CHURCHILL INTERVIEWED, AND TEMPERANCE MASS-MEETING IN CORTLAND

 

Winston Churchill photo, year 1900.

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, November 25, 1899.

CHURCHILL INTERVIEWED.

Boers Treated Prisoners with Great Kindness and Moderation.

   PRETORIA, Nov. 25.—Through the courtesy of the Transvaal authorities a correspondent of the press here, in company with Mr. Grobler, under-secretary for foreign affairs, and Mr. Dosouse, secretary of the war department, was enabled to visit Mr. Churchill at the Model school, where he is confined with the captured officers.

   Beyond a slight bullet wound in the right hand, he seemed well and looked hearty, although naturally chafing under enforced idleness. In the course of the interview he said: "The Boers have treated us with much kindness. That was the case from the first. They praised our defense of the train and expressed surprise that the locomotive was saved from becoming a hopeless wreck as they expected under their artillery fire. We were then marched through a pouring rain to Colenso, proceeding the next morning to the Boer camp near Ladysmith and then going by rail to Modder Spruit, finally arriving here on Nov. 18.

   "On the journey great numbers of burghers crowded to see us, but there was only one who made insulting remarks, the others offering us cigarettes or showing such marks of attention."

   Mr. Churchill said the confinement in the Model school was close and severe, but under all the conditions, he had no grounds to complain. When asked regarding his general impression, he said he had had many discussions with the Boers as to the rights of war and had been much impressed by the number who could speak English. He had found that most of them regretted the conflict, asserting that it had arisen as the result of misrepresentations. So far as he could learn, however, the spirit of the burghers in the field, despite their privations, was most determined, and there was no chance of an early peace.

   "I fear," said Mr. Churchill, "that the struggle will be bloody and protracted."

 

PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.

A Pure Food Commission.

   Apparently the most significant fact brought out by Senator Mason's pure food investigation is the low tone of business morality throughout the United States. If one were to judge from the disclosures made by witnesses about the adulteration of food, he would be forced to believe that dishonesty in this field of business activity is the rule and that very little wholesome food is to be obtained.

   But we are inclined to think that this pessimistic view is not justified. In the first place, it is not quite fair to infer from the evidence about adulterated food that evidence cannot be had that there is no food that is not adulterated. If we do make such an inference, we are guilty of the same mistake that is committed when a person reading the criminal pages of the newspapers comes to the conclusion that crime was never so rampant as it is now. There is reason to believe that if the Mason committee were to turn its attention to the discovery of how much food is not adulterated, it would obtain evidence that would produce a vastly different impression than the one thus far produced. We should see that, comparatively speaking, only a small percentage of our food is mixed with dishonesty. We should find that all of our fresh meats, all of our fresh vegetables, most of our flour and its products, most of our milk and its products, and a very large percentage of our canned goods were free from that ingredient. What is left for the dishonest manufacturer or merchant to tamper with forms only an insignificant part of the food to be found on our tables.

   Why this should be the case it is not difficult to point out. Despite the amiable contempt had for the line in the old writing book, "Honesty is the best policy," it does control the business world very largely. While some business men may possibly succeed by reversing this adage, many more succeed  by observing it. By giving customers what they pay for—by giving them what will not poison them, a manufacturer of foods or a dealer in them builds up a reputation and a business, and obtains a fortune in consequence. Self-interest is, therefore, a powerful check upon the adulteration of food, and despite the opinions of witnesses before the Mason committee in favor of legislation on the subject, we believe that in the long run it will be more potent than the most stringent law. Nevertheless, if it be thought desirable to establish a pure food commission in Washington, the experiment cannot probably do very much harm, if it does not do very much good.

 

Sam Sloan.

SAM SLOAN IN CONTROL

And It May Mean Another Overturning on the Lackawanna.

   NEW YORK, Nov. 25.—Samuel Sloan, for many years president of the Lackawanna Railroad company and now Chairman of its board of directors, has gained control of the road by acquiring the 20,000 shares of Lackawanna stock said to have in the market and supposed to have belonged to the estate of the late Moses Taylor of Scranton, according to The Journal. There has been a spirited rivalry between the Sloan and Vanderbilt interests to obtain this stock. Mr. Sloan does not approve the policy of the present management. The dismissal from the service of many of the men who served faithfully under the old administration was itself particularly distasteful to him.

