Demo item,
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
~The voice of spring ie so hoarse now
that its song bas ceased entirely.
~The BERRY season is over in the state
treasury field and they say the pickin’s
were poor.
~The returns from Texas indicate that
Jor BAILEY is still ‘‘some pumpkins’ in
the Lone Star State.
—The open pulpit in the Episcopal
church is only open so far as Episcopal
talkers are concerned.
—With two electric theatres in town
there ought to be enough to divert the
minds of the unemployed.
—BRYAN bas captured Ohio and Tarr
bas secured the endorsement of Connecticut.
Thus the leaders get further in the lead.
—It is said that brains are preferred to
wealth in New York society. How natural
for people to want most what they bave
least of.
—A Chicago woman doctor declares that
she saw souls leave two hodies. My, what
are women coming to in their race to out-
strip the men.
—This will be positively the last issue of
the WATCHMAN that a number of old read-
ers will receive unless they answer our last
letter before next Friday.
—Tyrone council having appointed the
committee to aot for that town the proposed
PRUNER orphanage is another step toward
t he place where something 1s to be done.
—The motto of the new National Pros-
perity association is ‘‘Give us a Rest and
Sunshine.” Strange, we bad always as-
sociated that sentiment with the corner
loafer class,
—Breathitt county, Kentucky, is minus
one more feudist. On Tuesday someone
stabbed sheriff Ep. COLLAHAN to death
then the sherifl’s son shot the stabber. So
it goes in Kentucky.
—The QUAY statue is completed and
now the question is as to where to put it.
Surely the capitol nor the capitol grounds
will not be desecrated with an effigy of
such a political corruptionist ?
——Though May was ushered in with
snow and a few flakes of the beautiful fell
for several days, we are likely to have the
real thing in spring weather before Memo-
riai day, #o don’t get discouraged.
—The general conference of the Metho-
dist charch is just now engaged in dis-
cussing the matter of worldly amusements,
Ping-pong, tiddledy-winks, five hundred
and grab bags will probably be put on the
free list,
— It some of the Pennsylvania Democrats
would get hall as busy on ‘‘BRYAN’S
strength’’ alter he is nominated as they are
now the party vote in this State would
probably show results more to their credit
than it usually does.
—*“The full dinner pail” will probably
have no place in the presidential campaign
of next fall. At least those who talked
most of it fonr years ago will not be so
bandy at waving it from every political
stamp in the country.
—MAXINE ELLIOTT is plavning to es-
tablish an ideal theatre in New York. Just
what the lady has in mind has not heen
made public but it is a safe guess that part
of the idealism will be to make herself a
“‘head-liver’ all she time,
—Uncle JosgPH CANNON [ound ous on
Tuesday that there are times when some
Congressmen own, express and back an
opinion. His determined effort to drive
them to the support of the VREELAND
currenoy bill met with signal failare.
~—Swarthmore college has expelled a
quartet of the best athletes in the instito.
tion for stealing pies from the college pan-
try. Can it be possible, after ali, that
Swarthmore is getting ready to reconsider
the refusal of the Mrs. JEANES millions.
— Last fall EDWARD H. HARRIMAN was
the scape-goat of all she financial swindles
in the country. Now the speculators who
were so busy blaming their troubles on
him are proclaiming him the Moses who is
leading the country out of the financial
wilderness,
—The President conversed in German,
French, Italian and Dutob with visitors
representing all those nationalities on Tues-
day. Of course they were delighted to find
our President so versatile. But, hash ! don't
tell them that talking is his principal ae-
complishment.
—~HETTY GREEN has given up a nine-
teen dollar a month flat to take op her
ahode in a thirty-two dollar a day suite in
New York's most expensive hotel. HerTY
always was so eccentric that no one will
ever know whether this move is for comfort
or for curiosity.
—What has Congressman BARCLAY
done for this district since he has been its
Representative in Congress. Can anyone
point to a single official aot of his that has
benefited his constituents. A rich man is
no recommendation. Why not put a man
who does things there and send W. HaARr-
RI1S0ON WALKER to represent us.
