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| Brig. Gen. James M. Bell. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 1901.
ACTIVITY IN BATANGAS.
Thousands Leaving the Province for Places of Safety.
SEVERAL INSURGENT ATTACKS.
Important Engagement at Labo, Details of Which Are Lacking—Assault on Town of l.ipa By Large Force Repulsed By Cavalry—Trouble in North Ilocos.
MANILA, Dec. 11.—Thousands of people are leaving Batangas province for places of safety.
General James M. Bell reports an important engagement between a force of insurgents at Labo, province of Camarines, and a detachment of the Twentieth infantry. Three Americans were killed. The loss to the enemy is not known but it is believed to be heavy. General Bell anticipates a speedy extermination of the irreconcilables.
A large force of insurgents recently attacked the town of Lipa, province of Batangas, killing one soldier and several Americanistas. Troop M of the First cavalry killed 10 of the enemy before the remainder of the insurgent force escaped.
The Filipinos evidently expected a victory, for they had cut the wires and carried off a hundred yards of the line.
The natives are stirred by the closing of the ports and bitterly object to re-concentration.
A Filipino force consisting of 200 riflemen and 400 bolomen recently attacked Nagpartian, province of North Ilocos. Company M of the Eighth infantry, acting on the defensive, drove off the enemy, killing 11 of them with no loss to the American's.
Patterson's Plea Overruled.
MANILA, Dec. 11.—The supreme court yesterday dismissed the writ of habeas corpus in the case of Patterson, the Englishman, private secretary of Sixto Lopez, whose deportation is sought by the authorities here as he refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States when he landed at Manila. Justice Cooper dissented. Patterson will be deported on the first steamer bound for Hong Kong.
Former Infantry Captain a Suicide.
MANILA, Dec. 11.—William B. Preston, formerly a captain in the Forty-third infantry, United States volunteers, has committed suicide.
PARTIAL TO JAPANESE.
Labor Federation Would Exempt Them From Exclusion.
CHINESE LABOR THE GREAT EVIL.
Committees and Delegates Divided on Question of Admitting Other Mongolians—Ticket Scalping Debate Was Lively and Those In Favor of It Won.
SCRANTON, Pa., Dec. 11.—The exclusion of Chinamen, Japanese and other Asiatics from American territory, ticket scalping, legislation and advisability of adopting a universal label for union made goods, were the principal questions that claimed the attention of the delegates at yesterday's two sessions of the American Federation of Labor. The resolution advocating the exclusion of the Chinese were adopted by the convention with considerable hurrah, but in the matter of excluding natives of Japan and other Asiatic lands a snag was struck and this part of the anti-Mongolian agitation was killed so far as the present convention is concerned. The special committee having charge of the exclusion matter was unanimous in favor of favorably reporting the Chinese section of the resolution but was divided in regard to the Japanese. The Pacific coast delegates led the discussion on Chinese exclusion, but were divided when it came to excluding other Orientals.
The burden of the remarks of those opposed to the Japanese resolution was that Chinese immigration was the greater evil of the two and that to insist upon some restrictive law to prevent a Japanese invasion may endanger the passage by congress of the Chinese act.
The ticket-scalping debate was quite a lively affair. The delegates representing the railway telegraphers opened the fight against the resolution, making the point that such action was beyond the jurisdiction of the Federation. The "Typos" were helped along in their arguments for the adoption of the resolution by several socialistic members of the convention. When the viva voce vote was taken those in favor of permitting ticket-scalping won by an overwhelming majority.
The agitation for a universal label, which has been carried on for a long time, was again defeated. Those who favored the idea fought valiantly but the delegates had made up their minds on the question and crushed the proposition when it came to a vote.
The convention, disposed of much routine business during the course of the day. The important question of trade autonomy will be sent to a special committee which will be announced later.
ANOTHER WAR CLOUD.
Chili and Argentina Seem to Have Unreconcilable Differences.
