DemoealicA Tata
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
—Is man mortal when he makes an
ass of himself ?
—Surely no one can say that as a top-
ic of conversation the weather has been
a very dry subject for the past few
days.
—The Columbian souvenir half-dol-
lars will soon be ornamenting children’s
ready made clothing if they continue de-
preciating in value.
—Next Tuesday will be the Glorious
Fourth. It seems a strange coincidence
that fourth and full should both begin
with the same letter.
—-If it were not for the choir there
would be very little firein church or-
ganizations, other than the flames which
the devil usually shoots in.
«Only sixteen days of the trout fish-
ing season remains. They are fraught
with glorious possibilities for those who
want to try the elasticity of our Ilan-
guage.
—Governor ATGELD, of Illinois, says
it would take a Chicago newspaper
man three weeks to cut through his
hide with an ax. Such a confession
explains all.
—There are supposed to be two days
in every year when one is excusable for
getting drunk, Fourth of July and New
Year's. Some people don’t adhere very
strictly to the rule,
—Gen. J. P. S. Gosix, the Lebanon
Senator, politician and great man, will
be hunting his hole when he sees how
nicely he was buncoed out of his seat in
the World’s Fair commission.
—The colt, Boundless, which won
the American Derby race in Chicago, on
Saturday, won $50,000 for its owner.
Horse racing must be better than bank-
ing in the Windy city just now.
—1It is rumored that PECK has gone
to Europe to gather labor statistics for
the next campaign. If he catches the
cholera his trip won’t have been consid-
ered fruitless by his own managers.
—The Georgia editor who is build-
ing a lzciure on, ‘Never take the Cork-
screw from its Case,”” from which he
expects to grow famous, no doubt has
conceived the idea that tke cork-screw
should never have a case.
—The awful calamity which befell
the English navy last week, when the
Victoria was sunk off Tripoli and car-
ried over three hundred and sixty souls
to the bottom of the Meditterranean with
her, is looked upon with sorrow by every
civilized nation.
—Everything goes at the summer
resorts,” but nothing with the same
rapidity as the editor’s nickels. This
bit of information was picked up at
Atlantic City last week when the State
editors were there and compelled to
quench their own thirst.
—Li1zz1E BoRDEN’S mails are said to
be enormous. Congratulations, sugges-
tions for the future and offers of mar-
riage all pour in on her daily, but Liz-
zIE would be a big fool to share her
glory (?) with any of the fools who thus
foolishly offer to marry her.
—China has prohibited the sale of
American oil in retaliation for the
GEARY act. Itis really too bad that
the pig tails have taken oil as their first
step against us, because, with it ruled
out, we will have nothing to pour on the
troubled waters of the Chinese.
—The determination of India to sus-
pend the free coinage of silver has creat-
ed considerable excitement in this
country, but it is not likely that it will
affect the sixty cent dollars, as some
people ironically call them, for which
we give a hundred cents worth of labor,
—It is now assured that the German
army bill will have a majority at the
coming session of the Reichstag. Em-
peror WILLIAM will come out on top
after all, though it was at first thought
that the Germans would have the
courage to rebuke his domineering
course.
—It must surely have been his con-
ception of the eternal fitness of things
that prompted the editor of the Magnet
to make an onslaught on the poor
man’s cow last week. We were in
ignorance, however, that the temperance
organ intended excluding milk as a
beverage.
—With the Republican State Conven-
tion in August and the Democratic con-
vention not until September the cam-
paign will be an unusually shor: one,
Political managers have thus unwitting-
ly done much for the improvement of
State morals. The shorter the fight the
less the lying.
-—PECK, the Rhode Island veteran
who is drawing a pension of four dollars
per month because of baldness, has put a
very low price on his bravery. It is
quite evident if he has no scars the only
way he could have lost his hair was that
it dropped out from fright. Uncle Sam
can surely afford to pay that pension
simply for the sake of knowing what a
eoward this man PECK must have
been
cl
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 38.
BELLEFONTE, PA., JUNE 30; 1893.
NO. 26.
