BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
— What chance can JAKE KILRAIN
expect to have in a cet-to with the Mis-
sissippi court that knocked out the
great Joux L ?
—It isn’t likely that the Republican
orators this fall will indulge in as lofty
flights of eloquence about the benefits of
the tariff to the laboring man as they
did last year.
—It is the general opinion of Repub-
lican politicians that there is no elixir
equal to boodle for infusing life into
o political party.
— By his frequent absence from Wash-
ington the President is teaching the
people how easily the governmental
machinery can be run without his su-
pervision.
Mississippi justice may have scored a
great triumph, but, all the same, JouN
L. is about to start out on the most
prefitable sparring tour that ever put
sheckels into his pocket.
-—As a means of spoliation it is hard to
tell whether a war tariff that taxes the
necessaries, or a sneaking increase in
the valuation of farm property for tax
purposes, is the most oppressive.
—If Judges Furst and RmuoADS
should conspire to allow whisky shops
to be set up at every cross road in the
county, Judge RILrY, who would be
only one against two, would be unable
to prevent it.
—The Eiftel tower was struck by light
ning the other day. This may have been
in compliment to Epison, the great
electrician, who visited the tower a short
time before the lightning paid its re-
spects to the lofty structure.
—The increased valuation of farm
property as an underhanded means of
raising county revenue without the ap-
pearance of increasing the millage, is as
big a fraud on the farmers as the sugar,
salt and binder-twine monopolies.
—The determination of the Rhode
Island authorities to stop Sunday base-
ball playirg will not put the players
to much inconvenience, as it will be so
easy for them to step over into an-ad-
joining state and go on with the game.
—Those who have set afloat the report
that the South Fork Fishing Club intend
to rebuild their dam at Johnstown at-
tribute to the members of that associa-
tion more affrontery than nature is in
the habit of supplying to human beings.
—1t is said that { ;2 mills of the Gods
grind slowly, but we dcubt whether
they grind more severely than the “mills”
which HeNDERsoN and DECKER have
inan indirect way setto grinding taxes
out of real estate owners by increased val-
uation.
—Judging from the manner in which
Mr. HARRISON is jaunting around the
country, it is obviously his intention to
have all the fun that can be got out of |
the Presidential office. As a gad-about |
the present incumbent is eclipsing | ]
GRANT'S record.
—The Alabama colored editor who |
has been expatiat ng with ¢ghoulish
glee” on a war of races and the exter-
mination of the whites, may have been
anticipating the enjoyment of the rights
which the Republicans are going to
secure for the southern darkies.
—Five murderers hang to-day in
New York city. The poor wretch who
has” been sentenced to suffer death by
the electrical process, and who, it is said,
would sooner be hung, would no doubt
rather be one of this grewsome picnic
party than to await the untried horrors |
of execution by electricity.
—The Knights of Labor shouldn’t
want to saddle the failure of labor legis-
lation on the three poor devils who were
set to watch the “model” Legislature
last winter. Much of the responsibility
. tion.
ai RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
.
HUVH
TelqI'] ojelg
“DUNGS]
A
68 ar
vg
__VOL. 34.
BELLEFONTE, PA. AUGUST 23, 1889.
NO. 33.
Fooling with Nature's Forces.
The causes that are operating to pro-
duce the remarkable meteorological
condition that has existed during the
past summer are a puzzle to the public
mind and not satisfactorily explained
by the scientists who have given it
their attention. The year has been
marked by extraordinary atmospheric
disturbances, attended with storms and
floods of unusual violence and destruc-
tiveness. Therecords of the weather
can not show in any period of equal
length a similar precipitation of water
with the same disastrous results.
Every section of the country has wit-
nessed and suffered from these demon-
strations of the elements, nor have they
been confined to the western hemis-
phere, although it has been the scene
of their greatest energy.
Has anything been offered in satis-
factory explanation of this meteorolog-
ical disorder? Can it be explained by
the sun-spot theory? Can the ice-
bergs be lugged in as a plausible solu-
tion of this weather problem? Can
any of the influences which in time
past have been made to do duty as
weather disturbers be held account-
able for the extraordinary conditions
that render the present season excep-
tional 2 It doesn’t’ appear to us that
any of these causes fit the case.