 

TEMPERANCE MASS-MEETING.

Strong Address by J. Q. A. Henry, Superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League.

   A good audience greeted Mr. J. Q. A. Henry, state superintendent of the Anti-saloon league last evening at the First M. E. church. In the opinion of several representative men who openly expressed themselves it was the strongest and most effective temperance address that has yet been delivered in this village during the present temperance campaign. Mr. Henry is a rapid, brilliant and at times, eloquent speaker. He does not abound in illustrations, but he pours a torrent of facts and arguments upon his hearers that move them most profoundly.

   On being introduced the speaker said while Cortland was to be complimented for what she had done, yet there remained much more to be done. We are in one of the critical periods of the world's history, brought on by the conspiracy of events. Whether the outcome will be evolution or revolution remains to be seen. God brings every generation into a crisis, to face some black iniquity, and prove their loyalty to him in overcoming the evil. In this generation it is not slavery, but the saloon power. God is challenging all good people to come together and face this foe. In 1850 the consumption of liquor was four and one-half gallons yearly to every man, woman and child in this country. At the present time it is over eighteen gallons per capita. The saloon power has increased over four times greater than the population, and crime has increased five times greater than the population. In 1850 there was one criminal to every 3,544 inhabitants. In 1895 it was one criminal to every 647 inhabitants. The crimes so frightfully on the increase are such as lie against the family, the church and the Sabbath. They are the crimes that strike at the foundation of our Christian civilization. These facts should unite all good people against them. We have done much to meet this crisis, but very much more evidently must be done if we arrest the evil.

   The Anti-Saloon league was organized in Ohio six years ago. At that time saloons were increasing in that state three times more rapidly than the population. To-day through the work of this league there was less drinking than in twenty-five years. Twenty-five men were recently elected to the state legislature in Ohio by this league, giving to temperance the control of that body. Twelve thousand mass-meetings were held last year in the state, and $58,000 given to support twenty-three speakers and organizers that give their whole time to the work of the league. The league is now organized and working effectually in thirty-two states and territories. There are now 6,000 leaguers and the organization is growing unprecedentedly.

   The speaker gave very encouraging facts about the work of the league in other states. It is the most tolerant, catholic and common sense of all the temperance organizations. It places the responsibility upon the churches and Christian men. The local churches are the basis of the organization in any community. It would be a disgrace to the church to turn this work into any other hands. In the blood of Jesus Christ there is a solution of this problem through us, his followers. No others can go beyond us in sympathy and prayers and contributions and efforts for those who are perishing through this curse. It means co-operation, sacrifice, labor and love. It is interdenominational. The great mass of citizens are temperate people and want to see the saloon go. Heretofore they have not been able to agree as to method and get together. Now in this movement they are seeing eye to eye and in the name of Jesus Christ declare that the saloon, that is the first foe of the home and the church, must go. It leaves men loyal to their church or party, but pledges them to oppose the saloon in their respective parties. The majority in all parties are opposed to to the saloon, the effort is to unite them in opposition to the saloon and so control the nominations in all parties for temperance. There are more temperance people than whiskey people. They must in some way be united. He said the woman can't vote. He wished she could, but if the man was the head of the family the woman was the neck and she could turn the head which ever way she willed. The woman could not vote, but she could have a voter and it was a poor woman that couldn't control one voter.

   There are 100 leagues in this state and twenty-five more in process of organization. It has a law enforcement department and a legislative department and an agitation department. All kinds of lawlessness are traceable to the saloon. Obedience to law is the life of liberty and disobedience to law is the death knell of liberty.

 

DETAILS OF THE FIRE

Which Caused the Destruction or Henry Howes' Barn.

(From the DeRuyter Gleaner.)

