Thursday, October 16, 2014

WATER AND CIGAR QUESTIONS, AND INSULTING THE IRISH OF TRUXTON



The Cortland Democrat, Friday, March 16, 1888.
Page Two/Editorials.
   We believe we speak the truth when we say that almost every citizen in town had a notion that the old water question had been settled for some time to come, and in consequence everybody felt relieved if not entirely resigned. The few obstructionists and one-idea men who were at the head of the fight on the water question, are still in hopes of keeping up the row and they have bobbed up in the Monitor [Prohibitionist newspaper which was published at the Hitchcock Wagon Company—CC editor] this week. The old notion which they advanced more than a year ago of buying the Water Works’ plant is again put forward. The village is not paying as much for water as most towns of the same size and the supply is abundant. There is no necessity for the village to assume an indebtedness of $150,000 or $200,000, when it can rent 120 hydrants for the sum which they are now paying [approx. $33.34/hydrant/year—CC editor.] The village needs the water and it would be well to get out of debt before assuming another obligation of such magnitude. So long as the Water Company are willing to carry the load, why not let them? If the village were to own the works, political jobs would be innumerable and the people would have to pay the bills.
   Some one contributes an article which was published in the Cortland Standard of March 1st, headed "A Public Nuisance" and signed "Citizen." The article charges that cigars were given to voters in exchange for votes at the last Town Meeting held in Taylor Hall, and that in consequence parties blessed or cursed with weak stomachs were deterred from voting. This is arrant nonsense, besides being wide of the truth. Cigars were given to some of the voters, by the advocates of license, after they had voted, and could no more be considered in the light of a bribe than could the action of the ladies two or three years ago in furnishing coffee and lunch to voters . Voters did not know at the last Town Meeting that they were to have a cigar until after they had cast their votes, but when the ladies furnished coffee and lunch in exchange for votes, the fact was previously announced in the papers and every voter knew exactly what he could receive for his vote. The practice of furnishing refreshments or delicacies of any sort at the polls is not to be commended, but so long as the ladies set the example, they should not be the first to find fault with those who have simply followed the pernicious practice adopted by them. The furnishing of coffee and lunches, was considered a master stroke of political policy upon the part of the ladies when it was in vogue, but the same tactics upon the part of the enemy is regarded as a crime. Doubtless "Citizen's" effeminate stomach was cheered by the pernicious coffee, and yet he sees no reason why his neighbor should enjoy the pleasures of the seductive cigar. "Citizen" also threatens to become an advocate of female suffrage, if cigars are to be permitted at the polls. His better-half may have a stronger stomach and be better calculated to wade through tobacco smoke than her aesthetic consort, in which case "Citizen" could mind the babies, while his wife casts her ballot in person, instead of by proxy as she is now evidently obliged to do.

Snow Ten Feet Deep.
Railroad Traffic Entirely Abandoned in Many Sections of Pennnsylvania.
   SCRANTON, Pa , March 12, 1888. —The storm of Sunday night continued all day to-day with furious and damaging results. Every colliery in this valley but a few were obliged to suspend operations. Some continued work until noon. Cars would not run, machinery failed to run properly and the fast gales of wind carrying snow with them was more than the average employees could endure.
   Traffic in the city was completely suspended. A most deplorable situation existed on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western railroad. There was a general suspension of traffic with southern points. The storm on the Pocono mountain continued all day without a moments cessation. Freight, coal and passenger trains were tied up. No train attempted to cross the mountain coming north and none was dispatched south. Two trains arrived from Binghamton and only two went in that direction from this city. The trains on the Bloomsburg division were not blockaded and were generally on time. Until late last night no southern trains had arrived. They were unable to cross the Pocono mountain.
   In the early morning a train of shop employees in heavy marching order was dispatched to the mountain as a shovel brigade. They commenced the task of removing the snow from the cut. They were unable to stand the fury of the elements and sought shelter. Late in the afternoon nothing was heard from them. Fears were entertained that the storm had snowed them in somewhere. A second train was then sent out and late in the evening all had arrived here.
   All attempts to remove the snow from the tracks were utterly useless. One drift followed another in quick succession and the snow in many places is 10 feet deep.

Away With the War Tariff.
(Commercial Advertiser)
   There is no public necessity whatever for continuing the burdensome and inequitable war tariff. It enriches the few at the expense of the many, and not only does the Government not need the revenue which it produces but that revenue is a positive inconvenience and danger to the Government and the country. The Treasury is glutted to the bursting point with an annual surplus of more than one hundred million dollars, which is the same as stealing out of the pockets of the citizens, and which is not only useless but constitutes also a constant temptation to extravagance in the shape of Blair educational bills, and public building bills. And river and harbor bills, and so forth.