—8ome one in the lower end of Bucks
county wants a concrete wall built some.
where by someone so that the northwest
winds that eweep over Pennsylvania from
October to June might be broken up. He
claims that it would give them ‘‘a sooner
summer’ in Bucks county. How nice ‘“‘a
sooner summer’’ would be, but we’ll bet
this chap would sooner let summer be as it
is than build the concrete wind-brake.
yoL. 33.
Imposing on Old Soldiers.
The platform adopted by the Republi-
can state convention in Harrishurg, last
week, has maoy curious features, but it
contains nothing more remarkable, as an
expression of ‘‘nerve,” than the last
olanse. ‘‘We again acknowledge the na-
tion's everlasting debt of gratitude to ite
heroic soldiers, and sailors,”’ it declares,
“'and express our approval of the action of
Congress in the passage of the Act of Feb-
ruary 6, 1907, for their increased relief and
the Act of April 19, 1908, extending the
class and increasing the pension of wid-
ows."
Concerning the Act of February 6, 1907,
we have little information except that it
passed both Houses by a unamimous vote,
was in no sense partisan and is universally
approved by the people. With respect to
the Act of April 19, 1908, however, we
have some inside history. That bill was
originally intre duced by Hoo. WILLIAM
B. WILSON, the superb Democratic Repre-
sentative from the Fifteenth district of
Pennsylvania. It was the intention of the
committee to pigeon-hole it, when the
Democratic members made such a disturb-
ance that that plan was abandoned as
dangerons, Then the committee made
some trifling obanges in the phrasing and
reported it, not as Mr, WILSON'S bill, but
as a committee bill. This was to deprive
a Democrat of the authorship of so popular |
A measure.
Even at that the intention was io stifle
the measare, the plan being to*‘lose’’ it in
the Senate. The Senate refused to take this
responsibility, however, and though the
measure made slow progress it passed
finally in Maroh avd was committed to
conference, This afforded an opportunity
for the strangliog process and the Repub-
lican managers of the House determined
to name no conferees and thus let it die of
neglect. More than a month passed be-
fore this trick was discovered and then the
Democratic members threatened an expos-
ure unless the measure was given fair treat.
ment. This forced the Speaker finally
to name managers on the pars of the House
and the bill became the subject of con-
ference. The process was drawn out as long
as possible but finally a compromise was
reached on the Senate amendments.
With this record of treachery and bad
faith as a basis, however, the Republican
State convention has undertaken to impose
on the credulity of the old soldiers with
a hypooritical profession of friend-ship. |
As a matter of fact the Republican man-
agers of Congress didn’t intend to pass the
windows’ pension bill. They prefer to ap-
propriate the money for battleships and
distribute it among favorite contractors for
public buildings and other uses in which
there ie a larger proportion of graft. Old
soldiers should nuderstand this.
Mr. Habgood's Services and Reward.
Some of our esteemed Republican ocon-
temporaries are sedulously trying to create
the impression that the honor of an election
as delegate-at-large was hestowed on Rep-
resentative RoBerT P. HABGooD, of Me-
Kean connty, because of an acs of self abne-
gation iu connection with the presidential
candidacy of Senator KNoX. When Hab.
GOOD was eleoted president of the Pennayl-
vania League of Republican clubs, the
story goes, the manager of the TAFT cam-
paign wrote him a flattering letter solicting
his support of the ponderons Secretary of
War. [Instead of proposing terms, as he
might bave foolishly done, HABGOOD
wrote that Pennsylvania has a candidate
to whom the allegiance of all Penuvsylva-
niavs is doe.
That story is interesting mainly besause
it is so absolutely without foundation in
fact. The TAFT manager may have written
as stated, and Mr. HABGOOD may have re-
plied in the language ascribed to him in
the colamus of our too credulous Republi-
can contemporaries. Indeed it would have
been a sign of hopeless insanity * if he had
answered in any other way. At the time
Senator KNOX was being used as a ‘‘decoy
duck’ to begnile a iot of wavering inde:
pendents into the machine camp in order
to prevent the election of Hon. Jonw G.
