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| Elihu Root. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, December 2, 1899.
SECRETARY OF WAR.
Regular Annual Report of the War Department.
INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT.
Treats at Length on Government of Our Colonial Possessions—Approves Removal of Customs Duties From the Islands of Porto Rico and Cuba.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.—The annual report of Secretary of War Elihu Root is today made public. The extensive military operations of the past year, together with the acquisition of vast territory, makes the report one of the most important in the history of the country. The report says in part:
"On the 29th of November, 1898, the date of the last annual report, the army of the United States consisted of 2,324 officers and 61,444 enlisted men of the regular force, and of 6,216 officers and 110,202 enlisted men of the volunteer force, making an aggregate of 7,540 officers and 171,646 enlisted men."
It then deals with the discharge of 34,834 regulars and 110,202 volunteers, besides substantially all the 5,216 volunteer officers, and continues:
"The act of March 2, 1899, passed in view of the insurrection among the Tagalogs on the island of Luzon, gave authority to again increase the regular army to a strength not exceeding 65,000 enlisted men, and to raise a force of not more than 35,000 volunteers to be recruited from the country at large. This authority has been exercised, and the regular army has been increased to the number of 61,999 enlisted men and 2,248 officers, making a total of 64,247, and a new volunteer force has been raised from the country at large, numbering 33,050 enlisted men and 1,524 officers, making an aggregate of 34,574.
"All the new regiments of volunteers are in the Philippine islands or on their way to the Philippines."
The report then deals at length with the operations in the Philippines, Cuba, Porto Rico and Guam, all of which are familiar to newspaper readers. The financial administration of the islands is next discussed. The report says:
"The collection and disbursement of the funds have, it is believed, been marked in all the islands by honesty and adherence to law wholly unknown in former administrations, and I feel warranted in the assertion that never before in the history of these islands has there been so small a proportion of the revenues applied to the cost of collection and the expenses of government, or diverted to private uses, or so great a proportion of the revenue applied to the benefit of the people of the island."
The transport service is treated at considerable length, showing an extensive and efficient service at the present time.
Under the caption of comfort and health, the report says:
"The clothing of the army appears to have been satisfactory, except the earlier issues of khaki cloth. It is believed that these difficulties have now been overcome, and that we produce in this country an article equal to that procured abroad.
"The food supplied to the army during the year has been of good quality and has been furnished promptly. Special attention has been paid to securing rations suited as far as possible to a tropical climate.
"The health of the army from the beginning of the Spanish war has been remarkably good. The deaths from all causes (including casualties in action) in the whole army, regulars and volunteers, for the 14 months from May, 1898, to June, 1899, inclusive, were 6,619. This is equivalent to an annual rate of 33.03 per thousand of strength. The deaths from disease during the whole period were at an annual rate of but 25.68 per thousand.
"The total deaths in the army of the Philippines for the 10 months from the 1st of January, 1899, to the 1st of November, 1899—that is to say, for the entire period covered by the war with the insurgents—have been of those killed in battle and dying of wounds and other injuries 477; those dying of disease, 366—making a total of 843.
"It is to be hoped that the exceptional healthfulness maintained among the troops in the Philippines, notwithstanding the hardships to which they are subjected in the field, will be brought to the general attention of their relatives and friends at home, to whom it can not fail to give satisfaction.
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| USS Brooklyn. |
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| USS Holland (SS-1). |
PAGE TWO—EDITORIALS.
Increase of the Navy.
The plan of navy increase, on which the naval board of construction has agreed, embraces three armored cruisers each of 13,500 tons displacement, three protected cruisers each of 8,000 tons, and twelve light draught gunboats, six each of 800 tons and six of 1,000 tons. The scheme would inaugurate the addition of 75,300 tons and eighteen vessels to the navy.
Of the armored cruiser recommendations it is to be observed that they are to be 2,000 tons larger than any battleship the United States has in service, or building. They are of the tonnage of the three battleships authorized last winter, and 1,500 tons heavier than the three armored cruisers then authorized—none of which has been contracted for. The adoption of the plan would put before the shipbuilders at one time, therefore, three battleships of 13,500 tons, three armored cruisers of 13,500 tons, three armored cruisers of 12,000 and three protected cruisers of 8,000 a total tonnage with the gunboats of 151,800 tons instead of 75,300. The glut of work would not be the department's fault, but with that in hand it would be more than the shipbuilders could handle with a celerity pleasing to the nation. For this, and the higher prices that builders will demand, congress is responsible in refusing to permit contracts to be made the past season for the battleships and cruisers authorized last winter.
The armored cruisers contemplated will be battleships practically. Their great tonnage is to provide room for machinery and coal, to achieve great speed and keep long at sea. At the same time they will carry armor of sufficient strength to resist any but the heaviest shot, and armament capable of assaulting anything afloat deemed unnecessary to run from.
The plan recommended is approved by the secretary of the navy, with the change making the light draught gunboats all of 900 tons instead of one-half of 800 and one-half of 1,000. This avoids a multiplicity of types, which seems wise. The president doubtless will approve the department's recommendations.
