porn ER rH Be ss Denna Yd Friday Morning, October 24, 1890. Friendly Expressions of the Press. The editor of the WaTcHMAN has reason to be pleased with and proud of the many friendly allusions to his nomi- nation for the State Senate that have ap- peared in contemporary journals, and it affords him great pleasure and satisfac- tion to publish some of them, as follows: “PHE POOR MAN HAS NO BETTER FRIEND.” Lock Haven Daily Democrat. Our up the river contemporary, the Renovo Record, comes out strong for P. Gray Meek, the Democratic nominee for State Senator. Mr. Meek is the right man for poor men to support. He is & working man himself, being person- ally a good job printer, and in his ear- lier days was a farmer and the son of one of the best farmers in the Halfmoon val- ley. When Mr. Meek was in the As- sembly, to which body the Centre courty people sent him for four years, he was the author of certain legislation specially intended to benefit the poor men of his county and which /Zas benefited them vastly since that time, Thefpoor man who votes against Mr. Meek will make a great mistake, asthe labores has no better friend, and be will be of great service to them in the Senate for the next four years. Itis time the workingmen began to think for them- selves and remember the friends who have by word and deed labored to ele- vate them and to ameliorate and im- prove their condition. The Democratic Watchman, edited by your candidate for Senator for thirty years past, from the time that he was a mere boy until the present, has always advocated and de- fended the claims of labor, and nobly and courageously fought the battles of the poor man against monopoly and op- pression, and when the opportunity of- fered, as a legislator its editor, now our Senatorial candidate, gave his views practical effect by having them embod- ied into laws for the benefit of his con- stituents, The Republican nominee, Mr. Malone, is personally a respectable gentleman, but he has never had any political or legislative experience, and should he be sent to the Senate would be as clay in the hands of the potter to be moulded just as the Republican sharpers and twisters in that body might desire ; not that we would wish to assert that he would willingly do anything that was |’ wrong, but his newness and ineXxpe- rience, his ignorance of parliamentary ways, would make him the victim of de- signing people. It is asserted that Mr. Malone will work the Knights of Labor vote, but we can tell that organization, if it knows when it is well off, it will poll its vote for the Democratic nominee. He is the real true friend of labor, and now is the workingmen’s chance to secure an able and izfluential friend in the Senate. Vote for P. Gray Meek: WHY LABORING MEN, FARMERS AND POOR MEN SHOULD VOTE FOR HIM. Renovo Record. The Record places the name of Hon. P: Gray Meek. the Democratic nominee for State Senator of this district, at its mast-head, and kindly requests tbe Democrats of this county to give him their hearty support for that position at the November election. Putting local pride aside, no mun in the district more fully meets all the re- fi of a State Senator than Mr. eek. He served the people of Centre "county in the State Legislature for four terms, from 1868 to 1872, and made an excellent record. During his term of of- fice he had a bil! passed to protect the Iumbermen of Centre county from being robbed by the irresponsible sharks who come into our lumber regions every year and rob the workmen of their hard earnings. He also had a law passed re- quiring railroad companies to fence their roadways in Centre county, which put into the pockets of the poor people. many a dollar for the loss of their cattle in that county. In point of ability he will size up with the ablest men in the Senate. He isa man who will look well after all the great interests of our people. His long devotion to Democratic principles entitles him to the support of every Democrat in the district. Vote then for P. Gray Meek for State Sen- ator. “HAS NATURAL CAPACITY FOR EFFICI- ENT SERVICE.” Philadelphia Record. Mr. P. Gray Meek has received the Democratic nomination for Senator in the Clearfield, Centre and Clinton dis-. trict. All three counties are Democratic, and Mr. Meek’s election is therefore as- sured. His experience as a member of the Legislature, and his long acquaint- ance with the politics and the politicians of the State, will add to his natural ca- pachy for efficient service at Harrisburg. r. Meek is the editor of that sterling Democratic newspaper, the Bellefonte ‘Warcnmay. He will please accept our fraternal greeting. “ENTITLED TO THE NOMINATION," Mifflinburg Times. Hon. P. Gray Meek, editor and pub- lisher of the Democratic WATCHMAN, Bellefonte, Pa., has been nominated b the Centre, Clinton and Clearfield Con- gress for State Senator. Mr. Meek has stood by the party for many