HARMAN to the office of State Treasurer.
The answer of Mr. HABGOOD to the sugges-
tion of Mr. Vorys, therefore, may be re-
garded as a part of the general plan.
But the compliment bestowed apon him
by the Machioe State couvention was not
in the nature of a reward for that answer.
It was for a vastly more substantial party
service, It was for suppressing, last
winter, the evidence of one of the most
outrageous cases of graft which has ever
heen pulled off in Pennsylvania. The
conspiracy which resulted in increasing the
price of the Legislative Record from less
than $3 to more than $12 a page, coming
on the heels of the exposures in the capitol
building frande, would have been disas-
trous and HaBGOOD prevented the exposure
by ng the evidence which was
forced upon bim ie abundance. That is
why he has since been so highly honored.
—Subsoribe for the WATCHMAN.
BELLEFONTE,
Plraileal Craft in Trouble,
The esteemed Philadelphia Record ie
baving all sorts of trouble with itself. It
is trying to reconcile ita blind and unreas-
oning worship of ROOSEVELT with its daty
as an honest purveyor of news exponent of
Democracy and the inconsistency is so
great as to make it a subject of ridicule.
In a single issue recently, for example, it
contains an absurd cartoon representing
ROOSEVELT in heoric proportions as the
champion of public opinion, an obviously
fake dispatch from Pittsburg giving an
i account of a marvelous hoom in industrial
life and an editorial paragraph refering to
| the idle cars and locomotives in the vards
of the Pennsylvania railroad. The latter
is the expression, probably, of the honest
and intelligent editorial department and
the cartoon and fake news item the impulse
of the ROOSEVELT mania in control.
The trath is that there is a conspiracy
to deceive the public as to the induastrial
and commercial conditions of the country
and the Philadelphia Record is among the
conspicuous participants. The object of
conspiracy is to continue the ROOSEVELT
control of the federal government and
| policies by the election of his political leg-
| atee, Sesretary TAFT. The most certain
| way to achieve this result is to create the
opinion in the public mind that the present
| industrial paralysis is an imaginary condi-
tion. That there was a brief business
slump daring the late fall and early winter
is admitted. Bot itis claimed that the
cagacions management of ROOSEVELT and
his associates in the present administration
instantly grappled with the adverse condi-
tions and conquered them and that now
the country is bounding away on the crest
of a tidal wave of industrial and commer
cial activity and prosperity.
It is all right for the esteemed Philadel-
phia Record to practice this deception in
the open. Ifit will withdraw its pretense
of representing Democracy and like any
other pirate raise the black flag, we shall
make no complaint of ite recreancy. Bat
we do protest against the false pretense
expressed in this persistent and insistent
laudation of ROOSEVELT'S policies as an
oracle of Democracy. There are’ not now
and never have Leen public policies as
diametrically opposite to the principles of
JEFFERSON as those claimed to be the
policies of ROOSEVELT. What he has not
stolen from the Populist he bas inherited
from the Federalists and we protest against
the laudation of such heresies in the name
of Democracy. Demoorats shonid unite in
protest io the only way that is effective,
They should refuse to pay for such rubbish.
Proper Solution of a Problem,
Aocording to authentic information
whioh comes from Luzerne county there is
a probability that Hon. JOHN T. LENAHAN
may yet consent to a re-eleotion to Con-
gress. Two vears ago Mr. LENAHAN was
elected by a plurality of 6,549 over his
leading ccmpetitor and a safe majority
over all other candidates though the
Socialist candidates received 5,197 votes.
Bat congressional service dida’t appeal to
him. He revealed a splendid capacity for
the work and soon won the highest respect
of the leading lawyers in the body on ac-
count of his mastery of legal problems and
splendid erudition. Bat his heart was in
the courts at home and he declined to offer
himself for re-election.
Mr. LENAHAN'S Democratia associates
on the floor, not only from Penusylvania
but from all parts of the country, tried to
diesnade him from his determination on
| this subject but without effects. The time
limit for announcement fixed by lew ex-
pired, and though the field was left open
to him and he was importuned by friends
and neighbors, he made no aunouncement
and another competent man was chosen.
