Poughkeepsie News-Press.
HERE AND THERE.
Chicken thieves have been operating in Cortland this past week.
The village tax rate this year will be a trifle over 80 cents on each $100 valuation.
The third page of the DEMOCRAT this week contains a large amount of interesting local news.
The State and Broome county fairs have drawn heavily on the population of Cortland this week.
The attendance at the village schools, which opened Tuesday, is the largest ever recorded in Cortland.
The E. & C. N. Y. railroad brought over a crowd of people early yesterday morning bound for the state fair.
L. S. Paddock has bought the stock and brokerage business of W. E. Pratt in the Schermerhorn building.
One of the heaviest frosts ever seen this early in the season settled down upon this locality yesterday morning.
The state tax board has equalized the valuation of real and personal estate in Cortland county at $12,127,482.
The large new boiler for use in the Keator & Wells wagon shops has arrived, and workmen began Wednesday laying a foundation for it.
The Cortland fire department will hold its annual parade later than usual on account of paving. The event will occur as soon as the streets are passable.
The D. L. & W. railroad company has abandoned the long coal trains with two engines and returned to the old custom of running them in two or more sections.
The fall term of the Cortland Business Institute opened on Monday and A. W. Dakin, who succeeds Mr. Joiner as proprietor of the institute, states that the attendance far exceeds his expectations. Several pupils from out of town are registered and more are expected soon.
The last congress enacted a law providing that pensioners who have deserted their wives be obliged to pay them one-half of their pensions. More than 1,000 of this class of claims have already been filed with the pension bureau, and in most cases have been favorably acted upon.
The Cazenovia district conference, of which Cortland is a part, was held at Moravia Monday and Tuesday of this week. Monday evening Rev. Dr. O. A. Houghton of this village gave an address upon "The Closing Century," and on Tuesday afternoon Rev. J. C. B. Moyer gave an essay on "How May We Increase the Attendance of Men upon Church Services?"
The authorities in charge of the Normal school grounds are having a new cement walk laid through the circle enclosing the fountain, the walk passing each side of the fountain. Notwithstanding the fact that the people could pass through the grounds by making a short detour, many have abused the privilege by making a path through the circular lawn, hence the new walk.
The Cincinnatus Times says that "an individual from Cortland took breakfast at Hotel Bennett Monday morning. It was a pretty sure thing that he had stolen some spoons while in the dining room and Landlord Bennett confronted him with the charge of theft. The sneak asserted his innocence, but when Mr. Bennett found the spoons in his pocket he weakened. We are told by a Cortland business man that the culprit is a well known thief, consequently his career as such should be discontinued as the law prescribes."
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