Increase of the navy is popular with the people, who have found usually that the department has planned well. But the wisdom of increasing so materially the displacement of armored cruisers is open to question. Cruisers of 13,500 tons mean battleships of 15,000 and more. The limit of battleship size should be its usefulness. So with the cruiser, but as the latter is intended to fight, or run at will, immense tonnage is not a necessary quality. The Brooklyn is a very effective ship, though of little more than 9,000 tons. Add 8,000 tons to the Brooklyn and an armored cruiser capable of all that should be asked of anything but a first-class battleship would be provided. And in the light of the Holland's successful trials a naval construction scheme that neglects to provide at least a dozen Hollands is not up to date
This addition contemplates an expenditure of $26,000,000. It is intimated that congress will balk at the proposition, because of the expense! Yet congress didn't hesitate to vote $50,000,000 in a lump to prepare for war with Spain. If the United States had had an adequate navy in 1898 Spain would have arranged the Cuban matter without war. What is $26,000,000, or ten times that sum, to United States when considered with reference to the proper equipment of its sea power? Congress will find the people of the United States with it in increasing the navy to a point demanded by the interests and position of the nation.
LIZZIE BORDEN CASE.
New Developments—A New Clue Being Followed Up.
NEW YORK, Dec. 2.—There is evidence that the famous Borden mystery is entering upon a new phase, says a dispatch from Fall River, Mass. Lizzie Borden, who was accused of the crime, was acquitted by a jury in 1893, but since then many of her towns people have held aloof. Detectives and lawyers are now at work examining new evidence pointing to a sweet heart of Bridget Sullivan, servant of the Bordens at the time of the murder, as the wielder of the ax with which Andrew J. Borden and his wife, Lizzie Borden's stepmother, were hacked to pieces. It is believed that Lizzie Borden, the quiet, earnest woman of 37, who for three years has lived in simple elegance in the home she and her sister purchased on the hill overlooking the bay, is devoting her intelligence and her means to this work of clearing up the mystery.
SUPERVISORS ADJOURN.
County Solons Will Meet Again Dec. 18.
The report of the equalization committee, adopted yesterday, was as follows:
EIGHTEENTH DAY, SATURDAY, DEC. 2.
The committee on appropriations submitted its report, recommending a total appropriation of $63,725.05 for the coming year, and the same was adopted.
The committees to apportion state and county taxes and school commissioners' expenses reported, and the reports were adopted. On motion of Mr. Crosley, the inventories of property at the county farm, and at the jail was ordered omitted from the Journal.
On motion of Mr. Bingham, the Cortland STANDARD and Cortland Democrat were designated to publish the official canvass at $15 each and the election notices next year at 30 cents per folio each insertion.
On motion of Dr. Hunt, orders were ordered drawn for $5 each in favor of County Judge Eggleston and former County Judge S. S. Knox for special legal counsel.
Mr. Phelps brought up the matter of employing jail prisoners on the public works, and after brief discussion participated in by Messrs. Hunt, Bennett and O'Donnell, on motion of Mr. Mynard, Messrs. Hammond and Hunt were directed to investigate the feasibility of such a plan and report at the adjourned session.
At 11 o'clock the board adjourned to Dec. 12 at 1:30 P. M., and in the meantime the supervisors will make out their respective tax rolls.
Mrs. Bentley's Condition.
Mr. B. L. Bentley returned this morning from Boston, where he and Mrs. Bentley went Nov. 24 to consult an eminent specialist in regard to Mrs. Bentley's health. It was found that an operation was necessary, and from this Mrs. Bentley recovered well, and when Mr. Bentley left her yesterday the physicians stated that the critical point had passed, and the chances were very favorable for her complete restoration to health.
GOING TO SYRACUSE.
Floyd B. Miner Succeeded by Charles B. Lord as Local Reporter.
Mr. Floyd B. Miner to-day closes his connection with The STANDARD in the capacity of local reporter and on Monday goes to Syracuse to enter upon new duties as telegraph editor of the Syracuse Journal. During the four and a half years that Mr. Miner has been with The STANDARD he has ever proved faithful, reliable, active, energetic and efficient. His personal character and habits are above reproach and he has been respected by all with whom he has come in contact. He has a good eye and nose for news and excellent judgment as to what is news. His bearing toward those to whom he has had to go for information has always been such as to inspire confidence in him, and his hearty good will and frank cordiality have made him generally popular. It goes without saying that his employers are sorry to lose him, though they heartily congratulate him upon the advance in newspaper work which he has fairly earned and upon the increase in salary which goes with it, and wish him well in his new position.
He will be succeeded by Mr. Charles R. Lord, who is not a stranger to many people here in Cortland. Mr. Lord was a graduate of the Normal school in the class of June, 1899. During his residence of the place as a student he made many friends. He was business manager of the Normal News for a year and handled its finances successfully. He was for a year The STANDARD'S Normal reporter and was unusually acceptable in that capacity, both to the publishers and to the school from which he gathered his news, Since leaving school he has been employed on the Rochester Herald, where be made a good record for himself. We bespeak for him the same kindly consideration on all sides that has been shown to Mr. Miner.
