- b-
*
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BY |
y MEEK.
P. GRAY
"ink Slings.
— Anti-discrimination, ballot reform
and tax equalization are dissolving in
the dim distance on the Harrisburg
horizon.
—When the Blaine boomers get their
licks in on BEN HARRISON at the next
national convention it won’t be calla
lilies that they’ll hit him with.
—In addressing the southern people
who came to see his caravan, the Presi-
dent was very shy of speaking about the
Force Bill. He left his bayonet at
home.
—Vox MoLTkA left a plan of cam-
paign to be used in a future war
with France, but it may be found de-
ficient without a Vox MoLTKA to carry
it out.
—~Considering that the administration
has got down to the last dollar in the |
treasury there ought to bea new Mint |
in Philadelphia of double working ca-
pacity. .
—-BEN BUTLER was once bottled up.
The other day a Rhode Island CARPEN-
TER nailed him up. Itis about time
that he should’ be hermetically sealed.
up and put on the shelf.
— With the price of wool reduced five
cents a pound since the McKinley tar-
iff went into operation, the American
sheep will consider it hardly worth
while to part with its fleece this spring.
—Instead of standing out for an
eight-hour day the workers may con-
sider themselves lucky in these high
tariff times if they are allowed enough
to keep soul and body together for a
full day’s work.
—1It is probable that a combination |
between the sugar refiners and the
wholesale grocers, which is being form-
ed, will take the sweetness out of the
benefit which the free trade sugar of the
McKinley bill promised the people.
--JACK-THE-RIPPER has transferred
the scene of his bloody operations from
London to New York. It isto be seen
how long he can continue his ripping
before the.ingenuity of Yankee detec-
tives shall get the rope around his neck.
—The Treasury Department has de-
cided that foreign lottery tickets must
pay a duty of 25 per cent. on their val-
"ue. Since all the home lotteries have
been squelched, what industry, infant or
adult, is intend | ‘o be protected by
this duty ? - .
sz. —Governor PENoYER is correct in
his opinion that the governor of a
state is not a satrap who must meet his
Presidential master, cap in hand, at the
border of his satrapy. He has the true
idea of the sovereignty of a state repre-
sented by its chief] officer.
—The Hungarian town of Hossuret
has sent three-fourths of its male inhabi-
“oy &
ie rats;
29,
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 36.
BELLEFONTE, PA., MAY 1, 1891.
NO. 17.
The McKinley Low Wages.
The McKinley tariff has been in op-
eration for seven month, quite long
enough to give the people a test of its
quality. Speaker ReEp described the
McKinley bill as a measure “which
bas for its object the aiding of the poor
by raising their wages.” McKINLEY
made the same claim for it, and HAR-
rison declared that the people would
find it to be that kind of a bill, and
would be pleased with it when they
should become well acquainted with
it. They have now had seven months
acquaintance,and what do they think of
its tendency to raise the wages of the
poor? Welast week gave a long list
of the reductions of wages in manufac
turing esiablishments and mining in-
dustries since the bill went into opera-
tion, and we extend it by the following
additional reductions which are authen-
tic and vouched for as unquestionable :
duction 10 per cont; 15,000 men on strike since
February 9. z
The iron mining companies of the North-
west; reduction 10 per cent Or more ; many
thousand men getting less pay or deprived of
work.
Manufacturers of pottery, Trenton, N. J.;
22 per cent.
Coal mines, Duquoin, I11., from 59 to 60 cents
per ton.
Merrimac mills, Lowell, Mass.; mule spin-
ners, 3 cents per hundred.
Ribbon weavers in Paterson, N.J.; 15 per
cent.
Coal mines near Leavenworth, Kan. ; 11 per
cent.
Hopedale fabric mill, Hopedale, Mass. ; wea-
vers, 214 cents per yard. ~
Cocheco Manufacturiag Company, weavers,
4 per cent.
Brooke Iron Company, Birdsborough, Pa.;
7 per cent.
Silk mill, Warehouse Point, Conn.; winders
and doublers; 27 per cent,
Sturtevant plowér works, Jamaica Plains,
Mass. ; from 10 to 30 per cent.
Lackawanna Iron and Coal Company, Scran-
ton, Pa.; average reduction of 20 cents a day.
Homestead steel works, Carnegie, Phipps &
Co. ; 10 per cent.