years and was entitled to the nomination by rea- son of his fitress; his sound Democracy, and from the fact that Centre county was entitled to the noruination. THE FRIEND OF THE MINER AND THE WORKINGM AN. Wage Earners’ Journal The nomination of P. Gray Meek. was almost a foregone conclusion from the very moment the workmen of Clear- field and Centre Counties demanded it— it was either that or the election of a Republican. That the contest was so prolonged was the fault of those who in- duced Mr, Savage to become a candi- date and then in the critical moment failed to stand by him. Mr. Savage has made friends of those who were unfriend- ly to him at the beginning. Mr. Meek for years past has in all times of trou- ble shown himself to be a firm friend of the miners, and the miners felt that the time had come when they could in a measure return the debt ot grati- tude they felt themselves under to him. No workingman will make a mistake in casting his ballot for P. Gray Meek, or, if hedoes, Mr. Meek will have to show himself to be a very different man in the future from what he has been in the past. ‘THE DISTRICT WILL BE WELL REPRE- SENTED.” Columbia Independent. P. Gray Meek, editor of the Belle- fonte WATCHMAN, has been honored with the nomiration as the democratic candidate for Senator in his district. We congratulate our friend on his suc- cess, and know that when he takes his seat as Senator his district will be well represented. “DESERVES EVERY DEMOCRATIC VOTE.” Clearfield Republican. The long delayed verdict in the Sena- torial contest, has at last been rendered. P. Gray Meek, of Centre, well known to many of our readers, is our nominee. Mr. Meek served in the Assembly in 1868-9 and in 1871-2 and served as Clerk of that body in 1883. Besides being a number one Democrat, he will bring rare personal experience to his task, and we predict he will be one of the best workers in the State Senate. Mr. Meek deserves every Democratic vote in the district. “WILL WORK FOR THE REAL INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE." Altoona Times. P. Gray Meek, the veteran editor of the Democratic WaTcaMAN of Belle- fonte, was nominated as the Democratic candidate for Senator in the Thirty- fourth district on Tuesday night. The district is strongly Democratic and the popularity of Mr. Meek is so pronounc- ed that he will undoubtedly receive a more than normal majority. He will make an able representative at the State capital ard can be relied upon to work for the real interests of the people of the district he represents particularly, and the whole State in general. DEMANDS HIS ELECTION. Clinton Democrat. Mr. Meek is a gentleman just in the full vigor and prime of life and isa com- petent and able man. His paper has long been recognized as one of the lead- ing Democratic journals of the State, and it has always given faithful sup- port to Democratic men and measures. Mr. Meek represented his county four years in the House of Representa- tives at Harrisburg, and his experience as a Representative and afterwards as Chief Clerk of the House will have a tendency to make his Senatorial services highly valuable to his constituency and the State generally. We have full con- fidence that be will take care of the 1n- terests of this district in the best manner. He will undoubtedly be elected and beat his competitor, A. J. Malone, who was nominated by the Republicans at Tyrone yesterday, out of sight. His election is demanded by the necessity of making the next Senate Democratic in order that Governor Pattison may re- ceive the proper support, as explained in the article elsewhere entitled Govern- or and Legislature. Let our Senatorial candidate therefore have Clinton coun- ty’s full majority. THE MINERS RECOGNIZE IN THE DEMO- CRATIC SENATORIAL NOMINEE A STAUNCH FRIEND. From the Houtzdale correspondent of the Gai- itzin Vindicator. : HotrzpALE, Pa., Oct. 15, 1890. Editor Vindicator: A mass meeting of miners and labor- ers was held in K. of L. hall on Mon- day evening; the hall is a very large one and was so crowded that many men had tostand in the ante roows, and many went away for want of room in the hall. After transacting some im- portant matlers concerning the griev- ances of miners, they took up the politi- cal question and discussed it pro and con. And as they found that P. Gray Meek, of Bellefonte, Pa., while in the Legislature of Pennsylvania got many important bills passed in favor of the workingmen, and voted at all times in favor of the poor man, a resolution was adopted appointing James White, J. V. Henderson and Alex, Monteith to go before the conferees of the Democratic party of Clearfield, Centre and Clinton counties, and present the name of Hon. P. Gray Meck, of Bellefonte, Pa., for Senate, and if nominated, will do all in our power to elect him. John Abber- nathy was chairman and Henry Rock secretary of the meeting. The 