VALPARAISO, Chill, Dec. 11.—The war cloud hanging over Chili and Argentina is growing more threatening. Senor Yanez, secretary of foreign affairs, and the Argentina minister, Senor Portela, had another fruitless conference over the pending boundary dispute Monday. It was soon after this failure to agree that Senor Yanez, in reply to a interpellation in the senate, declared that after ascertaining that Argentina was purchasing warships she ordered several and prepared for emergencies. Advices from Argentina say the war fever there is growing.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
Salaries of Congressmen.
A movement is on foot at Washington for an increase in the pay of representatives and senators in congress. The pay is now $5,000 a year; the plan is to make it $10,000, the increase to take effect, of course, with the beginning of the next congress.
Probably the American people would not object to this increase if all the facts were laid before them. A few weeks ago, when the suggestion that the pay of congressmen should be increased was made the congressmen did not have the courage to deal frankly with the matter, but increased their pay indirectly by enlarging the appropriations for stationary and clerk hire. Each representative in congress now has the privilege of employing a clerk at $1,200 a year, and presumably some of the representatives make a straight-forward disbursement of the money. In many cases, however, the clerk who draws the money does not appear at all in Washington, or is the wife, a son, or a relative of the representative, so that the $1,200 is virtually an increase in the congressional salary. Practically the result has been attained in this state, where the legislature has made such large allowances for traveling expenses for our state officers as to amount to a liberal increase in salary.
If the people understood the case they would probably approve of an honest increase in the salary of senators and representatives. The cost of living in Washington is very high and much higher than at the time when these salaries were fixed, and there are few men in either branch of congress who can save a dollar from their salaries. The case of the late William S. Holman of Indiana is one that ought never to be forgotten. He served for more than twenty-five years in the house of representatives, was known as ''the watchdog of the treasury" and saved many millions of dollars by prompt objection to extravagant and corrupt measures, and yet Mr. Holman, who attended strictly to the duties of his office and lived modestly, died after a quarter of a century in the service of his country, actually poorer than when he entered public life. The case of Senator Hoar of Massachusetts is another that ought to be remembered. When he took his seat in congress, he was worth $100,000 and had a law practice worth $20,000 a year. Now his capital has disappeared and his law practice is gone. Ought we to compel such sacrifices from our best senators and representatives? Consider, too, the cases of two of the ablest of living Americans, George P. Edmunds and Thomas B. Reed. Both were compelled to quit congress because they owed a duty to their families and the salaries received at Washington were utterly insufficient. Do the American people wish to pay so little that men like Holman and Hoar most die poverty-stricken, and men like Edmunds and Reed must resign?
It is almost impossible to understand the temptations to which senators and representatives are exposed, or to understand the crying need of money under which they live. It is not surprising that some of them fall; the surprising thing is that more of them do not yield to the temptation of adding to their incomes by ways that, though illegitimate or dishonest, are apparently safe. If we would pay our senators and representatives enough so that they could live comfortably and save a little money, we would be acting not only generously but wisely.
NEW FORM OF THIEVING
Bond Wires Taken from Electric Road—Hot on Trail.
The McGraw division of the electric railroad is today greatly handicapped as the result of a petty thieving last night, which in spite of its pettiness is a very serious form of grand larceny if the guilty parties are found. The copper bond wires which connect the rails of the track and which are used to complete the electric circuit, thus transmitting the power which propels the cars were cut off and stolen last night from the Conable farm to the foot of Greenwood hill. When the first car over the road struck that portion of the track this morning where the bond wires had been taken, the major part of the circuit was gone, what remained being transmitted through the ground, and the result was that the car lost its headway and almost came to a halt. An examination of the rails disclosed the cause. It was with difficulty that the cars could be propelled over the track. The heavy freight car had to give up its trip altogether. The car ran so slowly over this section that one whole trip was lost during the forenoon.
