a
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
«~The cheapest letter carrier is the
postage stamp.
—The Legislators are getting tired.
They have decided to adjourn on June
1st.
— Kaiser BILL promises to be quite as
much of a “Jonah” to the Germans as
his Army bill.
~-One’s conscience is a great thing.
Without it we would all be liable to ar-
rest nearly every day.
—President MANUEL GONZALES, of
Mexico, has made a dead sure thing of
it this time. Hedied on Monday.
—Secretary CARLISLE might have
found many golden eagles for his reserve
fund had he been in Lancaster on
Wednesday.
—Candidates are getting the cold
shoulder at Washington, but they will
be able to stand that better than the ras-
cals will stand the ax.
—The quashing of the indictments
against the DELEMATERS, by the Craw-
ford county court, is about on a par with
the ANDREWS —HI1GBEE affair.
—Governor PENNOYER, of Oregon, is
one of those ‘‘smarties” who imagines
he’s doing a great thing when parading
his smartness (?) before the public.
~-The $100,000,000 gold reserve is all
back in the Treasury, so we suppose the
Wall street bankers will now find time
to attend to their own business a little
better than they did last week.
—The ‘rubbing in” process is being
vigorously worked on Mr. STEVENS.
The appointment of Mr. BLOUNT as
his successor as minister to the Hawaiian
islands will be the last drop in his cup
of bitterness.
~—Why the daily press should con-
tinue the publication of Harrisburg
news under the caption: ‘Doings at
the Capital” when nothing has been
done there this term, is a question we
take concern in propounding.
«To have the courage of your con-
victions means that you are neither a
demagogue nor a hypocrite. If you
believe a thing is right don’t hesitate to
say so. Many an honest endeavor has
failed for want of one approving word:
—-The Chinese Registration law is
in effect now and we have yet to hear
of an arrest for non-compliance with the
measure on the part of the pig tailed
celestials. In their own language.
Melican man findee belly hard job
to catchee us.
—There is something radically wrong
some where. With one doctor for every
six hundred inhabitants in the United
States there ought surely to be a larger
percentage of deaths than there are. It
is evident that some of the M. D s. have
broken faith with the undertakers.
—What so many papers are kicking
up for because JoHN RUSKIN is to be
made Poet Laureate of England we are
ata loss to know. Surely it don’t make
much differenee to us who writes the
boss English poetry so long as the
author of Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay lives.
—The World’s Fair has now heen
open nearly two weeks and yet things are
not in a fair way to be seen. Packing
boxes, muddy roads and many other in-
conveniences add to the annoyance of
visitors. The fakirs were ready the day
GROVER pressed the button however.
—The failure of the German Reich-
stag to pass the army bill has occasion-
ed Emperor WILLIAM to make another
speech. Like most of his former utter-
ings it is wonderfully full of braggado-
cio, but will hardly have the effect of
scaring the Reichstag into a reconsidera-
tion.
~—1If the minister’s and church con-
gregations throughout the land would
manifest as much interest in suppressing
Sunday desecrations at home they would
find the business far more profitable to
their own communities than this con-
tinual harping about closing the World's
Fair on the Sabbath.
—From the condition things seem to
have been in in the Chemical National
bank, of Chicago, which went under on
Tuesday with liabilities amounting to
$900,000 there can be no doub’ that
more H, S than anything else was gen-
erated in the institution. Chemicals
are usually pretty combustible any how.
—The man who invested his surplus
in Columbian souvenir half dollars some
time ago, thinking that he would go to
the Fair on the premium they would
bring about now, is beginning to dust
off his last summer’s garments and un-
doubtedly is consoling himself with the
idea that the Fair won’t be half as big
as it was cracked up to be.
—Chicago will very likely find her-
self in a great big hole when the Fair
comes to a close. The daily expense
of the big show agzregates $45,000,
which will require daiiy paid admissions
to the number of at least 150,000. Such
a number will not materialize for some
time, but it is altogether likely that the
Windy city will blow the whole thing
up and float her on wind if necessary.
Republican Opposition to an Ho rest
Ballot.