But the rank and file of the party is dis-
satisfied and 1t is now eaid that the nomi-
nee expresses a desire to withdraw on con-
dition that Mr. LENAHAN will accept the
nomination to fill the vacancy. We un.
derstand that be is very much disinclined
to yield but the pressure is heing made so
strong that he may be obliged to.
It is not invidious to say that we hope
that the problem will be solved in that
way. No doubt the nominee is eminently
fis and entirely capable and that his eleo-
tion would guarantee the constituency
splendid service. But LENAHAN'S elec-
tion would be absolutely certain and as it
is practically admitted that the next Con-
gress will be Democratic there will te
great need for strong men and LENAHAN
would be a tower of strength to the new
Speaker. He is able, eloquent and always
ready in debate and bis legal attainments
especially fit him for the work that will be
required during the next Congress. We
hope, therefore that be will consent to ran
and feel certain of the result.
~The Free Meshodist quarterly meet-
ing whioh was held in the cours house, this
place, from Thursday evening of last week
until Sanday was quite largely attended
and drew very fair audiences at eviry meet-
ing.
“STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
PA., MAY 8, 1908.
i —
‘The Corruption Fand Controls.
JonN SHARP WILLIAMS, the magnificent
leader of the Democratic minority in the
House of Representatives at Washington,
gave the Republicans of that body a ‘‘bad
quarter of an hour,’’ the other day. Hav-
ing been graciously allowed fifteen minutes
to discuss, on the part of the minority, an
important pending measure, Mr. WiL-
LIAMS properly made a joke of the affair.
It would have required hours to properly
present the minority views on the sabject
and fifteen minates would hardly bave
heen sufficient time to state the case. So
instead of attemptiog an impossibility he
presented a petition to the Speaker asking
that some member be recognized to move
the passage of one of the many bills on the
calendar putting wood pulp and white
paper on the free list.
There are 166 Demooratic members of
the House and Mr. WILLIAMS showed that
the petition whioh he held was signed by
162 of them, the other four being absent.
Thirty Republicans added to the signers
would have made a majority and to facili
tate the consummation Mr. WILLIAMS had
a table, pens, ink and blotters placed in
the aisle in front of the Bpeaker's desk.
Then he implored the Republicans who
pretend to favor the measure to come for-
ward and sign. ‘‘It should be easy to get
the thirty,” Mr. WILLIAMS observed, ‘‘be-
cause almost that many Republicans have
introdneed free paper bills, and I know,”
he continued, ironically, ‘‘that every one
of you who introduced a hill meant what
you said.”’ But there was no response.
The bonds securely held’ the servile
slaves,
The President has insisted on the
passage of the proposed legislation but
Speaker CANNON, DALZELL and PAYNE are
under agreements to the Paper trust to give
it at least ‘‘another year of good stealing.”
Ad has been said this tax isa burden on
intelligence. Is costs the publishers of
books, magazines and pewspapers vast
sums annnally and doesn’t put a single
penny in the treasury. But the Trust
will probably contribute liberally to the
Republican campaign fund next fall and
the Republican machine is willing to sac-
rifice the intellectual advantages which
free wood pulp and free paper would afford
the people in order to secure that advan-
tage to the Republican machine. *‘To this
complexion have we come at last.”’ The
corruption fand controls Congress.
The Versatile Republican Machine,
The versatility of the Pennsylvania Re-
publican machine is shown in the equal
cordiality with which ite recent State con-
vention endorsed THEODORE ROOSEVELT
and Bois PENROSE. “We commend the
wise and courageous administration of
President THEODORE ROOSEVELT,” these
platform mechanics state in one sentence
and ‘we recognize the influence in national
legislation of our senior United States Sena-
tor, Bois PENROSE, his energetic and faith-
fal disobarge of every duty,’’ in another.
One or the other of these declarations ie
pare buncombe. The Good Book says one
can’t serve God and Mammon. It would
be quite as difficult for the same person to
endorse ROOSEVELT and PENROSE as the
same time.
