The Cortland Democrat, Friday, October 26, 1900.
BRYAN IN CORTLAND.
OVER TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE HEAR HIM SPEAK.
A Great Ovation Given the Democratic Candidate for President—He Speaks for Nearly Forty Minutes and is Listened to With Rapt Attention—Every Hamlet in the County Represented.
William Jennings Bryan must have been much pleased with the magnitude of the gathering which assembled on Athletic field last Friday afternoon. The crowd numbered at least 10,000, coming from every town and hamlet in Cortland county, and it did not require the services of a brass band and the booming of cannon to get the people out. Early in the forenoon farmers, business men and laborers began arriving in the city, some by train, others by team and many on bicycles, all eager to see and to hear the next president.
Messrs. Hugh Duffey and C. Fred Thompson went to Ithaca during the forenoon, as representatives of the Democratic county committee, to accompany Mr. Bryan to this city, and from Binghamton came Mayor Jerome DeWitt, A. D. Wales, Esq. and Capt. George C. Broome, the Democratic candidate for state senator from this district, to greet the distinguished gentleman and to escort him to the Parlor city.
Although it was known that Mr. Bryan could not possibly arrive in Cortland before 2:15 o'clock, the people began to assemble on the grounds in front of the grand stand as early as 12:30, so eager were they to secure a commanding view of the speaker and a position where they could hear what they well knew would be a masterly speech, though necessarily brief. From that hour until the arrival of Mr. Bryan there was a steady march of people to the grounds, good judges estimating the number in attendance at over 10,000. The day was pleasant, but there was a chilly wind from the north which made waiting uncomfortable, yet no one murmured, all seemingly willing to experience the disagreeable features for the sake of eventually hearing the principles of Democracy expounded by a masterly hand.
A speaking stand had been erected in the front portion of the grand stand, the latter being filled by those holding tickets issued by the county committee. The entire front of the grand stand was prettily decorated with bunting and flags.
Shortly after 2:30 the boom of a signal gun announced the arrival of the train at the depot, and there was at once an air of anxious expectancy upon the countenances of all, until J. A. Jayne, who stood at the head of the stairway leading to the speaker's stand, was seen to grasp the hand of a gentleman whose identity could not be mistaken, for in William Jennings Bryan the audience saw the original of the thousands of pictures of our presidential candidate which are displayed in the homes of true Democrats throughout the county.
Dr. James M. Milne, chairman of the Democratic county committee, at once introduced Mr. Bryan who was greeted with a round of applause that must have been an inspiration to the distinguished gentleman, who spoke as follows:
You will excuse me if I wear my hat, as my hair is not as much protection as it used to be. My only regret is that I have not the time or the strength to go into every community and talk to all the people of the United States, for I believe that, if the American people would take time to study the issues before the country and then lay aside all feeling of partisanship so that each man could vote exactly as he thought right, we would have the largest majority ever given for any party in the United States.
I do not believe that one man out of every one hundred is benefitted by the Republican policies, and I believe that the only reason why a large number will vote the Republican ticket this year, regardless of all arguments which may be made, is because they have learned to believe that whatever the Republican party does is right, and that whatever any other party does is wrong; and when people get into that condition the leaders of the party do anything they please. If the great mass of the people would watch the government as carefully as the great corporations watch it; if the great mass of the people were as ready to cast their vote in their own interests as the great corporations are to cast theirs, there would be no doubt as to the result of this campaign. (Interruption by some Republican in the audience.)
Now a man cannot be blamed if he is compelled to keep his nose on the grind-stone, but he can be blamed if he turns the grind-stone himself, and while I don't know anything about the gentleman who hollered for my competitor (and am not anxious to find out) I will venture to make the assertion that the men in this crowd who holler for McKinley are not able to say that they participate in the blessings of this administration. McKinley states that we are loaning money in Europe—who are we?" Are you "we?" My friend admits that he does not belong to the "we!" Now if the President asserts that we are loaning money in Europe and gives that as a test of our prosperity, don't you think it is fair for me to say that all who are included in the "we" and are loaning money in Europe would be justified in voting for the President?
