The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 14, 1900.
NEW YORK LETTER.
Gorgeous Holiday Displays—Generosity of New Yorkers—The Small-pox Scare—City Expenses.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
The various shops at this season of the year presents display to rival the glory of King Solomon. The shopper cannot fail to be impressed with the fact that fancy neckwear of gorgeously brilliant hues and hand bags of all colors, shapes and sizes are to be extremely popular as Christmas gifts. Of course the bags are primarily intended for such festive occasions as parties and the theatre, bring exceedingly dainty and elegant. While snakes may never be very popular in real life, as artistic features they are never very far out of the fashion. This season certain combinations of cut glass and silver, make use of that fact to a startling realistic degree. Just why silver and gold snakes, turtles, bugs, etc., should find such extreme favor as ornaments is not very clear, but their actual popularity is not to be disputed As usual, it is in wearing apparel that the shops are rich. Gowns, robes and jackets seem more gorgeous and costly than ever before and in these days when it is impossible to have too many clothes they make about the most acceptable gifts.
The prevalence of small-pox in certain sections of the city to an alarming extent has caused the Health Board vaccinators to work overtime. The physicians are not having an easy time in their efforts to vaccinate those living in the infected districts. Some submit quite readily, but by far the larger portion have absolutely refused to be vaccinated. On the other hand, however, some persons are entirely too forward and they annoy the physicians with all sorts of useless requests, information, etc. For instance, one morning last week a woman called up one of the Health Board physicians on the telephone, and said that she was quite sure that there was small-pox in the home of her washerwoman as she had delayed one day in bringing home the wash. Another woman asked the Health Board to send an inspector to look over a couple of servants she had just engaged as she was afraid they might have small-pox. It remained however for a man to reach the supreme pinnacle of absurdity. He sent a basket of clothes to the Health Department with a note asking that they be "baked." The records of the Bureau of Vital Statistics show a curious series of periodic outbreaks of the disease. Since 1874 every sixth year small-pox has not failed to appear in a most virulent form.
Very few people realize or ever consider the enormous cost of governing the city of New York, except perhaps certain critics of municipal government who, if they were able, would make it still more costly by enlarging its scope of operation. The city's budget of expenses for the year 1901 amounts to nearly $100,000,000. This immense sum is to be raised by taxation next year, and to thoughtful taxpayers the question naturally suggests itself as to whether they are receiving an adequate return for their money. A study of figures and comparisons reveals rather interesting discoveries. For instance, it is said upon good authority that one hundred million dollars is double the cost of Mexico, and is almost a third of the cost of the government of the entire German Empire with its population of 52,000,000. The charge of extravagance and wasteful expenditure of the people's money is frequently heard, but the principal and in fact only basis for such an assertion seems, to an impartial observer, to consist in the excessively large salaries paid to employees of very mediocre ability, and whose claim to recognition is largely due to political activity. It would seem however that if the great mass of citizens object to this enormous payroll they have a very obvious remedy.
It has long been the boast of certain New Yorkers that there is at least one occasion in every year, viz: Thanksgiving Day, when no man, woman or child of the city's poor goes hungry. The last Thanksgiving was no exception to the rule, and at various places, thousands of the homeless and friendless were treated to sumptuous repasts. As a notable instance of this effort to give the poor and especially the little ones a happy day might be mentioned the Five Points House of Industry, where the poorest children in the city are the objects of the care of a generous philanthropy, and where since its organization some 40 years ago more than 30,000 have found homes. Its Thanksgiving Day program included a dinner for the House children at 1 p. m., a dinner for the street poor at 2 p. m.—1,401 attended this dinner last Thanksgiving and reception services at 4 p. m. when the inmates of the House rendered a program of solos, duets, marching drills and recitations. Visitors were made decidedly welcome and probably many a one who felt out of sorts or was homeless himself found an antidote for the blues by seeing so many little folks made happy.
THAT STONE CRUSHER.
"One of the Solons" Replies to "Citizen's" Queries in Last Week's Issue.