These two men represent the antipodes
of polities in so far as sheir public profes.
sions go. ROOSEVELT pretends to be a re-
former, at least, and certainly aims at the
centralization ol power in the executive,
while PENROSE is in complete accord with
FORAKER, HALE and ALDRICH in their
desire to maintain, not ooly she dignity,
hut the prerogatives, of the Senate. Be-
sides they entertain diametrically opposite
notions with respect to the regulation of
corporations. KOOSEVELT would wake
every magnate of power and wealth kowtow
hefore him and PENROSE would make the
rest of us kowtow to the maguates. The
proverbial feat of riding two horses run-
ning in opposite directions would be a tril-
ling task compared with endorsing both
these public characters.
A convention gaided by contractor Mo-
NicHOL, of Philadelphia, and participated
in by the banditti of the swo big cities is
not likely to be very punetillicns abont
what it says on any subject. The chances
are, anyway, that less than oue-filth of the
delegates know the difference between the
principles of one party and the other and if
PENROSE would tip the wink most of them
would vote for probibision or endorse the
religions views of VOLTAIRE. The endorse-
ment of PENROSE was probably the only
sincere thing done by the convention and
the only reason that any value attaches to
that action is that it may fool some country
Legislators into voting for him for re-eleo-
tion.
~The repairing of the wall along
Spring creek on south Water street by
putting down a concrete foundation is a
commendable job and one that should now
make the wal! at that place withstand any
rush of water that can come down that
stream.
as a
From the Altoona Times,
In Rassia they bave what they call a
‘‘black cabinet” or department of espial.
In the United States we have the ‘‘secret
service’’ at Washington which is supposed
to consist of detectives to spy upon coun-
terfeitors and smugglers. In Rassia the
detectives look for those who are plotting
against the government, aud no one is free
from their espionage. Here the govern-
ment detectives are supposed to confiue
their work to the protection of the treasury
with all its nomerouns bureaus, but evidence
presented to the committee on appro-
priations that seoret service agents have
been used for all kinds of ‘‘spying” work,
fl shere bis grows up in the service :
system of espionage that smacks strongly
of the black cabinet of Russia.
At a recent hearing of the committee on
appropriations some startling testimony
was given concerning the case of a navy
officer who suspected his wife of having
improper relations with a midshipman. A
seoret service agent was put to work to
get evidence at the instance of the navy
department. Divorce proceedings resulted.
This instance of activity by secret service
agents outside the field of operations
marked out for them in laws passed by
congress prompted the committee to insert
in the sundry civil bill a clause prohibit.
ing secret service men from og in
any duty other than guarding the person
of the president and enforcing the laws
against counterfeiting.
Such use of public officials would be
thought all right in antooratic Russia, but
it is all wrong in the United States, with
it’s Demooratic-Republican government.
This country is rapidly copying thr ways
of the monarohical countries of Earope. In
fact, we have many of unpleasant trap-
pings of czars and kings, with the increased
power of the naval and military bureaus,
spending as muoh, or more, money than
empires, and aping the doings of autooratioc
governments,
No such use of the people’s money was
ever attempted, or even thought of, a
short while ago, aud such signs of growing
subservienoy to the demands for a central-
ized government should be checked before
it ia too late.
If the secret service can be used by the
officials of the navy department to spy into
the family affairs of subordinate officers,
it could also he used for politioal purposes
to spy upon the doings of Democrats and
others who desire to reform abuses in the
government which Republican policies
bave produced, or vice versa, were condi-
tions reversed.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Ever since the exposure of the capitol
looting by a Demooratic State Treasurer
the Republican managers in Pennsylvania
have been vociferously expressing their
righteons wrath over the betrayal of truss
on the part of the Organization State
officials involved. How genuine is their
indignation ? Let the following excerpt
from the platform adopted by she Republi.
can State Convention answer the question :
‘We believe that the business of all de-
partments of our State government under
Republican control is being wisely and
honestly conducted.”