It may not have occurred to others,
but it seems to us that the elements
are in this disordered state because we
are meddling so freely and recklessly
with electricity, and that if we go on
meddling with it at the rate we have
been doing for the past decade there is
no telling what kind of elemental ruc-
tion we shall raise. What is electri-
city? That is something that no fel-
low, however philosophic, has been
able to find out. We know that it is
an all pervading principle, but have
not yet learned what function it per-
forms in the economy of nature. Yet
in our ignorance we are taking liberties
with this subtle principle by a utiliza-
tion which may amount to a distur-
bance or perversion of its natural func.
If this should be so you can bet
that it will recalcitrate with terrific
force. It may be doing that very
thing this summer.
With the thousands of miles of tele-
graph wires every year extending
their reach; with telephone lines in
{ every town, and electric railroads, and
dynamos everywhere feeding innumer-
able electric lights, who can tell but
that this unlimited subjection
nature's
may not be disturbing an equilibrium
that cannot be disturbed without in
time producing disastrous results ? Or
this utilization may involve consump-
tion. We may be actually using up
the supply of an element that is essen-
tial to the proper regulation of the ma-
chinery of nature. No one can possi-
tively say that this is not so, for no
one knows what sort of substance or
clement electricity is. The cause of
all the elemental disturbance from
which we have suilered this summer
may in its inception reach as far back
as the time when BEN FranNkrLin got
to fooling with the lightning through
the medium of his historic kite.
There is reason to apprehend that
rests with Speaker Boyvkr, and, as the
Republican candidate for State Treasur-
er, the Knights can have a whack at
him at the next election.
—The management of the Johnstown
relief fund is not one of the financial |
achievements of this State administra-
tion to which Governor BrAvER’S |
friends can point with pride. As the |
millions contributed for relief dwindle |
away, the Johnstown people fail to see
their condition improved proportionate-
ly to the expenditure of the money.
—It may be believed that old Bis-
MARCK indulges in a smile when con- |
templating the activity of our State De-
partment in protecting a German mo-
nopoly in Behring Sea, the Alaska Fur
Seal Company being composed chiefly
of Germans. In this matter BLAINE is
making as bad a break in statesman-
| disastrous cave-in.
ship as he made in his guano exploit.
—The “grand old party’ is prolific in
the production of *‘models.” In addi-
tion to the “model” legislature, it has
produced especially for this county the
“model” pair of commissioners who be-
lieve they have. discovered a way of in-
creasing the taxes of the farmers without
the latter knowing it. They propose
to do it by the hocus pocus process of
increased valuation.
man’s progressive smartness is going
fo get him into a terrible scrape one
of these years. He will go on sticking
his nose into the secrets of nature
and fooling with its incomprehensible
forces until some fine morning the
family to which he belongs shall find
| their habitat caving in like the staves
of a dried-out tub, or else sailing sky-
| ward like the fragments of an exploded
bombshell. There are philosophers
who entertain a reasonable doubt
about the safety of pumping the
petroleum and tapping the natural
gas out of the 'owels of the earth.
They believe that nature put these
substances down under the surface to
serve az a support for the superincum-
bent earth-crust and that their remov-
al will eventually be followed by a
We observe that
some of the English papers are begin-
ing to show symptoms of uneasiness
about the reckless manner in which
the Americans are carrying on this
dangerous business. Some of them
fear that the crust may collapse on ac-
count of the removal of the internal
oil deposits, while others apprehend
that through Yankee carelessness the
subterranean gas may become ignited
of |
electric supply to man’s use. hy :
| responsibility upon these insignificant
and blow up the western hemisphere.
We may presumeto tell the English that
it is none of their business, as this side |
of the world belongs to us to do with
as we please. - But they really are in-
terested, for if this side should cave in
or blow out, their side would be such a
lopsided and wobbling concern that it |
wouldn't be worth fifty cents on the |
dollar as habitable real estate.
