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| Tomas Estrada. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, May 28, 1902.
GIVES THANKS TO GOD.
President Palma Reads His First Message.
CUBANS ENTITLED TO LIBERTY.
Recommends Encouragement of Agriculture, Raising of Cattle and Introduction of Varied Industries—Discusses Reciprocity—Republic Recognized by Several Countries.
Havana, May 28.—President Palma's message is published here and will be delivered to the Cuban senate today. The message opens by giving thanks to the Almighty for His assistance in carrying out the work of obtaining Cuban independence and asks divine aid in the establishment of a firm and stable government.
"Never did a people fight with more perseverance," says President Palma, "and sacrifice more for liberty than have the Cubans. No people, therefore, are more entitled to see their just efforts crowned with success."
Continuing, President Palma recommends the encouragement of the agricultural industries of the island, the raising of cattle, the establishment of agricultural stations to improve the culture of sugar cane and tobacco and the introduction of varied agricultural industries.
"While the question of reciprocity is still pending," the message goes on, "it is impossible to state now what measures should be adopted to meet the pending crisis. This crisis is due to the ruinous price of sugar caused by excessive production of beet sugar in Europe. An immediate remedy would be the reduction of the American tariff on sugar to obtain which the executive will at once devote his efforts and will negotiate a treaty in order to obtain benefits for the Cuban sugar producer.
"If security of life and property in Cuba is to be firmly guaranteed the rural guard must be reorganized and increased, as the present tranquility in the island is due to the people themselves and their desire to maintain the prestige of their country.
"We recognize that during the American intervention the sanitary conditions of the island were greatly improved, but it is necessary to continue this work and make these improved conditions permanent.
"The office of judge of Cuba should be permanent and to constitute this principle of immovability should be one of the first duties of congress."
President Palma declares it is the purpose of the government to devote its attention to education and especially to primary schools.
"It is very satisfactory to us," says the president, "that the republic of Cuba has been officially recognized by the United States, Great Britain, France, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Santo Domingo, Ecuador and Paraguay and we hope that other countries will also recognize our republic. We must cultivate cordial relations with all nations and make treaties of amnesty and commerce favorable to Cuba. We must also especial care that the relations between Cuba and the United States be most friendly, in order that there be no difficulty in arranging the political or commercial questions which affect both countries."
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
Peril of Immigration.
One of the famous sayings of President Benjamin Harrison was ''The gates of Castle Garden never swing outward." The idea was that while hundreds of thousands of immigrants, coming from all countries of the old world, landed on our shores every year, there was no emigration from the United States by those seeking to better their condition in life. In other words, the free institutions and prosperity of our country not only afforded full opportunity for advancement to our own citizens, but we had enough to spare for the poor and oppressed of other lands; and we welcomed all who came because their labor was needed further to develop our great natural resources, strengthen still more our industrial position, and give still wider scope to our financial and commercial power.
When immigration to the United States was largely confined to people from Western Europe, says the Utica Herald-Dispatch, the truth and significance of President Harrison's aphorism stood unchallenged. Those who came from the United Kingdom, Germany and the Northwestern countries of Europe were welcomed because they not only were a great help in developing the country, but were easily assimilated with our native population. With a proper conception and appreciation of our political, educational and social institutions, they heartily joined hands with our own people in promoting them, with the result that their children became as intelligent, patriotic and influential citizens as any descendants of a long line of American ancestors. Of late years, however, the character of the immigration to this country has been changed for the worse. The people now landing on our shores are largely from Southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. They come among us illiterate, clinging to their languages and customs, appreciative of only such opportunities as afford them gainful pursuits and, by their clannish herding together placing an almost insurmountable obstacle in the way of their assimilation with our own population. They are indifferent to the education of their children, and take them from school, if they are allowed, as soon as they are able to earn anything. Either through ignorance or indifference, they show little desire to inform themselves as to our political institutions and when they do become citizens they generally sell their votes lo the highest bidder.
And our gates now often swing outward to let some alien pass through who has got together enough American money to enable him to live on it in his native land. We are even told that many foreign miners in the anthracite region have gone back to the various countries from which they came to remain until the [coal] strike is over. They will then return, and when they have saved enough money on which to live, they will again depart for the countries of their birth to stay permanently.
