Ink Slings.
—To-mortow spring will be bere. Look
out for rough weather.
—Governor PENNYPACKER'S effort to
sprout apportionment seed in legislative
soil don’t seem to be a howling success.
~~The only thing there seems to be
no doubt about in the BURDICK murder
mystery is the fact that BURDICK is dead.
—On the 1st of April the President goes
away to be quiet for two months and the
Legislature quits for good on the 16th.
R eally we hear you shouting, hallelujah !
already. }
—President ELLIOT declares that no
man can work too hard. He evidently
m easures the rest of mankind by the fel-
low who runs the ROOSEVELT family press
bureau.
—The strenuosity of the efforts of the
Democratic minority of Harrishurg,to force
ballot reform legislation bas not been such
as to create much hand-clapping among the
boys in the back-pews.
-—The Republican State convention is to
be held three months earlier than usual,
t his year because Mr. DURHAM bas to go
to Carisbad. Truly it is a great party
whose actions are governed by the neces-
sities of a pair of disordered kidneys.
— Lewistown is said to be withouta cent
of debt. One visit to the place would con-
v ince the man who knows little about
municipal conditions that there is no reason
why itshonld be. Thereare no indications
of anything ever having been spent on it.
—Why shouldn’t we be thankful ? Con-
gress has adjourned and the Bronco buster
of the White House promises to hide him-
self in the wilds of the woolly-west for two
months. Really it looks as if the country
was to have peace and a rest forsixty days.
—One of our exchanges states that Con-
gressman MORRELL, of Philadelphia will
drive a daily stage coach between Devon
and that city during the coming summer.
This fact shows that General MORRELL has
at last struck a vocation, about the size of
his qualification
—Germany has decided to spend $750,-
000 on her display at the St. Louis World’s
Fair. Quite a considerable expenditure for
a foreign country but the hrewers of Pshau-
brau, Pilsner and Wertzburger, that comes
from the Kaiser’s realm will get that all
back and more before the fair is half over.
—It is our deliberate thought—that
Representative BLUMLE’S premium for
baby-makers, will be a poor inducement to
struggle for a large family while present
trust prices are staring people in the face.
If he could offer a discount on these his
premium ‘‘biz”’ might go.
—If the Pennsylvania Legislature doesn’t
soon settle down to the transaction of some
of the real business it was elected to trans-
act the public will begin a move to divert
the millions they have appropriated fora
new capitol building to the erection of a
kinder-garten for would-be statesmen.
—1If “‘all things come’ to ‘‘those who
wait,’”’ the Democratic members at Harris-
burg ought to be in sight of something
pretty soon. They have waited so patient-
ly. and so quietly, for that ballot reform
promised by Mr. QUAY that people have
begun to wonder if that is really what
they are there for. :
—-Governor PENNYPACKER'’S attempt to
throw dust in the eyes of the Irish at that
St. Patrick’s day banquet in Harrishurg
on Tuesday night might have been more
successful if the average Irishman was not
already acquainted with that old German
to ast that runs like this : ‘‘Here’s luck to
the Dutch let the Irish pick rags.”
—The coal miners who are trying now
so adopt a new schedule of wages for the
coming year need have no concern about
asking too much. The fancy prices of coal
last winter are still staring the public in
the face from checks stubs and so far as
t be consumer is concerned he would as
soon see the miner get a bit of his money
as have the operator keep it all.
—The coroner’s inquest is developing
little of further interest than has already
been told in the mysterious Buffalo mur-
der case. All the evidence, from whatever
source elicited only serves to convince the
public that the moral atmosphere, that
pervades the so-called social set of the Pan-
Am erican city, is as impure as the filthy
wat er that Philadelphia’s ring furnish her
seemingly satisfied people.
—Mr. BRYAN’s Commoner is of the opin-
ion that the gentlemen who have spent the
past eight or ten years voting the Republi-
can ticket should be given very little con-
sideration in naming a candidate in 1904.
To say the least, they shouldn’t expect to
have much voice in the matter, but if we
expect to elect the candidate we name in
1904 we should be careful to name one who
will not give these same gentlemen an
excuse for voting the Republican?ticket
for four years more.