We are not an alarmist,
this fooling with electricity and tam-
pering with natural gas we shouldn't |
be surprised if the astronomers of the
neighboring planets, w hile sweeping
the heavens some clear evening with
their telescopes, should discover a new
set of asteroids thrown oft into space
by a terrestrial explosion.
but with |
Whose Fault Was 1t ?
The Knights of Labor of this State
expected certain legislation at the last
session of the Legislature that would be
beneficial to the interests of labor, and |
appointed a committee whose duty it
was to see that such interests
should be attended to. Itisa well known
fact that nothing was done for the la-
boring people. A number of measures
were offered which if they had been
given the form of enactments would
have been to their advantage, but not
one of them was enacted. All of them
were allowed to die unmatured in the
womb of the “model” Legislature.
The committee that had been ap-
pointed by the Knights to act as guar-
dians of the legislative welfare of the
workingmen didn’t appear to be equal
to the duty imposed upon them. By
some itis said that they were entirely
incompetent, while others believe that
it was not difficult to induce them
to go back on the interests they were
selected to guard and promote. One of
them was the brother of the chairman
of the Republican State Central Com-
mittee, another was a Harrisburger
who has since been taken care of by
being appointed to a clerkship in the
postal service, and the third was an un-
derstrapper of that fraudulent labor
champion, ex-Congressman Brumm, ot
Schuylkill county. It must be admit-
ted that if the labor people expected
any good to result to their cause in the
way of legislation they made a great
mistake in committing it tosueh a trio.
It now appears that the Knights of
Labor are demanding that the commit-
tee which they had delegated to serve
them shall make a report of the man-
ner in which they performed their
stewardship. But why try to impose
fellows who no doubt for a considera-
tion were easily induced to betray their
trust? The Legislature was alone re-
sponsible for the failure of every meas-
ure that was offered in behalf of the
working people. If the members of
that “model” body would have had the
slightest interest in those who live by
the labor of their hands it would not
have been necessary to have a commit-
tee loafing around the Capitol all wir-
ter to see that the fair thing was done
for the labor interests. A very large
number—probably a majority —of these
clamoring Knights assisted in electing
that Legislature, and 1 all probability
they will be ready to help elect another
one of the same kind next year.
The common sense voters of the
county are laughing at the foolish
charge of the Republican that Mr. Ri-
LEY, the Democratic nominee for As-
sociate Judge, 1s a whisky man who
“would advocate the granting of licen-
ses by the Court without any effort to
reduce or limit the number.” This, it
says, would undo all the good work
that has been done and would place
whisky shops in every part of the coun-
try, “as only he and one other member
of the Court would be necessa-
ry to effect such a result.” Which
other member does the Republican be-
lieve would be likely to enter into such
a terrible conspiracy with Judge RiLey ?
Is it suspicious of Furst or of Rnoaps ?
Nobody can believe that the new
Democratic Judge would try to inveigle
either of his Republican judicial broth-
ers into so bad a business as setting up
whisky shops in all parts of the coun-
ty. Weare surprised that our neighbor
is afraid that one or the other of them
might bz induced to goin for free whis-
ky.
——For all the news read the WaTcu-
MAN.
Lis merely a party tool.
| the House of Representatives
| cant by reasoa
tion.
A Shameless Proposition to Disregard
the Constitution.
Hexry C. Bover, the Republican
|
, candidate for State Treasurer,nominat-
ed by the grace of Mar Quay, has oiv-
en indisputable evidence in the matter
of the vacancies in the House, that he
Four
seats in
are va-
of death and resigna-
Th? constitution directs that the
Speaker “shall issue a writ of election
to fill such vacancy for the remainder
of the term.” The duty of Speaker
Bover in the premises is plain, There
can not be the slightest reason or
cuse for a man ordinary sense to
misunderstand it. He must, if he wish-
esto comply with the law, issue writs
ex-
of
| Gav. i
for the filling of such vacancies at the
next election after they shall have oc-
curred. What other election could the
constitution have in contemplation ?
If such filling shall be deferred until
the regular election of Representatives
the vacancies will have ceased to exist
by the expiration of the term of the
Legislature in which they occurred.