HE CLEARED THE HOUSE.
The Wild Course of a Runaway Horse in Ithaca.
   ITHACA, N. Y., March 10.—The horse of Highway Commissioner L. F. Colegrove, terrorized to-day at the approach of one of the cars on the electric street railway on State street, threw the Commissioner upon the pavement breaking his collar bone and bruising his head in five places. He is still unconscious and his recovery is doubtful.
   Rushing madly a block away the horse dashed through the front door of a small house on Meadow street leaving the carriage at the portal. The family (named Wright) were at breakfast. The horse cleared the table in fine shape, turned the cook stove bottom side up, and plunged through a chamber door upon the sick bed of a 13 year-old girl, very ill with scarlet fever. Crawling between the prancing legs of the thoroughly frenzied animal, she managed to reach the street in her night dress unharmed. She was quickly blanketed and taken to a neighbor's. The interior of the house attacked looks as though it had been visited by a cyclone.

TRUXTON.
   The third case of death by measles occurred here last Thursday, and Patrick Wallace was this time the victim. About two months since he was married to Miss Lizzie Kerrigan, at Solon. He had recently rented a farm, and on the Saturday previous to his death moved into his new home, and began housekeeping on Monday. He went to the village to make some purchases, and on Thursday was dead. His unexpected death is deeply regretted, and his much afflicted young wife has the heartfelt sympathy of her many friends.

Truxton, March 12, 1888.
To the Editor of the Democrat:
   There appeared in the Homer Republican, of last week, an article headed: "A Native American Democrat Heard From," in which the bigoted Philistine by whom it was written accounted for the defeat of the Democratic ticket by saying that the native American wing of the party bolted the ticket because the caucus was run by a ring composed chiefly of Irish.
   In the first place, the before mentioned article was not written by a Democrat, but by an old Republican -----, sided no doubt by his promising son.
   In the second place, I, as a native American Democrat, who have attended every caucus of the party held since I became of age, say that the statement made in that article with respect to the caucus is a lie; and I say further, that the sentiment expressed in that letter is not in accord with the feeling of the native American wing of the Democratic party. On the contrary, we hold, and have always held our Irish American brethren in the highest esteem. We hold, and have always held, that when an Irish American name appears on our ticket for any office, that the nominee deserves our support.
   The article mentioned is too plausibly a Republican ruse to need further comment. The writer no doubt hopes that by insulting the Irish under a fictitious title, to draw them from the support of the party with whom their interests have always been identified.
   But perhaps the reader will ask how I account for the defeat of the Democratic nominees. I will say that the opportunity makes the man. I think that the charges of fraud made are a trifle rank, but that they were justified by the loose manner in which the work of the board was performed. When men who, by virtue of their office are supposed to at least act in a disinterested manner, so far forget themselves as to show by every word and every act how much they desired the defeat of the Democratic nominees. What reason, tell me, had the Democrats to expect fair play at their hands?
                                                                              JUST.

Truxton, March 13, 1888.
   EDITOR CORTLAND DEMOCRAT:—In the last week's issue of the Homer Republican, an article appeared, over the signature of "A Native American Democrat," in which it was charged that the defeat of the Democrats at the recent town meeting, was due to the fact that American Democrats were determined to break up the Irish Democratic Ring, which has run the caucuses for years past, and for that reason voted with the Republicans for their candidates.
   If the charges in the article referred to had been supported by sufficient proof, it might have been at least entitled to some respectful consideration. As it is, however, it is simply a slur on the nationality of some of the most worthy citizens of the town, and should be treated with the contempt, which it and its author so richly deserve. It is from beginning to end a base fabrication, which could only have been engendered in the brain of some Republican fanatic, who thinks by such contemptible means, to sow the seeds of dissension between the two races, hoping that they may in the future, bear the harvests of easy Republican victory.
   Among respectable, thinking men such means always fall short of accomplishing the end designed, and the case in hand will prove no exception to the rule. The result of this last attack has been to harmonize more closely the Irish and American voters, and in the battles to be fought in the near future, they will stand hand to hand and shoulder to shoulder, for the preservation and unfettered exercise of their dearest rights.

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   Editor of the Democrat: —Permit me to extend to you my sincere thanks for the kindness and courtesy you have extended to me in printing the statement I sent to you for publication, relative to our town meeting. I have since seen in some of our county papers, articles purporting to have been written by some individual or individuals residing here, and I regret to say that there is in this town a being so void of decency, as to express himself in such a manner. And I feel that such language should be answered with silent contempt, for a man who is foolish enough to engage in a hand to hand encounter with a skunk, adds but little value either to his clothes or his reputation.
   As to the class of individuals who, in one of the above mentioned articles, are requested "not to apply," I believe they have never asked nor expected many favors from such a source, and are not very likely to in the future. Sound men do not expect courtesies from animals that grow bristles.
   Sane men do not delve in dung piles for diamonds. Christians do not seek spiritual advice or assistance from devils. In my article to your paper I stated the facts as I saw them and as they were and do not desire to add to or retract what I have said, and when men so degrade themselves as to resort to the language used in at least two of those articles, I am happy to confess that such filth will never come from an
                                                                HONEST REPUBLICAN.

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