Mr. Editor: "Citizen" in your last issue seems to be in trouble indeed: he seems to be grouping about in a mixture of light and darkness, faith and doubt, knowledge and ignorance. He seems to be in earnest in his desire for knowledge, and as I am possessed of a somewhat sympathetic nature, I will with your permission try to give him a little light upon the subject that so puzzles him, and causes his brain to make those rapid gyrations that are so clearly depicted in his article.
Let us first get at some fundamental principles:
A person must first violate some law of the land before he can be convicted of a crime; once convicted, he should be deprived of his liberty and required to labor; to comply with that requirement this county has for a long term of years been sending prisoners to the Onondaga County Penitentiary, where they are required to labor as the law directs. It has cost this county on an average $3.00 per week to thus keep them employed.
The board of supervisors concluded that the tax-payers had a right to receive some benefit, either direct or indirect, from the three thousand or more days prisoners were fed at county expense.
After careful and thorough investigation and due deliberation it was thought that the prisoners might do their time in improving the highways, instead of being obliged to while away their time in the corridor of the jail while the men who foot the board bills were permitted to breathe the fresh air and feel the warm rays of the sun as they shoveled gravel on the highway.
In order to make this practical it was thought that some road-building machinery was necessary; the proposition to appropriate $2,000 with which to purchase a stone crusher, traction engine and roller was presented to the board of supervisors, but in this as in this as in all other legislative bodies there is almost always to be found an "anti": that is, one who, if not familiar with the subject under consideration will vote nay rather than take the trouble to investigate and inform himself so as to be able to vote intelligently; upon roll call upon this proposition it was found that there were ten men representing ten of the towns of the county who were willing to assume the great and terrible responsibility of voting the enormous tax of fifteen cents upon every tax-payer who was assessed $1,000 on the assessment roll, that that much road-making machinery might be bought, and if the prison labor was not sufficient to work the machinery they thought their towns would gladly furnish the balance of labor to make the investment a profitable one.
In years past this would have been a two-thirds vote, but a new city has been born, and in the simplicity of her infancy she fails to see and understand that which her older sister cities have learned by experience, namely, that good country roads leading into a city add much to the prosperity of the city as well as to the country at large; of course the city supervisors could not be expected to know more than the city itself, therefore they voted against the proposition, that to their inexperienced minds seemed to be for the benefit of the rural districts only; but as they grow older in public service they will learn that better road improvement is one of the greatest questions that agitates the public mind. That proposition disposed of, the ''anti's'' became anxious to buy a stone crusher without any power to run it, and were willing to appropriate $1,200 for that purpose, which they did, and when the stone crusher is bought the county will find itself in the same situation as the boy did when he tried to fly his kite without any wind, and the taxpayer will find that the $1,200 has been scattered to the forewinds of—well, we will see what we shall see.
Now if "Citizen" can see anything between these lines that will serve to soothe his troubled brain I shall indeed be thankful for his sake.
ONE OF THE SOLONS.
The Question of Highways.
North Pitcher, N. Y., Dec. 10.—The terrible condition of our public roads has been the chief topic of conversation for the past few weeks, and several controversies have arisen, some of which may lead to litigation. In one district the overseer is threatened with a damage suit for turning the water from the road, while in another, steps have already been taken to bring the overseer to account for alleged neglect to turn the water from the road, allowing it to perform whatever pranks it saw fit, to the disadvantage of those who travel the same.
It is not my purpose to discuss the merits of either case, but rather to suggest methods by which such controversies could in a large measure be avoided and at the same time the roads materially improved.
The present system of paying road tax in work, which has been in practice for the past hundred years, is entirely inadequate to meet the continually growing demand for better roads. As proof of this assertion, I will briefly describe its workings in the town of Pitcher, which with slight variations will hold good in other towns that repair their public reads under the old system. This town is divided into 45 road districts. The commissioners of highways annually appoint an overseer for each district, whose duty is to cause the tax to be worked under his direction. In some of the districts factional disputes have arisen as to the best methods of constructing certain portions of the road and many neighborhood quarrels are usually set in motion. We have in town some five or six road machines which were bought on the installment plan by from three to five districts clubbing together and a certain portion of the road tax in money each year as the law permits, no one being responsible for their proper care. They will soon become worthless not so much by natural wear as by exposure to the winter's blast and summer's sun. These machines are seldom used until after the farmers have finished putting in their crops and the roads have become settled and dry.