Practical Pension Reform,
When General GARFIELD, in a speech
in the House of Representatives in
1883, said that the pension expendi-
tures, which were then less than
$30,000,000 per annum, were “swollen
beyond all account,” and that ‘more
frauds were being perpetrated on the
government by claim agents in dif
ferent portions of the country than
from almost any other single source,”
he had at that time no couception of
what those frauds would amount to
when the annual pension expenditure
should be swollen to $180,000,000
which was the amount in Ravy’s last
year, nor could he foresee the extent
to which they would assist in swelling
that vast expense.
A Democratic administration is now
engaged in exposing this unlimited
source of corrupt expenditures. The
investigations that are being made by
Pension Commissioner LocHREN, illus-
trates the urgent necessity for pension
reform, and vindicates the position tak-
en by President CLEVELAND against the
government being robbed by as rascally
a set of claim agents as ever plun-
dered a treasury. The process of expos-
ure and correction will be necessarily
slow, but it will be thorough, as it is
intended to examine and revise the en-
tire pension lists and drop those who
have been dishonestly placed upon
what should be a roll of honor.
As an illustration of the character
of this work now in progress, we need
but allude to the discoveries of frauds
perpetrated in the obtaining of pen- |
sions by DrURY, the Norfolk pension
altorney. The crookedness practiced
in that district was so glaring as to
immediately force itself upon the at-
tention of Commissioner LOCHREN,
prompting him to enter into a course
of investigation which has uncovered
an alarming amount of fraud. Out of
214 cases which Drury had succeeded
in having granted by the Pension De-
partment, but three turn out to have
been valid, the balance having been
obtained by misrepresentation and per-
jured testimony, aud therefore have
been stricken from the roll. Fifteen
arrests have been made in connection :
with these frauds, and before the in
vestigation is concluded it is expected,
that at least twenty more will be made. |
| The amount of dishonest claims im-
mediately stopped by these proceedings
reach $100,000, and it is estimated
that by the overhauling of the lists in
the Norfolk districts, which Drury
and his assistants have been padding :
pensions, $600,000 |
with fraudulent
will be saved to the government.
Commissioner Rav evidently knew,
or should have known that these
frauds were being practiced. His at-
tention was called to them, and out of
the whole corrupt list he consented to
strike off four. When complaints
were made against DRURY’S proceed-
ings, Raum allowed him to turn his
buginess over to another person who
continued it with DRURY's assistance.
The most scandalous thing connected
with this affair is that when DRURY,
some three or four years ago, was con-
victed of procuring pensions by fraud,
he was pardoned by President Harr:
sox and allowed to resume his plunder-
ing operations. The Democratic ad-
ministration has undertaken a stupen-
dous task in cleansing the Augean
stable of pension corruption: It can
be done only by a thorough revision
of the lists, and striking from the lists
those who have no right to be there,
and whose presence there is an insult
and injury to worthy pensioners. Of
1000 names, subjected to the examiners
in Washington last week, it is said 25
per cent will be dropped on account of
being fraudulently, or in other respects
improperly pensioned under the Disa.
bility act cf 1890, The work of over-
hauling has commenced in Philadel
phia and between 50 and 60 improper
pensions have been so far suspended,
and reports from other districts show a
similar proportion of suspensions. It
is believed that the pensions of at least
150,000 persons granted under Raum’s
order No. 164, by which he took upon
himself to re-rate and increase the pay-
went without authority of law, will
either be stopped or reduced. There
is no exaggeration in the belief that at
least one-third of the immense pension
i expenditures represents that much theft,
. and a stop must be put to this source
of plunder.
Under a Democratic administration
with the reform of other abuses in the
government.
Death of Hon. William Matchler.
The Democratic as well as the gen-
eral public interests of Pennsylvania
have sustained a great loss inthe death
of William MuTcHLER, congressman
from the Eighth District, which oc-
curred suddenly at his home in Easton
last Friday. The deceased had been
prominent in political and public affairs
for many years, serving the people in
various official stations, and giving the
advantage of his counsel and exper-
ience to the political party with which
he has been so long and honorably
connected.
