ova t b i ¥ Bellefonte, Pa., December 20, 1901. P. GRAY MEEK, - - Terms oF SusscriprioN.—Until further notice this paper will be furnished to subscribers at the following rates : Paid strictly in advance................. Paid before expiration of year. PH Paid after expiration of year............ 2.00 -.. $1.00 Our Week Off. As Christmas falls next Wednesday there will be no issue of the WATCHMAN on the following Friday. It has been the custom of this paper to take the weeks of July and Christmas off ever since its establish- ment and though it may be regared asa practice only followed by country papers the WATCHMAN wishes it to be understood that it does not pose as anything else. It is a country paper out of the ordinary, however. One that tries to make itself felt and covers its field so effectually thas it has come to be regarded as ‘‘the cleanest and best country weekly in the State to- day.” The people of this community are learning to appreciate it more and more as the weeks roll by and the WATCHMAN is striving to merit their appreciation. This old holiday custom does not detract from the interest of the paper in any way and it affords an opportunity for those who must keep up the ceaseless grind here, week in and week out, to take a little time off during the periods when there is most for them to enjoy. A newspaper is not like anything else. It must be issaed on the day of publication, no matter what happens or what of interest is going on else- where. And for that reason those who are at work on it enjoy this period especially, since it is one when family ties are as closely united ag possible and most of the interest of Christmas lies in the good cheer of the home. Therefore, again calling your attention to the fact that there will be no paper issued from this office next week, all of its employees join in the wish that your Christmas season may be bright and joyous as hope pictures theirs and that the New Year may be the dawn of an era in your life that will bring forth most bountiful blessings. —DEWEY will be forgiven for having deeded that house away now that he has fearlessly risen above the Navy Depart- ment clique and done justice to the hero of Santiago. —-The Philadelphia Record Almanac teeming with one hundred and sixty pages of helpful information, is just out and like all of the Record’s undertakings is charac- terized by its concise, carefully compiled contents. It is of particular value to resi- dents of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania for its digest of elections and officialsand to the public in general on account of the vast amount of useful refer- ence matter it contains. ——1It is possible that we are mistaken in our judgment but it seems that the reso- Iutiou to hold the next session of the teach- ers institute at some other place than Belle- fonte, that was adopted by that body last week. is an act of discourtesy as well as of ingratitude. Though there were a few ex- ceptions Bellefonters certamnly did every- thing in their power to make the stay of the teachers as pleasant as possible and the fact that the institute cleared $80.20 above all expenses is evidence that they made it profitable, as well. And this in the face of the fact that there were a number of counter attractions to draw from the even- ing or pay eutertainments at institute. ——While it can scarcely be said that the verdict of the SCHLEY court of inquiry was unexpected, yet the fair minded peo- ple of the country had hopes that the mem- bers of the board would rise above the sel- fish influences of personal favoritism and render a decision that would in some way do justice to the much maligned -hero of Santiago. However the verdict the public will agree with Congressman SHERMAN, of New York, who said : “Who cares wheth- er SCHLEY was two days or three days in reaching a certain point. The fact is that when he was wanted he was there and he did the work and, as DEWEY finds, to him is due the credit for the destruction of the Spanish fleet.’’ ——Postmaster General CHARLES Em- ORY SMITH has resigned from President ROOSEVELT'S cabinet and = HENRY C. PAYNE has been appointed to succeed him. This is the first break in the official family of the new President and it is rumored that it is culy the beginning of what will be a general change. Mr. SMITH states that he is desirious of getting back into the har- ness again as editor of the Philadelphia Press, but whatever may have been the real motive. that inspired his resignation the fact remains that the President has not made appointments in Penisylvania ac- cording to lis wishes consequently their relations cannot be altogether harmonious. The wonder is that he did not resign long ago, since he is so antagonistic to the regu- lar organization in his own State. He re- tires from the office with a record of which he may wel! feel proud. He has been most capable and has done much to im- prove the postal service, | Quay and Elkin. The conference at St. Lucie, Florida, he- | tween Senator QUAY and Attorney Gener- | al ELKIN is finished and the