Now you have here farmers and laboring-men and those who, as merchants, deal both with the farmers and the laboring-men and I want to ask the farmers to ask themselves what there is in the policy of the Republican party that is good for a farmer. I assert that the farmer of this country gets no benefit from Republican policies, but is the victim of all the class legislation for which the Republican party is responsible. I am willing for each farmer to examine his own case and decide for himself whether, in casting his vote for the Republican ticket, he is casting his vote for the welfare of his family, his own interests, or those of some one else. I have had occasion to be up among the lakes and have seen there beautiful homes where people are able to go to enjoy rest in the summer, but when I saw those homes and the people there I did not see the farmer and his wife, or the laboring man and his wife, and my thoughts ran back to other homes and I saw the tired faces of the farmers wives, and I asked myself why will the farmers vote for an administration which fills the watering places with these people, while the farmer stays at home and bends his back lower under the burden.
Now my friends, when I was elected to Congress I told the farmers they must not expect me to help them to get their hands in other people's pockets; I told them if I could keep other people from getting their hands in their pockets, I was doing all I could.
The farmer does not profit by class legislation; I was a member of the Ways and Means committee, and while there I never saw a farmer come before the committee, with one exception, and he was near enough Washington to walk down there. You do not find the farmers there. You find the men representing great corporations; they represent, not the tax-payers, but the tax-eaters. They will use the farmer to help them accumulate their fortune, and if you will take the statistics you will find decade after decade shows that the farmers are owning a less and less proportion of the wealth of the country which they create.
Now my friends, you go down East and you will hear how the farmers are prospering out West, and go out West and you will hear how the laborers are prospering down East.
I went to West Virginia last week and was surprised to read in the New York Tribune an account of my own prosperity as a farmer. Now I never boasted that I was a farmer; I am an agriculturalist—if you know the difference between the two. This is the explanation I once heard: The farmer makes his money off the farm and spends it in the town, and the agriculturalist makes his money in the town and spends it on the farm. Now this paper said I raised 120 acres of oats; my oats yielded 40 bushels to the acre; that I sold them for 30 cts. per bushel, and when I got the returns from my crop, that I had twice as much as I paid for the land, and stated that that was a sample of what was going on on the farm, and that they all were going into the Republican party—the only "rich man's party"—in the United States. Now the truth of the matter was, that instead of having 120 acres of oats I had five; and instead of 40 bushels to the acre I have not yet threshed and don't know what they will yield; and instead of 30 cents per bushel, oats were worth less than 30 cts. per bushel when that story was written, and the land cost me over $100 per acre. With these corrections the story is true, and if this is just a sample of what is going on on the farm, then I know what is going on.
My friends! take the subject of oats: Here is a little book issued by the H. C. Clews Banking Co. in New York city, and in this book I find the price of oats for the last seven years, and I find that during the four years of Cleveland's administration oats were higher than during the three years of McKinley's administration, so if you take oats as a sample the farmer to-day will not make as much out of his oat crop as he made on an average four years ago. But when he goes to buy something with the proceeds of his oat crop he finds that sugar, oil, barbed wire and everything that the Trust can control is higher in price than it was four years ago. Now my friends, if you want to compare the farmers' prosperity with the prosperity of those who really get the blessings of a Republican administration. I will tell you how to do it. We learn by statistics that there is an average of $1,000 per capita, but don't you be deceived by the "per capita" argument, for it is like a man who said he and Vanderbilt were rich, but Vanderbilt had it all.
Let us assume that some young man who has his average $1,000 marries a young woman who has her average $1,000, and they put the $2,000 together and buy a farm of 80 acres at $25 per acre; then they have something on which they can borrow money and can borrow enough to build a house and barn and buy horses, cattle and agricultural implements. Figure out how long it will take them to get rich in raising oats, provided they have a good crop each year and sell at the average price of oats now. Get a big sheet of paper and several lead pencils.
Within the year you will remember that the American Steel & Wire Co. closed several factories, threw 6,000 men out of employment, and there was a break in the stock market and it was stated that the man responsible for the conducting of the institution made more money by the break in the stock than a man can make in a whole life-time from youth to old age. That is the difference between those who profit by Republican administration and those who need protective industry.
Referring to the trusts, Mr. Bryan said: "Hanna says there are no trusts. I do not know a Republican whose word is so thoroughly repudiated by his own party. Hanna says there are no trusts, but there is an ice trust. There is an ice trust, but there are no trusts. The officers of the ice trust are in fact Republicans. Now they say there are good trusts and bad trusts and they cannot tell them apart.
As to the Philippines he remarked: "Republicans say that if we come away the Filipinos will kill each other; therefore we must kill them first and take from them the awful responsibility of killing each other."