The political depravity of the pres-
ent Republican State Legislature is
shown by its treatment of the ballot
law. Evident defects in that law ma-
terially interfere with its producing the
benefits that were expected of it. The
evil consequences of these defects mani-
fested themselves at both elections
which have been held under the Bak-
ER enactment, notably in the manner
in which the names of candidates have
been marked in groups on the ballots,
instead of singly, and in the looseness
allowed in permitting outsiders to as-
sist alleged incompetent voters in pre-
paring cheir ballots.
It may be justly charged that the
Republican leaders did not want a bal-
lot law that would insure fair and hon-
est elections. There can be no doubt
that the defects in the law, as it was
passed, were intentional on the part of
the Legislature that passed it. Com-
pelled by public sentiment to enact
some measure of reform in regard to
the ballot, the disposition of the Re-
publicans being opposed to ballot re-
form, they made the law as defective as
possible. Its weakness as a preventative
of fraudulent voting is observable at
every point where the original draft of
the BAKER bill was departed from with
the evident purpose of weakening the
reformatory character of the law.
These manifest defects induced the
friends of ballot reform at the present
gession, to offer amendments that
would furnish a perfect safegnard
against fraudulent voting. They pro-
posed to amend the defective enact.
ment by prohibiting the marking of
the candidates on the ballots in groups,
which has led to so much confusion
and misunderstanding in counting the
votes, and also by provisions that
would prevent improper assistance of
alleged illiterate and incompetent vot-
ers.
Nothing could be more necessary for
the carrying out of the true and honest
intention of the law than amendments
such as these. Buthow have the Re-
publicans met this proposition? They
have answered this demand for honest
elections by an entirely different kind
of amendment that would convert the
voting booths into places where bar.
gains and sales between purchasable
voters and their purchasers could be
secretly and safely consummated. The
law, as they would amend it. would en-
able any voter to call in any outsider
he might select, to see how he marked
his ballot, under the claim that he re-
quired assistance. It would facilitate
the consummation of bribery by bring-
ing the briber into the booth to assure
himselfthat the voter he had purchased
had performed his part of the bargain.
It would in short afford greater facility
for the corruption of voters than exist-
ed under the old law, for formerly the
briber could only go to the window
with his purchased voter and look over
his shoulder while he handed in his
ballot without being positively certain
that it was the one he gave him, ‘but
under this proposed Republican amend-
went of the ballot law he could go in-
to the booth with his man, see that he
marked the names of the ‘candidates
according to contract, and there could
be no mistake or doubt asito the vote.
It would be the very perfection of a
system conducive to electoral corrup-
tion.
Nothing could furnish a more thor-
ough reflex of ‘the animus of the Re-
publican leaders in regard to ballot re-
form than their proposed amendment
of theelection law. Their preference is
shown to be clearly on the side of bal-
lot corruption. What other object
than that could there be in Senator
Frinw's amendment which provides
for the utmost latitude in allowing
outsiders to go into the voting booths
and assist voters in preparing their bal-
lots? What other object conld there
be in allowing this to be done without
challenge and without the restraint of
an oath that such assistance is necessa-
ry ? What other than a corrupt purpose
is to be implied from that provision of
the FriNy amendment which omits
anything like punishment for a voter
to falsely declare to a judge of election
that he was unable to read or mark his
ballot and therefore needed assistance?
Such provisions as these embraced
in the FLINN amendment could have
no other object than to defeat the hon-
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
est intentions of the Baker law and to
open the elections to the influence of
fraud and corruption. It can not be
said that this evil intention is merely
the proposition of the person oppos-
ing the amendment, unauthorizea by
the sentiment of the party. The fact
that it received the yote of every Re-
publican Senator, except that of Sena-
tor BAKER, the author of the BAKER
bill, clearly demonstrates the fact that
the party is committed to the mainte-
nauce of electoral corruption.
ET ————
The Cause of the Delay.