Nearly every town has a main road leading to its natural market place, to which other and less traveled roads are contributory. The tax upon these main roads is insufficient to put them in proper condition for the heavy loads that continually press over them. As a result during the fall and spring they become almost impassible; in many instances the main thoroughfares run along the valleys where the condition of the soil is such that the use of a road machine is impracticable, as by its use the depth of dust is only limited by the extent of dry weather, as also the depth of mud is limited by the amount of rainfall. Therefore I contend that such roads should be constructed with gravel, or better still, crushed stone and the towns at large bear a portion of the expense. Abandon the old method of working the road storytelling and hard cider; let the road tax be collected the same as for other public improvements, and by competent and proper authorities judiciously expended upon the public roads, then and not till then, will we see any marked improvement in the condition of our public thoroughfare. Let the town of Pitcher dispose of one-half its road machines and procure a stone crusher and convert the unsightly stone walls, that the farmer would be glad to donate, into a substantial road-bed, where the use of the road machine is impracticable and they will not only confer a blessing upon the traveling public that would be a credit to the town and would enhance the value of every part of real estate within its borders. Who will take the necessary steps in order that the question be voted upon at the coming town meeting? H. I. F.
NEW FEATURE.
Democrat will Publish Photos all Over Cortland County.
For some weeks the Democrat has been giving its readers half tone illustrations from actual photographs taken by special photographers in all parts of the world, embracing events, prominent people, fashions and matters of importance.
This service, while expensive, is meeting with approval from our subscribers, and we now propose, with the new year and century to begin the publication, each week. of a half tone cut taken from photographs of people, churches, schools and other buildings, and in fact to leave behind us a complete pictorial record of Cortland county.
Where photographs are not obtainable, our special artist will make the picture and we will thus give a service never before attempted. In fact, The Democrat strives to lead all county papers in up-to-date and interesting features and will continue to do so.
The Farmers' Institute.
The farmers' institute, previously noticed in the Democrat, will be held in the court house on Friday and Saturday next, Dec. 21 and 22, the address of welcome being given by W. L. Bean of McGrawville. Many prominent agricultural speakers will be present during the sessions, and all will be interested in the discussions which will take place.
Stock in Cortland County.
By the recent census, the number of animals in barns and enclosures, not on farms or ranges, in Cortland county is as follows: Number of enclosures reporting domestic animals, 1,147; horses, 1,711; mules, 13; cows, calves, steers and bulls, 318; sheep, 10; swine, 131; goats 1.
Election of Officers.
The Order of United American Mechanics elected the following officers last Wednesday night:
Councilor—F. W. Kingsbury.
Vice-Councilor—D. R. Cook.
Secretary—J. B. Hunt.
Financial Secretary—L. H. McGraw.
Treasurer—J. H. Johnson.
Representative to State Council—G. F. Dann.
Proxy Representative—Norman Thompson.
Trustee Three Years—G. F. Dann.
Orris Hose Co.
Foreman—Jas. Farrell.
First Assistant—A. F. Sager.
Second Assistant—Wm. F. Seacord.
Secretary—Leo C. Tyler.
Treasurer—J. W. Angell.
First Pipeman—A. J. Goddard
Second Pipeman—M. E. Sarvey.
Third Pipeman—John Miller.
Property Clerk—F. W. Stoker.
Trustee—W. A. Wallace.
Representative on Board of Engineers—M. P. Crane.
M. W.—H. L. Davis.
Foreman—R. B. Innis.
Overseer—W. W. Jennison.
Recorder—C. W. Sanders.
Financier—M. E. Sarvay.
Receiver—H. J. Baker.
Trustee—W. Garloime.
Representative—J. P. Bump.
Alternate—Jas. Bunney.
P. M. W.—J. P. Bump.
First M. E. Sunday School.
Superintendent—Dr. F. J. Cheney.
First Assistant—Dr. F. W. Higgins.
Second Assistant—Mrs. F. J. Doubleday.
Leader of Teachers' Meeting—Dr. Higgins.
Assistant—Dr. E. B. Nash.
Secretary—Stewart E. Dye.