Attorney Gen- | eral announces that he is still a candidate for Governor. This may mean either one of three things. That is to say the ene- { mies of ELKIN might claim that it indicat- ed a break between those hitherto good { friends and ‘‘birds of a feather.”” The friends of Mr. ELKIN may insist, until the contrary is shown, that it means that the Senator has withdrawn his opposition to the nomination of the Attorney General and has instructed his faithful adherent to proceed with the fight with the assurance of his help ‘‘at the supreme mom ent.” Those who are neither friends nor enemies of ELKIN might interpret it to mean that the old man has said substantially ‘‘go in Jonn, I will put nothing in the way of your success at present and if you develope enough strength, I will help you at the convention.’ If we were to estimate on the accuracy of these three guesses as to the result of the St. Lucie conference we would put the first last and take the chances of a small wager that it is the correct view. Senator QUAY is incensed at Governor STONE, and justly so. He bought the office that gentleman has disgraced as certainly as he ever bought a toy for one of his children. The consid- eration for the purchase and presentation of the place wasa pledge of fidelity and obedience. That promise has been broken most scandalously. In the deal with FLINN every principle of honor and friend- ship bas been hetrayed. As a matter of fact he protested against it not only with earnestness, hut employed a reasonable measure of vehemence. It would have been manifestly unfair to punish ELKIN in or- der to pillory STONE. It may be assumed that it QUAY bheliev- ed that ELKIN "would be defeated at the election he would compel his retirement, notwithstanding the unqualified pledge given that he should be nominated. But one of Mr. ELKIN’S friends in Pbiladel- phia codified QUAY’S opinion the other day when he declared that though ELKIN will lose a large number of votes throughout the State, ‘‘we can make them up in Phil- adelphia and Pittsburg.” Fortunately for the machine the opportunities for election frauds are still unimpared. After the next session of the Legislature it may be differ- ent, but next year the usual harvest of fraud will be gathered and here and there additions will he made. There is a possi- bility of defeating a Republican candidate next year, because honest minority election officers may be chosen in Philadelphia and Pittsburg in February. But there is only a remote possibility and the chances are that ELKIN is safe. The Philadelphia Democracy. Some eminent Democratic leaders will assemble in Philadelphia to-day to settle a long-existing and more or less troublesonie dispute bétween the factions, or we would better say fragments, of the Democratic party of that city. These gentlemen are may be said that they are just now going about doing good, or harm. They visited Philadelphia last week and found the fac- fions almost in agreement. Thereupon they determined togo back again to-day andaid, if possible, in completing the good work, if the factions Lad not previously done so themselves. The HASSON committee was appointed by the last Democratic state convention and invested,it believed, with plenary power to do pretty much as it liked with the Dem- ocracy of Philadelphia. In pursuance of that authority it subsequently tore up the old Democratic organization by the roots and established in its place a new and differ- ent variety of the plant. But the Dauphin county courts, with characteristic perver- sity, intervened at that point and practic- ally reversed the HASSON committee. If the old organization had had a better repo- tation that would have been the end of the affair. But it had been so outrageously maligned and had some members who were so atrocieusly venal, that the people wouldn’t have a thing to do with it even though the sanction of the Dauphin county court was ‘‘blown in the bottls.”’ This left things in a rather anamalous position. The partisan Republican court of Dauphin county wouldn’t have one Democratic organization because it feared that it might he good, and the people of Philadelphia wouldn’t have the other be- cause it was generally believed to be bad. In this emergenoy the HASSON committee has again come to the front and it is hoped, that to-day, it will be able to bring the factions together into a force which the people will accept cheerfully and the Dauphin county court will be compelled to recognize as valid whether it likes to or not. Since the above was in type, the Philadelphia newspapers bring us the word that the contending factions of the party have agreed to settle their difference at the February primaries, on the election hoards of which each side is to have a rep- resentative. This is exactly in line with the suggestion of the WATCHMAN in its issue of August 23rd, and in which a num- ber of the leaders and the HASSON com- mittee refused to concur. This agreement practically ends the feuds in Philadelphia, and was the only sensible and fair way that it could be