_ Coal mines near Evansville, Ind.; a reduc-
tion, followed by a strike on February 7.
Emma blast furnece, Cleveland, O,; 10 per
cent. {
Smithville cotton mills, Willimantic, Conn. ;
spoolers’ wages reduced $1.50 per week.
Wanskuck mills, Providence, R. IL. ; 600 wea
vers struck on March 2 because of a reduction.
Pullman Palace Car Company; reduction,
about Febraary 25, affecting wages of makers
of freight cars.
Weybosset mills, Olneyville, R- I; work-
men asserted on February 21 that their wages
tants to the United States where they
are working and sending their earn-
ings home to their families. There |
is nothing in the McKinley bill to pre-
vent such a soft snap for the Huns.
—Since the Chilians have demonstrat-
ed how easily steel-clad warships can
be blown up by torpedoes, King Hum-
‘BERT may be congratulating himself
that the misunderstanding with the
United States terminated in a way that
prevented his navy from sailing in a
skyward direction.
—At the tariff banquet in Philadel-
phia this week one of the subjects di-
lated on was “The Wage-Earners’ Inter-
. est in Protection.” The poor devils who
are being evicted in the coke region have
a more practical knowledge on that sub-
ject than can be expressed by well fed
tariff speakers.
—The Chinese government has noti-
fied the American government that it
wont have anything to do with BLAIR as
Minister from the United States. It 1s
thus that the great New Hampshire
educator has lost $17,000 a year clean
cash by “talking too much with his
mouth” about the heatben Chinese.
—Hon. Jesse M.. BAKER is being
prominently talked about as likely to
be chairman of the Republican State
Committee in place of ANDREWS.
Probably this honor is to be conferred
upon him asa reward for getting up a
ballot reform bill that won’t reform.
Such service in fooling the people
should not be overlooked by the
Bosses.
—Although they were but Hunga-
rian women who were shot down in the
wage war going on in the coke
region, nevertheless the thing has
an ugly leok, particularly when
viewed in connection with the fact
that it occurred after the McKinley
tariff had for seven months been shed-
ding iis beneficence on the wage-earners
of the land.
—It is intended to hold at Raleigh,
N. C., between the 1st of October and
1st of December next, an exhibition of
the products and resources of the four-
teen southern States. Among the exhi-
bits it would be interesting to show a
specimen of the bayonet with which the
- Harrison administration wanted to pro-
mote the peace, welfare and industrial
bad been decreased by a change of the sched-
ule of allowances.
The weavers in the Arlington mills, Law-
rence, Mass., about four hundred in number,
notified that hereafter they would be obliged
to submit to a reduction paid, and to run four
looms on the work instead of three, as had
previously been the custom. A strike resulted.
The Lochiel iron works at Harrisburg, Pa,,
have shut down—indefinitely, it is snpposed—
Hecause of a difference on the wages question.
The Reading Iron Company. The 2,000 em-
sloyes were told on March 27 that a reduction
of wages woula be made on April 1.
Potts Bros. Iron Company, Pottstown, Pa.
Nages of puddlers reduced about? per cent
m March 16.
Lehigh Iron Company, Allentown, Pa. A
jleduction of 1) per cent was made on March
6.
On April 19th about 230 of the men em
foyed in the puddling mills of the Old Domin-
im Iron and Nail Works Company at Rich-
nond, Va., went out on a strike on account of
areduction of their wages from $ito $3,756 per
tin.
The striking makers of cloth caps and hats
it New York asserted on March 21 that their
enployers had undertaken to reduce their
wges 40 per cent.
Knitting mills at Little Falls, N. Y. March
12reported reductions in McKinnon’s mill
anl Sheald’s mill, as well as in the Saxony
mil, which has heretofore been mentioned.
These reductions were*made by cutting down
theprice of piece-work. It may be stated ap-
pr&imately, that employes who earned $15 a
welk one year ago can now earn but $13 or
$130 on the same class of work. This prop or-
tio) will apply pretty generally throughout.
Th tariff on knit goods was largely in-
crased.
he Norwalk woolen mills,Winnipauk,Conn
Thiweavers struck on March 16 because they
hadbeen required to talke up new work under
conitions which caused a reduction reported
to b about $2 per week.