Quays man Bover knows this and
fully understands what the constitu-
tion requires in such cases; yet he seeks
to obtain from the Attorney General a
quibble behind which he may shirk
the performance of his duty for the
sake of party advantage. Writing to
that official for an opinion that may
serve this purpose, after stating the
constitutional requirement in cases of
this kind he exposes his motive by
such a shameless proposition as this:
“I am admonished that the filling of
“these vacancies this year may be em-
“barrassing to some of our friends, and
“I submit the question to you for sug-
“igestion as to the possibility of post-
“poning these elections in such districts
“as are involved in political complica-
“tions.”
Was there ever a violation of a plain
uty more shamelessly proposed? | tio
embarrass” some of his Re-
friends to have this require-
t of the constitution carried out
and therefore he wants a decision of the
Attorney General under which it
may be plausibly disregarded.
But this is in keeping with the gener-
al policy of the Republicans in their
treatment of the State constitution. It
wonld have “embarrassed” the railroad
companies and other corporations to
have had the provisions of the consti-
tion restraining corporate abuses car-
ried out,and therefore Republican legis-
latures and executives have failed to
furnish laws for their enforcement.
Boyer wants the constitution to be
treated for the benefit ot his political
friends in the same way in which his
party has habitually treated it for the
benefit of the corporations. Is such a
man fit to occupy a position of public
trust ?
The Tariff Elixir.
The St. Louis Globe-Democrat, de-
spite its name, is a rank Republican
sheet, which may account for the folly
of its remark that there has never yet
been discovered “an elixir which beats
the Republican process of protection for
making the people comfortable and
happy.”
Possibly to the influence ef this
elixir are to be attributed the comfort
and happiness which the miners of Il-
linois and Indiana are now reveling in.
It most have been squirted, Brown-
Sequard fashion, into the coke work-
ers of Western Pennsylvania who with
reduced wages are in the enjoyment of
a perfect elysium of comfort and hap-
piness. The wool workers, thrown out
of employment by the closing of woolen
factories, must have had a squirt of it.
The Tioga county miners, who during
the present summer have been living
on greensand blackberries,may attribute
their comfortable and happy situation
to the dose of the protection elixir that
has been administered to them, and the
strikes, lock-outs and wage reductions
that are occurring all over the country
may be considered phases of the comfort
and happiness produced by this elixir
which the Republican party with its
big tariff syringe has been injecting in-
to every department of industry.
Notwithstanding the vaunting of the
empirics who administer it, it is found
that, like the Brown-Sequard humbug,
it infuses injurious bacteria into the
systems of its victims.
The Revolutionary Politicians.
[n speaking of the conciliatory man-
nerin which England now treats her
colomal dependencies, the Philadelphia
Times remarks that “if George I1I had
been as wise in his generation asQueen
Victoria's Ministers are making her,
this mighty empire of the West would
still be an English dependency and
England would be “home.”
We can’t believe this. Nothingthat
the English government could have
done to retain the allegi ce ‘of the
American colonies would. our, opin-
ion, have preserved the :onnection
with the British empire fay eéonsid-
erable length of time beyo the early
years of the nineteenth ec ry.45 The
severance took place nm :/ much
because the oppression of t1*’ British
government was intolerable, as for the
reason that the colonies had grown too
big to be content to remain dependen-
cles.
The ambitious colonial politicians
saw a larger field for their ambition un-
der an independent government than
under conditions that required political
honors and preferments to come from
the crown, That the colonies were full
of the material for first-class politicians
was - abundantly evidenced by the
splendid abilities which in the forma-
tion of the American government were
displayed by the Apamses, the JEFFER-
sons, the Jays, the RurLepces, the
Hamiroxs, the FraNkrins and men
of like character whose political tal-
ents shed a lustre upon the formative
period of this nation such as the world
had never seen before.
It is too much to believe that men of
such minds and aspirations were not
influence by a contemplation of the
unbounded political possibilities which
a separate nationality, embracing un-
limited territory,held out to them. The
politicians of that period were unques-
oan at the bottom of the revolu-
+ The arbitrary conduct’ of “ling
But even if Guoree had behaved dif.
ferently a separation would have come
later on.
