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| Sultan Abdul Hamid II. |
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| Boris Sarafov. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Wednesday, September 9, 1903.
APPALLING OUTRAGES.
Turkish Atrocities in Vilayet of Monastir.
60,000 HAVE BEEN MASSACRED.
At Burning of a Village Turks Said to Have Thrown Some of the Inhabitants into the Fire—Thousands of Exiles Hiding in the Mountains and Forests.
Sofia, Sept. 9.—Private letters received here from European residents at Monastir give details of the situation in that vilayet. Destitute Bulgarian refugees arriving daily at Monastir relate tales of Turkish cruelty. Sixty families recently arrived there from Smilevo, which was totally destroyed.
The refugees saw a husband and wife sitting in the ruins of their home, when a Turkish soldier slashed off the man's head and threw it in the woman's lap. The soldiers found a servant girl and several children hiding in a ditch. They outraged the girl and slaughtered all the children.
Numerous Bulgarian prisoners have been brought to Monastir. They were mostly unarmed peasants who had not been connected with the insurrection. Twenty Bulgarians who had been exiled were marched off in heavy chains.
The Macedonian interior organization estimated that 150,000 women, children and old men are hiding in the mountains and forests of Macedonia. The Turks are burning the forests in the districts of Leren and Kostur and killing fugitives who attempt to escape to the plains.
The Vlach village of Gopesh, three hours distant from Monastir, has been burned by the Turks, who are reported to have thrown several of the inhabitants into the fire. The Bashi-Bazouks have destroyed the village of Stoilovo near Malkoternovo.
Thirteen thousand Turkish soldiers are assembled on the frontier at [Kriva] Palanka, Kratovo and Gotschani [in Macedonia] and are plundering the surrounding villages. The population has not complained, fearing that it may be murdered.
The general staff of the insurgents has issued a circular ordering the bands not to molest the peaceful Turkish and Albanian villages. The order concludes: "There will always be plenty of time to take such measures!"
Famine prevails in the district of Krushevo and the population is going into the adjacent districts.
All reports from the vilayet of Monastir agree in describing the situation as appalling. Between 30,000 and 50,000 Bulgarian inhabitants are believed to have been massacred by the Turks and every Bulgarian village in the vilayet has been destroyed. The refugees in the mountains and forests are dying of starvation by thousands.
At present it is impossible to obtain precise figures. The revolutionary headquarters estimate that 30,000 Bulgarian men, women and children have been killed, while at least the same number of refugees are slowly perishing of hunger. In official circles these figures are regarded as an underestimate and officials incline to the belief that the number of the massacred exceeds 50,000.
The Turks are apparently determined to exterminate the entire Bulgarian population of the vilayet. The actual details of the happenings outside the town are not available. The foreign representatives at Monastir are dependent on information furnished to them from Turkish official sources.
From government circles here the situation is viewed with increasing alarm. It is reliably reported that the Turkish forces in Macedonia number 300,000. It is considered impossible that such a force has been assembled merely to crush the rebellion. It is feared that the sultan is meditating an attack on Bulgaria.
According to a telegram from Constantinople the porte has issued an unconditional order that all European correspondents must leave Macedonia because they are circulating false news. The ambassadors have been notified of this decision.
The latest reports regarding Boris Sarafoff, the Macedonian leader, say he was wounded in the leg near Dairne.
COERCION OF BULGARIA.
Austria and Russia Ask the Powers to Unite With That Purpose.
London, Sept. 9.—Everything seems to point to new and terrible developments in Macedonia. On top of the appalling accounts of the results of the Turkish methods of "restoring order" in the vilayet of Monastir comes the threat by the insurgents to resort to reprisals on the same scale. The porte's anxiety to suppress news by expelling newspaper correspondents from the area of the operations is held to have but one meaning.
This morning's papers comment upon the significance of the news that Russia and Austria are seeking to persuade the powers to coerce Bulgaria as showing a belief that war is inevitable.
No further news regarding the outbreak at Beirut has been received here. A dispatch to the Standard from Constantinople dated Sunday says:
"The Turks are much disturbed by the presence of the American warships at Beirut and are making every effort to have them recalled. In spite of all assertions that the United States only intends them to be there for the simple protection of the rights of her citizens, it is quite possible that the dispatch of the warships may initiate action leading much further.
The same correspondent, telegraphing under Monday's date on receipt of the news of the Beirut outbreak says:
"With the slightest encouragement disorders might result in the whole of the Lebanon rising in revolt. Today had been foretold as the date of a rising against the foreigners and many residents of Constantinople are keeping to their houses. Personally I doubt whether there will be anything more than dynamite outrages which are pretty sure to be attempted before long."
PAGE FOUR—EDITORIAL.
A Holy Land Park.