Te Cornell mills, Fall River, Mass. A strike
toolplace on March 11, caused in part, it was
saidby the agent of the company, by “many
diffiulties that have arisen lately through
lenghening the cuts of cloth, resuiting in a
redbtion of wages.”
Pineer silk mills, Paterson, N. J. The
wags of weavers were largely reduced on
Mar 21, and the weavers quit work.
Afintic mills, Providence, R. I. The weav-
ers, 000 in number, went ona strike three
wees ago because they believed that their
wags had been or were to be reduced by ex-
cesye fines and new conditions. They re-
turnd to work on March 23, and went out
agaithree days later.
W put these facts to the working-
memf the country and ask them how
mug they have been benefited by the
McEnley tariff law? They are pay-
ing hore for their food, raiment aad
clotlng because of that law. They
are gting less money for their work
becate of that law. It cuts them
prosperity of the southern people.
bothtays. The “fat,” so to speak, is
The coke companies of Pennsylvania ; re--
being fiied out of them by ri¥fionaire
employers, but thissame “fat” will be
used to grease an easy pathway to pow-
er next year, But we don’t believe
the working people can be tooled a sec-
ond time.
Against.Civil Service Reform.
The Republicans have again. record-
ed themselves against civil service re-
form. This time it was in the Legis-
lature of Pennsylvania upon Represen-
tative WaerrY's bill providing for ap-
pointments in the service of the State,
cities and counties, wherever practi-
cable, on the basis of merit, as in the
classified Federal service. Inadvocat-
ing his bill Mr. Wuerry denounced
the spoils system as practiced in all
minor appointments, and described the
benefits that would accrue to the people
under civil service reform, which aims
to provide a safe, wise and just method
in the selection of minor officials and
employes who hold no relation to politi-
cal functions. There are, he said, about
15,000 public employes who would
come under the provision of the bill
should it become a law. He held that
as to these minor officials the same
rules ought to apply to government
business that apply to private business.
The government ought to get the best
service for its money. The reward
system in politics is a disgrace to civ-
ilization. Under it elections cease to
determine public questions, and become
merely scrambles for positions. Mr.
WaerrY's arguments, however, were
of no avail. The reform was rejected
by a party vote of 54 to 77, the Re-
publicans voting against it.
——The news that comes from
Chili, that two of the improved steel-
clad war ships engaged in the civil war
going on there, were blown up by tor-
pedoes, ig significant in view of the inter-
est that was felt in our supposed de-
fenseless condition if we should have
been attacked by the superior navy of
Lialy. If torpedoes can be as effective
as they are said to have been in the
Chilian waters, a large force of the
latest improved steel-clad warships is
of no material advantage to a nation,
and instead of building them it would
be wiser to make torpedoes.
——The Farmers’ Alliance of Ohio
has drawn the color line. At its ses-
sion last week it refused, by resolution,
to accept colored men to membership.
The platform adopted indorses the prin-
ciples of the St. Louis platform of 1889,
reaffirmed at Ocala, Fla.; asks that
each county fix the salaries of county
officers; demands that the dairy and
food commissioner be elected instead
of appointed ; favors free schoal books ;
the Australian ballot system; redue-
tion of railway rates of passenger fare
to 2 cents, and proportionate reduction
of freight rates; demands that the
amount of mortgage on real estate be
deducted from its assessed value for
taxation, and favors pensioning all
honorably discharged soldiers or their
surviving families,
The End of ft.
The Bird Book has evidently taken
wings and flown away. At least when
the proposition to print another edition
of this work, at the expense of the
State, came before the House some
days ago, Representative Gillen terse-
ly said: “On the proposition to print
30,000 bird books, the state printer re-
ports they would cost $1.10 each, or
$30,300. While this to some persons
may seem a small sum, to many it 1s a
great sum,and these feel that the money
might be better expended by purchas-
ing needed school books for poor child-
ren. This sum means that $10,100,000
of the taxable property of the common-
wealth is to be set aside for the pur-
chase of these bird books, for that
would be the amount taxable at the
rate of three mills on the dollar, which
is the present tax rate on money at in-
terest, to provide the needed $30,000.”
That will settle the bird book business
finally.
——The reason why the white wom.
en of Topeka, Kansas, supported and
elected the Citizen-Democratic candi-
date for Mayor was because they dis-
covered that the negro women were
voting solidly for the Republican can-
didate. They didn’t fancy black Re
publicanism of quite so dark a shade.
Agricultural Outlook.
The April returns to the Department
of Agriculture at Washington make
the condition of Winter wheat 96.9,
and of rye 95.4. The season for seed-
ing was favorable over the whole Win-
ter wheat area and afterwards the con-
ditions for growth were mainly favor-
able. The Hessian fly has appeared
in many localities, and serious injury
might follow should the early season
prove favorable to its development.
The general average for condition of
wheat is the highest reported for April
since 1882, and the State averages are
remarkable for their uniformity.
It is sixteen points higher than last
year, and three above 1889. The near-
est approach to per cent conditions
during recent years was in 1884, when
the largest crop ever grown was har-
vested, but similar high conditions in
1886 were followed by a crop of little
more than average proportions; the
average of condition in New- York is
92. The returns make the following
percentage of losses among farm ani-
mals during the past year: Horses 1.7
per cent, cattle 3, sheep 4 and swine
8.4. The annual losses of horses vary
but little. The percentage of loss of
cattle is slightly higher than in 1888
and 1889. The Josses of sheep have
been smaller than usual, while less
disease than usual is reported among
swine.
—~—The meeting of the National
League of Republican clubs at Cincin-
nati was used by ForAKER as an occa-
sion on which to thank BraiNg for the
magnificent administration he has
been giving the country. This was a
clearly intended snub to HARRISON,
whose name was not mentioned in con-
nection with an administration of
which he is the head. All the credit
was given to BLaiNg, as if he were
ranning the machine. The Harrison
men at the League meeting kicked at
this, but they were quieted by being
told that it wouldn't look well to be
wrangling on such an occasion. For-
AKERS’ insult to the head of the party
was allowed to stand, with all the
rankling that necessarily attends it.
The Prospect of the Crops.
in crops all over the country. From
far-off Kansas the crop report states
that, should no drawbacks come, the
wheat yield will be the largest ever
known. This is good news for the peo-
ple of that State, bat probably more
welcome to the Eastern holders of
Kansas mortgages. It will insure the
payment of the interest and may enable
the mortgagors to pay part, if not all,
of the principal. Give Kansas three
good crops and they will put her out of
the woods. The same cheering news
about the wheat crop comes from Indi-
ana also which from present promises
will be the heaviest grown in many
years. If to these beadded good crops
of corn, hay and other products, which
this year may bring forth, the country
will truly blossom like the rose. Al-
though heavy crops will bring prices
of products, aggregate receipts will be
larger. This means prosperity to farm-
farmers and all other classes, and furth-
er than this it means more food for the
poor and greater happiness for them.
Late news from the peach district of
Delaware tells us that the promise for
that delightful fruit. the coming season,
is phenomenal, and an abundance of
fruit means health.
——Money is flowing into the gov-
ernment treasury at the rate of a mil-
lion dollars a day, the result of a gov-
ernment tax upon almost everything
we use. Under ordinary circumstances
this would have the effect of overflow-
ing the treasury with money, but the
outflow is greater thau the inflowing
stream, and the consequence is a treas-
ury without any surplus. The Billion
Dollar Congress provided extravagances
which take the money out a3 fast as
the taxes bring it in.
——The vetoes which Governor Par-
11soN has exacted.on a number of bills
passed by the Legislature have met
with popular approval. His objections
to the measur2s have been so reason.
able and strong that they have been ac-
cepted by both houses. The Governor
never yet has gone astray in singling
out acts of legislation that should be
disapproved.
Senatorial Surprises.
The resignation of Senator EpMUNDs,
of Vermont, was a surprise. It could
almost as well have been expected that
the Green Mountains would walk off
their base ae that the jesuitical old
statesman of the Green Mountain State
should voluntarily leave his place in
the Senate. And now there is another
surprise of the same character. Sena-
tor REacaN, of Texas, who has been
connected with congress ever since the
collapse of the Southern Confederacy,
has become tired of Senatorial labors
and honors and has sent in his resig-
nation.
He isan older man by ten years
than Senator Epmuxps who was by no
means a senatorial spring chicken.
ReacaN’s public career has been de-
cidedly picturesque. He is a farmer-
lawyer, and was an official of the re-
publicof Texas before its annexation ;
after that he was a State judge, and
served four years in congress prior to
He was the Confederate postmaster
general, after a brief service in the Con-
federate congress; was also secretary
of the treasury of the Confederacy at
the time of the collapse, and was with
JerEERSON Davis's party when 1t was
corralled by United States troops in
Georgia in May, 1865. After the war
he served 12 years in the house of rep-
resentatives, and in 1887 was promoted
to the United States senate. His term
would have expired in 1893.
Mr, Rracax distinguished himself
in being chiefly instrumental in bring-
ing about the interstate commerce law
and the commission exercising federal
supervision over interstate railroads.
He was working for this great object
at the time when Epmu~ps said that
you couldn’t touch a privilege of the
Pacific Railroad corporations without
Jim BLaINg’s jumping up from behind
the breastworks of corporate power,
musket in
them.
The Senate will greatly miss the
honest Senator from Texas.
who bas
HaroLp FRrEDERIC,
“spent the last two weeks in Ireland,
I says there are justtwo towns in that
From the present outlook the com- jocttry where Mr. ParNnLL has prob.
: . ; ably a majority following.
ing season promises to be a prolidc one 2 :
> b b | Dublin, the other is Thurles.
One is
Besides
these there are, perhaps, “half a dozen
little hamlets, dominated by local sa-
loon keepers,” where PARNELL would
command a majority. All the rest of
Ireland is against him, and his follow-
ing consists of “alittle mob of loafers
ready to shout, fight and take his
money.” Nevertheless, PARNELL has
postponed home rule indefinitely.
They Will be Vetoed.
The Harrisburg Patriot warns the
Legislature not to engage in the fruit-
less and silly work of passing bills
which from their very nature will be |
sure to meet with the veto of the Gov-
ernor. One of these bills 18 intended
to appropriate $6000 to defray the ex-
penses of the Governor's inauguration.
They can’t expect to stick this expense
on the State in the face of the follow-
ing declaration which Governor Par-
misoN made at the time of his first in-
auguration :
I am resolutely determined that so faras I
can control the matter my inauguration as
Governor shall not cost the people of Pennsyl-
vania one dollar. Why should it? They de,
rive no benefit from such scenes and the
money spent thereon is wasted.
It view of such a declaration there
is not much probability that the $6000
mauguration expense bill will meet the
Governor's approval.
Another bill is to create additional
clerkships in the Auditor General's De-
partment. The Legislature that is
pushing this bill seems to overlook
the fact that in 1883 the Governor ve-
toed a bill providing for a single addi-
tional clerk in the treasury department
for the reason that he thought it had
a sufficient clerical force. If it is not
clear that the Auditor General has
not enough clerks the bill increasing
his force is surely awaiting a veto.
—————————S———N%
—The members of the Massachu.
setts Legislature having laid themselves
open to censure for haviog made the
State pay their cigar hills, a bill has
been introduced into that body doub-
ling the members’ salaries. They are
determined to be able to buy their
cigars without making the State pay
for them.
the rebellion, going out with his State. |
hand, ready to defend
Spawls from the Keystone,
—The cigarette law is enforced at Williams-
port. -
—A Masonic Temple will be built at Lewis
town.
—A Wilkesbarre suburb is known as “Forty
Fort.”
—There are seventy-five lakes in Wayne
county.
—The alleged confession of Dave Nicely was
a fraud.
—The teamsters of Jeanette have organized
a union,
—Mrs, Daly, of Scranton, thinks she is
worth $50,000,000.
—Reading is having a “Bible-in-the-public
schools” agitation.
—A Fullerton man had his nose bitten off
and went insane.
—Isaac F. Runkle, of Willamsport, has been
missing since April 1.
—Spotted fever is scaring the residents in
the vicinity of Oil City.
—The Welsh Musical Convention will be
held on May 9, at Wilkesbarre.
—Martin Leininger-has five children down
with scarlet fever at Myerstown.
—A building at Scranton was fired by incen-
diaries twice Saturday morning.
—There is no trouble expected in Pottstown
from the eight-hour movement.
—South Bethlehem will increase its deb. to
make permanent improvements.
—Many of the collieries in the vicinity of
Shamokin are resuming. operations.
~—A dressmaker of Reading accidentally
swallowed her scissors the other day.
—The price of bark in Tioga county has ad-
vanced from $1 to $6.50 and $7 a cord.
—There are fourteen persons in the mur-
derer’s row of the Allegheny county jail.
—Since the last assessment twenty new
houses have been built in one ward in Sun-
bury.
—A Lancaster teamster deliberately drove
into a funeral and wrecked a mourner’s car-
riage.
—Reading School Board expenses cover
$151,535 per year, $18,590 in excess of the in-
come.
—The rescued Huns from the Jeansville
mines will tour the country on their own ac-
count.
—A building boom has struck Columbia, and
on almost every street new houses are being
erected.
—John P. Horan was instantly killed by an
explosion of nitro-glycerine at an oil well near
Simpson.
—Reading’s collieries in the West Schuyl-
kill district will soon double their present
capacity.
—Farmer Levi Barrick, of Carlisle Springs,
Cumberland county, dropped dead of heart
disease,
—About 400 persons attended the annual re-
union of Catholic Beneficial Union No. 447, at
Greensburg.
—The Junior Order United American Me.
chanies presented the schools of Latrobe with
a fine silk flag.
—1I11 health caused Christian Keller,. an old
Ashland man, to hang himself to a window-
“shutter fastener.
—Three lads of Williamsport killed a four-
foot copperhead snake while gathering dande-
lion a few days ago.
—In his hurry to get a marriage: license a
Chambersburg youth committed perjury, and
has been held for trial.
—Several Susquehanna people have lately
visited Father Mellinger, of Pittsburg, to be
healed of their infirmities.
—“The Big Spring” at Newville is a famous
trout stream, and at one time last week 169
fishermen lined its banks.
—Attorney George W. Zeigler, of Sunbury,
is a candidate for the Democratic nomination
for Register and Recorder.
—Memtranous croup has taken three chil=
dren suddenly from the family of David Haag,
at Rebersburg, Berks county,
—William Warntz, a youtnful slatepicker at
the Burnside Colliery, Shenandoah, was killed
between the bumpers of cars.
—Charles Will, of Lenoxville, is so badly af-
flicted with rheumatism that he has bean un-
able to walk a step for two years.
—School teachers of Reading are discussing
the advisability of a session from 8 o'clock ta
noon during the summer months.
—Samuel P. Meyers was arrested at Wil.
liamsport, for using profane and indecent lan.
guage on a Pennsylvania railroad train.
—By assessing Poles and Huns, who hava
hitherto escaped, a Reading ward assessor eX
pects to increase the eivy’s revenue $500.
—Benjamin Griffith, a Centralia. colliery la
borer, was seriously injured by a log falling
upon him from abridge beneath which he
stood.
—A traveling quack has used the names of
Port Clinton local physicians in collecting
from eéitizens whom he knew to. be their pa-
tients.
—Samuel Schmehl, an aged farmer of Ros-
comb, Berks county, had $2800.in money and
bonds stolen. from his house during his teme
porary absence.
—William Day got thres years in the peni-
tentiary for burglary and felonious assault at
the residence of Mrs. Annie Spencer, Marietta,
Lancaster county.
—Fourteen-year old Maria Rumpf came un.
attended from Germany to Tremont, Schuylsill
county, wearing a tag addressing her to her
uncle, Jacob Rumpf.
—The Ladies’ Aid Society of the Reformed
Church, of Bucks county, has made ower a
thousand quilts. They are sold and the pro=
ceeds devoted to charity.
—Mrs. John Diffenderfer, of Sparling Hill,
was surprised recently to find that she had
recovered the sightof her eye, which had been
useless for forty years.
— Albert Zweigert, of Reading, foll in love
with his boarding mistress, but his affection
was not returned. Zweigert struck the wo-
man and she had him arrested.
—A Minegsville woman was put on trial on
Saturday, charged with being a common scold
by Rev. P. F. Beresford. She was convicted,
but the Judge put part of the eost on the min-
ister.
—John D. Carry, of Clay township, Lancas-
ter county, who failed and absconded, is found
to have forged notes to the amount of $1500
and secured money on them from country
banks.
—A brother and daughter of Augustus
Schmucker, who died atthe Borough Hall,
Norristown, identified him, but refused to re-
move the body or give it burial, and it will
therefore bo sent to a medical college for dis.
section,