We have reason to be thankful that
there were men in the colonies whose
political aspirations were hampered by
the regulations of the mother country,
and in whose ambition originated that
wonderful piece of political machinery
known as the government of the Unit-
ed States. It is a pity though that it
is not now being run by more capable
hands.
The Contest in Virginia.
The Demoerats of Virginia, fully un-
derstanding the desperate determina-
tion of the administration to carry their
| State by such appliances as Mamnoxg,
Quay and CLARKSON ean bring to bear
upon the election, have closed up their
ranks and present a solid front to the
| enemy who will leave no ‘expedient un-
tried to prostitute the Old Dominion to
the purposes of the corrupt politics which
inspire their efforts. To strengthen
ManoNe in his fight the official plun-
der which the administration has to
dispense in the State is placed entirely
under his control, and Quay's assis-
tance is to be given to supply what the
little rebel may not know about run-
ningaboodle campaign. The negroesare:
kept well in hand with the expectation
that this mass of ignorance may be
supplement by such white votes as may
be influenced by the mercenary consid-
erations which a corrupt management
may bring to bear upon the issue.
The Democracy of the Old Domin-
ion are prepared for the contest. They
know full well that the triumph of a
character like Manone would mean
the subjection of their State to the su-
premacy of the negroes controlled by
a gang of unscrupulous political adven-
turers of a whiter color. They have
acted with wisdom in their convention,
have nominated one of the best and
most popular citizens of the State as
their candidate for Governor;have healed
up all differences in their ranks and
will move on to as complete a victory as
was gained some weeks ago by their
Kentucky brethren. It may be accept-
ed as a certainty that the old State will
not be handed over to the control of
ignorant negroes, mercenary white
scallawags and time-serving ex-rebels.
n————————
—BENJAMIN HARRISON would not
have refused to kiss that Portland baby
a year ago when every vote was of im-
portance.
Spawls from the Keystone,
—The defunct city bank of Scranton is only
able to pay 10 per cent. on its deposits.
—Seven new building asseciatiofis have re«
cently been organized in Reading.
y Pa
—The Trade and Labor Council of Reading
has denounced the employment of foreign
Tabor on city work.
—John Scofter, an aged miner living at Cry g-
tal Ridge, Luzerne county, committed suicide
Sunday by hanging.
—Sportsmen say there will be more pheas~
ants this fall in the woods near Meadville than
for several years. Quails are also showing up
—The body of John Lavin, 30 years old, who
committed suicide, was found Monday in the
Schuylkill, a short distance above West Mana-
yunk.
—English capitalists were in South Bethle
hem this week considering the purchase of
the Archer gas fuel furnaces manufactured
there. ’
—Henry Berch, a wood chopper, took refuge
under an oak tree at Tresckow during a storm
on Wednesday and was struck by lightning
and killed.
—VWilkesbarre homes are alive with fleas
and many dogs were unjustly put out of doors
before it was found that they were not respon-
sible for the epidemic.
—Mrs. Clara Louisa Kohl, wife of Franklin
Kohl, of Reading, committed suicide by hang-
ing on Saturday because she coufdn’ t stand the
toothache any longer.
~The Trowel and Mortar, a new journal de-
voted to masons and plasterers, will appear in
Pittsburg next month. Lt will be the only
journal of the kind in the country.
—About 100 of the descendants of John and
William Pritchard, who emigrated from Wales
to this country in 1823; had a reunion recently
at Dempseytown, Venango county.
—Detective Somers, of the' Lehigh Valley
Railroad, arrived at Easton the other day with
Job Babcock, a defaulting agent of the com-
pany, who was captured at Tacoma, W. T.
—A farmer of West Bradford, Chester coun-
ty, has been attending the West Chester marlk-
et for the past twenty-five years, and has not
lost during that time $200 in bad. debts.
—A widower residing in Sayre, Bradford
county, who offered his hand to his cook a few
days: siuce, was answered with the query:
‘‘How many afternoons out can I. have in a
week 2
—The little child of Thomas McCartney, of
Farminglar, Fayette county, was fatally 'scald-
ed a few days since by drinking. water from a
tin-cup which the father was using for shay-
ing purposes.