— Inasmuch as Bellefonte has never
asked a cent from the State the appropria-
tion committee of the Legislature should
look very favorable on the bill now be-
fore it asking for support for the Belle-
fonte hospital. Within a radins of ten
miles we have thirty five hundred men at
work at exceptionally hazardous employ-
ment, and there is no questioning the need
of a hospital at this point, nor is it asking
too much of the State to give this small
appropriation, especially when she gives
with such lavish hand to others. :
¢®
VOL. 48
Spooner’s Foolish Notion.
Senator SPOONER, of Wisconsin, ad-
dressed the Sepate on the Isthmian canal
question and in a speech of about an hour
assumed to answer everything that had
been said against the Panama scheme dur-
ing two month of earnest debate. SPOONER
is just that sort of a fellow. He thinks he
knows it all and after his opinion is ex-
pressed the argument is closed. He re-
minds us of the late General JOHN A.
LoGAN who was somewhat self-opinionated
himself. When the greenback guestion
was uppermost in the public mind and
was being discussed in Congress at great
length General LOGAN arose one day and
after stating that he had given two hours
of careful thought to the subject the night
before he was prepared to settle it finally
and forever. Then he settled it in favor
of the greenback.
SPOONER made quite as ridiculous a fig-
ure of himself in the Senate the other day.
We bave no sympathy with Senator MOR-
GAN, of Alabama, or his interminable fili-
bustering on the canal question. He has
shown a lack of both sincerity and intelli-
gence in the discussion of the guestion, for
after years of argument in favor of a canal
he finally turned against it because the
route which he preferred was not adopted.
In other words he wanted a canal on his
own terms or not at all which is the rule
or ruin policy. But during his long and
somewhat tedious talk he raised many
grave objections to the Panama route
which SPOONER didn’t answer in his short
speech and which he probably can’t an-
swer at all. But because he expressed his
views and declared his satisfation with the
treaty he thinks that’s the end of all op-
position to it.
As a matter of fact, however, the treaty,
like all the instruments ‘drawn by Secre-
tary HAY is slip-shod and dangerous. It
proposes to give a vast amount of money
for the use of the territory through which
the ditch will run but guarantezes the gov-
ernment which pays the sum no sovereign-
ty or security over the property. It
doesn’t even fix the amount as final and
actually leaves it open for future litiga-
tion and probably vast additional pay-
ments. As a matter of fact SPOONER’S
speech settled nothing and in no respect
strengthened the position of the adminis-
tration in regard tothe affair. The treaty
ought to have been ratified as it was but
every amendment suggested by the Demo-
cratic minority ought to have been adopted
and the time will come when the country
‘will regret that they weren’t.
A Creditable Veto.
Governor PENNYPACKER has wisely
vetoed the atrocious bill to authorize the
County Commissioners in Philadelphia and
Pittsburg to fill vacancies on election
boards. The Governor considerately gives
as a reason for his action that the measure
is unconstitutional. It invested the Com-
missioners with authority to determine the
qualifications of election officers, which the
Governor declares is a judicial prerogative
and as the constitution declares that ‘‘all
judicial power shall be vested in a Supreme
court, in courts of Common Pleas, courts of
Oyer and Terminer and General Jail De-
livery, courts of Quarter Sessions of the
Peace, Orphans’ courts, Magistrates’ courts,
and in such other courts as the General As-
sembly may from time to time establish,”
his Excellency is of the opinion that .he
bill is unconstitutional.
If the Governor had been more candid,
and less polite, he would have frankly de-
clared that he could not sign the bill for the
sufficient reason that it is an iniguitons
measure conceived and brought out for an
iniquitous purpose. The machine managers
know that sooner or later the people of
Pennsylvania outside of the two great cities
of Philadelphia and Pittsburg will revolt
against the political immoralities which
have kept it in power for a dozen years
notwithstanding an adverse majority, and
that when that occurs it will be necessary
to increase the fradulent vote. With the
election officers’ dependent on the county
commissioners for their tenure of office that
would become an easy matter. The com-
missioners would create election boards who
would commit any crime and back it ap.
