BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
High on the shelf of political fame,
Lies the plumed Knight with no one to
blame:
But himself.
Down from the soft piney woods of Maine,
Iswafted a spring zephyr a balm for Bex’s
pain,
“Jim's ill health.”
—Perhaps INGALLS is after a pen-
sion.
—If the coal trust pans out as such
things usually do there will indeed be
black diamonds in Pennsylvania.
—Poor CarnNor! Poor HARRISON !
Why don’t you meet half way and
harri-kari for the sins of your followers.
— Tis sad to see February scoring off
into a thing of the past so rapidly, for
women always talk less in this month
than in any other of the twelve.
—The HiLLITEs popped champaigne
to celebrate Washington’s birthday and
their exuberance of spirits gave the
CLEVELAND followers a decidedly real
pain.
—How slight a difference between the
phrases: on the rail, and on a rail, with
their accompaniments car and tar. Yet
how quickly one discerns between the
two kinds of riding.
—New York friends of Senator HILL,
boast that be has succeeded in accomp-
lishipg every thing he has undertaken.
The¥ ought to get him to try his hand
at completing the GRANT monument.
—HELL bent on election ! is the way
a slight mistake of the artist might have
made the streamers, at Albany, last
Monday; and between the right and
the wrong there would have been small
difference.
— With a coal trust and seventy cent
dollars the workingman could surely
congratulate (?) himself that he enjoyed
the benefits of so liberal and elastic con-
stitutions as direct our State and Nation-
al proceedings.
—Secretary FosTER, has given mor-
tal offense to the Prohibitionists of the
country,by going to Europe on a Spree.
To the credit of the government of
which he is such a prominent official, he
was off it when he landed at Liverpool.
--Economy, Pa., boasts of a $3,000 pig
pen. We have'nt heard how much the
Nebraska gubernatorial mansion cost,
but we’ll venture the assertion that
TaAYERr's usurped home was a deal
more expensive than the bragged sty of
the Economites.
— Lancaster furnishes the latest war-
ning to people who are in the habit of
visiting lawyers offices. SAM’L Youna
went into one down there on Tuesday
last, and in less than a half hour was car-
ried out dead, from heart disease. Moral
keep away from them.
—Though pregnant with municipal
rottenness the great and generpus heart
of Philadelphia rose with one mighty
throb to freight her white winged an-
gel of mercy, with the lavish offerings of
a truly American people, to starving
souls in famine stricken Russia. :
—The scarcity of pedagogues in the
far west is probably because of the fail-
ure of their attempts to teach the young
idea how to shoot. ‘Western brats us-
ually are better in this oneline than any
of their tender foot instructors, and that
is where they get the drop on them.
--It is in order for some one to write
a touching little poem on The Hero of
Johnstown’’ as so many rattle brained
papers are calling General HAsTINGs.
If wearing top boots through the muddy
streets of flooded Johnstown made a
hero of our DAW, then glory is indeed
cheap.
—Ncow that the epidemic is nearly
over we can see ‘ar more meaning in the
article le which the French prefix be-
fore Grippo than we did when the dis-
ease first became prevalent. If we put
a y toit, in the English, we have a
most composite definition of the measly
little affliction.
—If ELKINS was a guerilla how can
Congress consistently deny ex-confeder-
ate officers the right to defend their
country’s honor, when the man who
would make the bullets for them to
shoot, is said to have been a member of
the most dishonorable and cruel organi-
zation in the rebel service.
--If he only had definite assurance
that they would all Leas popular as ht-
tle RurH, GROVER could get rich by
having more babies and entering them
in the “most popular baby’ contests
which are being held all over the coun-
try. Rurn’s‘latest triumph is her ac-
quistion of a valuable piece of California
real estate in a contest with Baby Mec-
Ken.
—Prominent Philadelphinns objected
to sending RunoLPH BLANKENBURG, as
agent of their relief stores to the starv-
ing Russians, because he was not a na-
tive born American, This is truly a
case o! straining at a gnat and swallow-
ing a camel, and if you would see the
proof of our assertion look at the lapels
of their coats,or into their store windows,
for the emblem of green, on the 17th of
next month.
Democralic
,
>
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
Zo)
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VOL. 37.
BELLEFONTE, PA., FEBRUARY 26,
1892. NO. 8.
Will Investigate the Reading Combine.