A retired naval officer has a plan for the disposition of the Holy Land, now in the hands of the Turk. "It seems to me, he says, "that both Christian and Hebrew would like to purchase Palestine on purely sentimental grounds and turn it into an international park, with a republican form of government, under the protection of The Hague tribunal. This land more than any other was the birthplace of our modern moral and spiritual ideal.
"What grander monument could be founded to him who taught love and brotherhood than to have an ideal brotherhood of men in his own land? The land of the Bible at present has no harbor worthy of the name, the roads are poor, the streams are little used for irrigation, and the manufactories are very few. All this can be changed. Haifa, on the bay of Acre, can be made a good harbor. This should be the termination of the Bagdad and Indian railroad. The upper waters of the Jordan should be used for manufacturing purposes and all streams used for irrigating the land.
"With good roads and railroads the land would soon be thickly populated, and with good hotels pilgrims would visit it from every part of the world. The mountains would form summer resorts, while the seacoast would prove a pleasant place to pass the winter."
Such a disposition of Palestine would doubtless be acceptable to the European powers, and the Turk, if he could get his price, might easily be won over to favor the plan. All the preliminaries having thus been satisfactorily adjusted, it is now time for us to hear from our old friend Andy Carnegie.
Russia and Turkey [Page Two].
There is something admirable in the thoroughness with which the Russians exacted reparation for the murder of their consul at Monastir, says the London Globe. Not only was the actual murderer prosecuted, but the sentry who was present and did not give help; the sentry who was not present, but who ought to have been; the chief of the gendarmerie for having placed wild Albanians on duty; the captain of the company to which the murderer belonged, and finally two Turkish officers who were heard to speak disrespectfully of the dead consul. That is the way to protect other Russian representatives from insult, and we (English) only wish our own government in similar cases would act with as much energy and thoroughness.
OPENING OF CORTLAND SCHOOLS.
Registration at Both City Schools and at the Normal Above the Average.
The number of pupils registered in both the Normal and city schools this year is greatly above the average. The number registered in the city schools yesterday was 1,245 which is the largest registration for the opening day in the history of the schools, being about fifty more than were registered the corresponding day last year. Over one hundred little children were in school yesterday for their first day.
The registration in the city schools was as follows:
Central, 675.
Owego-st. school, 110.
Schermerhorn-st. school, 240.
Pomeroy-st. school, 160.
There were 140 registered in the Academic department at the Central school.
Registration at the Normal.
In the Normal the registration is also above the average. The entering class will be one of the largest in the history of the Normal. One hundred and twenty new students had registered at 2 o'clock this afternoon and if they continue to come in as in former years there will be at least 150 new students.
Cortland Normal was the largest Normal in the state last year, in the number registered, and the entering class did not number more than 125 during the term.
One hundred and seventeen were graduated last June and the entering class is enough larger than the class graduated to give grounds for the opinion that the Normal will continue to be the holder of the record attendance another year.
THE CORTLAND SPECIALTY CO.
Annual Meeting, Election of Directors and Officers for Ensuing Year.
The regular annual meeting of the Cortland Specialty Co. was held at the office of the company, 176 Railroad-st., yesterday afternoon. The following were elected directors for the ensuing year: W. W. Hout, Dr. F. S. Jennings, C. J. Hout, C. M. Jennings, and J. H. Wallace.
At a meeting of the directors held at the close of the annual business meeting the following officers were elected.
President—W. W. Hout.
Vice President—Dr. F. S. Jennings.
Secretary—Clarence J. Hout.
Treasurer—C. M. Jennings.
Pharmaceutical Society.
The annual meeting of the Tri-county Pharmaceutical society will be held at Little York tomorrow. The association is made up of the druggists of Cortland, Tompkins and Cayuga counties. The members of the association will meet at the York hotel, leaving there at 10 o'clock for Little York. They will partake of a chicken dinner at the Raymond House and the regular work of the association will be taken up at 1 o'clock.
Abbey Jane Wood.
Abby Jane Wood died at 9 o'clock this morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edwin Robbins, 8 Duane-st., aged 69 years, 11 months and 12 days. Besides her daughter, Mrs. Robbins, she leaves two sons, Messrs. Charles and Herbert Wood both of Cortland.
The funeral, which will be private, will be held Thursday at 2 p. m. at the home of Mrs. Robbins.
W. C. T. U. CONVENTION
Of Cortland County—Fine Address by Mrs. Bullock.
The seventeenth annual convention of the Woman's Christian Temperance union of Cortland county was held in the parlor of the First Methodist church on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 2 and 3. The weather was all that could be desired and the rooms where the convention held its sessions were made very attractive with flowers and a large flag draped at the back of the platform.