1esolu- tion of the meeting was unanimously adopted. White, Henderson and Mon- tieth went to Clearfield on Tuesday morning and went to the conferees, and delivered their message. After consult- ing with the Democratic leaders up to 10 p. m. , the conference went into ses- sion, and at 11:30 announced that Hon. P. Gray Meek was nominated, Mat Savage's delegates voting for Meek. The people, and especially the miners and laborers, should never forget Mr. Savage's kindness towards them for re- leasing his delegates, and saying he was at all times in favor of the workingmen, and advised his delegates to vote for ‘Hon. P. Gray Meek. ’ Notwithstanding that the Senatorial conferees have been three weeks trying to nominate a candidate, the voice of the miners was heard and Hon. P. Gray Meek received the nomination. Things have certainly changed in this district where some years ago there was no use for a miner in Clearfield, except to go to jail, or to be tried and sent to the penitentiary. But reform is traveling fast, and the sentiment of the people is against bossism and ringdom. The working people everywhere should do likewise, and their power will be felt in enacting goed laws and in purifying politics. Yours, HourzpALE. NECESSITY {AN HONOR WELL BESTOWED AND WELL DESERVED.” Harrisburg Patriot. The nomination of Hon. P. Gray Meek, of Centre County, for Senator from the district composed of the coun- ties of Clearfield, Centre and Clinton will secure to the people of that district an ableand faithful Democratic repre- sentative in the State Senate. As edi- tor of the Bellefonte WaArcEMaN Mr. Meek has done yeoman service in the promotion of the Demucratic cause, and his nomination is an honor not only well bestowed but well deserved. “CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY BOODLE OR PARTY RINGS.” Port Allegheny (McKean Co.,) Reporter. The contest for the nomination of sen- ator in the Clinton-Clearfield-Centre district has ended, after a hard fought battle, in which P. Gray Meek, editor and proprietor of the Bellefonte Demo- cratic WATCHMAN, received the major- ity of votes cast Mr. Meek is an ar- dent Jackson Democrat, and has always been a hard worker for the party. He was a Clerk of the House in 1883, but since has not held any public office. The democrats of Centre county are highly elated over the nomination of Mr. Meek, for it 1s equivalent to an election, and they are sure of being re- presented by an honorable and trust- worthy democrat, and one who cannot be controlled by ¢boodle” or “party rings.” Mr. Meek will undoubtedly poll more than his party vote, as he is highly esteemed by all who know him. The full text of the bills referred to by the Lock Haven Daily Democrat and Renovo Record as being of special interest and importance to farmers and workingmen, is hereto appended : An Act to secure to laborers a lien for their labor in the county of Centre. Beit enacted, &c., That all wages that may be due from any person, or persons, to any work- man or laborer for work and labor done in,up- on and about the cutting, pealing, skidding “and hauling of sawlogs, squared timber and other lumber, in the county of Centre, shall be a lien, for a period not exceeding six months, upon all such saw-logs, squared timber and other lumber, and shall be paid before said lumber shall be removed by the owner, or contractor under such owner; and said debts shall be first preferred and paid out of the proceeds of a judicial or assignee’s sale of such lumber, [Section 3 and 4 prescribes the process by which the lien may be collected. ] An Act to secure farmers and others against losses of horses, cattle, sheep and swine by railroads in the county of Centre. Be it enacted, &e., That it shall be the duty of each company owning oroperaving a railroad in the county of Centre, to erect, where not already erected, and to keep and maintain on each side of the track or tracks of said road, at all places in said connty, except where said road or roads passes or pass through a village, borough or city, or a public road crosses the same, a suitable fence, five feet high, ard to build, erect and maintain such suitable cattle- guard or guards, at all crossings on said rail- road, as will prevent horses, cattle, sheep and swine from going upon said tracks; and in case any company owning or operating said road or roads, shall refuse or neglect to perform the duties herein imposed, the com pany or companies so offending shallibe answer- able to the owner or owners of any horses, cat- tle, sheep, or swine to the full value of the pro- perty injured upon said roads} in consequence of such neglect. Said company or companies shall be furher liable to the panalty of fifty dol- lars for each place along said road or roads in said county, where the fence or fences requir- ed by this act to be built, erected, kept and maintained, are destroyed