accomplished. We con- gratulate the Philadelphia Democracy on their awakening to a common sense view of the situation, and hope that good faith will be shown by every one of them in this movement to act together hereafter. ———————— «~——Will you take it at $1? known as the ‘“‘HAssON committee,’’ and it’ + The Grangers Indignant ! The Grangers of Pennsylvania told some palpable truths in a courageous way dur- ing the annual meeting of that organization in Johustown last week. They declared that the Department of Agriculture of the state government has been perverted dur- ing the past several years to the use of the political machine and that instead of being a help to the agricultural interests of the State, as was intended when it was created, it has become a menace. In the matter of legislation it was declared that the Depart- ment was the greatest barrier to overcome and that in the exaction of the laws enacted for the protection of farmers it was not on- ly inefficient but actually dishonest. These are grave accusations to bring against gentlemen who have taken an oath to administer the laws with fidelity and to the best of their ability. Itis equivalent to accusing the Secretary of Agriculture with perjury. There is no more atrocious crime than that. It implies moral turpi- tude of the most reprehensible type. Bat the language admits of no other construc- tion. The Secretary certainly understands the nature of an oath. He clearly knows that he took a solemn obligation to fulfill his duties and that he has been drawing his ample salary with scrupulous regularity ever since under that oath. Yet a consid- erable body of his fellow citizens arraign him for malfeasance. We shall watch the farmers who par-. ticipated in the meeting at Johnstown last week and aided in the denunciation of the Secretary of Agriculture, with curious in- terest at the next election. It may safely be said that the reason the Secretary of Agriculture so glaringly disregards his ob- ligations to the farmers is that he under- stands be may do such thing without danger to his party. In other words he has learned hy experience that he may destroy the interests and insult the intelli- gence of the farmers as much as he likes but nevertheless on election day those of them who are Republicans will go to the polls and support the party which is re- sponsible for him with entire unanimity. a AS— The Schley Verdict. The bureaucrats in the Navy Department bave triumphed in’ the verdict of the SCHLEY court of inquiry. On Friday last Admirals RAMSEY and BENHAM submitted a verdict sustaining the charges that the hero of Santiago had disobeyed the orders of his superior officer, that he had erred in making what was called the retrograde movement, which was merely a return to | the nearest coaling station for fuel, and that he had not moved with sufficient ex- pedition in going first to Cienfuegos and findings in any pbase. The Secretary re- ceived the reports at 5 o'clock this evening and he has not yet acted upon them. Itis probable that he will siniply append his signature with the word ‘‘Approved’’ on the whole record. The court itself recom- mends no further proceedings owing to the lapse of time. A representative of the Associated Press conveyed the first information of the find- ings of the court to Admiral Schley. He was seated in the public reception room of a hotel, chatting with friends and several newspaper men, and evinced no signs of nervousness over the outcome. When the conclusions of Admiral Dewey were read to him Admiral Schley showed his pleasure, and it was evident from his manner that he regarded the statement from Admiral Dewey as a vindication of the cause. He declined to make any statement concerning the court’s findings, and excusing himself from the littie com- pany which had gathered about him,. went to his apartments, where Mrs. Schley had been anxionsly awaiting to hear the court’s decision. Later the official copy was brought to the hotel by a messenger from the navy department. The majority report condemns Admiral Schley on eleven points, while Admiral Dewey sustains him in most particulars. The majority opinion finds in belief that Admiral Schley should have proceeded with the utmost dispatch to Cienfuegos and maintained a close blockade; that he shoud have endeavored to have obtained informa- tion of the Spanish squadron there; that he should have not have made the retrograde niovement; that he should have obeyed the depaitment’s order; that he should have proceeded to Santiago with the ut- most dispateh; that he did not do his ut- most to destroy the Colon, that he caused the squadron to lose distance in the loop of the Brooklyn; that he thereby caused the Texas to back; that he did injustice to Hodgson; that bis conduct 1n the campaign was characterized by vaccilation, dilatori- ness and lack of enterprise; that his official reports on the coal supply were misleading and inaccurate; that his conduct during the battle was self-possessed and that he encouraged in his own person his subordi- nate officers and