The convention was opened at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, the president, Mrs. A. M. Briggs of Homer, presiding. Devotional exercises were led by Mrs. C. W. Collins, after which the business of the morning was taken up in the usual order.
The address of welcome was given in a very cordial and original manner by Mrs. Byron Phelps of Cortland, and a fitting response was made by Mrs. Sarah Phelps of Homer.
Several reports of superintendents of departments were given during the forenoon; all these showed that faithful work had been done.
The morning session closed with prayer by Rev. D. B. Grant of Solon.
Election of Officers.
The exercises of Wednesday afternoon were begun with a prayer service led by Mrs. E. H. Caswell. Then followed the address of the president Mrs. Briggs, which was listened to with close attention and must have been an incentive to every one present to stand true to the principles of our organization and to her obligations as a Christian woman. The annual reports of county secretary and treasurer followed and then after being favored with a fine selection by the Ladies' trio the annual election of officers took place. The following are the newly elected officers:
President—Mrs. A. M. Briggs, Homer.
Vice-President—Miss Libbie Robertson, Cortland.
Corresponding Secretary—Mrs. Sarah Merrick, Homer.
Recording Secretary—Mrs. Nixon, Homer.
Treasurer—Mrs. Mary Watson, Cortland.
Reports of superintendents and music filled the remainder of the afternoon.
Wednesday evening's session opened with devotional exercises led by Mrs. L. S. Hinmam. Dr. Keppel, pastor of the church in which the convention was held, then gave a very cordial greeting in behalf of the church. He said, "The work of the Woman's Christian Temperance union and of the Christian church is one work, "We are not divided, all one body we," and he added, "I believe that if every branch of the church work were as well taken care of as you are taking care of the temperance work there would be a decided improvement."
Mrs. Bullock's Address.
Mrs. Briggs then introduced the speaker of the evening, Mrs. Helen L. Bullock of Elmira, state and national superintendent of the department of purity, whose subject was "The Old World and the New." Mrs. Bullock is not only a speaker of unusual interest, but possesses a sympathetic voice and manner that immediately wins attention and holds it to the end. She said she wished it might have been the privilege of every white ribboner to be at the recent world's convention of the W. C. T. U. held in Geneva, Switzerland, for in no other way could one get the broad outlook that gives a true conception of the magnitude of our work. To meet the delegates from England, Germany, Norway and other countries as well as from the islands of the sea was indeed an inspiration. She spoke of visiting many European countries and enjoying the beauty of the scenery, yet the sight of so many drunken wives and mothers, particularly in England, was a sad one. It was because of this state of things that Lady Henry Somerset was led to establish a colony at Duxhurst, England, for inebriate women. As a result of the care and Christian influence thrown about these unfortunate victims of the drink habit, sixty per cent of them go out to lead good and useful lives; a very large per cent for any institution of reform. Mrs. Bullock spent a day visiting this colony and studying the methods employed, being particularly interested because of her association with the Elmira Anchorage. She spoke of the beautiful character and unselfish devotion of Lady Henry Somerset, who has been for a number of years, president of the world's W. C. T. U. Though having almost unlimited opportunities for all that many women would count most desirable in life, social position, wealth, pleasure, she uses none of these selfishly, but devotes time, talent, wealth, all to the good of those whom she can in any way help. Her own words are well worth memorizing when, in defining her idea of duty, she says, "I am only one, but l am one; I cannot do everything, but I can do something; what I can do I ought to do; what I ought to do by God's help I will do." Mrs. Bullock said the question is often asked, "Why is not the W. C. T. U. doing reform work?" The instance given above and many others that might be named show that it is doing reform work but there is something still more important, and that is prevention work. As a help in this direction she said she was glad that the empress of Germany had shown such interest in scientific temperance instruction, having sent for Mrs. Mary Hunt, our national superintendent, when she was in Berlin, to come to the palace at Potsdam in order that "she might hear from the American lady herself the story of temperance education in the United States." In her conversation with Mrs. Hunt the empress remarked, "As the mother of six boys I cannot help being interested in this, as well as for the children of Germany. I shall send for our minister of education and talk with him about the plan for temperance instruction and the need of text books.'' She asked to see the books used in the American schools, and a series of school physiologies was presented to her.
Mrs. Bullock spoke of the idea many people have in regard to the danger of drinking water when they visit the countries of the Old World, and said that so thoroughly has this been impressed upon the minds of travelers that many who call themselves temperance people at home believe that when they go abroad they must drink wine and beer in order to keep in health. This is a mistaken notion, as proved by the delegates to the World's convention. In every country visited they drank the water freely, though constantly meeting with the protest," You will certainly be ill if you do so." Not one, however, experienced the least trouble from keeping to the cold water method. In fact they were convinced that there is no purer water in the world than that which is supplied to some of those countries by the mountain springs and streams.