Compliments to Mr. Millspaugh.
The Ithaca Journal says: The memorable success of District Passenger Agent Paul S. Millspaugh of the Lehigh Valley R. R. in planning and conducting the great observation train for the boat races last Decoration day was almost duplicated Wednesday night in the big special train of sleeping and parlor coaches that were crowded with Cornell fans and Ithacans and hauled by two immense Mother Hubbard locomotives from Ithaca to Philadelphia. One of the locomotives brought up four empty sleepers from Jersey City, and the other brought up another train from Philadelphia. The crew was made up of special aids, conductor and porters who accompany prominent excursions in the East. A reporter went through the long train before it left the city. It was a great train and the officials were proud of it. Mr. Millspaugh is receiving congratulations upon his success in the project.
IMPROVING HIS HERD.
M. S. Nye Purchases a Celebrated Bull With a Milk and Butter Record.
Mr. M. S. Nye of Preble has made a very valuable addition to his choice herd of Holstein-Friesian cattle, by purchasing from Mr. A. Matteson's Homestead herd of Utica, the fine young bull, Homestead Monarch de Kol.
Readers of The STANDARD will recall the fact that at the recent Cortland county fair, Mr. Nye's herd not only attracted large attention and favorable comment, but received a majority of the first prizes against strong competition. Mr. Nye believes that the successful dairyman must constantly strive to improve his herd by infusions of blood from the best and largest producing strains, and with this object in view, he has obtained a young bull, that for beauty and quality is hard to equal, yet at the same time his breeding cannot well be surpassed. He was sired by the well known bull, Pietertje Hengerveld's Paul De Kol, whose great beauty and rare quality made him the center of attraction with Holstein breeders at the recent New York state fair, and enabled him to carry off first prize, also sweepstakes prize over all. He also headed the first prize herd, and sired the first prize bull calf, and first prize heifer calf. His breeding is very rich, having more and larger official butter record backing than any other sire, and he is the only sire that combines the blood of the five world record cows, De Kol 2nd, Pauline Paul, Pietertje 2nd, Pietertje 3rd and Netherland Hengerveld.
The dam of Mr. Nye's young bull is the very handsome cow, Shadeland Angie, with record made this year of seventy pounds milk in a day, and 17.467 pounds butter in seven days, testing as high as 4.8 percent butter fat. Her dam was Aggie Alban, whose dam gave seventy-one pounds five ounces of milk in a day, and her dam gave 102 pounds.
There are many other very large records, in the pedigree of Mr. Nye's young bull, which may be summed up by the statement that twenty-two dams, including heifers, have milk records that average 78.5 pounds in a day. His full brother, purchased from the Homestead herd by A. & G. Rice of Canada, has been exhibited many times, and every time a prize winner, taking first prize in a yearling class at Toronto, Brantford, Kingston and Ottawa exhibitions. His sister dropped her calf this year in two year old form and in an official test made 57.7 pounds milk in a day, 385.15 pounds milk and 15.325 pounds butter in seven days.
With the blood of such ancestry centered in a young bull of rare beauty and quality, Mr. Nye cannot well fail of rich results by placing him at the head of his herd. He is to be congratulated upon his purchase, and will take pleasure in showing him to his friends who admire choice animals of the Holstein-Friesian breed.
BREVITIES.
—In Justice Harrington's court this morning the case of The People against Adin A. Grant, changed with petit larceny, was adjourned to Dec. 20.
—The union meeting of the young people's societies of the various churches will be held at 5:30 o'clock to-morrow evening In the Congregational church.
—William Irving Harkness and Miss Edith Williams, both of Cortland, were united in marriage by Rev. W. H. Pound at his home Wednesday evening, Nov. 29.
—The regular meeting of the hospital board for December will be held at the hospital Monday afternoon next at 3 o'clock. Officers for the coming year will be elected.
—New display advertisements to-day are—Stowell, Christmas presents, page 8; Buck & Lane, Andes parlor stoves, page 6; McKinney & Doubleday, Holiday opening, page 6.
—A Bible reading on the topic "Moses did write the Pentateuch" will be given by Rev. L. S. Haynes, D. D., of Binghamton, at the First Baptist church Thursday morning, Dec. 7, at 10 o'clock.
—Miss Sarah Boynton, aged 74 years, died of consumption Thursday in Syracuse. The remains were brought, to Cortland this morning and taken to McLean, her former home, for burial.
—Rev. O. A. Houghton, D. D., pastor of the First M. E. church, and Rev. W. H. Pound, pastor of the Congregational church, exchange pulpits to-morrow morning. Each pastor preaches in his own pulpit in the evening.
—Single pictures of several of the pastors of the local churches artistically arranged in a group forms an attractive feature of the showcase display at the foot of the hallway leading up to Hyatt's studio just now. The likenesses of all are excellent.
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