When the present session of the State
Legislature opened in January the
good people of Philadelphia, who have
long been saffering from the pillage of
the Pablic Buildings Commission, pre-
pared to rid themselves of that inflic-
tion by getting the Lagislature to abol-
ish the Commission. They confidently
believed that their united action in
bringing to the attention of the law-
makers the grievance from which they
were suffering, would speedily bring
about the relief that they sought, by
discharging the unfaithful public serv-
ants from the trust they were abus-
ing. With the assurance that so just
a demand would meet with the ready
compliance of the Legislature, they
locked forward to a speedy termination
of the career of reckless expenditure
and extravagance that had made the
City Hall the most expensive building
in the world, costing over seventeen
millions of dollars without being com-
pleted.
Philadelphia had reason to believe
that its movement for relief from the
City Hall robbery would be followed
by prompt action on the part of the
Legislature by the passage of the bill
to abolish the Building Commission.
Is it not a Republican city. always roll-
ing up the biggest kind of a majority
in the interest of the party? Is
it not a Republican Legislature, to
which the city has contributed a very
large share of its membership? It
was reasonable to expect that when a
Republican city, by the almost unani-
mous voice of its people, asked a Re-
public Legislature to pass a measure of |
such vital importance to its tax-payers,
there would be no hesitation, but the
legislation asked for wonld be prompt-
ly given.
BELLEFONTE, PA.
But such has not been the treatment |
which Philadelphia's demand for re-
lief has met with at Harrisburg. From
the very moment the PENrose bill
made its appearance in the Legislature,
it met with opposition, to some extent
there was open hostility, and this has
been supplemented by the most skillful
arts of secret antagonism. Delay has
attended the bill through every stage
of its slow progress. If it does pass, it
will be at the very heel of the session,
when every consideration for the inter-
est of Philadelphia, and regard for the
just demand of her outraged people,
should not have allowed the passage
of the bill to have been delayed an
hour longer than was necessary for the
usual process of enactment.
But the secret of the dereliction in
this case is to be found in the fact that
the Republican leaders of Philadelphia
have not been in earnest in the move:
ment for legislation that would termi-
nate the City Hall robbery. The Com-
mission, with its patronage and its pull
on the city treasury, has been a power-
ful factor in the politics of Philadelphia,
which the machine managers would
greatly miss in the manipulation of the
city elections and could not afford to
lose. There is no computing how
much of the seventeen millions of dol-
lars reported to have been spent oa the
City Hall were used in influencing the
city elections and maintaining the po-
litical control of the machine. No one
pretends to believe that all of these
millions were actually expended upon
the building, but that at least a third
of it went to the various interests that
demanded a share in 80 large a stake.
[tis idle to believe that the politicians
didn’t get tlieir share, and that a good.
ly portion of it was not used in the Re-
publican interest, in the city as well as
in the State at large. This may be ac
cepted as the reason why a Republican
Legislature is so reluctant about killing
the goose that laid such golden eggs
for the grand old party.
—1If you want printing of any de-
scription the WATCHMAN office is the
place to have it done.
| action was taken for no reason involv-
ing his standing as a citizen, and char-
a8 a prominent Republican, was among
%
MAY 12. 1
Republican Jew-Baiting.
A disposition to persecute;the Jews
does not appear to be confined to some
of the despotic countries of Europe.
The liveral sentiment of the world has
been shocked by the harsh treatment
to which those people have been treated
in Russia, and even in more enlight-
ened Germany ; but it would seem jthat
there is a disposition among a certain
class in this country to imitate in this
respect the best example of Earopean
despotism.
We refer to the action of the Union
League of New York, which by_its re-
jection of the application of young Mr.
SELIGMAN for membership, shows that
it is animated by the same unreasona-
bie prejudice that has prompted the
Russian and German Jew-baiting. The
SELIGMAN case was a peculiarly flagrant
outrage, The victim in this case of
persecution was a young man of intel-
ligence and respectability, belonging to
one of the leading Jewish families of
New York. There could be no objec
tion as to his personal character. He
was a good citizen, and bore himself
honorably in all his relations with his
fellow men. His father, one of the
most prominent bankers of the city,
had been among the founders of the
League, and had contributed liberally
to its support. There was every reason
why this young man should have been
admitted to the membership of this or-
ganization, if an excellent character
and respectability were to be considered
as recommendatiors,
But the majority of the Republican
organization to which he applied for
admission thought otherwise. A pre.
dominant element in its composition
preferred to imitate the example of the
Kuropean despots who are persecuting
the Jews, and, prompted by the illiber-
ality and prejudice that are at the bot-
tom of all race persecution, they reject-
ed Mr. SELiGMAN’s application. This
acter as a man, but because, as some of
the members were heard to declare,
they didn’t want any more “d—d Jews"
to be admitted to their membership.