   Tuesday morning at 6:30 while Henry Howes, the well known stock buyer living just across the line in Cuyler was feeding his horses, a lantern which he had placed on the barn floor exploded, the burning oil flying about the barn and setting fire to the hay. In a short time everything was ablaze and after giving the alarm to his wife [who] communicated it to the neighbors, he began to save the stock. Giles Coye, who lives next door, was with him in a minute and they soon got the three horses and fifteen cows into safe quarters outside the burning building. The wagons and some of the harnesses were also saved.

   In a few minutes, which seemed an age to the workers in the burning building, the hose cart arrived and began to pour water into the flames. This was effective in saving the house which stands not more than two rods from the barn and would surely have burned had it not been for the fine water system of the village. About four thousand dollars worth of wool was stored in the front part of the barn and this was partially saved from fire by the deluge of water that was poured upon it for about an hour.

   The barn was a good sized one, having had a large addition built on since Mr. Howes bought the place, and was insured for $700; the contents were insured for $200; which makes a loss of between $500 and $1,000 on the barn and contents over and above the insurance. The wool was fully covered by $4,000 insurance and the loss will soon be adjusted by experts. No one can as yet determine how badly it was damaged.

 

ERWAY-STEELE.

Cortland Parties Married at Home of Bride's Parents Near Scott.

   A very pretty home wedding occurred at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Steele near Scott on Thursday afternoon at 3 o'clock, when their daughter Mary was united in marriage with Mr. Milo L. Erway in the presence of about forty-five relatives and friends of the contracting parties. The ceremony was performed by Rev. John T. Stone of the Presbyterian church of Cortland. The wedding took place under an arch of green and white, the parlors being very prettily decorated with ferns and chrysanthemums. The bride was tastefully attired in a gray traveling suit and wore white roses. After congratulations very elaborate refreshments were served. The tokens of remembrance left by the many friends of the young people consisted of numerous useful and beautiful articles.

   At 5 o'clock the bride and groom departed with the best wishes of their friends, amid a shower of rice and old shoes. Mr. and Mrs. Erway will be at home on Wednesdays and Fridays after Dec. 14 at 32 Charles-st., Cortland.

 

A CHINESE RECEPTION.

Chinese Merchant, His Wife and Two Children Coming on Tuesday.

   We were pleased to receive a call last night from Mr. C. H. Harter, advance agent of Chas. E. Blaney's big scenic production King of the Opium Ring Co., which comes to the Cortland Opera House on Tuesday evening, Nov. 28. Mr. Harter states that in addition to the many features of the production, the management have at an enormous expense secured a genuine Chinese merchant from Canton, China, his wife and two children, in the persons of Wah Tong and family. This high caste member of the upper ten of Chinese society is an educated gentleman, speaking fluently, Chinese, French, Spanish and Italian. The lady mother is the proud possessor of two boys aged respectfully 4 and 3 years, having been married at the age of 12 years.

   On Tuesday afternoon at 4 o'clock this royal family will give a reception in the lobby of the Opera House to which all are invited, thus giving the ladies of Cortland an opportunity of seeing a genuine Chinese lady of high rank gowned as becomes one of her position, also her two sons and an educated husband who will be pleased to converse with all on the manners and customs of this country. The costume worn by this Chinese lady at her reception is a marvel and all ladies should attend the reception.

 

BREVITIES.

   —New display advertisements to-day are—Opera House, "Metropolitan Burlesquers," page 5; Stowell, Turkey roasters, page 8.

   —The engine on the E. & C. N. Y. R. R., which now spends the night at Cincinnatus blows its whistle loud and long each morning at 6 o'clock to rouse the people.

   —In Justice Harrington's court this morning the case of The People against A. A. Grant, charged with petit larceny, was called, a jury drawn and the trial set down for Saturday, Dec. 2.

   —Cortland friends of Rev. Charles E. Hamilton of Rochester, formerly of this place, will be interested to know that he is to deliver a lecture at the Homer M. E. church on Tuesday evening, Dec. 12. Subject, "Sights Across the Sea."

   —Those who desire to take advantage of The STANDARD'S clubbing rates for periodicals and who want their January magazine to arrive as usual about the 20th of December should hand in their subscriptions before Dec. 1. We shall forward subscriptions Dec. 1 and Jan. 1.