men. Admiral Dewey in his report says that the passage to Cienfuegos was made with ail dispatch; that in view of his coal sup- ply the blockade of Cienfuegos with effect tive; that he allowed the Adnla to enter Cienfuegos to get information; that his passage to Santiago was with as much dis- patch as possible, keeping the squadron together; that the blockade of Santiago was effective and finally that he was the senior officer off Santiago, in absolute command aud entitled to the credit due for the glori- ous victory which resulted in the total des- truction of the Spanish ships. Admiral Dewey was seen late to-night and declined to make any statement con- cerning the court's findings. He said that the court was not dissolved and that he was still hgund by his oath of secrecy. SCHLEY ASKS THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO AWAIT HIS ACTION. WASHINGTON, December 16.—Admiral Schley was in consultation all this fore- noon with his counsel, Hon. Isador Ray- | ner and M. A. Teague; also General.Fe- lix Agnus, of Baltimore, and Congressman subsequently from that point to Santiago. | Admiral DEWEY dissented from the judg- | ment of hisassociates on the court. He de- | clared that Admiral SCHLEY was entitled to the honor of the victory he achieved. There never was a greater outrage perpe- trated in the name of civilized government. Two habitual shore men who spent the hazardous period of the war cultivating the favor of the authorities at Washington have presumed to pass upon the merits of a cam- paign of extraordinary hazard and uncer- tainty. - Two “‘carpet knights”’ who never set a squadron except in dress parade have bad the impudence to say that the hero of the most complete victory in the annals of naval warfare didn’t know how to con- duct his campaign in search ‘of a concealed and dangerous enemy. - Admiral DEWEY, who himself achieved a great victory, dis- agreed with them, but that made no differ- ence. They were playing to the buream- crats. : The friends of Admiral SCHLEY have heard ‘of this great shame with varying emotions. They have considered many methods of treating the matter. If there Was even a remote possibility of getting justice through the instrumentality of a congressional inquiry they would ask for that. But Congress is so completely domi- nated by the Departments, that such a thing is out of the question. The necessi- ty of ‘‘standing together’ is so obvious that however manifest the enormity it must be supported. But as we said in the out- set of the extraordinary proceeding Admir- al SCHLEY has been vindicated by the court | of public opinion and the verdict of no conspirators can impair the public confi- dence 1n him. ————— Schley Condemned ! Result of the Court of -inquiry Made Public— There Were Two Reports—Admirals Benham and Ramsey Concur in the First—Dewey Signs as to Form Majority Condemns Schley on Eleven: Points While Dewey Makes Separate Finding and Sus- tains Him in Most Particulars-—Credits Him With the Victory. WASHINGTON, December 13.—The most prolonged, interesting and important nay- al tribunal ever held in this country came to a close to-day, having in open and se- cret session lasted three months short of one week, when Secretary Long was hand- ed the findings of the court of inquiry which inquired into the conduct of Rear Admiral Schley during the Suntiago cam- paign. For several weeks the court heard testimony and for fully a month it deliber- ated upon that mass of evidence, finally reaching the conclusion announced to-day. The result was a complete surprise and it is probable that no prophecy has approach- ed the truth. Instead of one report there were two. Both are signed by George Dewey, president, and by Samuel C. Lem- ly as judge advocate. This is a form said to be recognized in all courts of inquiry, the signatures of the other members not being necessary. But it is explained that Admiral Dewey signed the second report, a minority report, to express his qualifica- tion or of dissent from the views expressed by the court, comprising beside himself, Admirals Benham and Ramsey in the first report. It is said at the navy department that there will be no further proceedings in the celebrated case on the department’s initia- tive. Secretary Long and Judge Advocate Sbirm, of Maryland. After conference Admiral Schley authorized Mr. Teague to make the following statement: *‘We have been in consultation as to what farther proceedings shall be taken. Nothing definite has been determined upon so far as civil or criminal action of any kind against Maclay and his sponsors is concerned. Maclay’s claim that the [findings = of tie court are a vindication for himself and his book is absolutely spurions. There are no less than half a dozen instances in the book in which, even if he wereto accept the findings of the cours and incorporate them in the volume, and change it to suit the | findings, the book would still be criminal libel.”” Mr. Teague. during the forenoon presented the following letter to Secretary Long: “WASHINGTON, D. C. December 16, 1901.