The thieves seem to have driven a wagon along side of the track and cut off the wires and put them in. Hundreds of tracks of a man wearing a new pair of rubber boots were seen in the light snow that had fallen as he walked back and forth between the rails and the highway. Very exact measurements and diagrams of the tracks were taken and the police and officers of the company are hot on the trail. Some clews that are considered excellent are being followed up and it is believed that the the guilty parties will be apprehended. ,
It would hardly seem that the end to be attained by stealing these wires would be worth the trouble and risk. At best the prizes were but short pieces of copper wire which could only be sold as junk and any one offering them for sale would be at once suspicion of having stolen them as no one but a railroad company would be likely to lawfully have them in possession. On the other hand, the law is very stringent and exceedingly heavy penalties are laid upon the [purloiners] of such property.
The company is put to considerable inconvenience by the theft, as it will take several days to replace the wires. The service will necessarily be interfered with and the public will have to try to be patient as best they can.
MORE AND MORE TELEPHONES.
Another Switchboard Added and Other Improvements Coming.
There is a steady and constant increase in the number of telephones upon the exchange of the Home Telephone Co. They keep coming in at about the rate of one each day. Last month thirty were added to the list. Six switchboards are now fully occupied and a seventh one has been ordered and will soon be set up and connections can then be made. In Homer the one switchboard has been full for some time and another has been ordered. About a score of orders are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the board so that telephones may be put in and connected.
A considerable share of the new telephones in Cortland have been added in the eastern part of the city and new cables are soon to be strung there from which the side lines and individual lines can be extended.
The public is quick to appreciate the great convenience of the telephones and their capacity as time savers, to say nothing of the reasonable rates at which they are furnished and the excellent service given, and this no doubt accounts for the marvelous growth of the local exchange which is far beyond the fondest expectations of the most sanguine. It should be remembered that it is only about ten months now since the first telephones were connected.
The following subscribers have been added to the list of the Home Telephone company since its last list of subscribers was issued:
554— W. P. Winters, residence.
555—C. H. Mason, residence.
556—N. H. Winters, residence.
557—Cortland & Homer Oil Supply Co.
558—Charles E. Thompson, residence.
559—Elin Stafford, residence.
560—Albert Terrell, residence.
561—L. Dillon, shirt factory.
562—J. R. Ingalls, residence.
563—J. S. Bull, residence.
564—Hugh Dnffey, residence.
565—J. R. Birdlebough, residence.
566—Glann & Clark, store.
567—H. M. Lane, residence.
568—W. F. Clark, residence.
569—J. G. Glann, residence.
570—J. B. Sliter, residence.
571—Mrs. Ella Butler, residence.
SALE OF A CHURCH.
R. G. Rowley Purchases it for the Congregation Who Have Used It.
The Union Church society of South Cortland has found a friend in need in the person of Mr. R. G. Rowley. Its church edifice was sold yesterday by Kellogg & Van Hoesen under order from the court and Mr. Rowley bid it off for $200. A legal question was involved and a sum of money was necessary to save the property. A subscription paper was started, but it could not be sufficiently circulated to raise the desired amount and it looked as though the church must be sacrificed, when Mr. Rowley went down in his pocket and found the needful and bid off the church.
In 1840 the people of South Cortland determined to erect a church, and Mr. and Mrs. Zera Tanner and Reuben Cadwald donated the land and gave liberally, with some twenty other leading families, for the erection of the Christian church. At that time the denomination was a leading one and the people for miles around were accustomed to attend the services at the South Cortland church. For some time the Christians, or Campellities, as they were known, thrived but after the civil war the founders of the church began to pass away and the ranks were not recruited. As long as Mrs. Lucy Tanner lived she kept the church alive and occasional services were held in the old meeting house. After her death and for the past ten years the Christian services stopped, and a few years ago the Union society of South Cortland was formed and all denominations used the house of worship.
In September, 1900, the conference began an action, under the religious corporation law, which would permit them to sell the property and give a clear title to the same. This action was opposed by the Union society, and one of its members, Wilbur Sanders, claimed a part of the land on which the building stood, and upon this ground claimed ownership. The case was continued in the courts until last October, when Kellogg & Van Hoesen obtained permission from Judge Lyon to sell the property.
Many of the members of the Union society believed that the claim might be successfully contested in the courts, but recognized the fact at the same time that it would probably be more economical to compromise and bid off the church than to litigate. Thus the sale resulted, being the first church ever to be sold by order of the court in this county.