Assistant Secretary—Max Higgins.
Treasurer—Chas. D. Sanders.
Chorister—G. O. Bowen.
Assistant Chorister—D. W. Brown
Pianist—Miss Nina McCarthy.
Assistant Piano—Miss Mabel Rynders.
Superintendent of Primary Department—Miss Lena R. Conable.
First Assistant—Miss Marion L. Weatherwax.
Second Assistant—Miss Sarah Bostwick.
Secretary of Sunday-school Board—Miss Nina McCarthy.
Ushers—Messrs. Van Martyr and Walker.
Librarian—Miss Ella M. Van Hoesen,
Temperance Committee—Miss Hare, Miss Polley and Mrs. Weiler.
Victor Hayloft. No. 357 1/2 .
P. C. H.—Geo. Gleason.
C. H.—Thos. Kernan.
A. C. H.—John Harriott.
C.—Rob't. Gerrard.
K. B.—M. E. Sarvay.
C. S.—Edward Kane.
H. B.—Jesse Vandenberg.
B. D.—Jas. Riley.
G. of H. L.—Thos. Kane.
G. of B. D.—John Hayes.
Stewards—Geo. Gleason, Thos. Kane, Frank J. Burns.
Rep.—Geo. Gleason.
New Bowling Alley.
John F. Dowd of the American Hotel has taken out his billiard tables and will convert the space, with additional room in the rear, into a bowling alley.
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| William McKinley. |
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
Rehabilitate the Rascals.
For a party of professed high moral ideas the g. o. p. in practice will ever stand as an anomaly. Indignant at the merest surmise that all political virtue is not found within its ranks, some of its practices would seem to an outsider to be so much at variance with its professions, that despite its righteous indignation, the belief is forced upon one that within its party ranks political virtue does not hold absolute sway, but has a neighbor of a darker mien. To say the least, political pharisaism plays a prominent part in the Republican policy. Its leading ethical principle is to howl at crime, but later crown the criminal. No sooner do the political managers set off the moral alarm of the Republican time-piece for political effect, than nearly the whole Republican press of the country sends forth a howl of holy horror at the thought that any political crime should be committed in the name of Republicanism. No sooner is the alarm stopped, than the political time-piece begins to tick off the hours of forgetfulness of the crime, and the forgiveness of the criminal.
But two or three years ago the Republican press of the country was righteously indignant, wildly frantic and extravagantly outspoken at the hellish crime of buying rotten beef from a favored syndicate and feeding it to our patriotic boys who had enlisted in the holy war of Cuban independence. Evidence poured in from every hand. Investigation was demanded, and despite strong administration influence, the crime was fixed upon Brig. Gen. Chas. E. Eagan, commissary general of the army. So clear was his connection with the case set forth, that under the stress of public sentiment he was sentenced and suspended from the service. That others were the financial beneficiaries of the transaction was never doubted, but having made him the scapegoat, official whitewash did the rest.
That was about two years ago. Note the change. A telegraphic dispatch from Washington dated December 6 in this year of grace announces that President McKinley has remitted the unexpired sentence of General Eagan and restored him to the service and to "a status of duty with station in this city." The same telegram announces that General Eagan at his own request has been placed in the retired list. Thus is the crime forgotten and the criminal, because of his discreet silence, rewarded. This restoration and retirement will make it possible for General Eagan to draw pay from the government for life. Think of it! "Rotten- beef" Eagan restored to honor and to full pay. Let Alger, the dethroned secretary of war, be crowned anew. Load him with honors. And thus will the memories of those patriotic soldier boys who fell victims to disease made virulent, if not bred, by wanton criminal neglect and blighted, tainted food, receive fresh indignities and their surviving friends additional insults.
With such a precedent established it ought to be easy, yea, even respectable, to carry out Platt's program to exalt George W. Aldridge of canal fame to high official honor in the state. He was only the custodian of money, only the steward of nine millions to improve the canals. To be sure, he spent the money rather wantonly but it was spent in the interest of "our contractors' and the rest of the boys, and he was frank enough to say to the public, when he had expended the money, that he "could not do a thing" with the canals unless the people put fourteen millions more in his glad hands. Instead of the wished for millions, they gave him an unwished for investigation, and as a result Black was side-tracked for re-nomination and Roosevelt was the chosen gubernatorial nominee.