Attorney General HexserL addressed
a letter to President McLeop, of the
Philadelphia & Reading railroad sys-
tem, on Tuesday, in which he appoint-
ed Thursday, March 3rd, as thedate
and the Supreme Court chamber, at
Harrisburg, as the place, when and
where a legal inquiry will bejmade in-
to the recent combination between the
Reading, Jersey Centra! and Lehigh
Valley roads.
Possibly no transaction of late years
has aroused greater interest than the
consolidation of these three lines of
railroads for the joint purpose of pro-
curing exclusive control of the anthra-
cite coal regions and for che formation
of ‘a more dangerous competitor to the
Pensylvania system.
As first looked at by our people it
presented the aspect of a gigantic coal
trust,but the new organization promptly
promised a reduction of the present
rates instead of the anticipated increase.
It is certainly plausible that one man-
agement should conduct the traffic on
a much more economical plan}?than
three, but the question here presents
itself : will the Reading company be
able to pay the promised 7 per cent.
dividends to the Jersey] Central and
Lehigh Valley stockholders and keep
up its own dividends without squeezing
coal buyers? It argues that it} can
readily do this through the decreased
expense of management, though neither
of the “gobbled” lines have ever] been
able to pay more than 4} per cent
while conducted individually. As to
the truth of this statement time alone
will tell.
It is the matter of the Constituiiog:
ality of the arrangement that has de-
maaded an examination of all the cir-
cumstances connected with it, and it is
in deference to this demand, that Attor-
ney General HeNsgL has called the in-
vestigation that will be made on the
3rd of next month.
While the Reading claims that its
lines never were rivals of the Lehigh
Valley or the Jersey Central it seems
very strange that two distinctively sep-
arate corporations should tap the re-
sources of the same region and carry
it to the seaboard without com petition.
The Lehigh Valley has been under
obligations to the Reading for tracks
into Philadelphia just as the latter has
been indebted to the Jersey Central
forits New York terminus, ‘but the
existing relation between them hus
never preclnded the possibility ot
healthy competition.
What the out come will be cannot
be told. Ifit appears from che facts
brought out, and the leases which
have been called for by the State au-
| thorities, that the deal is nothing but
a pooling of interests to secure abso-
late control of our greatest field of
mineral wealth, for the sole purpose of
enriching a few at the expense the
many, such process through the courts
as will put a stop to the combination,
will doubtless be begun at once.
While on the the other hand, if the
facts show that the people of the State
are to be benefitted by a reduction in
the price of coal and better carrying
facilities on the part of these lines,
through this consolidation, it will be
allowed tostand and receive the God-
speed of every citizen of the common-
wealth.
Under any circumstancei the people
know that their interests will be cared
for. Governor Parrisox and his legal
adviser have faltered in no duty yet.
They will not 10 this,
Doing the Best They Can.
We have the following evidence
from the Philadelphia Record, that
there is life and “push’ in the citizens
of that usually dormant -place, al-
though the general beliet is to the con-
trary. The facts as given, while they
do not show that the city has reached
that degree of haste that requires rapid
transit, prove that those of its citizens
who are awake are willing to put their
“shoulder to the wheel”
their public vehicles to make the best
time possible. In this case at least
they show a willinguess to do the best
they ean to keep things moving, for
which they are to be congratulated.
The Record says :
Twobalky mules hitched to a rag dray caus-
ed a commotion at the corner of Fifth and
Market streets yesterday afterncon, and fally
thirty of the populace pushed the wagon on
the stapid animals’ heels for half a block.
| constitutional
and assist : :
wrongs perpetrated upoa the people by
A Change of Power and a Lack of
Principle.
Facts are beginning to prove, that it
is not so much a matter of principle
with the leaders of the two tactions 1n
‘New York, as it is a question of power
to enforce their wishes.