The sale was formally forbidden by Geo H. Hyde for the Union society and by Wilbur Sanders who claimed a title to a part of the ground which consists of about a quarter acre of land. The sale, however, was held, and Mr. Rowley secured it for $200. As soon as the society raises its money Mr. Rowley will turn the property over, as no one understood that he desired to become the sole owner or proprietor of a church. He was simply the friend in need.
Services will continue to be held in the church by the society.
Two Homes are Wanted.
Commissioner of Charities E. E. Price is desirous of finding [Cortland] homes in families for two children, a boy of 12 and a girl of about 6 or 7. Both are bright and healthy children.
Miss Mills to Speak.
Miss Harriet May Mills of Syracuse will speak under the auspices of the Political Equality club of Cortland in the W. C. T. U. rooms Friday evening, Dec. 13. The Julia Ladies' quartet is composed of Miss Maud Linderman, first soprano; Mrs. F. Brown, second soprano; Mrs. Harris, first alto; Mrs. Julia Twiss, second alto. Miss Mills is a brilliant and entertaining speaker and the public are cordially invited to come and hear her. No admission will be charged, but a collection will be taken.
BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
More Road Improvements Asked For—This Time in Preble, N. Y.
The board of supervisors reconvened this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock to finish the business of the session. All the members of the board were present.
Dr. Hunt of Preble introduced a resolution, asking that the highway leading south from the village of Preble toward the village of Homer be improved under the good roads law, for a distance of one and one-fourth miles. The estimated cost is $8,000. The resolution was adopted, eighteen voting for it, and two against it.
The signing of the tax warrants occupied the greater part of the afternoon. The board adjourned till 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.
BREVETIES.
—Cortland Chapter, No. 194, R. A. M., will meet at their regular convocation this evening.
—The Homer-ave. church choir will meet with Arthur Allen, 13 Halbert-st., Friday evening of this week at 7:30 o'clock.
—There will be a meeting of the Kindergarten association Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8:30 o'clock in the Normal kindergarten.
—A regular meeting of the L. C. B. A. will be held this evening at 8 o'clock in their rooms. Every member is requested to be present.
—The board of fire commissioners met last evening and audited the bills for the month of November. No other business was transacted.
—The Epworth league of the Homer-ave. M. E. church will hold a business meeting this evening at 7:45 o'clock at the church parlors.
—The evidence in the Haskill case on trial in county court was closed just before The STANDARD went to press and the summing up had begun.
—The Up Hill Whist club met last evening with Mrs. A. B. Nelson, 12 Monroe Heights. Six tables were played and an enjoyable evening was passed.
—A regular meeting ol the L. O. T. M. will be held tomorrow night at 7:30 sharp. Nomination and election of officers will occur. All members are urged to be present.
—The nomination of B. T. Burlingham as postmaster of McGraw was Monday sent to the senate by President Roosevelt. Mr. Burlingham is the present postmaster.
—New side curtains for the front platforms of the street cars have just been purchased and will do much toward making the motormen comfortable during the cold winter days and nights.
—A regular meeting of the Woman's Foreign Missionary society of the Presbyterian church will be held on Friday of this week at the chapel. The time, however, will be changed to 7:30 P. M., and a stereopticon lecture on "India'' will be given by the pastor.
—New display advertisements today are—D. Katzen, Tailoring, etc., Page 6; Opera House, Mark's Co., ''A Bird in a Gilded Cage,'' page 5; Buck and Lane, Steam heating, etc., page 6; Baker & Angell, Shoes, page 4; Smith & Beaudry, Books, page 4.
—Residents of the northern and eastern portions of the town of Cortlandville—outside of the city limits—who have town and county orders due them, will find the same at the First National bank. Residents of the south and east portions of the town will find their orders at the Corner store, McGrawville.
—The STANDARD is indebted to Superintendent F. E. Smith for a copy of Education in the United States by Nicholas Murray Butler. The book consists of a series of monographs which are of such a character, both as to matter considered and as to style as to interest the general public as well as the professional educator.
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