Speaking in reference to a large standing army, Mr. Bryan said: "I want to call your attention to a new question. It is with reference to the large standing army. They tell you that the army is not as large as it was in 1896. We had enough soldiers in 1896. The Republican platform didn't ask for more; we had enough. On December 5, 1898, within two years, the president asked Congress to authorize an army of 100,000 men. The House passed a bill authorizing an army, Senator Hawley reported back the bill favorably. In March a compromise limited the increase to one year. If the Republican party is placed in power we will have an army of 100,000. Why should we have an army of 100,000? There are three reasons given. One is that we will need it, not now, but permanently, to be used in foreign lands, holding the people in subjection. Second, we want to keep the army in idleness. Third, that we expect to use the army in this country. Why should we keep the army in idleness? Why need a large army in this country? If this government be administered as Jefferson planned, there will be no need of a large standing army. The only excuse that you can give for a large army in this country is that you will use it to suppress discontent between laboring men."
At the close of his remarks Mr. Bryan was hurriedly conveyed to his special train, which conveyed him to Binghamton, where he spoke for a half hour. He passed through Cortland on his way to Rochester at about 6:30, reaching the latter city at 9:15, making two speeches after that hour. While the train stopped at this station for a few moments, several people tried to get a glimpse of Mr. Bryan, but they were informed by the porter that the gentleman was sleeping.
Fire on South Hill.
Our Blodgett Mills correspondent furnishes the information that on "Sunday night last at about 8 o'clock, the large barn belonging to Edward Thayer of South Hill was discovered on fire, and was entirely consumed with all its contents, consisting of 30 tons of hay and several farm implements. The cause is unknown as the barn stood nearly half mile back in the lot. The building and contents were insured in the Patrons' Fire Relief association."
Teachers' Examinations.
Uniform examinations for teachers' certificate of the first, second and third grades will be held in Homer, Thursday and Friday, November 8 and 9, 1900. Examinations will begin at 9 o'clock.
KATHERINE C. MACDIARMID, Commissioner, 2nd. Dist., Cortland Co.
W. C. T. U. Meeting.
The regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. was held on Tuesday afternoon and opened with devotional exercises led by Miss Myra Norton.
The name of Mrs. Rosabelle V. Townsend, 101 N. Main St., was proposed for membership.
It was moved and carried that a free lunch be served at the rooms of the Union on election day. Further particulars to be given later.
It was also decided by a hearty vote in the affirmative that a gasoline coffee cart be purchased for use at fires or on any occasion when it might be needed.
A meeting will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock for the purpose of making comfort-bags to be given through the state superintendent to the young men soon to sail on one of the United States transports for Manila.
Partial reports of the state convention, held at Hornellsville Oct. 16 to 19, were given by the delegates, Mrs. Greenman and Mrs. Collins. It was very gratifying to learn of the progress of the work and the great increase in membership in the state the last year, the net gain being 1,376. This makes the white ribbon army over 22,000 in the state. It would be simply impossible to give even an outline of the program or of the convention as a whole, since every feature was one of special interest. It may be of interest in passing to note that Hornellsville has the curfew law in full force and that it meets with general approval; also that several members of its board of education are women and still more, that the president of that body is a woman and an active member of the W. C. T. U., and yet the city seems to grow and prosper.
It was announced that a parlor meeting would be held at the home of Mrs. C. W. Collins, 18 Clinton-ave. on Wednesday evening, Oct. 31, when further reports of the convention will be given. A cordial invitation is extended to all members of the Union and their friends.
To the Board of Managers of the Home for the Aged Association.
To-day as we celebrate our ninth anniversary our thoughts are naturally turned to the time of our organization, and the question arises, what has been accomplished in nine years? Have we fulfilled the plan that was intended by the establishment of the Home? Have we been the means of lightening the burdens of the many who have sought shelter beneath our roof? In these days of push and hurry if an organization is placed on a good financial basis, it is regarded a success, and this is what the managers of the Home have been working for, but it has not been their own ambition; they have been just as eager to provide a home-like home with all the comforts and some of the luxuries. When showing visitors about we often hear the remark, "How homelike everything seems, it is not an institution at all but a nice comfortable home.'' Nothing could be said that gives the managers more pleasure, for they feel that their labor has not been in vain, if others are appreciating what they have been working so hard to accomplish.
The workings of the home, which are looked after by the committees appointed each year, and carried on by the matron and her assistant, are about the same from day to day and year to year, occasionally there is an improvement: this year through the generosity of our president the house has been treated to two coats of fresh paint, which very much improves its appearance.