So great an indignity as this has
been followed by its natural consequen-
ces. The elder Mr. SeLiamaN, who,
the tounders of the League and liberal
in his contributions, has withdrawn
from the organization. Many other
wealthy Jewish citizens who have
acted with the Republican party, haye
very properly become offended and
have severed their Jong standing polit-
ical associations, Prominent among
them are the three Hess brothers, consti-
tuting a strong business firm, who were
leading Jewish Republicans, but who |
find themselves compelled to withdraw
from a party which has entered upon a
course of Jew-baiting in imitation of
the despots of Europe. They have de-
clared their determination to act here-
after with the Democratic party which
treats all classes as having an equality
of rights, and persecutes no people or
denomination on account of their race
and religion.
——Beginning with next Wednes-
day morning the Willliamsport Times
will be published as an evening paper.
Since its inception, last January, it
has occupied a field peculiarly its own,
in that it was a mid-day paper. The
move was entirely experimental and
now after four months’ trial the pub-
lishers of the Zimes find itimpracticable
to continue further publication at such
an hour. The Times has amply ful.
filled the hopes of its publishers and
has become a notable element in the
sphere of Lycoming journalism. As
an evening paper it will undoubtedly
be more of a success than it was in its
original field as a uoon-day publication.
——We were somewhat surprised to
see two such able journals as the York
Gazette and Philadelphia Record ad-
vising the Republicans to nominate
CHARLES Eyory SymitH, editor of the
Philadelphia Press, as their candidate
for governor in 94. Surprised at their
even dreaming that Quay would let a
Press man run on his ticket for any-
thing, Of course if Mr. Smit could
get on the ticket ‘unbeknownst’ to
Maraew StaNtey Q. it would
be a good thing for the Democratic
candidate.
——Subseribe for the WATCHMAN.
893.
cymang
NO. 19.
Close the Gates Against Them,
From the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph.
In connection with the sensational
announcement that an overwhelming
tidal wave of Russian immigration is
about to sweep across the Atlantic and
flood our country from end to end of
the coast, it must be noted that the
cholera reports from Southeastern Eu.
rope are slowly but steadily growing
more alarming, We donot want to be
drowned out by a deluge of undesira-
ble immigration, and some sort of pro-
tective measures should be provided '
against such a danger. That, however
though a serious matter, is one we can
afford to deal with deliberately. We
must do something about it, and that
right soon; but we can take time
enough to consider what is the best
thing to do under the circumstances.
The cholera danger 18 more imminent
and more instantly alarming. We
cannot afford to wait an instant in do.
ing all that can possibly be done to
stop immigration that bears with itany
chance of exposure to this fell visita
tion. We should not trust to quaran-
tine protection after the immigrants
reach our doors. We should stop the
movement at its outset; should pre.
vent emigrants in the cholera infected
districts from coming to this country
at all. An ounce of prevention before
they start will be worth a pound of
cure after they get here.
een
Why Make Such a Bugaboo Out of
Nothing ?
From the Mercer Press.
The United States still has more gold
than England, the greatest commercial
nation of Europe. It has more gold
than any other nation in the world ex.
cept France. With $740,000,000 worth
of the yellow metal in the country, ac
cording to Treasury estimates, it is ab-
surd to assert that the exports of gold
now going on threaten the national
prosperity. The wealth of the United
States was never so great as it is to-day.
The credit of the American Republic
remains the best credit in existence.
The United States is the only country
that ever sold its 2 per cent. bonds at
par. The resources at the command
of the United States government are
practically unlimited. There is no
reason why any American citizen
should be disturbed by the clamor of
alarmists,
m————
To Pay Judges for the Work They Do.
From the Clearfield Republican.