or broken down and permitted so to remain fora period of ten days; the penalty herein imposed to be recovered one-half to the use of the informer and the other half for the use of the public schools of said county of Centre. TRAMP OR GENTLEMAN ? Undoubtedly he was a tramp. The solitary marshal, whose business it was to represent the majesty of the law in the little village of Blue Rock, spotted the stranger as soon as he en- tered the place. : The visitor was shabbily dressed. His coat was ragged and his trousers were patched. His hat was without a brim and his shoes let his feet touch the ground. : “T'll shadow him,” said the marshal to himself. The tramp slouched along down the shady side of the street until he reach- ed the depot. Here he paused and took a seat on the platform. ‘ “Hello, there!” said the marshal as he came up. ‘You must move on.” The man thus rudely spoken to turn- ed a weary face toward the officer. It was not a very clean face, and it bore traces of care. But it was not a bad face nor a very old face. On the Sone, it was rather frank and youth- ul. All this the marshal took in, but he had his orders and he had to carry them out. ' Blue Rock had : passed an ordinance subjecting all tramps to thir- ty days’ imprisonment at hard labor. “What are you doing here?” asked the officer roughly. 0H “I am looking for work,” was the reply. (i “Who are you, and where are you from?" “I am a gentleman,” said the tramp, wearily. “A gentleman?’ shouted the mar- shal. “You look like one. What is your name and where are you from?” The wayfarer put his hand to his head and a puzzie look came over his face. “I would give anything to be able to answer your questions,” he said, “but I can’t answer, for I do not know.” At this astounding reply the marshal raised his baton. “None of your chaff,’ he growled. “Now, I'll give you one chance. You must march out of town or I'll run you in.” The stranger evidently understood the full meaning of the threat. He leaped from his seat with a frightened look, and without a word walked off down the railroad track. “He's been arrested before,” said the officer thoughtfully. “No doubt he has been in a dozen jails. Well, so he leaves here it is all right.” Two hours later the guardian of the peace found his tramp occupying his former seat on the depot platform. “Now, yon must come with me,” gaid the marshal, angrily. He seized the lounger by one arm and jerked him up. The prisoner made no resistance. He looked reproachtully at his captor, and started off with him without a word. At Blue Rock justice was always swift, although perhaps it was a little crnde. In less than an hour the tramp was convicted and locked up in the stock- ade, where he was set to work break- ing rock. The prisoner's obstinacy in asserting that he bad forgotten his name and former place of abode made the petty village officials very mad, and the poor fellow was put to work at harder tasks than usual. As the weeks rolled on it was notic- ed that the prisoner displayed no re- sentment or impatience. He went about his work cheerfully and without a complaint. When the prisoner's term was out the first man he met after his release was the marshal. “Get out of the town right away,” was the officer's advice. “But I want to stay here,” said the tramp. place.” “You are a blank fool to want to stay in this town,” replied the other, “and it will be my duty to arrest you again if you don’t leave. So march!” The unfortunate wretch further appeal. He limped off slowly and was soon out of sight. Later in the day the marshal passed by the depot and saw a spectacle that made him open his eyes. The tramp was on the platform, and the superintendent was talking to him. “Come here,” said the superinten- dent to the marshal, “and take this vagahond off!” There was nothing to do but to make the arrest. A speedy conviction followed, and the luckless victim was again sent to the stockade for thirty days. At last the month came to an end and the prisoner was turned out. This time the marshal marched him beyond the town limits and left him. “He has got to much sense to come back,” reported the marshal to the mayor. “We may have been too bard on him," responded the mayor. times think be is wrong in the head,” “Well, it is too late to talk about it,” said the other, and the conversation ended. The tramp did not turn up again that day nor the next. The worthy marshal began to be worried and the mayor was a little un- easy. Blue Rock was such a small place that a sensation was always wel- come, and the uaknown prisoner had been the talk of the town for sixty days. “He's hiding ia the woods, and will slipin here some night and burn the town,” said one. This idea found great favor, and that night the villagers fonnd it difficult to sleep. On the following day there was a railway excursion to a point of interest forty miles away, and everybody of any