Mr. MutcHLER, both in conviction
and in practice, was a Democrat of the
truest type. He originated frown that
Democratic element which is so strong
in the district represented by him in
Congress, and of whose Democracy he
was a worthy and trusted leader. He
entered its ranks while still a yonth,
and in early manhood was entrusted
with positions of responsibility. Be-
fore he was thirty he was placed in the
important offices of Deputy Sher-
iff and Prothonotary by the Demo-
crats of his county, soon followed by
the responsiole duties of Collector of
Internal Revenue, and such were the
efficiency and fidelity with which these
trusts were performed, and the conf:
dence in which he was held by his
party, that they called him to the high-
er daty of representing them in the na-
tional House of Representatives, a po-
sition to which he was elected for four
terms, serving in that capacity at the
time of his lamented death, This con-
fidence in him was not limited to the
Democrats of his district, tor the Dem-
ocracy of the State evinced their appre-
ciation of his ability and trustworthi-
ness when they called him to the chair-
manship of the State Committee, and
| for years he was a leader in their coun-
| cils and political movements.
When such a public character is re-
moved from the scene of his activity,
it constitutes a loss that is not easily
repaired. His service will be missed
‘not only by his party and his imme-
diate constituents, but by the people of
the State at large, for it cannot be con-
troverted that he who faithfully and
efficiently performs his duty to Demo-
cratic principles amply fills the meas-
ure of his duty to the public interest.
Mr. MurcHLER served his State and
county by serving the Democratic par-
"ty.
The Dull Iron Market.
The depressed condition of the iron
business at present presages a gloomy
winter trade. Every day large fur.
naces throughout the ccuntry are be-
ing blown out not alone (n account of
low prices, but for lack of orders, or
prospects of an early revival of busi-
ness into which this article enters.
It has been said that prices will ad-
vance after July lst, but the mere
statement carries no assuarance of the
fact, consequently iron manufacturers
everywhere are working off their re-
serve stock in preference to piling up
more for a market which they have lit.
tle hope of finding soon,
The iron business is not alone, how-
ever, for a general depression exists in
all branches of trade. Manufacturers
are working short, fearful to branch
out under the unfavorable conditions
which overshadow the markets every-
where. Just when there will be a
break is hard to tell, but for the good
of the country we hope the optimist’s
view of the situation will obtain and
better prices will rule with the begin:
ning of next month,
———
——While we are getting in our
work on the “heathen Chinese,” along
the Pacific coast, his ancestors and
family who worship at the shrine
of Joss are squaring the ac-
count by crucifyine our missionaries
and making it uncomfortably warm
for others of our people who have busi:
ness in the land of the pig-tail. Possi-
bly the sensible thing for us to do,
would be to re-consider some of our
ideas on the subject of Chinese exclu-
sion, or write farewell letters to those
subjects of the Chinese Empire.
pension reform will go hand in hand |
Unreliable Battleships.
~The terrible calamity that befell the
| English warship Victoria last week in
| the Mediterranean, by which one of
| the most powerful vessels of the Brit
ish navy was sent to irretrievable de-
struction, may be justly placed among
the most appalling disasters in naval
history. The horror of this occurrence
is not merely confined to the loss of
life, which in itself is a frightful feat-
ure, but it is increased by the fact that
a nation which depends so much upon
its nayy for its defence, has been made
to see that its great armored ships,
built at such vast expense, are not re:
liable, they being in danger of being
sent to the bottom by merely coming
in contact «with each other. How
therefore can they be expected to stand
the methods of attack that will be em-
ployed against them in actual warfare?
No wonder that Britannia has been
thrown into consternation by this fatal
accident to one of her greatest battle-
ships, and particularly by the way it
was brought about. Having discard:
ed her old naval system of wooden ves-
sels, which in past times served so well
for her defence, she has substituted
steel ships of modern pattern, adding
one monster after another to her navy
until she thought she stood pre-eminent
among the naval powers. But her op-
eration in this line proves to be merely
an experiment, for there has been no
test of what these ships, burdened with
their weight of armor and overloaded
with huge cannon, will be able to do
in actual warfare, or what reliance
may be placed in them when subjected
to the rough usages of battle. It is
seen, however, that they carry such an
element of danger in their construction,
that when coming in collision in peace-
ful manceuvres they are liable to send
each other to the bottom. What
would be their fate if rammed by an
enemy in a hostile encounters.