But it is bad form to look a gift horse in
the mouth aud we shall not quarrel with
the Governor on account of the reasons
which influenced him as loug as he has
vetoed the bill. By that act he has pre-
vented a carnival of corruption annually in
the future and probably laid the foun-
dation for a restoration of the State to
self-government which it has not enjoyed
for many years. It was a splendid act and
goes a long way toward vindicating the
claim of Jndge PENNYPACKER’S friends,
expressed during the campaign that his acts
as Governor would be guided by his own
conscience. One act doesn’t make a record,
it is true, and the virtue of the Governor
as revealed in this veto may uot be endur-
ing. But it is gratifying, nevertheless and
we thank the Governor. for ib. -
* —=Subscribe for the WATCHMAN,
BELLEFONTE, PA., MARCH 20, 1903.
\ ES
pegs = Bs STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. o% ———
A NO. 12.
An Officer Needed.
The Governor proposes one new office
which the general public will agree is sad-
ly needed. That is he suggests that there
ought to bea ‘legislative attorney.” In
Great Britain, the Governor adds, there is
in the parliament a body known as the
‘‘draughting commission.”’ Its business is
to prepare the bills presented for considera-
tion and see that they are properly con-
structed, grammatically speaking. This
body was created many centuries ago. At
that time very few of the ‘‘Lords and gen-
tlemen’’ of parliament took the trouble to
learn to read or write. They learned to
ride horseback, and swear, and drink, and
wrangle, and kill each other on the slight-
est provocation. But reading and writing
was an effeminate accomplishment which
was much beneath them. On that account
it was necessary for them to have some body
or some agent to prepare their measures of
legislation in order that they might be in-
telligible to the public. The ‘‘draughting
commission’’ was the result.
Some years agoan adventurer of the name
of J. EDWARD ADDICKS, who had a short
time previously taken up his residence in
Delaware, conceived the notion of breaking
into politics. He had already acquired vast
wealth from the operation of a monopoly in
supplying gas to the several cities of the
State and wanted to go to the United States
Senate. With this cnriousidea in mind he
opened a barrel of coin and bought seats for
most of the employes of his several gas
plants in the Legislature. Most of them
were illiterate like the English Knights of
the Middle ages but they could tell what
ADpDICKS wanted by signs. They served
the purpose for which they were elected,
therefore, excellently, except for the tri-
fling matter that they couldn’t prepare bills
and it is part of the duty of a legislator to
introduce a hill or two during each session.
To remedy the trouble Mr. ADDICKS had a
bill providing for the appointment of a
“legislative attorney’’ prepared and passed.
The duty of the attorney, according to the
provisions of the bill, was to prepare meas-
ures of legislation. That equalized condi-
tions in the Legislature. The literate and
illiterate stood on a common level and the
ignorant was precisely as good as the
scholarly before the law of Delaware.
Having discovered since his induction
‘into office that none of the Republican lead-
ers in the General Assembly are capable of
constructing a measure of legislation ac-
cording to the ordinary laws of syntax,
Governor PENNYPACKER has reached the
conclusion that the office of ‘‘legislative at-
torney’’ is not only greatly needed but
cheap at any price. Pennsylvania has al-
ways felt pride in the educational attain-
ments of her citizens. She was among the
first to introduce the public schools, and
even while the average citizen of Massa-
chusetts was plodding along in the densest
ignorance the Pennsylvanian was equipped
with an understanding of the ‘‘three Rs.”
In advance of any other State, moreover,
the Keystone developed the school system
and introduced not only higher mathemat-
ics but geography, grammar and in the
larger cities even the classics. Therefore
when Governor PENNYPACKER discovered
that out of a total of 199 Republicans in the
General Assembly there appeared to be not
one who could write a measure of legisla-
tion in correct language he was sadly
humiliated and jumped to the conclusion
that we need a ‘‘legislative attorney.’’