As the law now stands all the Presi-
dent Judges throughout the State re-
ceive a salary of $4,000, no difference
whether the county has 25,000 or 70,-
000 population. In some counties there
are less than four weeks Court while in
others there are as many months and
the salary the same. On Wednesday
the House passed a bill adding $1,000 to
present salary in all counties where the
population exceeds 50,000 population.
This is equity and we are surprised that
this discrimination has not been made
long ago.
en ———
And You Are Boosting Him too Broth-
er Savage.
From the Clearfield Public Spirit.
The newspapers of the land pretend
to ridicule such fools as Ward McAllis-
ter of the celebrated 400, but it is nev-
ertheless true tnat they are eternally
keeping him before the public, thus
making him important, Treat him as
he deserves and ere a year the people
would forget that such a man as Ward
McAllister ever existed.
ea sree]
Rebuked by the Press of His Own Party.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
As a humorist and after-dinner ora-
tor Chauncey Depew is almost always
a success, but as a serious critic of
statesmanship he can be a miserable
failure, as witnesses his bitter and illogi-
cal tirade against this administration’s
financial policy. :
Not Doing a Thank You Business.
From the Philadelphia Press.
The killing of the Niles bill yesterday
was a good thing, but the tact tbat the
same House killed it that denied Phila-
delphin rapid transit shows that there
was no boodle behind 1t. There is limit
to this Legislature. It will not do harm
for nothing.
The Tables Might Turn Some Day,
From the Pittsburg Post.
There is no chance for the passage at
this session of the legislature of the re-
solutions for a constitutional amend-
ment giving women the right to vote.
The members are only having fun at
the expense of the nerves of the dear
girls.
TA,
Will do What's Right.
From the Altoona Times.
The Indians, or a great many of
them, at least, are likely to remain the
wards of the nation for a long time to
come. Itis tobe hoped that under
Democratic rule their rights will bere
spected.,
The Acme of Honor.
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
The proud American citizen who has
received an invitation to the World's
Fair opening ceremonies should ask for
nothing more to complete his happiness
{
Spawls from the Keystone,
—A street car kilied Elmer Goldsmith, a
Chester lad.
—Lehigh county Republicans will hold their
convention August 26th.
—An 80,000,000 gallon reservoir will be erect-
ed at Indian Run, Pottsville.
—Reading’s smallpox cases are now all con-
ficed to St. Joseph's Hospital. !
—Bap#ists from all over Easterf.'Pennsylva-
nia are fn session at Pottsville.
—Heary Shenk will con kruet the Carnegie
Library building, Pittsburg, for £617,630.
—Many insane patients will be taken from
the Harrisburg asylum to alms houses.
—Burglars stole many valuables from the
house of George Smith, near Birdsboro.
—Berks county farmers are three weeks
behind with work, owing to rain and cold.
—The National Convention of the American
True Ivorites met Tuesday in Scranton.
— While chopping wood at Lebanon. Rev. A.
M. Hackman cut his own head dangerously.
—A pocketbook, containing $1200, was’ los,
by Wiiliam Q. Bunting, a-Bristol potato deal’
er.
—Business reverses led A. J. Hain, a Re-
publican politician of Reading, to drown him-
self.
—By the explosion of a torch in the Steel
works at Steelton, John Biouk was fatally
burned.
—Susan Hinks, whose dead child was found
in a cesspool ai Shenandoah, is oa trial for in-
fanticide.
—An epidemic of scarlet fever is feared at
Boyerstown. Four children of Charles Lit chy
are ill.
—About 300 workmen at! Carnegie’s Du-
quesne mill will suffer a 20 per cent. cut in
wages to morrow.
—Arraigned in the Huntingdon court for
forging a check for $275, Edward L. Hackett
pleaded guilty.
—Exceptions were filed in Lancaster by rel-
atives to the report of auditors in the Thad-
deus Stevens will case.
—An unseen locomotive, at Reading, crush-
ed the skull of Frank Foose, a Philadelphia
and Reading fireman.
—MTr. and Mrs. Peter Bovee, of Williamsport
on Saturday celebrated the 60th anniversary
of their wedding.
—Over 300 Royal Arcaneum delegates were in
Williamsport to attend the Grand Council
meeting Wednesday.