Kind friends are always anticipating our needs and many gifts of provisions, clothing and money have been received during the year and perhaps it would be well to say that without these gifts the Home could not exist.
We have held twelve monthly meetings with an average of eight members present. Our books show 52 annual members. The permanent fund has been increased $938.74. Seventy dollars in memory of Mrs. H. K. Arms, of Kendall, Mich. Six hundred ninety four dollars and eighty cents from the estate of the late Mrs. J. W. Sturtevant of Cortland, the remainder being interest and smaller gifts. We have also received a gift of some valuable land in the town of Homer from Miss Sarah H. Kieskern of Chicago.
In Jan. our matron, Mrs. Emily Bates, resigned and her place was very acceptably filled by Mrs. Eva Day, who resigned in Aug. and at present Mrs. Mary Litz is filling the position with credit.
The religious services held at the Home are looked forward to with pleasure, and the managers wish to thank all that in any way have assisted in these services.
We have received into the Home family, Mrs. Maranda Waters of Cortland, N. Y. Nov. 3rd, 1899 [and] Mrs. Lucy J. Blanchard, Syracuse, N. Y., Apr. 30th, 1900.
At present we have eight boarders and two applications have been received and accepted, but the ladies have not yet arrived at the Home. On Nov. 7th occurred the death of Mrs. Polly Beckwith. She was 92 years old and was buried at McLean.
I cannot close this report without urging all who are interested in good works to call at the Home, see how comfortable everything is, and acquaint themselves with the management, for to know is to be interested. Respectfully,
FLORENCE B. MAXON, Secretary.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
At the annual meeting of the Home for Aged Women Association held Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 9th, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Trustees—Mrs. Elizabeth Newton, Mrs. Susan L. Hitchcock, Mrs. Maria Stone, Miss Ellen Phillips, B. H. Griffin, Walter Briggs, A. H. Bennett, Calvin Walrad, D. F. Wallace, Cortland.
President—Mrs. Elizabeth S. Newton.
Vice-President—Mrs. Jane M. Crane.
2nd. Vice President—Mrs. Susan L. Hitchcock.
Secretary—Mrs. Florence B. Maxon.
Treasurer Miss Harriet E. Green.
Board of Managers—Mrs. Elizabeth S. Newton, Mrs. Susan L. Hitchcock, Mrs. Jane M. Crane, Mrs. Maria Stone, Mrs. J. W. Fisher, Mrs. Walter Jones, Mrs. Newell Jones, Mrs. Emma Bennett, Mrs. Florence Maxson, Miss Harriet E. Green, Miss Ellen E. Phillips, Mrs. Sarah Griffin, Mrs. Celora Kingsbury, Mrs. Fannie Miller, Mrs. Della Briggs, Homer; Miss Edith Stephens, Mrs. L. J. Fitzgerald, Calvin Walrad, D. F. Wallace, Cortland; A. H. Bennett, B. H. Griffin, E. L. Stone, E. G. Ranney, Walter Briggs, Homer.
HERE AND THERE.
Election one week from next Tuesday.
Say! but ain't politics getting hot in Cortland?
That was a glorious rain we had Tuesday afternoon.
M. R. Smith has opened his oyster house in North Main-st.
What was the matter with last Sunday being a beautiful October day?
The Prohibitionists have a monopoly of the banner business in Cortland this year.
Bishop Fowler's lecture on "Abraham Lincoln" will be given in Normal hall this evening.
The residence of William Shaw, proprietor of the city cab, has been connected with the telephone exchange.
The Cortland fire department attended the funeral of Daniel J. Riley in a body Wednesday forenoon.
Messrs. Sprague & Stearns are erecting several more coal sheds on the south end of the Jayne lot, near the D., L. & W. tracks.
The big coal strike has been over so many times that people will begin to doubt it is ended until the price of coal takes a drop.
A bright young cake-walker arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Wallace Sunday night, weight 8 1/2 lbs. Jack very naturally feels highly elated.
Cyclers still continue to ride on the sidewalks in Railroad-st., when the brick pavement is fully as good a surface to wheel over. One or two arrests should be made.
Wheelmen can soon go from Otter Creek bridge on Groton-ave. to the railroad in Port Watson-st. on an unbroken surface of asphalt, or to the Rural cemetery, either of which will make a long ride.
After next week the Democrat will let up on politics, except to hurrah over the election of Bryan, Stanchfield, Taylor, et al., the following week. Our readers may be assured that there will be something lively and interesting in every issue after election.
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