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| Luciano San Miguel. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, May 5, 1903.
FIGHTING IN LUZON.
Details of the Battle In Which General Miguel Was Killed.
Washington, May 5.—Unofficial reports received at the war department give additional details of the campaign which resulted in the death of General San Miguel and the utter rout of his band of outlaws by the Philippine scouts commanded by Lieutenant Hickerson and Lieutenant Reese.
The scouts located the band about half way between Caloocan and Mariquina, in a strongly fortified corral and block house built by the Spaniards many years ago, and so well concealed by jungle that it had escaped discovery.
Hickerson and Reese and their men made a gallant attack on this stronghold under a very heavy fire from the enemy through the loopholes in the wall surrounding the block house.
The scouts charged over the wall and engaged the outlaws in a hand-to-hand combat, driving them into the fort, In this assault Lieutenant Reese was shot through the thigh just below the groin.
San Miguel, surrounded by a devoted bodyguard of about 30 men, undertook to slip through the line, but being discovered, put up a plucky running fight.
Lieutenant Hickerson with 15 men attacked the party, but withheld their fire until within short range, when they put three bullets through San Miguel's body. The outlaw died gamely, shooting while lying on the ground wounded.
Six of his bodyguard were killed. The remainder escaped in the dense jungle.
The fight lasted about an hour and one half. The Americans lost three killed and 10 wounded, including Lieutenant Reese. The enemy lost 40 dead that were counted and the jungle concealed other killed and wounded. No prisoners were taken.
Many valuable papers were found on the bodies of the dead and were said to contain evidence against several prominent officials in the province.
PREPARING FOR WAR.
Russia and Japan About to Fight Over Manchuria.
Victoria, B. C., May 5.—Alarming advices have been received from the Orient by steamer Olympia from Yokohama. Both Japan and Russia are making warlike preparations on a large scale and warships at both Vladivostok and Yokohama are being held in readiness for hostilities in Manchuria. The whole trend of the news is warlike in the extreme.
A Japanese military officer who has just returned from New Chwang is quoted by the Jiji Shemo as saying that according to all appearances Russia is undoubtedly preparing for war in Manchuria and great alarm is felt at New Chwang. The officer also states that Russians detained the Mukden Taotai to prevent his appearance at New Chwang in order to seize that port on the pretext furnished by his non-arrival.
Dispatches are printed by Japanese papers to the effect that a state of siege has been declared by the Russian authorities at Talien, Kinchow and thence on the Yalu river. Military manoeuvres are taking place, involving much tent and field work. The Russians assert that the movement is attributable to the strained relations between Russia and Japan.
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
The Taxing of Franchises.
The unanimous decision of the court of appeals of the state of New York sustaining the Ford special franchise tax law is an important vindication of the right of the commonwealth to levy and collect taxes upon the franchises of corporations created and protected under its laws and is of interest to other states where efforts have been made to compel corporations to bear their just portion of the burden of taxation.
This law was enacted at a special session of the New York legislature in 1899 when Theodore Roosevelt was governor. In his message convening the session Mr. Roosevelt laid down the principle that "a corporation which derives its powers from the state should pay to the state a just percentage of its earnings as a return for the privileges it enjoys." An act then passed made special franchises taxable as real estate and placed upon the tax books of the state the great valuations which were the basis of stock and bonds and the subject of lease and sale.
Naturally the franchise holding corporations of the state and particularly the great corporations of New York city resisted the enforcement of the law, which has been in continuous litigation since its enactment. In the proceedings begun by the taxed corporations contesting the constitutionality of the act Judge Earl, the referee appointed by Justice Herrick of the supreme court, found the law constitutional and so reported to the court, which approved the finding pro forma.
The right of the state to tax corporate franchises being thus upheld, the corporations attacked the machinery of the law, claiming that the provision which gave to the state board of tax commissioners the power to fix the valuation of special franchises was in violation of the home rule clause of the constitution and would be an invasion of the rights of local assessors. This argument had the outward seeming of good law; so at least it appears to have been regarded by a majority of the appellate division of the supreme court, which decided that the law was unconstitutional in that it took the right of assessment from the local authorities and vested it in the state board, thus reversing the finding of Judge Earl. Now the court of appeals unanimously sustains the law at every point, and the franchise holders will have to pay the taxes that have been levied upon them for the last three years, which now aggregate something like $20,000,000.
It is understood that the corporations affected will appeal to the federal courts, though it is not apparent that any federal question is involved. However, the further efforts of the franchise holding corporations to evade the payment of taxes which the highest court of New York has declared legal and just will be watched with interest not only by the people of the Empire State, but by the country at large.
◘ Sixteen young women of Chicago are about to take up mission work among the pagans in foreign lands. This does not mean that there is no need of missionary work in Chicago. Doubtless long distance sinners look more interesting than those near at hand.
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| Judge S. S. Knox. |
CORTLAND BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Strip of Blodgett Mills Road to be Macadamized.