The incident of the destruction of
the Victoria leads to the alarming ap-
prehension that the new war vessels
built with so much expense may prove
to be useless for practical warfare, and
may compel an entirely new system of
naval construction. It is easy to see
what a plight England must be placed
in by such a contingency. She would
at once be dethroned from the promi-
nence of her naval supremacy, and
would be no stronger than the nation
that would provide itself with an out-
fit of vessels ot small size, but with suf-
ficient ramming capacity to stove in
the sides of her metallic monsters, as
iron pots may be smashed with a
sledge hammer.
Admiral AMMEN, of the United States
Navy, has all along maintained that
warships of the character now in vogue
is defective, its only effect being to fur-
nish the nations with unwieldy and
vulnerable hulks that may be easily
destroyed by floating rams propelled
by steam, and entirely devoid of heavy
ordnance. At hisinetance the United
States government has built a vessel of
the ram variety, the Katahdin, and his
proposition may solve the solution ot
coast and harbor defence, withoat in-
curring the vast expense of building
huge steel clad battleships, whose ef-
ficiency in encounter of battle is entire-
ly unreliable when it is seen that they
are in danger of sinking each other by
collision in ordinary naval manceuvres.
——The Philadelphia papers are
just now trying to persuade the people
of the Quaker city that the city itself
should step in and help support the
Zo-ological gardens from its pletboric
purse. Since the Zoo won't pay its
own expenses it must be considered a
white elephant on the hands ofa pri.
vate concern, but certainly one which
Philadelphia would find profit in main-
taining, if for no other purpose than to
afford an opportunity for practical
study in natural history for her school
children.
——It might be the proper policy for
comptroller EckLEs to hurry up his ap-
pointments of bank Examiners and get
some fellows into these positions who
would know the condition of the banks,
they are supposed to have supervision
over before they break, The present
lot of examiners don’t seem to find out
anything until after the bank closes,
of our friends who are engaged in skin. i and then about all they know is what
ning, or eaving, the wooden-shod | everybody else understands, and that is
that it is “busted.”
the system of constructing metallic !
The Happy Negro of Georgia,
From the Atlanta Constitution.
In the South there is no longer a
race problem. The negro has settled
down contentedly in a sphere that stills
him, and no complaint is heard. As
we write the negro teachers are hold.
ing a convention here, reading papers
on “Discipline in Primary Schools.”
“Phonetics,” and “Industrial Educa-
tion,,’ and delivering addresses on “The
Georgia Negro as an Author,” “The
Georgia Negro in Journalism,” and
“The Georgia Negro as a Poet.” The
Negro Press Association is also in ses
sion, and the members have endorsed
the course of Governor Northen the
Constitution, and other leading South-
ern newspapers toward their race, and
have passed a resolution favoring the
use of the word “negro’’ instead of any
other term to describe their people.
Silence the Calamity Howlers,
From the Memphis Commercial.
There are wrongs to be righted by
legislation and dangers to be removed,
but a great deal of the financial string
ency and alarm which created it was
purely fictitious. The conditions are
all favorable for a prosperous era. If
the fellows who are now engaged in
ringing alarm hells and howling out
doleful prophecies don’t scare the peo-
ple into a panic there will be no panic
and no serious trouble. The chances
are that they will not be able todo
anything of the kind. The people are
ready to throw bootjacks and things at
these disturbers of their peace. The
people have not only recovered from
their temporary fright, but they are
mad at the fellows why tried to scare
them. The worst has passed and the
future is all right.
We'll Bet She Wished She Was Single
Again,
From the Philadelphia Reccrd.
The Infanta in a farewell letter to
Senor Cuyas says “It would require
more than TLongfellow’s thorough
knowledge of English, Depew’s imagi-
nation and Mary Anderson’s sentimen-
tality of expression to express all the
feelings which I entertain for this
country.” The tribute to Mr, De-
pew’s imagination is all the more flat
tering when it is remembered that 1t was
worked unusualiy hard for facts in the
late canvass, and was therefore, not at
its very best estate when Princess Eu-
lalia called.
Political Services Splendidly Rewarded.
From the Omaha World-Herald.
Cray CeNTRE, Neb. June 17.—[To the Editor
of the World Herald.]—Has Col. Frank P. Ire-
land been appointed to any office or received
any recognition for his splendid efforts for
Democracy in the last campaign ? P.M.D,
Col. Ireland has neither received nor
asked for an appointment. It was
Mrs. Cleveland herself who said that
if Col. Ireland was a fair sample of the
Nebraska citizen “Nebraska should be
as proud of her gentlemen as of her
corn,” This is enough for any ordina-
ry man, and Col, Ireland is not at all
inclined to be hoggish.
Misfit Professions.
From the San Antonio Express.
Mistaken ambition is spoiling too
may good ditchers and delvers to
make poor politicians and professional
men. It is putting too many in the
pulpit who could serve the Lord much
better planting the mild-eyed potato
or harvesting the useful hoop pole. It
is causing too many young ladies to
rush into literature instead of the laun-
dry, to become “poets of passion”
instead of authors of pie.
—
They Dread the Result.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
From the frantic vituperation and
vicious lies which the Republican
organs of New York city are heaping
upon the men who are investigating
the administration of the New York
Custom House it would appear that
there is a discommoding suspicion
there-abouts that the investigation is
going to amount to something.
Old Times and The New.
From the Larned, Kansas, Eagle-Optic.
Simon Cameron prophesied in 1834
that the child was born who would be
able to breakfast in Harrisburg and
take supper in Philadelphia and his
prediction was considered a good sub-
Ject for railery. But a person can travel
five times faster now than Mr. Camer-
on dared prophesy.
Some are Born Lucky.
From the Butler Herald.
Last week an embezzler was convict:
ed in Rome and sentenced to six years
and eight months imprisonment. No,
it was the embezzler’s cashier that got
that sentence. The boss in the trans
action got ten years. If Mr. Delama-
ter were 8 Roman, ? ? ? ?
Words for the Money Lender.
From the Marietta, Ga., Journal,
Don’t crowd any creditor during this
money stringency. Help him to tide
over all embarrassments until the con-
gested money in centers of trade begins
to flow out for the crops yet to be
made.
-Spawls from the Keystone,
| —The eagle screamed at Reading, July 4.
. —An escaped circus lion is killing cattle in
Fayette County.
—A Pittsburg infant has teen named after
Princess Eulalia.
—Coal mining gperations in the Clearfield’
district are slow.
—A$12,000 stattle of Asa Packer will adorn
the Lehigh University campus.
—Sickness Induced James Turby, near
Bloomsburg, to hang himself.
—A runaway mine wagon crushed to death
Thomas Williams of Mt. Carmel.
—Six-year-old Frank Ludwig, of Allegheny
City, was gored to death by a cow.
—Walter Grove, the young Bristol cornetist,
fell from a cherry tree and may die.
—Ualvary Episcopol Church, at Rockdale’
celebrated its 60th birthday anniversary.
—8200 people asked to be permitted to see
Pietro Buccieri, hanged yesterday in Read"
ing.
—DMirs. John Schwartz was burned to death
while lighting a fire in Lancaster with kero-
sene.
—Sanatoga, near Pottstown, has been se.
lected as the camp ground for the Sixth Reg-
iment.
—Little Ralph Huber tumbled into the
Schulkill River at Reading and was taken out
a corpse.
—Congressman Marriott Brosius, of Lancas-
ter, was made a Doctor of Laws by Ursinus
College.
—Northampton County lawyers adopted an
eulogistic minute on the late Congressman
Mutchler.
—The Presbyterians of Hastingsare about to
build a handsome church in that place to cost
about $10.000
—After having been struck by a mine car at
Mt. Carmel, William Platt, a door boy, died in
a few minutes.
—An idleness of two rhonths in the Read.
ing’s Reliance Colliery at Mt. Carmel was
broken Monday.
—The bridge across the Schuylkill River at
Reading, which collapsed recently, was Satur-
day sold for $174.