Eight years ago the delegation from
that state was instructed to cast its
vote as a unit, for the candidate of its
choice, Grover CLEVELAND. In that
delegation were three prominent lead-
ers of the Tammany Hall Damocracy,
FrLrows, CockrAN and Grapy. [hey,
as was the organization to which they
belonged, were opposed to his nomina-
tion. They believed the districts they
represented were opposed to him, and
so oelieving, raised the; question of
fhe power of a State Convention to in-
struct district delegates,that,as a body,
it had no voice in selecting. They in-
sisted in ‘most eloquent and forcible
speeches, that as they were the repre-
sentatives of districts, and not the
creatures of a convention, that their
duty was to obey the wishes of their
constituents, and not the dictum of a
state; that the only binding force a
Unit rule adopted by a state conven-
tion had was upon the delegates-at-
large, who were selected by the con-
vention, as rep-esentatives of the State.
This was their position then.
The shoe is now on the other foot.
At that time Tammany was the under
dog in the fight. Now it dominates
New York politics, and in the conven-
tion held in that State on Tuesday last,
the same leaders, who but eight years
ago 80 eloquently plead for the right-
ful privilege of voicing the sentiment
of the districts they represented, came
to the front and because they had the
power, attempied totieevery district
in the state to the candidate of their
choice, and to stifle the voice ot those
who did not agree with them, through
the operations of this same unit rale.
That the other element of the party,
u.at sought to be benefited by this un-
democratic idea, eight years ago, will
complain because of the present at-
tempt to enforce it against them, we
nave not the least doubt. It is the way
men have of doing things, and shows
the inconsistency of partisans, when
circumstances change the situation.
Tammany Hall, after its fight against
the unit rule in 1884, should be asham-
ed to seek strength and secure united
action under it now.
The CreEvenLaNxp Democrats of that
state, alter their efforts to enforce it
then should be men enough’to accept
it now without a word of complaint,
Consistency demands this of both.
—It don’s help the Patriot's fight,
on a Democratic State administration,
a particle, to furaish as their chief en-
dorsers the opinions of Republican
newspapers. On questions of the en-
forcement of Constitutional provisions,
the people have long since discovered
that these journals are as insincere as
hypocritical, and while our Harrisburg
contemporary may parade its own in-
tegrity and independence 1n matters of
this kind,to ite heart's content, there is
a general public opinion that there is
more of personal malevolence in ils ef-
forts than desire t> see the right suc-
ceed.
They Deceive ‘No One.
It is a curious circamstance that
while the Republican press of the State
bas for eighteen years sustained a Re-
publican legislature in its refusal to en-
act necessary legislation enforcing the
provisions of section 7, of article XVII
of the constitution, it should so sudden-
ly waken up now to the necessity of a
Democratic Governor, seeing that the
4th section of the same article is not
violated by the Reading railroad deal.
It we belonged to a party that has had
absolute control of all the legislation
of the State,since the new Coastitution
and had, daring all
that time, failed to have its provisions
enforced, as against corporates discrim-
ination, we would say but little about
obligations and the
went ino effect,
a failure to recognize them.
But then some people have a gall
that recoznizes no consistency and a
desire to deceive, though no one is
tooled except themselves.
——There is considerabl: rapidity
in the growth of the belief that both
“Mr.” Hint and “Mr.” CLEVELAND have
laid themselves on the shelf for the
present.
4grouble that putting it in operation
A Wroug Way of Doing It.
A Naw Castle telegram to the Pitts-
burg Post under date of 21st inst,
states that:
“The Prohfbitionists and Farmers’ Alliance
men in this,county,by combinations,succeeded,
on Tuesday night, in electing seven judges
of election who will fill their offices in defiance
of the Baker ballot law. This wilt bring up a
test as;to the constitutionality of the law. These
seven judges are backed by a strong fund
and the crystalizad sentiment of the com mun-
ity, and will carry out the plan, even if they
go to prison for it.
So far as desiring to have the con-
stitutionality of the Baker ballot law
tested the Lawrence county Prohibi-
tionists are eatirely in the right but
just how the defiance of the law is go-
ing to make that test isa matter that
to many is not clear.
Before assuming their duties 84s
judges these seven men will be requir-
ed to take an oath binding themselves
t) see that the provisions of the new
election law are faithfully enforced.
b To refuse to do so after being sworn
will simply commit perjury on their
part in place of raising any question as
to the constitutionality of the eleciton
law.
If this matter is to be brought before
the courts at all it should come not
mixed with side issues, and if there is
any possible process by which a lower
court decision could be secured so that
it can properly be carried to the Su-
preme court, it should be done at once,
and not wait until after the expense of
baying;booths, boxes and railings has
bzen entailed upon the public.