—Sir : I bave the honor to most re- spectfully request that you withhold your approval from the findings of the court of inquiry recently held at the navy vard in the city of Washington, of which Admiral George Dewey was president, until such time as I may have an opportunity to file a statement of objection thereto, and I therefore request that you do not dissolve the court until action shall have been taken on such objections. Respectfully, [Signed] “W. E. SCHLEY, ‘Rear Admiral U. 8S. N.” ISADOR RAYNER, Counsel for the applicant said Court of Inguiry. To the Honorable Secretary of the Navy. | He asked the Secretary to indicate bis probable action in the premises. The Sec- retary replied that the request wonld be granted and bis action on the findings and the dissolution of the court withheld until the objections were received and he had an opportunity to consider them. He stated | that he would communicate with Admiral Schley in writing and . asked how long a time counsel desired to present their ob- jections. Mr. Teague replied that they would be ready for presentation by Thurs- day or Friday of this week. ‘We will accept to the findings of the. court,”’ said Mr. Teagne, ‘‘and make a de- mand that the majority opinion he disap- proved by the Secretary as contrary to the evidence and the pertinent facts in the case which the court has not. considered nor acted upon.’’ : While Mr. Teague would not say that such action would be taken, -he ‘pointed out the fact that he could appeal from the Secretary’s action to the President of the United States. Senate Approves Hay-Pauncefote Treaty by a Decisive Vote. ; Principal Speech Against the Measure Was Made by Teller, but the Vote Was Overwhelmingly in Favor, Being 72 to 6. WASHINGTON, December 16.—The Sen- ate to-day ratified the Hay-Pauncefote treaty by the decisive vote of 72 to 6. The vote was reached a few minutes before 5 o'clock after almost five hours discussion behind closed doors. There were no -sen- sational incidents during this entire time. The debate was confined exclusively toa discussion of the merits and provisions. The principal speech of the day was made by Senator Teller in opposition to the treaty, and he was followed in rapid suec- cession by twelve or fifteen other Senators, who spoke briefly either for or against the motion to ratify. The nay vote was cast by Senators Bacon, ‘Blackburn, Culberson, Mallory, Teller, Tillman—@. , Bailey paired with Depew. and Elkins; Rawlins paired with Hanna and Sewell. | Those who did not vote and for whom no pairs were announced are: Daniel, Jones (Nevada), Patterson and Quay. Lemly positively decline to discuss the — Suberibe for the WATCHMAN » Edward A. Valentine's Works. A Young Bellefonter Who is Attaining Eminence in the Literary World.—AS Poet and Critique He is Fast Coming Into Prcminence. In a recent issue of the Baltimore Morn- ing Herald there appeared the following extended account of the work of Edward A. Uffington Valentine, youngest son of Abram 8. Valentine, of this place, who has attained a position of considerable prominence in the literary world. Since locating in Baltimore he has been employ- ed by the leading journals of that city. His verses have appeared in Harper's, Serib- ner’s and other leading magazines and he has twice been sent abroad on special mis- sions of literary research. His latest work is a volume *‘The Ship of Silence,”’ which stands out conspicuous on the flood of Holiday publications, not as the Herald says that it partakes of the holi- day spirit in any special sense, hut that, amid a world of books, good, bad or indif- ferent, it offers a spirit and a substance that are welcome and wholesome amid such that is ephemeral and of thin and vanish- ing quality. ‘Mr. Valentine’s work has been made fa- miliar to readers for several years past by its appearance in the Atlantic, Seribner’s and other high-class periodicals. This is the first volume of his collected poems to be printed, and as such it represents a range of work extending over a number of years. The selection has been made with taste and care, and the arrangement of the poems is worthy of attention, passing as tiey do from the longer pieces of serious merit to the poems of nature, of romantic love and to verses representative of the true lyric type. There is 1efieshment for the wind and spirit in every page of the vol- ume. Mr. Valeuatine is a poet in large and not in little. His choice of themes has been made with a feeling for life and all there is in it, to exalt and make perfect. The title poem is in itself an example of this quality that is particularly striking, con- taining, as it does, not one alone, but a number of such high notes as this :"’ before | “And though I knew, I shall not know again. And though I weary, I must ever wait ; And though I pray, yet will it not avail ! Peace — peace beyond comparing — heavenly peace Dwells like a dove upon they solemn spars, And sheds a blessing on the silent crew. But here, among the noisy tongues of men, The end is turmoil, tears and burthens ever, And