It is well remembered by some how Roosevelt charged through the state in that campaign sowing promises how he, if given chance, would scatter the canal thieves and bring the leaders tied hand and foot before the bar of justice.
Election over and Roosevelt hitched his wild charger and set about devising a way to neutralize Judge Countryman's honest decision, that the testimony submitted him for examination showed that theft was good ground for criminal action against the canal robbers. With a genius and a cunning at once his own, Roosevelt sought out two Democratic lawyers to go over the evidence and report that it would not warrant a criminal conviction. The lawyers were found. The desired report submitted, with the additional statement that "our decision to institute no criminal prosecution on this evidence does not mean that in our opinion the officials charged with carrying out the great work of improving the canals have done their duty."
Aldridge is thus saved from criminal conviction, and is only in political disgrace. Mark the changes. Roosevelt is kicked up stairs into the vice-president's chair. Aldridge has shown himself the potent factor in Monroe county politics. He has unhorsed the gallant O'Grady. His political influence is needed. Odell is in the saddle. Aldridge is now in honor. Enough time has elapsed to restore him to pristine power. All hail! Aldridge, the Platt of Monroe county polities. Let the best official robe to brought forth and placed upon his shoulders and let all the people give glad acclaim. And in these post-election rehabilitations, let not Lou Payn be forgotten. His little political eccentricities should be overlooked and his little political peccadilloes should be forgiven. Time, which has done so much for others, ought not to fail him. The retired lobbyist should be rewarded for great wealth of partisan service, and restored to high political favor. Then will Black, Grober & Company be reconciled and the g. o. p. will carry out its anomalous line of policy, much to the edification of some, and to the amusement of others.
Fox Chase.
At the Johnson House, Truxton, N. Y., on Saturday, Dec. 22, with grand prizes as follows: $8 to first, $6 to second, $3 to third, $2 to fourth and $1 to last dog in. The stakes at finishing point will be four rods apart, and dog to win must pass between them. Competent judges will be in charge throughout, and any protest must be made to them.
E. C. JOHNSON, Prop.
HERE AND THERE.
The new census gives DeRuyter a population of 1,410, a loss of 90 since 1890.
Now that election is over and the corn picked, let us have as good a time as we can this winter.
Our Cortland merchants will be in position to furnish all sorts of holiday presents, from a pin cushion to a $100 watch.
Among the few residents of this county who fully understand the art of horse clipping, can be numbered Mark Wire of Taylor. Several specimens seen of his work show him to be an artist at the business.
Representatives of the Lehigh Valley railroad company were in Moravia Monday and effected a settlement with Frank Wood, the Groton man, who was injured in the wreck last week. It is stated unofficially that Wood received $1,000.
Charles S. Mead of Cortland has purchased a half interest in the business of Charles H. Springer of this village. Mr. Mead is not a stranger to Moravia as he formerly resided here and attended school. For the past eleven years he has been connected with the National Bank of Cortland. The new firm is known at Springer & Mead and we bespeak for them continued prosperity.—Republican.
Merton Hibbard of Eaton Hill, Willet, met with quite a sad accident recently by having the index finger of his left hand cut off while feeding a corn cutter. As the accident happened after election some of his Republican friends are trying to make him believe that it was a judgment upon him for favoring Mr. Bryan for president. Mr. Hibbard insists that this is not so, and thinks if he had deserted his party that he would have lost his whole hand.
An Ancient Clock.
One of the oldest clocks in Cortland county is owned by Samuel Dyer of Willet. The clock stands over six feet high in a handsomely designed case made over 100 years ago, and is an elegant piece of workmanship. The works are from the celebrated firm of R. Whiting, Winchester, England, and were made in 1740. Mr. Dyer says it is a perfect time-piece to-day, and has been in the family since his earliest recollections being handed down from generations before him. A Syracuse curio collector was in Willet one day recently looking at the clock, and secured an option on it. While Mr. Dyer is very loath to part with this old family relic, yet he considers the price to be worth more to him than the clock.
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