There may be some question as to
whether the new law is in strict accord
with the spirit of the. constitution, but
there is none whatever as to the ex-
pense it will entail and the trouble,
and vexation, and disappointment it is
sure to bring. These later, we believe,
will far outweigh all the benefits that
can be hoped to be obtained through
the enforcement of the measure. But
if we are to suffer the expense and go
through the interminable turmoil and
will entail before its constitutionality
can be determined, it would be much
better to drop the idea of testing the
matter before the Supreme court and
add to it such amendments as would
make it ‘hat the public was led to
believe it was at the time of its enact-
ment; a real reform ballot law.
——As it seems to be absolutely !
necessary to their proper condition,
that New York Democrats have a
fizht every four years, there is consola-
tion to outsiders in the fact, that the
one going on now between the two fac-
tions was started in time to be fought
out before the contest with the Repub-
licans begins, From the heat to
which it has already gotten, both par-
ties shonld have enough of it long be-
fore the candidate for president is nom-
inated and should be warmed up to a
sufficient degree to make the hottest
fight against the common enemy that
that State has ever witnessed.
Offers ‘Them the Opportunity.
The resignation of Mayor WyMAN,
of Allegheny, wili tarnish the prohibi-
tionists and other opponents of the new
ballot law, the opportunity they seek
of getting a Supreme Court decision as
to the Constitutionality of the act.
The law goes into effect on the first of
March. The election of a successor to
Mayor Wyyan will probably take
place early in that month and must
be held under the new act. Outof it
there should be no trouble in prepar-
ing a case and getting the lower court
decision, through which the whole
matter can be brought before the Su-
preme conrt in time for a final decision
from that body before- the State has
gone to the expense of securing booths,
rails, ete.
If the people who are talking so
volubly about the unconstitutionality
of an Act that not one in ten of them
hus read and that not one in a hundred
wouldfully understand after reading,and
are in dead down earrest about knock-
ing it out because some of its provisions
interfere with the supposed constitu.
tional rights of citizens, this will be
their opportunity. Lf they are in earn.
est let them start their case with the
flrat election that will be held under
its provisions.
—1If you ‘want printing of any de-
scription the WaATcHMAN office is the
place to have it done.
So Say We All of Us.
From the New York World.
What's the matter with a bill to re-
peal the duty on tin-plate? There was
DOt & worse Or a more oppressive Swin-
dle than that enacted in the McKinley
tariff. It touches a thousand people
where binding-twine touches one.
Why should not a Democratic House
promptly pass a bill to repeal it?
A Wooden Man Would be Stronger.
+ ht ed Ln
From the Clearfield Republican.
The Cleveland Press, in alluding to
Blaine’s withdrawal, says : “The g.
0. p. could run Blaine in effigy and get
more votes for him in that shape than
it seems likely to poll for the hero of
Paddy Egan’s war candidate.” This
Press man is evidently mad at ‘the
government,” and expected an office
from Blaine.
S———
Washington’s Birthday and What it
Commemorates.
Inasmuch as we have just celebrated
the 101st festival in commemoration of
Washington's birthday we thought it
might be interesting to the readers to
the Warcaman to know that the cus-
tom is just 101 years old. While we
celebrate it simply because it was the
birthday of the father of his country,
yet the following list of events, from
the fourteenth century to the present
time, will show that historically it was
noted before George was ever thought
of.
1381.—Death of David II. of Scot-
land, son of the immortal Robert Bruce.
1609.— Death of Ferdinand I., Grand
Duke of Tuscany.
1630.—This was the first occasion of
a public thanksgiving in Massachusetts.
The date had already been appointed
for a season of general fasting, but, un-
fortunately, provisions ran very low in
February. No cargoes had arrived for
a long time. Our forefathers appre-
hended little difficalty, however, in
keeping the prescribed fast. On the
morning of the day a ship appeared in
the harbor laden with food. It was
unanimously decided to change the fast
day to a feast day.
1644. —Charles I. convened a special
Parliament of 44 Lords and 118 Com-
moners at Oxford.
1674.—Jean Chapelain died. He
was a literary protege of the great Car-
dinal and a man of some talent. He
first attracted Richelien’s attention
through a preface to the ‘Adonis of
Marini, which the priestly “bel esprit”
affected to admire. Chapelain was one
of the original members of the Acade-
mie Francaise.