consequence in the town went along. The mayor and council, the superintendent of the depot and even the marshal joined the party. The return trip was made after dark, and the train sped along at a fearful rate of speed. The excursionists were all in a jolly humor and were at the height of their festivities when the frightful shrieking of the locomotive whistle startled everybody. The train came toa full stop, and among those who rushed out were the mayor and marshal of Blue Rock. At the head of the train they found the engineer and conductor talking with a man who held one hand to his side, from which the blood was stream- ing. “Great God! Itisour tramp!” ex- claimed the marshal. “You are right,” said the mayor. “My poor fellow, what is the matter?” The tramp fell in a fainting fit before he could answer the question. “You see,” said the engineer, ‘this man was tramping through the woods when he came to the track aad found two train wreckers tampering with rails. Well, this tramp, or whatever he is, jumped on the two scoundrels like a tiger. He disabled one of them, but the other stabbed him in the side and ran away. So he built a fire on the ‘track, and as soon as I saw it I stop- ped the train. Just then several passengers came up with the wounded wrecker, who had been seriously injured by the tramp. The villain evidently thought that he was mortally wounded, for he made a full confession. “I think,” said the Blue Rock mayor. “that we owe a debt of gratitude to our preserver. Many men in this fix would not have turned over a hand to save us.” The tramp opened his eyes and smil- ed faintly. “Did you know we were on the train 2” asked the marshal. “Qh, yes; I saw you when you went up the road this morning, and I. hung about here because I saw those two chaps acting suspiciously on the track.” “Come, now, who are you and where is your home ?"’ asked the marshal. “I am a gentleman. I have forgot ten my name and all about things that happened years ago. I can tell you nothing more.” “By George !" said the mayor, “I be- lieve he tells the truth.” “We must take him to Blue Rock and care for him,” said one of the par- ty. “He shall have the freedom of the town and the best there is in it.” “Thank you,” said the tramp, with a smile. “I am satisfied now.” A spasm of pain contracted his feat- ures. A gasp, a fluttering of the breath and the unknown was dead! Tramp or gentleman? Who was he and what lay back of his misfortunes ? These were the questions the Blue Rock excursionists asked each other on their way home.— Atlanta Constitution. “I want work, and I like the! made no | “I some- | Worthy Master Rhone on Delamater and the Granger Tax Bill. PorLiTICAL MISREPRESENTATION AN- SWERS FACTS STATED AS THE RE- CORDS SHOW THEM. OFFICE OF MASTER. Centre Hall, Oct. 16, 1890. Numerous circulars are being dis tributed by political managers, endeav- oring to explain away and apologize for the vote of certain Senators against the Farmers’ Grange Tax bill, No. 10, which was defeated in the last session of the State Senate. These managers also, at the same time, endeavor to read me a lecture that I was overstepping the bounds of propriety as Master of the | State Grange, by dragging partisan poli- ties into the Order. Were this only a question of party supremacy, as to which political party should carry the election,” it would scarcely be deserving of a passing thought, but graver responsibilities are ‘involved. For ten years the farmers, through their Grange organization in Pennsyl- vania, have been investigating the causes of oppressive taxation on farm lands, and have discovered the grossest kind of inequalities in the provision of the law and the methods of assessing and collecting taxes. : They have shown by facts taken from official reports of the Secretary of the Internal Affairs that the aggregate val- | ue of real estate, as returned by official | reports, amounts to $1,800,438,846, and | pays an average tax of 18.8 mills, | or over $33,000,000, while they show | fora the same report and that of the Auditor General, that corporate proper- ty is valued at $1,800,000,000, to which {must be added personal property amounting to not less than $200,000,000, | making the grand total estimated value | of corporate and personal property $2,- 1 000,000,000 that really pays only an | average tax of 2 mills, Then there are | collected for State purposes from mer- | chantile parsuits, collateral inheritance, | fees, escheats, licenses, etc., $3,479,000, | making in round numbers $7,000,000 : collected from over $2,000,000,000 per- sonal and corporate property as compar- t ed with $33,000,000 coliected from $1,- 1 800,000,000 real estate. This 1s the real situation of the real | estate owners and renters (as they must | pay the tax on real estate), as compared . with holders of corporate and personal | property. The Comuiittee of the State Grange commenced