—Major John Lockhart, Superintendent of
Public Buildings and grounds, is critically ill
at his Harrisburg home.
—Ex-Speaker Lawrence, who was striken
with apoplexy at Harrisburg on Sunday, is
improved in condition.
—Paige Lee, who killed Charles Carter, over
a game of cards, pleaded guilty to manslaugh
ter in the Clearfield Court.
—The scaffold upon which Pietro Buccieri
will be hanged in Reading will be borrowed
from Schuylkill County.
—Millionaire James B. Scott, of Pittsburg,
was arrested for refusing to allow a sanitary
officer to inspect his cellar.
—The First National Bank capital $50,000
was organized at Newport, Perry county, with
Dr. James B. Ely president.
—The elopement of Emily Mauer and Web-
ster Michael, of Reading, has resulted in eight
family lawsuits in two weeks.
—Dr. M, L. Wenger, of Reading, has been
sued by the Reading Board of Health for not
reporting a smallpox case.
—Murderer Pietro Buccieri, of Reading, has
resolved again to appeal to the Board of Par-
dons on the ground of insanity.
—George Becker, aged twelve years, was
struck by a passenger train and fatally injur-
ed near .wahanoy City Monday.
—John Brennan, of Heckscherville, while
carrying a stick of dynamite, struck it against
a rock, and is now minus an arm.
—Employers of the Pottsville Iron and
Steel Company, of Pottsville, on Monday
lengthened work days to 10 hours.
—Berks County has gone to Governor Patti-
son in protest against the removal of insane
patients from ths Harrisburg Asylum.
—Pittsburg has raised a popular subserip-
tion fuud of nearly $4000 to boom the Smoky
City when World's Fair visitors tarry there.
—The freight trains on the Pennsylvania
Railroad, at Glen Loch, were piled up in a
wreck and all tracks were blocked for hours.
—The 20 Chinaman in the Dauphin-Leban-
ont district registered Friday after being prom.
ised that they would not be photographed.
—Charles Hoover wags so badly injured in a
fight wish William Yeagle and Frank Ogden,
of Cascade, Lycoming County, that he has
died.
—There is so much fighting over the recent
election for County Superintendent of Somer -
set that the Governor will likely ba asked to
intertere,
—8ix cows owned by Mr. Taylor, of Robe -
sonia, were killed by order of the State Veter ~
inary Surgeon, as they were victims of pleuro-
pneumonia
—A euabiz chunk of anthracite coal, the di-
mensions of which are five feet, was sent from
Pottsville by the Reading Company to the
World's Fair.
—I. Warren Jacobs, the Waynesburg ornithol-
ogist, will exhibit 132 difforent kinds, or 550
birds’ eggs, at the World’s Fair. All are Penn-
sylvania eggs.
—Swatara Creek has weakened the new
railroad bridge at Hummelstown so that Mid-
dletown and Hummelstown trains did not ru
for several days. .
—Joe Hilbart, who was captured near Boy-
erstown, is allegad to have been a partner of
the notorious “Butler John" and a leader of a
gang of theives,
—Frederick Kuhloff, of Lancaster, had Con-
ran Dagen arrested for robbing his house.
Dagen was acquitted, and now sues Kuhloff
for $5000 damages.
—The Reformed Churches of the Lehigh
Valley will celebrate their centennial anni-
versary with a big jubilee at the Allentown
Fair grounds on June 17.
—Henry J. Fox and Louis Mueller, of Phil-
adelphia, told a Pittsburg reporter that they
| are trying to buy 1000 acres of gas and oil
land in West Virginia.
—Messrs. O’Hail and Hunter, of the Univers-
sity of Pennsylvania, won in the competitive
examination for resident physician in the Al-
legheny General Hospital, Pittsburg.
—QCongressman Erdman, of the Berks-Le-
high district, has named Michael J. McDer-
mott, of Allentown, as West Point cadet, and
Levi F. Mogel, of Reading, as alternate.
—Charters ' were Friday granted to the
Priceburg Electric Light Company, Lacka-
wanna county, capital $20,000; Architectural
Publishing Company, of Williamsport, capital
$5000.