New
1717.—Great snowstorm in
England, with snow six feet deep in
| Boston.
‘ruary 20, continued for two days.
Snow commenced to fall Feb-
1731.—Death of Frederick Ruysch,
a celebrated Duch anatomist.
1732.—George Waghington was born
at Bridge's Creek, Va.
1744.—Great naval engagement off
Toulon between the combinded French
and Spanish fleets under Admiral De
Court against the British fleet under
Admirals Matthews and Rowley. The
Spanish ship Poder was burned. Brit-
ish loss, 92 killed and 185 wounded.
1746.—Death of William Conston,
Director of painting and sculpture in
the French Academy.
1770.—A mob attacked the house of
one Richardson in Boston, who had
attempted to remove a mark set against
the house of a patriot named Lille,
who had contravened the non-importa-
tion law. Richardson fired on the
crowd and killed Christopher Snider,
eleven years old. The boy’s name is
recorded in the prints of the time as
the first martyr to American liberty.
1780.—An ox roasted whole on the
frozen Schuylkill at Philadelphia. Ice
17 inches thick.
1782.—1Island of Montserrat surrend-
ered by the French under Count de
Grasse.
1787.—Assemply of
France.
1797.—French descended on Wales.
1806.— Death of James Barry,a well-
koown Irish painter. His master-
piece was an allegorical series for the
Society of Arts in London.
1810.——Death of Charles Brockden
Brown, an American author.
1811.—The British ships Cerberus
and Active captured twenty-two vessels
from Otranto with provisions and
troops.
1812.—Ogdensburg, N. Y., attacked
by the Eritish and Indians under Fraz-
er and McDonnell. Folsythe in com-
mand, compelled to evacuate. The
British took 12 cannon, 1400 stands of
arms, 300 tents and all the boat:. The
Americans lost 27 men, the British 64.
1814.—Blucher defeated by the
French, under Boyer, at Mery. The
former fired the town and fled.
1816.—Death of Adam Ferguson,
the famous Scotch writer. In 1778 be
was sent to America as secretary of the
mission for effecting a reconciliation.
1835.—Death of Jane Jarmon in
Wodesborough, N. C., aged 105.
1841.—Disastrous land slide in Com-
mune of Gregaro, Italy. One hundred
and thirteen lives logt-
Reggio Calabria nearly destroyed by
an earthquake.
1855.—%an
pended payment,
notables of
Francisco banks sus-
Panic ensued.
Spawls from the Keystone,
—Pitisburg l.as an epidemic of runaway
husbands.
—Three men were injured in a riot at Sun.
bury Monday.
—No more semi-monthly pay for Hazleton
region miners.
—York industries shipped 311 car loads of
freight last week.
—Pittsburg’s Coal Exchange has condemned
Senator Frye’s bill.
—Christian Temperance women,in Reading,
want to stop Sunday cars.
—World’s Fair Executive Commissioner
Whitman is ill at Harrisburg.
—Burglars were scared away while trying to
rob the Post Office at Carlisle.
—Berks county has just 450 applicants for
license, ten less than last year:
—Work has been resumed on the Hazleton
Lofty branch of the Reading R.R.
—Top-rock fatally crushed Teddy O’Brien at
Waddell’s Colliery, near Wilkesbarre.
—-The new State insane Hospital,at Werners-
ville, willl accommodate 1250 patients.
—The Pennsylvania Chatauqua will raise
funds by means of a stereopticon show,
—The Unioh Baptist church, Pittsburg, has
burned on its altar its $2500 mortgage.
—Having hacked his throat with a knife’
George Allen, of Steelton, bled to death.
—Roof-rock fell and killed Miner Peter
Sweet in Pyne Colliery, near Taylorville.
—At the Otto Colliery, near Minersvil le,
Benjamin Lewis was killed coupling cars.
—The Reading Rolling Mill (Cofrode & Say-
lor’s) has cut 650 men’s wages 10 per cent.
—Miss Mary Brown was drowned ina wash-
tub into which she fell in a fit, at Tarentum.
—Margaret Mather admits that she is seek-
ing a divorce from her husband at Pittsburg.
—For selling cigars and candy on Sunday,
Julius Strehlan has been fined at Johnstown.