—The much talked of BrLuMLE bill,
which proposed giving money prizes and
medal decorations to mothers of large fam-
ilies in Pennsylvania, bas brought out a
counter proposition that would let the
father share in the spoils of abnormal pro-
genitive propensities. Census statistics
show no reason for fearing a falling ebb in
our population, but possibly these meas-
ures would make good laws for they might
have a tendency to cut down the number
of betrayal cases that disgrace our quarter
session courts. If the prizes were large
enough perhaps the fathers of these off-
springs might arise to the emergencies and
claim their own.
—The Shamrock III has been launched
at Dumbarton, Scotland, and Sir THoMAS
LipTON is convinced that ‘‘with just a lit-
tle slice of luck the battered old mug will
find a resting place on this side of the wa-
ter.” Right you are Sir THOMAS ! It will
be luck and nothing else that will do it,
for America’s yacht building skill has so
far outsailed yours on the other side that
it is a foregone conclusion that ‘‘the bat-
tered old mug,” as you call it, will stay
right bere unless we have an extraordinary
run of bad luck. 7;
——Governor PENNYPACKER’S evident
intention to clean out the agricultural de-
partment at Harrisburg is probably in-
spired by the offence his bucolic sense of
smell takes at the odor of oleo.
—This marvelously mild spring weather
suggests the idea that the other fellow has
started in to do his utmost to undo what
the ground-hog did during his six weeks
sway. :
Legislature and Law.
Governor PENNYPACKER declared in an
interview published the other day that the
Legislature has no right to violate the law.
That is an obvious truth because laws are
binding upon all alike. But the Legisla-
ture does violate the law frequently and
grossly and the only one who can prevent
such things is the Governor himself. If he
sets his head and heart against such in-
fractions of the organic law as are occur-
ring every day in both branches of the
General Assembly they will be stopped.
The Legislators who thus disregard their
oaths of office and their duties as citizens
are influenced by a desire to rescue certain
legislation. When they find out that vio-
lating law defeats rather than promotes
their subject they will quit it promptly.
There is very little conscience in the
present Legislature. Most of the leaders
in both branches are like perverts. Af
least they act as if they are without the
faculty of discriminating between right and
wrong. But if the Governor would take
the Legislative record of each bill that has
been improperly passed andjafter pointing
out the criminal processes which have been
employed to compass its enactment attach
a veto for the reason that having been ille-
gally passed it is invalid, the unlawful
methods would soon be abandoned. The
crooks who violate the law don’t want
their legislative pets killed off.
Of course PENNYPACKER won't do this
as most of the iniquitous legislation enact-
ed by devious and unlawful methods {have
been suggested by and are for the benefit
of QUAY, and if Cousin SAM should inter-
fere with them there would be a wave of
indignation start in Florida which would
centre on the hill in Harrisburg that would
m ake him wish he bad never heen horn.
QUAY is liberal minded enough to let any
friend of his talk as freely as he likes and
on ‘any subject as long as he doesn’t there-
by interfere with the ‘‘old man’s’’ plans.
Denouncing the methods of legislation,
therefore, is all right, as long as nothing ie
done which interferes with the plans of the
machine and talk doesn’t work such
results. But there will be no action.
——From ANDREW J. CRUSE, who is
-| now located in Denver, Col., we received
the article urging PATTISON for President,
which appears in another column off this:
issue. While tbe WATCHMAN does not
feel disposed to take np the discussion of
presidential possi bilities at this time
nevertheless this article shows that there
is still a strong PATTISON sentiment in the
West.
Princess Alice Sails Away.
The event of the week has been the sail-
ing away of the President’s daughter.
Princess ALICE as she may as well be called
went on a visit to Porto Rico and her
sailing was made a great event. We
all remember the ceremony which attend-
ed the departure of the Prince and Princess
of Wales a couple of years ago, their des-
tination being Australia and after that
other colonial possessions of the British
crown. There was a vast crowd at the
station when they left London and a still
more enthusiastic multitude at the wharf
from which they sailed and in both places
the people were generous in their popular
acclaim. It was a delightful incident and
made the heart of King EDWARD glad.
But that event was nothing compared
with the ceremonies which attended the
departure of Princess ALICE ROOSEVELT
the other day. She likewise was destined
to one of the insular possessions of her
father’s empire and though the crowd may
have been no greater and the enthusiasm
even less the pomp and circumstances were
infinitely superior. There was a squad-
ron of soldiers, an army of detectives, a
host of secret service men and every essen-
tial element of royalty attending the event.
A military salute was fired as the Princess
approached the government vessel on
which sumptuons quarters bad been pre-
pared for her and her suite and the com-
manding officer welcomed her on deck
with the obsequiousness of a long practised
servitude.
We are moving forward in shape toward
the destiny which now seems inevitable.
That is to say there are signs on all sides
that the Empire is approaching and unless
the thoughtful people of the country put a
check upon the present tendencies it will
not be long until, like France, the Republic
is converted into a monarchy. It has been
said that ROOSEVELT’s inclinations don’t
run in that direction and his tendency to
gypsy life is cited as evidence of that fact.
But the pomp and circumstance of the
Empire attends him in all his movements
and the substance would be more welcome
than the shadow.
—The Panama canal treaty having been
ratified by the United States Senate the
great inter-ocean water way is up to the
man with the spade. i
—Winter hasn’t shown any inclination
to linger in the lap of Spring. so the “man
with the hoe’ is already abroad in the
land.
Pattison for President,
Dr. Howard F, Hawkins in the Denver, Col. Post.
“A Call to Arms,” in a recent issue of
the Commoner, is the writer’s only excuse
for coming into print. It must be ad-
mitted by every thinking man that the
Democratic party is hopelessly divided,
and wherein lies the cause and what will
unite us? To the former question I would
answer that we have too many leaders and
that they are each and all leaders in a dis-
tinct and opposite direction.
The writer is and always has been asup-
porter of Democratic principles, having
worked though pride and voted for both Mr.
Cleveland and Mr. Bryan, but for Mr.
Bryan to define and state the necessary
qualifications for a worthy disciple of De-
mocracy I enter my protest.
Mir. Bryan goes too far when he contends
that a Democrat must believe in the Kan-
sas City platform in its entirety and that
the silver question must take precedence
over all the other issues. Any man of
any party who believes in his party
principle in every iota, is too easily
suited.
My contentions are that for any person to
be a ‘‘good’’ Democrat it is only necessary
to believe in the Demccratic platform as a
whole over that of the opposition par-
ties.
True “Mr. Bryan is to be reckoned
with,’”” but none the less is it true of
Mr. Cleveland as past events have amply
proven. And without both of their sup-
ports we are seriously crippled.
Both gentlemen owe to humanity as
well as their Democracy to support as pres-
ident whoever the next national Democra-
tic convention shall nominate, for only in
the Democratic party the common people
can hope for redress from the oppression of
the trusts, the corporations and the money
power..
While a firm believer in the unlimited
coinage of silver I hope that in the coming
election this issue will be relegated to
the rear and that some question of more
importance will be brought to the fron,
and while we may all differ as to the rela-
tive merits of certain issues, that fact
should not mar onr Democracy in the
least. :
One does not have to scrutinize the Com-
moner very closely to see that if an oppor-
tunity presents itself Mr. Bryan will be
found guilty of the same offence for which
be has been reprimanding Mr. Cleveland
for the past six years, namely, if avy man
receives th nomination on the Demoeratic
ticket f: resident whose ideas are incom-
patible with those of his own he will be-
come conspicuous by his silent, if not
active opposition, and thereby help to elect
a Republican president. : :
This sort of Democracy I deplore, and it
seems to me that wherein lies our only
hope for success is not in reorgauization,
but rather in harmonization of the conflict-
ing element in our own party. This cannot
be accomplished by nominating either
Cleveland, Bryan, or Hill therefore
it behooves the conservative element to
lend its influence to selecting a man of suit-
able qualifications, a man who has never
causedthe wrath of some leader to fall upon
him, a man who can hyp-Hanna-tyze the
people, a man who can lead us in unison, a
man who is broad enough in mind to coun-
cil with friends and neighbors even if they
differ in some insignificant point.
Then and then only can we hope or ex-
pect success at the coming election, and I
am sure-that such a personage with the
capabilities is easy found.
I bave in mind one man with the neces-
sary qualifications, a man who supported
both Bryan and Cleveland with a venge-
ance, a man whom I question if any Dem-
ocrat of influence could oppose, a man who
has been governor twice of the strongest
Republican state in the Union, the Hon.
Robert E. Pattison of Pennsylvania.
In Blissful Ignorance.
From the Eureka (J1l.) Democrat-Journal.
What! Can it be possibie? After all
that we have been told about the ‘‘pacifi-
cation’? of the Philippines, and the love of
the natives for the Taft government, we
are startled by the announcement that ‘‘a
fresh revolt has broken out in Luzon,’’ and
that ‘‘it presents the most formidable out-
break since 1899.” And there has heen
fighting, and Americans killed within sev-
en miles of Manila. The truth is, we are
kept in ignorance of the real conditions in
the Philippines, for, if they were known,
and the people knew what an endless and
expensive task they have over there, to
make room for corporations, they wonld
abandon the whole business.
A Case Where Tariff Tommy-Rot
Didn't Work.
From the Toledo (0.) Democrat.
Compelled by the cry of distress from
the people, the Republican Congress re-
moved the tariff on coal for one year. But,
viewed from the Republican standpoint,
how will this give any relief to a’ tariff-
monopoly-ridden people? How strange!
Why not raise the tariff and make the
foreigner pay more? That is what makes
the common people of America go rich and
prosperous, don’t you know—getting this
tariff money which the foreigner pays. On,
this high tariff idea is a beautiful thought,
and when carried out to the fullest ex-
treme, it is so benefizial to the mass of this
country’s people ? :
The Way The Old Thing Works.
From the Springfield Republican, i
It is reported from St. Paul that the
Standard Oil trust, on losing a local suit
for damages to the amount of $10,000 on
account of injuries caused by gasoline, at
once advanced the price, and in nine days
collected from the local public enough extra
to pay all the costs. Here we have public-
ity, but not necessarily the preventive.
The Great Waste of Effort.
From the Fostoria (0.) Democrat.
Republican organs are exceedingly busy
in building temporary scaffolding for
Democratic platforms and blazing trees for
Democratic presidential timber. If it's
‘any amusement for the editors, it’s all
right. but it strikes us as an unproductive
‘expenditure of time, peace, and alleged
gray matter.
Spawis from the Keystone.
=TI% costs $153.89 to hang murderer Groth.
er, at Stroudsburg.
~Ground was broken on Monday for
Wilkesbarre’s new $1,000,000 court house.
~Thirty-eight men imported from Louis-
ville to Pittsburg, to take striking bridge
workers’ places, joined the strikers.
—Scranton capitalists will soon reopen the
abandoned Hillman colliery, near Wilkes-
barre, and employ several hundred hands.
—The bill to prevent the sale of cigaretts
or cigarette paper to persons under 21 years
of age, passed finally in the State senate on
Monday night.
—The York postoffice cleared over $10,000
last year and now eleven clerks have had
their salaries raised from $9,600 to $10,800 in
the aggregate.
—A very distressing fatality occurred at
Houtzdale last week, when a little child of
William Moore fell into a pan of boiling
starch and was scalded to death.
—With wagons already loaded, Pottsville’s
icemen struck for a raise of wages from $9 to
$12a week, and their bosses were glad to
compromise, after delivering all the melting
ice themselves.
—There are twenty-three cases of typhoid
fever and twelve of grip at the Lutheran
home at Loysville. The well children
will be !sent to their relatives. Five
trained nurses from Baltimore are now in at-
tendance.
—Mrs. Sarah O'Rourke, the oldest person
in DuBois, and the oldest pensioner carried
on the Civil war pension roll of the United
States, died Tuesday. Deceased was born in
Ireland, August 27th, 1799, and was there
fore over 104 years old.
—Miss Annie M. W. Pennypacker, daugh-
ter of Governor Pennypacker, who has pur-
sued a three years’ course in nursing at the
Pennsylvania hospital, Philadelphia, will
graduate next Thursday from that institu-
tion. She expects to continue nursing after
graduation.
—Mrs. Blanche Stadtler, of Huntingdon
died in the Altoona hospital Saturday after-
‘noon, of peritonitis, aged 28 years. She had
been admitted but a short. time agoin the
hope that a permanent cure might be affected,
but without avail.. Deceased was a native of
Huntingdon and is survived by her husband
and several children.
—A message was received in Sunbury Mon-
day stating that the body of a young boy had
been found in a seine at Havre DeGrace and
asking for a description of the little Hewitt
boy who was swept away by the high water,
falling into the river at Sunbury while play-
ing with some companions on Friday morn-
ing February 6th.
—The miners and operators of District No.
2, United Mine Workers of America, after,
almost a week’s sessions, closed the week at
Altoona on Saturday evening, dead-locked
on the scale question, but this week will try
and straighten out the tangle. The bones of
contention are the eight hour day and the
amount of increase the men shall receive for
their labor. .
—School teachers and residents of Danville
and other places were victimized by two
strangers who said they represented the
Harper Bigthers publishing house and ffer-
ed as prémiums to subscribers to the Harper
publications a set of Rudyard Kipling’s
works, all for four dollars. Our people
should be on their guard if the swindlers
come this way.
—One of the largest independent tinplate
plants in the country was started up at Mec-
Keesport Monday, five mills being put in
operation and five more will he started April
1st. The plant covers fourteen acres and
gives employment to 400 men, many of whom
were barred by the American Tinplate com-
pany on account of active participation in the
strike two years ago.
—Dr. George Muffley, of Watsontown, ap-
peared before Judge Voris Auten Tuesday
and asked, on grounds of several technical
errors, that he be relieved of paying a fine of
$18 imposed by Justice Wagner. The fine was
imposed at the rate of 16} cents a word used
in swearing at a party of workmen. The
judge refused the request, and ordered Muf-
fley to pay the fine.
—Herbert Pines, an extra engineer, was
killed at the Gallitzin tower; Tuesday even-
ing. Pines who was firing on the trip on
w hich he met his death, was engaged coup-
ling up engines at the tower and was struck
by an engine he did not see, knocked down
and run over, The body was picked up. tak-
en to Gallitzin station and then conveyed to
Altoona. The dead man was aged about 25
years and his home is near Lewisburg, Union
county.
—The great scrap for the Clearfield post-
office between John H. Martin and the
Chases is to be pulled off Friday atternoon at
the several election houses between the hours
of 2and 8 p. m. The articles of agreement
were recently signed by the principals and
attested by witnesses. Only the Republicans
will be allowed to vote in this novel contest,
which is the outcome of bitter strife, and has
even been carried into the administration’s
ranks at Washington. 4
—A¢t the funeral of William Stephon in-
Pine Creek township, Clinton county, Sun-
day, owing to bad roads, the hearse was
drawn by four horses, something unusual at
a funeral. Mr. Stephon’s illness was of short
duration, and from a singular origin. It is
stated he had been sick but twelve hours,
and not even the physician in attendance
considered the illness serious. Mr. Stephon
bad been constructing a hay rick the day be-
fore his dea*h and was using a brace and bit.
The pressure of the brace against his abdomen
is thought to have burst a blood vessel in the
stomach,
—E. 8. Forney, Altoona’s delinquent tax
collector of the 1902 duplicates, may go to
the pen. He has been leaving a paper pur-
porting to be a warrant of arrest at the home
of delinquents, thus claiming that they are
under arrest, and claiming the fees the same
as in the case of a regular arrest. Many
citizens have disputed his right to such fees
and have paid them under protest. No legal
action was taken however, until such a paper
was left at the home of C. E. Mower. He
brought & criminal charge against Forney
before Alderman Irwin as a test case. When
arrested Thursday night, Forney waived. a
hearing and gave bail in the sum of $200 for
court. The outcome of the case will be
awaited with much interest. :