The onareful limitation of this expression
of confidence to the departments of our
“State government under Repablican con-
trol” isa deliberately pointed ivsult of
State Treasurer Berry, he being the head of
the only department not ander Republican
control. It was Berry who turned the
light on the capitol thieves. It was he who
made necessary she repudiation of the de-
tected grafters in the Republican ranks by
the undetoted grafters, In revenge for the
hamiliation his steadfast devotion to duty
has put upon the organization responsible
for the plundering he is malicionsly singled
out from all the other State officials to he
charged by implication with unwisely and
dishonestly conducting his office.
If the leaders of the Republican party in
Pennsylvania were sincere in their profes.
sions with regard so the wholesale robbery
of the taxpayers in the capitol constraction
they would bave heaped unstinted praise
upon the courageous official who came to
the people's resone even in their state
platform. In common decency they conld
have done no less Bat they stand hefore
the voters of Penneylvania as self-confessed
hypoerites. In their eagerness to slap the
author of their misfortunes they have for-
gotten caution and publicly stultified them-
selves. Low cunning has hlundered. The
sheep's clothing of penitence no longer
disguises the organization woll. The peo
ple bave in the Republican platform a
vivid X-ray impression of the real attitude
of the virtnons Republican party toward
the greatest political crime in Pennsylva-
nia’s history.
Looks Like Arrangement for Stampede.
From the Pittsburg Post.
Young Mr. Beveridge of Indiana has been
openly insulted by the Republican national
committee permitting the announcement
to be made that by some heiter-skelter
style of voting it has dieplaced him as tem-
porary chairman of the Chicago convetion
and selected Senator Dolliver, of Iowa.
The reason is spread thas fear was enter-
tained thas Beveridge in one of his peerless
keynotes wouid stampede the convention to
Roosevelt. This seems to lack substance.
When did this committee choose Beveridge?
How can a sonvention be Sampifed ojo
a nomination ore it permanently
organized? Lodge is to be permanent chair-
man and there wonld be a stampede for
Roosevelt. Beveridge is under binding
instructions tor Fairbanks. He can ssiil
start a stampede during a ballot by casting
some votes for Roosevelt. This whole
gaunzy story looks like an arrangement for
a stampede. it comes from the Roosevelt
corner
~—J0 their dual track and field meet
with Syracuse University, at Syracuse,
N. Y., last Saturday, State College was
defeated by the score of 65 to 43. Tomor-
row State will compete with the Carlisle
Indians on Beaver fleld, at State College.
-
Spawls from the Keystone.
~The Lehigh Valley Railroad company has
begun storing coal at its large plant near
Hudsondale, about twelve miles grom Hazle-
ton.
—The Juniata Valley Electrec Railroad
company bas decided upon a big extension of
its line so as to cover Huntingdon with a
complete network of trolley service.
—1In one year six cows belonging to John
Keen, of Warwick, Chester county, prodaced
seventeen tons and 570 pounds of milk, or an
average of over 5,760 pounds, or 720 gallons
each.
—A new coal breaker is in course of erec~
tion at Jeansville, near Haz!eton, to be com -
pleted by fall, which will have a capacity of
3,000 tons of coal aday. 1t will be one of the
largest in the anthracite region.
—Out of forty-four candidates who took
the examination for the position of mine fore-
man for the Tenth Pennsylvania bituminous
district, only eleven were successful and
have received their certificates for the posi-
tion,
—(3ecrge Barr, wanted by the police for
robbing the postoffice at Sterling Ran, Cam-
eron county, of $125, was captured on Thurs-
day by constable Mutterbaugh, of Medix
Run, Elk county, after a two days’ chase on
freight cars.
—E. 8. Fenner, of Franklin, who was a
Civil war veteran, on Saturday received 8
check from the war department for $3.78
with a note explaining that it was due him
since November, 1861, his pay for that mouth
for some reason having been short that
amount.
—Thomas Smith, who was separated from
bis wife Annie, during the Johnstown flood
nineteen years ago, met her on the streets of
Pittsburg on Tuesday night. The recogni
tion was mutual and the pair decided to cele.
brate, and got so hilarious that both were
locked up.
~The Boyertown relief committee, at a
meeting on Saturday, decided to distribute a
balance of $0,900 yet in their hands among
the fifty-six orphans left by the opera house
disaster on January 13th. The money will
be paid to the guardians or care takers of the
orphans, who must be reliable persons.
—Joseph Munlis on Saturday fell ninety
feet down an air shaft at the Royal Oak col-
liery, Shamokin, and had his skull fractured.
Rescuers lowered a chain attached to a rope
on which he managed to seat himself and
was pulled to the surface, when he became
unconscious. He is not expected to recover.
—JIke E1by the genial lieutenant of police
during the Walker administration in Altoona
has been appointed a special policeman to
guard the property of the Spruce Creek Rod
and Gun club at Sprue Creek. Toe appoint-
ment was made by Governor Stuart at the
request of the club and it has been filed
with the county authoritiesat Huutingdon.
—At the Philadelphia and Reading shops
at Newberry Junction there has heen a re-
sumption of work on a small scale. Friday
thirteen men were taken on at the shops,
the increase in business making their em-
ployment necessary. This resumption of
work has been forecasted and it is expected
that work on a large scale will follow short
ly.
—While fishing in the Susquehanaa river
near Danville, on Wednesday, Gearhart
Obendorf and his son, Cameron, hooked a
carp measuring thisty-six inches in length
and weighing sixteen pounds. So fierce were
the struggles of the fish to get free that it
pulled the older Obendorf into the water and
it required an hour's fight to secure the big
fish.
—About the last of the big timber in this
State is now being taken out by A. Cook &
Son, iu Clarion county, under contract for
the Brits: government. The timber con-
sists ot spars to be used in the construction of
Euglish war ships in Evgland. The average
length of these spars is 45 feet and thickness
2} feet square, They are of white pine and
withont blemish.
—The executive comm ttee of district No.
£, United Mine Workers of Awerics, met in
Clearfield, on Friday and took up the matter
of providing financial assistance for the men
on strike or in distress through idleness in
the several counties. President Patrick Gil.
day said that fully 5 000 men are idie in the
district, most of them us the result of slack
mining demand.
—A new brick plant, with a capacity of
25,000,000 per sunum, is being buiit at Cly-
mer, Indiana conoty. Among the persons
interested in the plant are Thomas Bellis, of
Altoona, formerly of Philipsburg, aud a part-
ner of James Passmore in the coal business
in Indiaca county; J. L. Snyder, of Clear-
field; H. W. Widdowson, of Muabaffoy; W.
D. Kelley, of Philadelphia, and Hon. IL 8,
Fisher, of Indiana, Pa.
~The position of deputy internal revenue
collector held by James W. Hayes, of Holli-
daysburg, has been placed under the regula-
tions of the civil service commission by an
official proclamation of President Roosevelt,
and as a result, Mr. Hayes and other officials
of the department will continue in their posi-
tions. Mr. Hayes has held the position of
deputy revenue collector during tbe past
two administrations and has been a most effi*
cient officer, being highly esteemed by his
superior officers.
—In divorce proceedings instituted by
Mrs. Hattie Mahaffey, of Williamsport,
against her husband, William 8. Muabafley,
who resides on a farm in Clearfield county,
testimony was given to show that the couple
were married on April 28th, 1892. and lived
together on the farm until April 16th, 1905,
when Mrs. Mahaffey left him because of al-
leged cruel treatment. During all that time
he never purchased her a pair of shoes and
only two cheap dresses and she was obliged
to go to the woods to cut wood so as to get
some to burn.
—Despite the fact that four organizations
of detectives are working on the hold.up of
Adams Express Messenger Noah H. Roshen
by two men, who robbed the safe on the St.
Louis express at Walker's Mills Thursday
night, the sleuths confess today that they are
completely baffled. The detectives have not
the slightest clue that would lead to the
identity of the two men, who are reported
to have held revolvers at the head of the
messenger, blindfolded him, bound him to a
chair and, after taking four bags filled with
money and valuables from the safe pulled
the bell cord and escaped from the train,