—The Lehigh Valley Railroad Easton shops
arelikely to be moved to Bethlehem, it is
said.
—The restored Carnegie Free Library at
Johnstown (cost $65,000) was rededicated last
Sunday.
—Jerome L. Boyer has been elected as the
new president of Reading’s prosperous Board
of Trade.
—Lancaster’s new $75,000: public building is
ready for the post office and revenue office
furniture.
—Organ Manufacturer Horace Lehr was
married to Miss Irene Algur, at Easton, Mon-
day night.
—The great ice gorge in the Allegheny river
at Parker has broken, after a part of the town
was flooded.
—Central Iron Works’ puddlers have re-
sumed work, at Harrisburg; at the reduced
wages, $3.50 a ton.
—Further alarm has been caused by the set-
t ling of the sarface over the Payne Colliery in
Luzerne borough.
—Wilkesbarre’s new postmaster, Mr. Land-
messer, will retain Postmistress Bogert’s depu
ty, Mr. Chapman.
—Trackwalkers Toporo Antonio and Blan-
chette Pietro were killed, by the Columbian
express,near Latrobe.
-—The Pennsylvania Railroad will tap the
Hummelstown brownstone quarries with a
spur from Middletown.
—The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
commenced work on the extension of its road
to Scranton, on Monday.
—There were three bold robberies of Al-
toona houses while their ocetipants were at
church on Sunday night.
—Going under his locomotive, near Union-
town, to tap asteam pipe, Engin eer Walter
Glenn was fatally cooked.
—The granite monument to the Adams
county soldier dead, at G~ttysburg, was dedi-
cated by the Post G. A. R.
—An unexpected blast Saturday in a stone
quarry near Reading seriously injured John
Rumkeller and George Roth.
—Lackawana county Judges won’t appoint
Miners’ Examinin g Boards. this year, as the
miners show so little interest.
—The dzath wateh will stick elose to mur-
derer Patrick Fitzpatrick until his execution
on March 1, in the Pittsburg jail.
—The East Lebanon Rolling Mill has shut
down indefinitely, because She employes re-
fused to accept a necessary reduction.
—The Pennsyltvania Railroad is represented
as having purchased $1,009,000 worth of prop-
erty at and near Wilkesbarre recently.
—Dr. C. K. Nelson, Bishop-elect of Georgia,
preached his farewell sermon at the church
of the Nativity, Bethlehem, Sunday.
—The New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio
Railroad’s block signal system from Mead-
ville west will beginservice next Tuesday.
—Nativity church vestry went South with
Rev. Dr. C. K. Nelson, who was Wednesday
formally ordained Bishop of Georgia, at Ate
lant a.
—Business on the Reading Railroad is so
heavy thatthe 1500 employes in the Reading
shops were asked to work last Monday, a
holiday.
—George Washington, a ninety-five year old:
colored landmark of Stroudsburg, was buried:
on the birthday anniversary of the Father of;
his Country.
—Receiver Emerson Collins has taken
chaage of the suspended Muncy Bank, and
will attempt to. fathom the mystery of the
missing money.
—Joseph: Stein was killed in the Bear Ridge
Colliery near Shenandoah, and Napoleon
Astra was rescued alive after being buried
under a rush of coal.
—Mrs. Barbara Long, of Lancaster, while
temporarily insane, cut her throat with a
butcher knite and gashed herself with a
hatchet. She may recover.
—Travel on the Reading Railroad was de-
layed yesterday at Valley Forge by heavy iron
girders bound for the Terminal in this city
falling on the track from the cars.
—While under treatment in the St. Luke's
Hospital, South Bethlehem, for a crushed
arm, Fireman William Burges was seized
with a fatal attack of typhoid feven.
—Twenty four thousand beer and pop bot-
tles per year are saved or reseuwed from care.
less persons or thieves by the Bottlers’ Pro-
tective Association of Berks eounty.
—Well-known Miss Kate Haws, of Johns-
town, has disappeared and is believed to have
eloped with a ycung friend whom she met
while at St. Joseph's Academy, Greensburg.
—Tramps attempted to wreck a train on
the Reading and Columbia Railroad, near
Lancaster, on ‘Saturday night. Ties were
placed on ihe track, but were discovered and
removed.
N 4