ceaseless fret—the Marah of the World ! My eyes are ever fixed on seaward lines ; And haunting visions have their mock of me; As here I =it through all the burning day, Friendless, and stony as those whitened cliffs. Sails rising from the verge shali melt again, And many vessels bring their merchant frieght Unto the harbor and the homes of men— But, Ship of Silence, thou wilt never come ! Only in dreams my misty eyes hehold, low far from every port thy blessed prow Steers onward homeless through untraversed deep, The hooded helmsman, pale with saintly fast, Holding the till with steadfast hand of faith, His withered lips sealed by an awful vow : And over all the brooding eyes of Christ, Andover all the constant wings of Peace ! “In his love for nature, Mr. Valentine has found a method of intefpretation pe- culiarly his own. He sees her meaning and her purpose through the eyes of an imaginative mind. Her. charms have made ‘to him “a peenliar “appeal, that to which ouly the spirit of a true artist could adequately respond, and we have as a result in this volume a series of nature poems that are typical of the truest and best that has ever been done in this respect. Nowhere, do we think, has the essence of nature’s elusive aud spirituelle quality been so closely or so clearly interpreted as in his ‘‘Spirit of the Wheat.” “Such times as windy moods do stir The foamless billows of the wheat, I glimpse the floating limbs of her In instant visions melting sweet. A milky shoulder’s dip and gleam, Or arms that clasp upon the air, An upturned face's rosy dream, Half blinded by the sunlight hair. A haunting mermaid *mid the swell And rapture of that summer sea; A siren of elusive spell, Born of the womb of mystery. That, airy limbed, swims fancy free, Glad in the summer's perfect prime, Full veined with life’s felicity And faith that knows no winter time. At eve, when firefly luster burns On that green flood like mirrored stars, Against the hush her faint voice yearns, Breathed toa light harp’s happy bars. Thi sinks at last in sunset slow Midsummer's long, luxurious day Aud amber red the ripe waves glow, Ah! then itis she slips away ! For with the blighting dog star's blaze, The reapers wade within the Wheat, + And as they work in harvest ways, i What amorous sights their vision cheat ! For lo, upon some eddying wash Or hollow of the wind swept grain, Her wafted fingers foam-like flash, Her laughing body drifts amain. It is the sylph’s divine farewell; ! A sighing ebbs along the wheat ; Borne onward by a golden swell, ' She fades into the wrinkling heat.” The classic spirit in the volume is rep- resented in such poems as ‘‘Silenus,’’ “The Hamadryad,” in which is this fine passage. ; : AF re a “The large moon smolders on the, misty hills, A chill wind gathers thro’ the desolate garth ; And stirred in moody spasms, the wet leaves wheel, fe . Or batlike cling against the casement pane; Upon the hearth the pipe log’s dying fire Starts up, anon, in eager flash of flames. Stirred by the passing of the night’s wild sounds While from the ashes comes a burning note, Continuous ; an azure coil of smoke Lies charmed in sleep, dispelling from ' its dreams, ! Warm memories of thé balsam-breathing woods; Athwart the walls the shadows hand in hand, Swirl in the measure of a mystic dance ; I gazing in the fire; when thro’ the flames, "A gradual vision shows. 3 Upon one knee, She crouches ‘mid the ashes, a young hand Upraised against her ear which strains To cateh the sounds shrilling without; the oth- er held ' ‘Unto the heaving beauty of her breast: Along her shoulder fills her hair, cone-crowned In color, flamélike; deep as dusky glens, . Her lifted eyes and full of mortal pain; * She, kneeling, listens; then her languid lips Sigh forth the music of entreating words.” In many of the nature poems the Greek view of life and beauty is finely trans- muted into English speech. *‘Herod’’ and ‘Mary Magdalene’ are poems of special merit in their way. There is distinction in all the work in this book. The poems are serious and high in purpose. There is not as much gladness of the world as one might wish, and in time this absence of sunniness in the philosophy of the poet is rather disappointing, but there is much to compensate for it in the quality of the workmanship and the promise that a poet has come with infinite capacity for taking pains. His verses always ring true, his ear from music is never at fault, and there is no discordant note iu the metrical work to jar upon the mental ear. In time will will come sunshine and a lifting of the veil that shuts out the light and joy of life. It 18 a fault of all writers with great pow- ers of imagination to dream much into life in the way of hardship and gloom that is really not there. It is especially gratifying to have Mr. Valentine's work collected in a volume of such taste and beauty as ‘“The Ship of Silence,’’ because of his associations with Baltimore, where his efforts to advance real taste in literature are known and ap- preciated. He has written a notable first volume, a collection of poems of strong ex- pression and vigorous tone. The whole tendency of the volume is to awaken a taste and love for the beautiful. Seldom in re- cent years has there appeared a hook of poems of such obvious literary quality. The nook is dedicated to Mr. James Lane Allen, the novelist, with whom Mr. Val- entine has been for some time on close terms of personal intimacy. F. McK. EE ———— Carnegie Gift Tem Millions for Uni=- versity. Philanthropist Plans Big Award for College at Washington. WASHINGTON Dec. 9.