The evil of unrestricted immigration has become so pronounced that others than our own students of political economy are beginning to take notice of it. Take, for example, Professor Thomas Garique Masaryk, of the University of Prague, and a member of the Austrian Reichsrath. He is now in Baltimore investigating the educational methods of Johns Hopkins university, He is quoted as saying in an interview:
From my observations in the immigration quarters of New York I have been led to believe the situation is really alarming. Here you have on an average of a half million immigrants coming to your shores annually, for the most part uneducated, among them great numbers of Italians, Syrians, Turks and Greeks. You cannot imagine what it means to have these people suddenly liberated from the political, religious, and social bonds under which they have lived for centuries. Comparatively few seem to see the danger that lurks behind this condition. A half million immigrants mean about 5 million children in five years. Who takes care of them? Go to New York and you will find them fairly swarming about the streets of the east side from early morning until late in the evening. Than go to the other section of the city and you notice the contrast. In the one place thousands of ignorant children playing in the filth of the smaller streets and alleys, and in the other neatly-clad children with school books in their arms. There is only one remedy that I can think of, and that is to organize a movement to take care of these children, educate them, and by so doing, elevate their moral condition.
There is another remedy than the one suggested by Professor Masaryk, and that is to apply the educational test to all aliens coming to this country. During the last three months of 1901 the immigrants landing in New York numbered nearly 100,000. Of these about four-fifths came from Italy, Poland, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey, and one-third of them were illiterate. The people from Southern Italy constituted 26 per cent of the new comers, Hebrews 11 per cent, and Poles 9 per cent. One-half of the Italians, Lithuanians, [Romanians] and Syrians could neither read nor write. Such ignorance as is shown by these figures is an almost impassable barrier to a proper understanding and performance of the duties of citizenship, especially when there is the further handicap of unfamiliarity with the English language. The education of the children of this class of foreigners is a difficult matter, because of the alien and mercenary influences at home; and a constant addition to the number of illiterate keeps down the educational average of the country, in spite of the immense sums spent annually on our schools.
An educational test would seem to be one effective remedy for the immigration evil. Other helpful reforms might be an extension of the time aliens must reside in this country before they can vote, and the enactment of uniform naturalization laws in all the states. As to the claim that an educational test would exclude the only people who are willing to work in this country as common laborers this may be said: Exclusion might for a time raise the price of labor in this country, but eventually things would adapt themselves to the conditions that prevailed. In fact, alien labor even now is being continually organized in this country for the purpose of getting higher wages. It is not likely, therefore, that industrial enterprises will suffer much if we shut our doors against indiscriminate immigration until we know what to do with the many undesirable aliens already on our hands.
NORMAL SCHOOL HONORS.
Announced After Chapel Exercises This Morning.
LARGE CLASS TO BE GRADUATED.
Speakers for the Commencement Stage—Special Records for Professional Work, Scholarship, Oratorical and Literary Work—A Pleasing Exercise.
The honors for the Normal graduating class of 1902 were announced after chapel exercises this morning. There was a pleasant ceremony connected with the announcement which tended to make the occasion a memorable one for all concerned. All of the students except the graduating class assembled at 8:45 in Normal hall, seats being reserved directly in front of the rostrum for the class. The faculty were in their accustomed places upon the rostrum, each wearing a knot of ribbon of the class colors, crimson and black, together with beautiful crimson roses, which had been presented by the class. Crimson and black streamers were gracefully looped from the chapel desk at the front of the rostrum to the nearest chandelier at the right and left, and the figures in white "02" were placed upon the rosette upon the desk where the streamers joined. A large bouquet of crimson roses was stored upon the desk, and the large school flag was draped at the rear of the rostrum.
As the last bell ceased ringing the school orchestra of ten pieces struck up an inspiring march and the class which will this year number about 114 entered in single file headed by its president, Mr. Wallace Rayfield, who carried in his hand a crimson flag upon which were the figures "02". The students marched to the center aisle and then filed to the right and left into the seats reserved for them till all were in position. Then before sitting, led by the president, they gave the class yell with an explosive emphasis that filled the great hall. The yell is as follows:
Dr. Cheney, the principal, then announced the inspiring old hymn, "Brightly Beams Our Banner," which was sung with a will by the entire school, led by Miss Alger and the orchestra, with Miss Cornish at the piano. Rev. Robert Clements, pastor of the Presbyterian church, was present by invitation and read the Scripture and offered prayer. The Scripture selection was from Eph. vi, beginning at the 10th verse, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."