their investigations at the time when Robert E. Pattison was Governor of Pennsylvania; he did {all in his power to assist the State Grange Legislative Committee in their investigation by issuing a request upon | the Auditor General for detailed state- | ments of facts and revenues collected by | the State from the different industries; | he also issued a request upon the Secre- | tary of the Commonwealth, tor infor- mation as to the amount of increase of | corporate property since last report of Auditor General ; in this way the Com- | mittee were enabled to determine pretty i definitely as to the value of corporate taxes paid ; this is an acknowledgement due to ex-Governor Pattison irrespec- tive of any partisan consideration and shonld entitle him to the appreciation and support cf every farmer and real es- tate owner in the State. It was to remedy this gross inequality and injustice that the Farmers’ Grange Tax bill No. 10 proposed to correctin the session of the Legislature of 1889. It was not intended to rob the owners of persona! and corporate property, but to distribute the burdens equitably be- tween all the industries of the State, and would have relieved local taxation to the extent of $6,000,000. This is the bill that Senator Delamater assured the State Grange Committee should be re- ported favorably from the Senate Fi- nance Committee, which he acknowl- edged in his: Williams’ Grove speech, that he is now distributing to the farm- ers of the State which is nothing but an after thought and apology for voting against the bill, when he happens to want the farmers’ vote to elect him Gov- ernor. How can Senator Delamater, or any politician, accuse me of unfairness when 1 was simply carrying out the resolutions of the State Grange, which was unanimously passed at the Decem- ber session of 1889, requesting that the vote of the State Senate on the Grange Tax bill be published for the informa- tion of the members of the Order(in its publication I did not screen any one that voted against the bill). The excuse that it was owing to cour- tesy to the Chairman of the Senate Fi- nance committee that he voted against placing the bill on the Calehder is too transparent, as everyone knew in the Senate that the biil had been pending for a month in the Finance Committee, and that it was fully argued on both sides,and that no valid constitutional ob- jections were raised against the bill. The Grange Legislative Committee waited until the very last day that they could make the motion to discharge the committee and place the bill on the Cal- J encar with any possibility of passing it; perhaps the Senator will remember coming over to Senator Brown’s seat and apologizing ; when he was answer- ed ‘‘that’it was unnecessary as the re- cord would speak for itself.” I bave no interest in this contest from a partisan standpoint, but I have the right as a farmer, a duty I owe to the State Grange, to make known the actual facts in the case. Iam not even claimed as a partisan, but the State Grange has for ten years formulated definite and well-defined principles on State and lo- cal taxation, which ‘were incorporated in a bill, which I was instructed, as Mas- ter of the State Grange, to bring before the State Legislature, and to use the en- tire influence of the Order in the State to secure its enactment into law. I have carried out the instructions of the State Grange, with the undivided support of the entire organization, and came with- in one vote of placing it on the statute books of the State as thelaw of the land. The responsibility of the failure lies with Mr. Delamater and other Senators who voted against the measure. If faru ers will re-elect these men, they will just as surely defeat their leg- islation’in the future as'in the past. What claims have they upon the farmer when they are opposed to the principles the armer advoeates ? If they were honest men they would not ask for the support of those of whoseinterest they opposed while in public positions. and personal preperty and amount of | The importance of the impend ng po- litical State contest cannot be overesti- mated. Farmers do not depend upon what the present State Revenue Com- mission may prepar , Even should they succeed in reporting a just and equitzble bill, that will not make it a law; it will require the force of number to give it a constitutional majority 1n the House and Senate and the signature of a Governor to make it a law. { What farmers must do is to lay aside partisan bigotry and vote for favorable men. See that every favorable voter is out to the polls. If farmers are to se- cure redress from a burdensome and 1n- iquitous tax system they must vote for their interests as other classes do. They cannot do it by electing men who are opposed to their interests. Farmers should not allow themselves to be alarmed as to the tariff issue. Settle that on your Congressional ticket; it bas no- thing to do with our State tax issue. I Lave no personal feelings against these men, but their votes have been on the wrong side for farmers, and it is my duty to present the facts as they exist irrespective of party considerations. Respectfully, LEONARD RHONE. Barclay Turns on Raum. He Denies That the Duties of His Office as Pension Agent Are Neglected. GETTYSBURG, PA., Oct. 23.