—While workmen were engaged at Doyles-
town on Thursday in tearing down the old
Conard Hahl bakery, on Main street, a can
containing a sum in gold and silver was found
by John Goodfleck. ’
—C. 8. Rush, a storekeeper of Lower Saucon
Lehigh county, found the following White
Cap placard on his door: “If you sell any more
bad watermelons here you must leays the
place in ten days.”
—Master Ellis Thomas, who had a finger bit
off by a hyena in a circus at Bethlehem sey-
eral days ago, bere the injury bravely. The
first thing he said was: My finger is gone—
where's my hat.
—A pin which a 4-year-old child of Herman
Hagerman, of South Bethlehem, swallowed on
Wednesday evening, stuck in its throat, and
the little one was almost strangled .before a
ois furnished their A ir
—Ilenry Steele, of near Granville, Mifflin
county, entered a closet, and without inspect-
ing the seat, which was occupied. by a copper-
head snake, was bitten by the reptile. Whisky
and medjeal science restored him.
—It cost. Mr. and Mrs. Davis, of Upper Sau,
con, Lehigh county, $2, a quart of. brandy and
a quart of blackberry wine to get rid of a “bull
band” which was giving them a. “calathump-
ing” in honor of their honeymoon.
—A peculiar blight to pear trees is noticed
about Wilkesbarre which seems to baffle the
owners. A worm which resembles a snail ap-
pears following each rain storm,. and as high
as a hundred have been found on one tree.
— An ex-letter-carrier of Pittsburg intends to
bring suit for wages for overwork since Sep-
tember last, when the Eight-hour law went
into effect. He says he frequently worked
eleven hours a day. Postmasier Larkin calls it
haiv-splitting.
—A hound owned by David I. Jones, the
Minersville coal operator, found a beautiful
fawn in a neighboring thicket a few days
since, and gave chase along the mountain:
Later in the day he came back badly cut up’
bleeding and without his game.
—Hungry dogs haunt the market-houses in
Bethlehem. A lady placed her basket on the
floor momentarily to make other purchases.
An instant latera two-pound chicken was
missing, and a large dog was seen flying up
the street with the chicken in his mouth.
—On Saturday at Mount. Union Bert Harris
saw his eat trying to seize some prey at a
large knot hole in the barn floor. Getting his
fishing line he baited it with a plump toad and
dropped it into the hole. There was a nibble ,
then a pull, and he landed a house snake three
feet long.
—Some weeks ago a patient reached Wilkes-
barre from Washington to be treated for an
affection of the eyes, and Dr. Lampman, whom
he consulted, told him his sight could never
be restored. The patient was made sick by
discouragement, and a couple of evenings ago
he died of grief.
—Mrs. Elizabeth, Houder, of Reading, has
just received a pension of §20 a month and
$6000 arrears for the loss of A son, Captain
Jacob Houder, of Company H. Eighty-eighth
Pennsylvania Volunteers, and Mrs, Daniel
Rothenberger has received $12 per month and
$2800 arrearages for the aeath of her husband,
—The Presbyterian denomination takes spe-
cial interest in the celebration of the 163d an-
niversary of the colonial log college at Harts.
ville, Pa., the prodecessor of Princeton, which
takes place on September 5. The log college
was a hut built by Rev. William Tennent, in
which to educate his four sons for the minis.
try.
—Mrs. Benjamin Shipley was picking huck-
leberries at Uniontown a few mornings since.
She had gum boots on, and there was a hole in
one of them, through which her great toe part~
ly protruded. A snake observing this sunk
his fangs in it. A young lady friend bravely
sucked the venom from the wound, and
whisky completed the cure,
—A citizen of Londonderry townshiy, Leb-
anon county, will never be able to tell how he
voted on the amendment. He had been un.
decided, and had taken all the tickets offered
him, for and against. When he went to the
polls he had not yet decided what to do, so he
raached in his pocket, grasped a ticket, and,
without looking whether it was for or against
Prohibition, he vated it.