LINCOLN AND MAPLE-AVE. SEWERS
Not to be Laid Till Residents Promise to Connect—Graham-ave. Asked for a Grade—Elm-st. Would Pave, but New Petition is Asked for—Macadamizing Port Watson-st.
The regular meeting of the board of public works was held in the city clerk's office last evening. Those present were Chairman Knox, C. F. Wickwire, C. W. Collins and F. H. Cobb.
The minutes of the preceding meeting were read and approved.
The following bills were audited and ordered paid:
Pay roll of Superintendent of Public Works Becker and his assistants, $475.
New edge for road scraper, $8.50.
Allen and Farrington, surveying, $37.00
Clara J. Brown, .35
H. F. Benton Lumber Co., $19.46
Water Works Co., $187.00
O. U. Kellogg was present and petitioned for a macadam road on the Blodgett Mills road from Port Watson-st. to the piece of macadam road built last year to meet the Blodgett Mills state road. On motion of Mr. Wickwire, seconded by Mr. Collins, it was decided to macadamize the street in question.
The matter of laying sewers on Maple and Lincoln-aves. was not acted on, as the residents of Lincoln-ave. had not presented a petition with the guaranty that each resident would connect with the sewer. Without such petition the board will refuse to build any sewer.
Engineer Farrington presented the following estimates for building the sewers: Maple-ave., $502.50, Lincoln-ave., $670.
Petition was made by those residents on the west side of Graham-ave. for a grade and a sidewalk grade to be established. Mr. Becker was authorized to give them the grade.
Theodore Stevenson was present in the interest of the petition for paving Elm-st. Judge Knox gave it as his opinion that a new petition would be necessary , inasmuch as the old petition was made when the board had no power to have the gas mains laid, without which they are not allowed to pave.
Mr. Stevenson thought the enlarged powers of the board could make no difference as to the petition and waxed very earnest and eloquent in his remarks. The city attorney will be consulted before action is taken.
The matter of paving or macadamizing Port Watson-st. east of the Lackawanna tracks was then taken up. On motion of Mr. Cobb, it was decided to macadamize Port Watson-st., provided a majority of the property owners present a petition to that effect. The board has the power to do this under the new clause in the city [charter]. If this is done the surface water can easily be carried off in the gutters and the perplexing water question will be settled.
MEMORIAŁ DAY PROGRAM
Exercises at Opera House—Address by Comrade B. T. Wright.
Memorial Day exercises will be held in the Opera House Saturday, May 30, at 2 o'clock p. m., in charge of Grover Post, No.98, G. A. R.
The address will be given by Past Commander B. T. Wright. Seventy-five children from the Normal school will sing under the direction of Miss Alger. The Cortland City band has also' been engaged. The entire program and many details have not been decided upon yet. They will be announced as soon as completed.
A New Barber.
Fred Phillips, late of Detroit, but formerly of Cortland , arrived in this city yesterday and will have charge of one of the chairs in Peckham's barber shop. Mr. Phillips has lately been employed in the Cardalac shop of Detroit, which is one of the most famous shops of the West.
DEATH OF THOMAS SCOTT.
A Long Time Resident of Cortland County Passed Away.
Thomas Scott of 63 Floral-ave., for many years a resident of Cortland county, died at his home at 11 o'clock Sunday night after a short illness from heart trouble. Mr. Scott was born in England 78 years ago and came to this country with his parents when 13 years of age. They settled in Truxton, N. Y., and there his early manhood was passed. About forty-six years ago he was married to Mary L. Kennedy of Homer, who died six years later. Twenty-five years ago he was married a second time, his bride being Mrs. Diantha Dearman of Dryden, N. Y., who survives him. Three daughters also survive: Mrs. Albert Gates of Little York and Misses Anna and Maggie Scott of Cortland. Some forty-three years ago Mr. Scott bought a farm west of Cortland and there he lived for thirty years, but for the last thirteen years he has lived in Cortland.
Mr. Scott has been for many years a member of the Baptist church of Homer. The funeral will be held at the house tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock, and will be conducted by Rev. C. W. Negus of Homer.
BREVITIES.
—The Ladies' Literary club will meet tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 o'clock with Mrs. H. C. Johnson, Prospect-st.
—The regular meeting to the Church Protective union will be held at their rooms Saturday evening at 8 o'clock instead of this evening.
—The first regular meeting of the new Neoscoleta lodge, No. 300, Daughters of Rebekah, will be held in Vesta lodge rooms, Thursday evening, May 7.
—The last entertainment in the Normal [school] course will be a lecture at Normal hall next Monday evening, May 11, by Hamilton Wright Mabie. His theme will be "Culture for Today."
—Cortland tent, No. 304, K. O. T. M., will hold a regular review this evening. All sir knights are requested to be present. Ten candidates are to be initiated.
—The new display advertisements today are—F. Daehler, Clothing, page 8; Perkins & Quick, Paints, page 4; Hollister Hardware Co., Hardware, etc., page 8; First National Bank, Bank accounts, page 5.
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