—The pop- ularity ot Captain William H. Barclay, the Democratic candidate for secretary of internal affairs, as developed by his presence in the tour through the State, has been a thorn in the side of the Re- publican managers, who have striven to obtain something that might be moulded into a charge affecting the captain's record as a public official. At last, after four weeks” work, they have induced the Federal administration to take the initiative step, and in conse- quence a report has been putin circu- lation that the captain would beremov- ed from the office of pension agent at Pittsburgh because of his absence from the office without leave. To-day Cap- tain Barclay addressed the following letter to Green B. Raum, commissioner of pensions at Washidgton, which ex- plains itself. Sir—I beg to acknowledge the re- ceipt of your telegram of the 20th or 21st inst, in which you say: “I am directed by the secretary of the interior to order you to assume immediate charge of your agevcy, and transact such business as may require your per- sonal attention, and which may be. layed by your absence. It is expe¢ted that this order will be promptly obeyed, and that you will not again leave | agency without permission (roi burean. Wire me by te your return to aux i answer, viz., that I ha+€ been nominat- ed for the office of secretary of internal affairs of the State in which I reside. That distinction was conferred upon me unsought. On the 4th ot November next the people of the State will pass upon my fitness for tl e pesition and the desirability of my being placed in charge of it. In the meantime it is necessary for me to be absent tempo- rarily from the office at Pittsburgh which is in my charge as pension agent. Allow me to assure you, however, that no business requiring my personal at- tention has been delayed during my ab- sence nor will the public business suf- fer or be neglected. The faithful dis- charge of my duties of the office of pen- sion agent by me is amply secured to the United States by the bond which I have given. It seems to me you have as much reason to assume that public business suffers through your own ab- sence, or that public interests were im- perilled by the absence of the President of the United States in his late visit to Pennsylvania and the Western country as you have to infer that the business of my office has suffered when I am within daily communication with it. The directions of the secretary of the interior conveyed to you indicate that you have forgotten a fact of which I personally apprised you, to wit, that in the early part of September I tendered my resignation to the President of the United States in writing, and handed it to one of the United States senators from this State for delivery. I presume it will be if it has not already been pre- sented to the President, and I have hitherto been awaiting its acceptance. 1 have the honor to remain yours re- spectfually, W. H. Barcray, United States Pension Agent. An attempt has also been made to create the impresson that Captain Barclay has not filed a bond at Wash- ington for the faithful performance of duties. The fact is that he has had on file in the pension bureau, ever since his appointment, a bond for $300,000. Last June congress passed on act direct- ing agents to file -an extra bond of $100,000 by reason of the change in the law permitting agents to designate a clerk to sign all official checks in their name. Captain Barclay took the ground that his bond was ample and sufficient to cover all his lability to the government. He informed Com- missioner Raum that he would not give the extra bond, and of his willing- nese to retire from the office sooner than do so. He maintained then, as he does now, that he was actuated by a principle in refusing to give the extra bond, and sooner than sacrifice his principle he tendered his resignation and has been awaiting its acceptance. The United States senator to whom Mr. Barclay entransted his resignation for delivery to the President is M. S. Quay, who has been withholding it to serve his own purposes. ——All authorities agree that the milk of a healthy mother is the best food for an infant. Next to this is Mellin’s Food. It contains all the ele- ments for perfect nutrition and corres- ponds physiologically with mother’s milk. —Silver is dropping agiin, and the G. O. P., which so plumed itself on its rise, may find it difficult now to explain how it is that, being cheaper, itisn’t nastier. «Tine AE QC,