The Announcement Made.
Dr. Cheney prefaced the announcement of the honors by a few brief remarks [when] he said that this class was especially distinguished in three particular lines:
First, in no previous class in the history of the school had so large a number of students come up to that percentage in their work which would entitle them to appearance upon the commencement stage.
Second, this class contained in its membership a student who had reached a higher average percentage in all her work than had ever before been attained in the school certainly during the administration of the present principal, and so far as known at any time in the history of the school.
Third, no previous class had ever had the honors for a June commencement announced in a raging snow storm, as was the case this morning.
Dr. Cheney then referred to the special appointment by himself of one of the class for the commencement stage, according to recent custom, the basis for this appointment being not only professional work, scholarship, oratorical and literary ability, but general improvement of the individual during his course, the general spirit of harmony with the school by which the student takes an attitude in which he can be especially helped by the school for a life work of usefulness. The principal's appointment is considered the highest honor of the commencement stage, and the recipient of that honor this year is Mr. Wallace W. Rayfield. The announcement was greeted with hearty applause which indicated that the school thoroughly approved of the choice.
The commencement appointments generally are based upon a scale of six points, of which three points are counted for proficiency in professional work, two points for scholarship and one point for oratorical and literary ability.
Commencement Speakers.
The commencement speakers from this class in the order of rank upon the basis of the six points already referred to are as follows: Eva L. Porter, Herkimer; Lillian Powers, McLean; Florence Burghardt, Center Lisle; Emma White Cornish, Cortland; Earl B, Robinson, Chenango Forks; Maude C. Saxton, Newark Valley; Lola E. Strowbridge, Cortland; Zuma Bellinger, Clockville; Ellen A. Norton, Binghamton.
Miss Mabel B. Musson of Binghamton is chosen to represent the kindergarten department, and E. Page Tracy of Cortland to represent the academic department upon the commencement stage.
Second Honors.
A limit is set to the number who can be heard upon the commencement stage without prolonging the program unduly, and those already mentioned fell within that limit. The following are by their records within the limit of those who could be upon the stage, but fall outside the limit of the program. Their names will appear upon the program, but they will not speak. They are, therefore, accorded second honors, and their names appear in the order of rank: William M. Thayer, Moravia; Samuel Wells, McGraw; Ellen E. Peck, Cortland; Julia E. Sheehan; Mary L. Lockwood, Lyons; Ethel Place, McGraw; Edith Allen, Middletown; Maude McKinney, Cortland; Lulu M. Hinman, Cortland.
Special Mention.
Special mention is made of the scholastic work of Miss Lola E. Strowbridge of Cortland, who as stated above breaks the record of scholarship in the school since Dr. Cheney came here as principal in September, 1890, and probably breaks the record of the entire history of the school, and whose average rank in all work in the whole course is 96.31 per cent.
Miss Eva L. Porter of Herkimer takes the highest rank in this class in professional work with a rank of 95 per cent.
Mr. Wallace W. Rayfield of Freetown has a rank of 96 per cent in oratorical and literary work throughout his course.
W. C. T. U. MEETING.
Some of the Things Worth While—Plans for County Convention.
The regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. was held on Tuesday afternoon and opened with devotional exercises led by Miss Helena Bryant.
Two new names were proposed for membership, Mrs. H. H. Pomeroy and Mrs. Wm. Taylor.
Further announcements were made in regard to the quarterly county convention to be held at Cincinnatus on Tuesday, June 3. Those attending will leave Cortland on the 10:25 train, Tuesday morning and return the following morning. The following were elected delegates and it is hoped that many others will attend: Mrs. Jepson, Mrs. Dunn, Mrs. Dye, Miss Walker, Mrs. Perry. It is expected that Mrs. Lambert will be present throughout the day.
The program for the afternoon was in charge of Mrs. Cotton, the topic being, "Things That are Worth While." The leader said that the many departments of work connected with the W. C. T. U. seemed to her prominent among the things that are worth while. Special mention was made of the Loyal Temperance legion with its excellent system of training for young people; the Bands of Mercy through which humane teaching is promoted; the department of anti-narcotics which has for one of its objects the pledging of boys against the use of cigarettes. The work of organizers is also important as seen from results in our own county. Last but not least it is worth while to wear the white ribbon, not simply because it is the badge for organization, but because it shows just where we stand.
Added interest was given to the musical part of the program by the assistance of Mrs. Head and Mrs. Norton and their kindness in responding to the invitation was much appreciated.
Supt. Press Work, Cortland, May 27, 1902.
THROUGH WITH CIRCUSES.
J. C. Banks, the Man Who Shot Tackleberry in Self Defense.
J. C. Banks, for several years manager of Sig. Sautelle's circus, is in the city with Gilmore's "Ten Nights in a Barroom" company, which will exhibit under canvas tonight at the corner of Elm and Pomeroy-sts. Mr. Banks will be remembered as the young man who shot and killed Herbert Tackleberry in self defense at Saratoga last fall. When seen this forenoon by a Standard reporter Mr. Banks stated that never again would he associate himself with a circus. Henceforth it is his intention to confine himself exclusively to the dramatic end of the show business.
Henry Albert Dickinson.
ELM-ST. CROSSING.
Matter Discussed Before Railroad Commissioners.
AN ANSWER WITHIN TWO DAYS.
Lackawanna Railroad, Traction Company and City All Represented at the Hearing—Col. Dunn's Suggestion for Public Safety.
Colonel George W. Dunn, chairman of the state railway commission, was in Cortland today and gave a hearing in the matter of the proposed crossing of the Lackawanna railroad tracks at Elm-st. by the Cortland County Traction Co.'s tracks. He stated at the close of the hearing that he would present the matter to his associates upon the commission and report inside of forty-eight hours.
The hearing was held at the Cortland House at 11 o'clock after the crossing at Railroad and Elm-sts. had been visited. Superintendent A. H. Schwarz of the S., B. & N. Y. Railroad Co. and Hon. H. A. Dickinson, attorney for the Traction company, were present. Mayor Brown represented The People at the hearing. Mr. Schwarz held that the Traction Co. should give up all right to maintain a crossing at Railroad-st., if the crossing were granted at Elm-st., as the Traction Co. had agreed with his company to maintain only two crossings, one beside the crossing between Homer and Cortland. This matter will be brought before the stockholders of the Traction Co., and it is thought that it will be easily adjusted.
Colonel Dunn insisted at the hearing upon having the Traction Co. put in switches at the Elm-st. crossing that make it necessary for the conductor to cross the car tracks before his car does and turn the switch. If a motorman tries to get his car over before the conductor has passed over the tracks and turned the switch, he would run the car off of the tracks. He held that such a safeguard must be maintained.
Old Cortland House (above) and Messenger House (below). Planks visible.
LAST PLANK WALK
To be Removed from Main-st., Cortland, Following the Procession.
The last wood walk on Main-st. between the Cortland House and the Messenger House is to be torn out forthwith by the owner of this walk, Mr. W. G. Mead, and a new cement walk will be put down in its place. With the new cement walk recently laid in front of the Taylor-Townley block on the corner of Main and Railroad-sts., and the one that is being placed in front of the Cloyes block, the new walk that will be built by Mr. Mead will make a fine stretch of cement walk from the Grand Central block on Railroad-st. to Bingham & Miller's clothing store on Main-st. Mr. Mead had a very good board walk in front of his block, but he is too progressive to maintain a wood sidewalk in front of his business place when all of his neighbors are enjoying something better.
BREVITIES.
—Mr. Edwin Foreman and family have moved into their new house, 34 Fitz-ave.
—The Sunbeam Mission band of the Presbyterian church will meet in the chapel Thursday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock.
—New display advertisements today are—Gas Light Co., Gas ranges, page 8: C. F. Brown, Toilet preparations, page 6: Opera House. Klarke-Scoville Co., page 5.
—The ladies of Grover Relief Corps, No. 96, request that all who can contribute flowers for Memorial Day will kindly leave them at G. A. R. hall by 8:30, Friday morning.
—The sacrament of confirmation will be administered at St. Mary's church at 3 o'clock next Sunday afternoon. at which time over 175 children will be confirmed.
—Dr. William Tod Helmuth of New York, who died about two weeks ago, was dean of the New York Homeopathic college to which Dr. E. B. Nash has just been elected a professor.
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