—The old Reading bridge over the Schulkill
that collapsed and was sold for $174 was burn-
ed Saturday night.
—A score of Berks countians are anxious to
become attached to the Internal Revenue
office in Philadelphia.
—The manufacturer and the Amalgamated
association are each holding out for the re.
spective wage scales.
—The case of Joseph Salus, of Philadelphia,
in prison for manslaughter, was considered by
the Pardon Board yesterday.
—*“Doctors” Augustus Dietrick and Frank.
lin Wood were seized in Pheenixville for sell-
ing alleged bogus sarsaparilla.
—While in Pittsburg Prince Polenoff, of
Russia, ordered two blooming mills, to cost
$56,000, for his iron works at home.
—Accused of robbing Nicholas Wade, of
Johnstown, Howard and Albert Kinsey, of
Lancaster, were seized by the police.
—Rev. Dr. Robert H. Fulton, of Philadei-
phia, preached the baccalaureate sermon Sun"
day for the Hill School, at Pottstown.
—A fine of $25 is suggested in Tioga county
to be imposed upon the men who dig up the
public roads when they “work” them.
—One of the kangaroos that escaped from
the wrecked circus at Tyrone is prowling
ing about York County, near Paradise.
—Dr. Wykoff was convicted at Kittanning of
murder in the second degree as a result of the
Leechburg murder and bank robbery.
—Samuel Hartranft has been appointed a
member of the Valley Forge Commission to
succeed his brother Linn, who resigned.
—A charter was granted to the Merchants
and Manufacturers’ Electric Light, Heat and
Power Company, of Erie ; capital, $50,00
—The horse Max Wissel was driving ran
away in Reading, and the unfortunate victim
was so badly trampled that he cannot live.
—Twenty carpenters at the New Jersey
Central's car shops, at Ashley, were dismissed,
they say, bécause members of a Grievance
Committee.
—Superintendent Wilbur's special car was
wrecked on the Harvey Lake branch of the
Lehigh Valley, and Brakéman Lewis Hunt.
zenger had a leg cut off.
—The watchman on the railroad bridge
across the Susquehanna river at Columbia
makes seventeen trips each day, which is
equal to twenty-one miles. y
—H. M. Lowry, of Indiana, was elected State
commander of the Sons of Veterans at the
annual encampment held in Honesdale. He
is the proprietor and editor of the Indiana
Times.
~The Juniata Valley Editorial Association
has selected Bedford Springs as the objective
point for holding its annual excursion, which
will take place this year during the latter part
of August.
—Jacob Semler, one of Bedford's oldest eiti-
zens, died Thursday night in his 78th year.
He has been living a retired life for some
years. In politics he was a leading Dem ocrat
and at times held different county offices.
—Thomas Evans, although a criple from his
recent accident, is a terror to snakes, says the
Coalport Standard. On Monday he visited a
rattlesnake den on Witmer run, and, with hig
right arm in a sling, killed thirty-five rattlers,
He brought the skins of most of the larger
ones home, which he will have tanned.
—Bradford, Crawford, Erie, McKean, Mer.
cer, Potter, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna,
Tioga Venango, Warren, Wayne and Wy oming
counties conduct their schools on the sum-
mer and winter term system. This, the fu.
perintendent of Public Instruction thinks,
should be discontinued, and instructions have
been issued to the school boards to provide
for a continuous term of not less than six
months.
—Ten years ago Miss Barbara Maxsom,
daughter of John Maxsom, who resides in the
vicinity of Enoch Brown grounds, in Antrim
township, says the Chambersburg Public
Opinion, was taken with a severe attack of ty-
phoid fever. During her sickness at that
time she lost her speech entirely, remaining
in that unfortunate condition for ten years—
until last Sunday one week ago when she was
taken with that dread disease (typhoid fever)
and the following Tuesaay evening, to the
surprise of all the family, she began talking in
her former distinct voice, as she did before
the attack ten yearsago. She is a respected
and an intelligent lady of about 25 years, and
is greatly elated that she recovered the use of
her voice. Her brother, David, is also confin-
' ed to his bed at present with typhoid fever,