—President Roose- velt will send to Congress a special mes- sage, including in it a letter recently writ- ten to him by Andrew Carnegie, in which he proposes to give $10,000,000 to the A mer- ican people as a fund for the-establishment of a college of higher education in this city. Before writing his letter Mr. Carnegie con- sulted with presidents of various great American colleges, including Dr. Eliott, of Harvard; Dr. Gilman, of John Hopkins, and Prof. Andrew D. White, of Cornell, the present Ambassador to Germany. GOVERNMENT GUARDIAN OF FUNDS. At a recent White House luncheon the details of the proposition were discussed and met with general approval. Mr. Car- negie’s idea in a general way is to turn this sum of money over to the United States to be held in trust for the maintenance and operation of the proposed college, just as the funds maintaining the Smithsonian In- stitute are now handled. It is not to be a national university, and the government is to be in no way connected with ic except to take care of the money and to be repre- sented by a board of regents, such as now controls the affairs of the Smithsonian In- stitute that was founded by James Swith- son with a gift of $1,000,000 to be used in the diffusion of scientific knowledge. PROPOSED BY GEORGE WASHINGTON. If Mr. Carnegie’s gift is accepted by Con- gress it will mean the end of the long-talk- ed-of project for the establishment in Washington of a university as recommend- ed by George Washington and many other distinguished people since his time. The institution that Mr. Carnegie has in mind is in no sense a national university, but rather a school for the teaching of the high- er branches of scientific education, and in- tended to be supplemental to the great col- leges throughout the United States. * The details of the plan are set forth in Mr. Carnegie’s letter, and very few persons in Washington are acquainted with them. One or two of the leading men of the Sen- ate and House have been sounded on the subject, and favor Mr. Carnegie’s plans, which are said to be wise, practical and generous. The Most Wonderful Railroad Bridge in the World. At Rockville, a few miles from Harris- burg, the capital of Pennsylvania, can be seen a stone bridge that is five times longer than any other stone bridge in the world. It has just been erected by the Pennsyl- vania railroad company. to replace an iron bridge of two tracks. The new bridge con- tains four tracks, and permits two pas- senger and two freight trains to pass each other at the same time on the bridge. This cannot be done on any other bridge in the world. One end of this bridge rests in Dauphin county and the other end in Perry county. The Susquehanna river flows under it all of the time,and in stormy weather the muddy waters of the Juniata often find their way there also. There are 48 piersand 48 arches. The bridge is 50 feet wide, aud is made of a light colored stone, brought from Cambria county. Fif- teen quarries were kept busy all of the time, getting the stone out and shipping it; there are 1,000,000 cubic yards of stone in the bridge, and it cost $1,000,000. Three bundred men worked on it constantly from April 1st. 1900, until the present time when it is practically completed with the exce tion of the laying of the tracks, which will not be done until next spring. Attorney General Knox Confirmed. WASHINGTON, December 16.—The Sen- ate in executive session to-day without the formality of a roll call confirmed the nom- ination of Attorney General Knox. ADDITIONAL LOCALS ——Measles are epidemic in Rebersburg. i ——The double track hetween Lock | Haven and Keating ou: the P. & E. has been completed. esl j ——The high water damaged the foot- bridge over the creek on East Main street, Millheim, on Saturday night. —— ——Weaver’s dam at Rebersburg broke under the strain of the recent flood and some of the cellars in that town were filled with water. inl ngg ——“The Village Parson’’ comes to Gar- man’s on Christmas eve, Dec. 24th. It is a drama that will bave its first presenta- tion in Bellefonte. ~—Mr. and Mrs. Linn McGinley had a Christmas present this week and now there is another little granddaughter for S. H. Williams to adore. : : Se—— A ——~Santa Claus bas possibly not heard that Mr. and Mrs. Wagner Geiss have a fine young son and will fail to have a remembrance for him. He won’t care though, for he is too young for sweets and his ‘parents are so well pleased with him that their Christmas began Wednesday of this week. ¢
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers