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| Charles Francis Adams, Jr. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, July 28, 1902.
RESULT OF INQUIRIES.
Ant-Imperialists Tell About Misdeeds of Soldiers.
OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT.
Gratified at the Executive's Review of the Smith Court Martial—Say Their Own Investigations Have Satisfied Them Smith and Waller Are Not the Only Culprits.
Lake George, N. Y., July 28.—At a meeting of representative anti-imperialists held in New York city last spring a committee was appointed to investigate army conditions in the Philippines. That committee has since then been prosecuting its inquiries President Roosevelt's recent review of the court martial of General Jacob H. Smith seemed to the committee to demand some reply and at a meeting just held at Lake George an open letter to the president was adopted. The letter was signed by Charles Francis Adams, chairman; Carl Schurz, Edwin Burritt Smith, Moorfield Storey and Herbert Welsh. It says:
"We desire to express the gratification afforded us by your review of the 14th instant, as commander-in-chief, of the findings of the court martial in the case of General J. H. Smith. Taken in connection with the previous memorandum of April 15, that review will, provided it be followed by corresponding general action, in our opinion do much towards the re-establishment of the national prestige and the restoration of the morale of the army.
Demoralization Widespread.
"While thus, however, expressing our sense of obligation we wish most respectfully to call your attention to certain conclusions which we have in the course of our own inquiries found ourselves compelled to reach. Coming directly to the point, and speaking historically, our investigations have led us to conclude that the demoralization of the officers and soldiers of our army in the Philippines was far more general, as well as pronounced, than might be inferred from your review of the court martial findings in the case of General Smith. Demoralizing influences, very prejudicial to any high standard of military morale, were under the circumstances inevitable. This led to lamentable results, calling for the firm hand and stern correction found, and most fortunately applied, in your orders of April 15 and July 14.
"Meanwhile the future of our Eastern dependencies demands that investigation should not stop at this point. The inquiries we, as a committee have made, necessarily imperfect, have yet been sufficient to satisfy us that General Smith and Major Waller were not the sole culprits.
''In your review of July 14 you say that these cases were exceptional. It is always to be borne in mind that one side only of this painful story has been heard. The testimony of representative Filipinos has been jealously and systematically suppressed. Judicial and impartial examination on the spot has been denied or pronounced impracticable. In the present case, occasionally and by accident merely, have fragments of information come to general knowledge. To our minds, they indicate unmistakably a condition of great and general demoralization."
The letter then alludes to the water and burn order and says: "As the not unnatural result of military operations so inspired an official report indicates that out of a total population in a single district of 300,000 not less than 100,000 perished."
The letter then alludes to the water cure, saying that the first reports of its practice met with denials while evidences before the senate Philippine committee proved conclusively that this and other forms of torture had been used.
"Finally every severity known to the state of war—practices which have excited the special reprobation of the American people when reported as features of the hostilities in Cuba under the Spanish regime, or in South Africa during the Boer war—have been of undisputed and frequent occurrence in the Philippines. From the early beginning of operations there, it has been the general practice, if not actually the order, to kill those wounded in conflict.
"When resorted to by our officials in the Philippines, the concentration camps are represented as a species of recreation grounds, into which the inhabitants of large districts rejoiced to be drawn, and from which they departed with sorrow. Reports to which we can, oh the other hand, refer, give of them accounts not essentially different from the accounts received of similar camps established elsewhere."
The letter then quotes a communication to the senate by Secretary Root on Feb. 14 in which Mr. Root said:
Too Sweeping Commendation.
"The war in the Philippines has been conducted by the American army with scrupulous regard for the rules of civilized warfare, with careful and genuine consideration for the prisoner and the non-combatant, with self-restraint, and with humanity never surpassed, if ever equaled, in any conflict, worthy only of praise, and reflecting credit upon the American people."
"These words," continues the letter, "of sweeping commendation and unqualified endorsement were written by the honorable secretary when all the essential facts since brought to light were within his official cognizance. You have given public assurance that the secretary is more desirous than yourself even, if that be possible, to probe at the bottom every responsible allegation of outrage and torture to the end that nothing be concealed and no man be for any reason favored or shielded. The draft on our credulity thus presented is large but we accept your assurance. Meanwhile, permit us to point out that such very sweeping and somewhat uncalled for commendation and approval, so far as we are advised altogether unprecedented in character, coming directly and in the midst of active operations, from the fountain head of military authority, is scarcely calculated to 'keep a moral check over acts of an improper character by subordinates.'
"The allegations we make are grave; the condition of affairs we describe serious. As a national record it is discreditable. We stand ready to cooperate directly and in utmost good faith to the end that all offenders may be brought to justice and the guilty punished.
"We find ourselves, though with deep regret, compelled to take issue with you on one important point. In your review of July 14 you say 'almost universally the higher officers have so borne themselves as to supply the necessary check over acts of an improper character by their subordinates.' We, on the contrary, have found ourselves compelled to the belief that the acts referred to were far more general — the demoralization more all-pervasive. We hold our selves ready to direct your attention to concrete cases the investigation of which would demonstrate the following criminal acts, contrary to all recognized rules and usages of war, on the part of officers and soldiers of the United States:
"(1.) Kidnapping and murder under circumstances of aggravated brutality.
"(2.) Robbery.
"(3.) Torture both of men and of women, and rape of the latter.
"(4.) The infliction of death on other parties on the strength of evidence elicited through torture."
JEWS LEAVING ROUMANIA.
Persecution Prompts a General Exodus Into South Africa.
Notwithstanding the denials of the Bucharest authorities a wholesale exodus of Jews is in progress from Roumania, says a special cablegram from Vienna to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. The latest advices from the capital state that at the present rate of emigration the country will be wholly depopulated of Jews within ten years.
During the past six months the persecution of the Israelites is said to have reached a pitch of cruelty hitherto unknown even in Roumania. According to one authority, the Jews in the army are "treated worse than dogs." Men, women and children are leaving the country. Even persons of means are emigrating, and most of them are going to South Africa.
Bernard Lazare, the French pro-Semite, recently visited Roumania incognito on a tour of investigation. The information thus collected regarding the miserable condition of the Semitic portion of the Roumania population will, the leaders of the Jews hope, rouse one or two of the European states to a recognition of the misery prevalent in Bucharest and Roumania generally and possibly lead to on amelioration of the lot of the children of Abraham.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
In New York City a girl's technical high school has been established. This will be the first trades and commercial high school for women in the metropolis, and the experiment will be watched with much interest. Two years of the course in this school will be devoted to business and practical industries. These studies will be in addition to instruction in English, modern languages, drawing and the like. The new course will include in the first year household management, elementary chemistry, cooking, sewing, sanitation and elementary nursing. In the second year pupils may select from several courses in trades and business training. Among the subjects that will be optional will be applied art, printing, dressmaking, millinery a commercial course, library, economics and physics. There will also be a manual course including woodwork, paper box making, mechanical drawing and bookbinding. The tendency of modern instruction for boys has been noticeably toward manual teaching, and now it is decided in the metropolis, and justly, too, that girls also shall have advantages for performing the practical duties of life.
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| Main Street, Cortland, N. Y., circa 1900. |
A TERRIFIC DOWNPOUR.
All Around the Outside of the City of Cortland.
THE LIGHTNING WAS INCESSANT.
City Received Small Fraction of the Rain—Wind and Hail Accompanied—Traction Company in Trouble on McGraw Line—Weeks Required to Repair.
This will be a memorable year in the history of Cortland county as well as of other sections of New York state. There should really be included in the water records of the period the great flood of last December. This was followed by another big flood in February and by smaller ones since. But the record breaker was reserved for yesterday afternoon. The city of Cortland did not suffer as much from this storm though as surrounding sections, and the people who live within the city limits really have very little idea of the enormous damage done north, south and east of this place. Only .60 inch of rain fell in the city, but north of the city and over in the McGraw-Solon region there must have been over 2 inches at least.
In this city 10.01 inches of rain have fallen since July 1. This is far in excess of anything ever known here before, less than 3 inches being the average and 6 inches being the limit heretofore for a month. The total rain fall for 1901 was 34.13 inches, of which 5.36 inches fell in December, covering the period of the flood. Nearly a third as much rain has fallen so far this month as in all of last year.
Outside the City.
Yesterday forenoon was hot and oppressive. About 1 o'clock a big shower was seen going over east. Between 2 and 3 o'clock a terrific shower went north. About 4 o'clock another one went north and swung around to the east. The water rose rapidly from the almost continuous downpour. The lightning was incessant and the thunder for an hour hardly ceased to rumble and roar.
The east branch of the Tioughnioga river rose very rapidly and at East River the water overflowed the road a short distance south of the farm of Hon. L. J. Fitzgerald. The flats up in that region were covered with water.
At McGraw.
McGraw suffered dreadfully as detailed in another column. One of the merchants on Main-st. in that village told a Standard man that they had to board up the fronts of their stores 2 feet high to prevent the rush of water from the street going right down through the stores. They had learned by the experience of four other floods within the past year what to do when the storm threatened.
Electric Road Washed Out.
The Traction company is in despair. Its bridge in the village of McGraw is swept away entirely. All the work of last week in repairing the damage of the previous flood at Trout brook is washed away together with all the lumber and other material used. Nearly 300 feet on each side of the steel bridge over that creek is washed away. An open car stands upon that bridge high and dry. The car is likely to have a long vacation for it must be weeks before the damage can be repaired and this section of the road in operation again. This car which is the lightest one the company possesses was sent over yesterday morning and was pushed slowly over the part being repaired with the idea of transferring passengers. But there will be no transferring now for a long time. The car had come from McGraw and was left on the bridge while the crew came on to Cortland with the other car which was west of the transfer place when the storm came and swept away the approaches at both ends of the bridge. The car is in a perfectly safe place, it won't wash away for the creek hasn't gone under the bridge since last December. The management now has in mind digging out the bed of the creek and building dykes and forcing the creek to return to its original bed and course. But all of this will take time.
From 7 till about 1 o'clock last night the car service was at a standstill and five cars out on the road were stalled. The storm washed away trolley poles at McGraw and let the trolley wire down upon the track and grounded the circuit. A force of men worked till nearly 1 o'clock before it was safe to turn on the power again and get the cars into the barn.
The E. & C. N. Y. R. R.
The principal damage to the Erie & Central New York railroad tracks is between Cortland and McGraw. Between McGraw and Solon there is high water and in places the water is running over the tracks, but no serious washouts have occurred. At Cincinnatus there was still 2 feet of water around the station this morning, but from Solon to Cincinnatus no particular damage had been done to the track.
Flood News.
A house belonging to L. J. Fitzgerald near the railroad crossing between Cortland and Homer was struck by lightning, but no one was injured.
Two cows belonging to P. O'Donnel on the W. A. Smith farm were killed by lightning.
Three cows on Benham hill northeast of the city, belonging to A. B. Benham, were likewise victims of the electrical storm.
Superintendent of Highways W. A. Smith is having a hard time keeping the roads in any sort of passable condition. Two gangs of men are busy cleaning up the roads from the effects of the washouts.
MCGRAW, N. Y., INUNDATED.
The Greatest and Most Destructive of the Five Big Floods of the Season.
RIVERS RUN THROUGH PRINCIPAL STREETS
Two Barns washed away, one of them had to be burned to Prevent the loss of the bridge against which it lodged—Several bridges taken out—Creeks changing their courses—Water flows over Hotel floor—Miscellaneous damage.
McGraw, July 28.—The regular weekly flood arrived on schedule time Sunday. Our citizens had thought that they knew what to expect, but have decided that they do not. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon a little, common, everyday shower came down "just to lay the dust" and nothing was thought of it until people on Main and South-sts. heard a sudden roaring and in a few minutes the scenes of the last four floods since Dec. 15 were re-enacted on a larger scale than at any time.
The brook from the south did not seem to do its duty as but little water came from that direction, but great waves of water came rolling down North and Trout brooks and in a few minutes North, Church, Main and Center-sts. were raging rivers. The Thompson and adjoining flats were a raging sea of about twenty acres and the waves were not missing either.
The residence of Aaron Vedder, the shop of Hoag & Dunbar and the barn of Mrs. Phillips on Clinton-st. were surrounded by water several feet deep and the water in Trout brook, not only reached the Clinton-st. bridge, but extended to Center-st. taking in gardens and back yards and a good sized stream wandered down Center-st. A considerable stream also crossed Clinton-st., south of the bridge.
Barn Floats Off.
The barn of William Yager 20 by 22 feet and situated in the south side of Center-st. was the first building to succumb to the raging current. This toppled over and going down stream struck the South-st. steel bridge smashing the foot walk to smithereens, but fortunately the bridge itself stood the shock and the barn broke to pieces and lodged against the trolley bridge just below.
North, Church and Main-sts. were getting their share and the residences of Dr. F. H. Forshee, F. D. Graves and D. L. Maine had the appearance of standing in the rapids at Niagara Falls.
The family of Byron Hulbert at the milk station at Maybury's Mills had to be rescued by men on horseback as the water was four feet deep around that building.
About 5 p. m. a heavy thunder shower came up and for a few minutes it poured water and the streams that had slightly receded rose to a higher point than before.
Burned Barn to Save Bridge.
In a few minutes the corner of A. P. McGraw's large barn in the rear of his factory was torn loose and soon afterward the entire ell about thirty feet square went down with a crash together with a quantity of hay, reaper, two seated sleigh, wagon and other articles. This struck the South-st. bridge squarely and made it quiver, but the bridge stood. It was found necessary to burn the debris caused by this building.
Later Mr. McGraw's old house and a shed adjoining both went down.
This (Monday) morning Mr. McGraw has a large force of men removing the balance of his barns to safer ground as the piles driven by him in the spring now mark the center instead of the south bank of the creek.
The rear of the lots on the south side of Center-st. have lost from 10 to 25 feet and the residence of William Yager and the shop of B. H. Randall have lost their rear underpinning and several feet on each side. Another flood would probably send both of these buildings into the water.
The Electric company 's bridge on South-st. is a wreck as only the rails and ties are left hanging. Their switch to the coal dump is undermined and the milk station would not stand much of a flood.
The northern part of the village is in worse shape than ever before although Elm-st. escaped with the loss of a strip of land in the rear of the north side.
E. F. Kinney's garden again became the bed of a good sized river which was divided by his residence and one stream sent on to the lot of Mrs. George Palmer and the other to that of Jefferson Goodell. Mr. Kinney is thinking of building a boat house in his garden.
The E. & C. N. Y. R. R. is badly wrecked between here and Solon and the center of the Wadsworth bridge has gone out.
It is reported that but one bridge is left in the town of Solon.
Struck by Lightning.
During the storm Mrs. Fayette Stevens, who was visiting at Ernest Edwards just west of the Solon Baptist church received a shock from the lightning which rendered her unconscious for a time, but Dr. M. R. Smith who was called reports her as out of danger.
All the work done by the trolley company at the Bean bridge washout of a week ago is gone and the new timbers and ties have disappeared. The banks have suffered badly and the washout is now about twice as bad as before they commenced work.
Water in the Store.
On Main-st. the water covered the floor of J. W. Gilbertson's store about a foot deep and left a layer of mud about two inches deep. It also entered the Rogers House and the restaurant of H. L. Chapin. It just touched the threshold of the postoffice and of Miner's store. It entered one room in the residence of Dr. Forshee, but did no damage to speak of there.
The water was the highest we have had and the damages much greater to streets and real estate. The banks are now soft and full of water and nothing to protect them and it is feared that another flood will change the course of Trout brook to Elm-st. Several buildings on Center-st. could not stand long in case of such a thing happening.
The large barn on the Daniel Eastman farm was struck by lightning during the storm and burned with its contents. It is insured for $800 in the grange which will not cover the loss. Cyrus Bean also lost a cow by lightning.
Mrs. Thomas P. Taylor of Bridgeport, Ct., is visiting her parents Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hammond.
Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Chapin, who have been visiting friends in Binghamton and Lestershire, have returned home.
Mr. and Mrs. C. D. McGraw and daughter Susan and Mrs. E. T. Norcott and Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Wood of Syracuse left this morning for a week's visit at Sylvan Beach.
BREVITIES.
—The Cortland Lodge of Perfection will meet this evening at 8 o'clock.
—The Assembly party scheduled for Tuesday evening at the park has been postponed.
—Three drunks were arraigned in city court this morning. Two were given suspended sentences and one was fined $3.
—Yesterday was the 84th birthday of Mr. Josiah Hart and a number of his Masonic brethren called upon him to extend their felicitations and left with him a generous purse.
—Cortlandville lodge, No. 470, F. & A. M., will confer the third degree in full form upon four candidates at their regular communication Tuesday evening at 7:30 o'clock. After conferring the degree light refreshments will be enjoyed.
—New display advertisements today are-Madame Eloise, Scientific Palmistry, page 5; Baker & Angell, Slippers and oxfords, page 6; McGraw & Elliott, Tooth brush troubles, page 6; S. Simmons, Clearing sale of clothing, page 8.
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