Speaking of the value of prohibiting laws in contrast to license laws, Mrs. Bullock said, "We often hear the remark, 'Oh, you can't make people righteous by law!' but if this be true why is it that God has given us the moral law? Carefully collected statistics show that good laws have much to do with making good citizens, Contrast the state of things in Maine under prohibition with Rhode Island under license and the facts show a vast difference in moral conditions, a far lower percentage of crime in Maine than in Rhode Island, which goes to show that prohibition at its worst is better than license [taxed consumption of alcoholic drinks--CC ed.] at its best."
In closing, the speaker said, "Many people call themselves temperance men and women, but the great question is, are you ready to do anything for temperance?"
The Ladies' trio then sang "Beautiful Flag of Liberty," and responded to an encore by singing, "Rock of Ages."
Mrs. Bullock made an earnest plea for new members and spoke of the tribute paid the W. C. T. U. by Rev. F. B. Meyer, the great English divine. "As John the Baptist called himself a voice, so I believe," said he, "the Woman's Christian Temperance union is a voice, calling to a better life."
The evening session closed with a fine solo by Philo Mead.
A Symposium.
The session of Thursday morning was opened with a prayer and consecration service led by Miss Libbie Robertson. The principal feature of the morning was a talk on purity by Mrs. Bullock, this being the department to which she has given special thought and attention and upon which she is so fitted to speak as perhaps few others are.
The opening devotionals of Thursday afternoon were led by Mrs. Nixon of Homer. Then followed a feature of special interest, a symposium, having for the topic to be discussed the question, "What Can Be Done Next to Rid the World of the Drink and Tobacco Habits?" This was taken up from the different standpoints: The Sunday schools, Mr. Starr of Homer; The Ministry, Rev. D. D. King; The Business Man, Mr. B. E Widger; The Public Schools, Dr. F. J. Cheney; The Medical Profession, Dr. F. D. Reese.
The question was considered from each of these points of view in a manner that left no doubt in the minds of the hearers that this was a subject to which the speakers had given most careful thought, regarding it as of vital importance. The convention was highly favored in having these addresses.
A memorial service was then conducted by
Miss Libbie Robertson. The service was opened with singing, "Hold Thou My
Hand, O Lord," by the Ladies' trio. The members of our organization who
have passed away during the year were lovingly remembered at this time. The
names are as follows: Mrs. L. J. Fitzgerald, Mrs. Ada Hibbard, Mrs. Lucy
Collins, Mrs. Sarah Fargo, Mrs. Sophia D. Price.
After transacting some matters of
business the convention closed with a rising vote of thanks to the people of
the Methodist church for their kind hospitality; to Miss Stout, Mrs. Norton,
Mrs. Bentley and Mr. Mead for the delightful music furnished; to Miss Mott,
Miss Halleck, and Miss Parmiter for playing the accompaniments, to Mr. Starr,
Mr. Widger, Rev. D. D. King, Dr. F. D. Reese, and Dr. F. J, Cheney for making
the symposium so interesting; and to all others who had contributed in any way
to the success of the convention.
Supt. Press Work, Sept. 8, 1903.
THE PRICE FAMILY
Held Its Annual Reunion at the Park on Sept. 1.
The annual gathering of the Price family was held at the Cortland park, Tuesday, Sept. 1, and was attended by a number of relatives and friends of the family. The day was an enjoyable occasion for all present. Relatives were there from Marathon, Ithaca, Harford, Virgil, Peruville and Cortland. The officers for the ensuing year are:
President—Mrs. George Peer of Harford.
Historian—Mrs. A. R. Overton of Cortland.
Executive Committee—W. J. Perkins of Cortland, Mrs. Frank Price of Ithaca, Mrs. J. S. Johnson of Marathon, Mrs. Rodolph Price of Virgil, Elmer Homer of Lapeer, Nan Pinckney of Peruville and Mrs. Ella Price of Cortland.
The next time and place of meeting is to be decided by the president. It is sincerely desired that all relatives will make an effort to be present to help make the meeting of 1904 as pleasant as the previous ones.
BREVITIES.
—A regular meeting of the L. O. T. M. will be held tomorrow evening at 7:30.
—The drawing of the names for the kindergarten class at the Normal which was to have taken place today, has been postponed until tomorrow,
— Mrs. D. J. Apgar and Miss Mary E. Hubbard very pleasantly entertained a number of lady friends at a thimble bee at their home, 21 Tompkins-st., yesterday afternoon,
—The new display advertisements today are—New York Store, Bargains for the rest of the week, page 6; Warren, Tanner & Co., Drygoods, page 5; First National Bank, Bank accounts, page 4; A. Mahan, Pianos, page 5; O. H. Wiltsie, Drygoods, page 6; Martin McMahon, Blacksmithing, page 6.
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