BY P. GRAY MEEK.
a
Ink Slings.
—June bas been doing fue thus far.
Let us hope she will not forget her name
aod think berself October.
— Bellefonte started the league baseball
season most auspiciously. Here's hoping
the end may be as successful.
—Count ZEPPELIN must have had a bal
last of steel common in bis air ship judg
ing from she way he went up and staid
there.
~The man who put *‘Floradora’’ on the
American stege is 8 bankrupt. Possibly
this is his punishment for baviog put Nax
PATTERSON in the lime light.
—Mr. HARRIMAN bas gone to Eerope,
bus he lefs a hopeful message before be
sailed. Is was so nice of him to tell ue we
might look up instead of dowa.
— Another circus is on the way and the
small boy is singing : I'll save up my
nickels and all of my cents and I'll sure
ges a seat in the big ciroas tents.
—I% was only a short Sime ago that Sen-
ator BAILEY, of Texas, was regarded as
one of the coming statesmen. I: seems
pow as though be ‘has came and went.”
—Several days have passed without 1e-
port of hunter ROOSEVELT baving] bagged
any game. Has the publicity department
of the camp been swallowed up by a wilde-
beeste.
—Czar NICHOLAS has sigoed an order
abolishing the use of drums in the Russian
army in time of war. Reoceut events have
made it look as though the Russians are
better ‘‘beatin’ ’’ for cover than on the
drums, anyway.
—A Mexican hull fighter waa killed by
a bull at Chihuahua on Sanday. The oo-
currence is so rare that we are inclined to
the belief that there must have been a slip
in the usual arrangements that actually
gave the bull a chance for hie life.
—A Spanish University professor has
just published an article in which he saye
it was a “blessing to Spain’’ when she gos
rid of the Philippines, The twenty mil-
lion dollars we paid for them probably
added a listle to the blissfulness of the
“‘blessing.”’
—Council bas reached she ‘‘Stop, Look
and Listen” sign board on the way to that
new municipal eleotric lighting plant.
The bids for its completion range from
$hirsy to sixsy thousand dollars, ousside of
the twelve or more thousand to be paid for
the property.
—The supervisors along the Fishing
oreek and Buffalo Run roads bave succeed.
ed in many places in leaving moster
“Thank-you-Mams’ that will probably
make the drivers in the coming Poiladel-
phia to Pittsburg endurance run say any-
thing but ‘‘Thank-you-mam.”
—The Burgess has issued an ediot mak-
ing it unlawfal to spit on she streets or
any public place in Bellefonte, under pen-
alty of one dollar fine for the first offense
and more for the second. It ia probable
tbat the cops will be hit about as hard as
the rest of us, for it ie reported that they
all chew tobacco.
—The world’s record long baseball game
was played at Bloomington, Ill., on Mon-
day. Decatur and that oity fought on
the diamond for twenty-six innings, nearly
three regular length games. It must bave
been very exciting, but if the audience
present had bad to sit on board benches in
a church that length of time we know of a
preacher who would have to quit his job.
—The census reports of Allababad, In-
dia, show that thirsy-five citizens desorib-
ed themselves as ‘“‘men who rob with
threats of violence.” They are evidently
in the class of ‘‘undesirable citizens,” but
in the matter of giving the truth to the
census takers it will have to be admitted
thas they are more honest than most wom-
en in this country are when that little
interrogation as to age is put up to them.
—1I¢ is strange how foolish some people
do become! We are starting to build a
fine new school building in Bellefonte and
some dear simple souls who haven't a sin.
gle thing to do bat pay their taxes and
look pleasant actually want to know how
much it is going to cost. Did you ever
hear of such utterly ridiculous ooucern
about a trifling little matter, when by
waiting until it is completed the extra tax-
es will tell them whether it has been thir-
ty or sixty thousand dollars.
—Whatever else may be said of Mr. PaT-
TEN’S corner in May wheat his success was
unprecedented and proves that he knew
more about the crop conditions in the
country than the government experts. In
view of the signal ability of Mr. PATTEN
to get to the bottom of agricultural condi-
tions he might be induced to show the Sec-
retary of Agriculture how to conduct the
statistical end of his Department so that
outsiders can’t make a monkey out of gov-
ernment officials and dupes out of those
who put confidence in their reports.
—The New York Life Insurance Co. is
dismissing twelve bundred agents because
a new law in New York State permits the
writing of business only up to one hundred
and fifty million dollars in a year by any
company incorporated uoder ite laws.
This action will be a fine exhibition of the
worth of men. It may be depended on
that the ones who have been giving their
employers the best service will not be the
ones to go. And so it is in all business
lines. The man who does his best all the
time is seldom compelled to look for work.
Spawls frem the Keystone.
—Jupiata College, Huntingdon, has planted
2,000 white pine aud 500 pine oak trees, as
a lesson in forestry.
~The corner stone of Mercer county's new
court house, which is to be erected at = cost
of $350,000 was laid Saturday by Judge A-
W. Williams.
—At a sale of imported Jersey cattle at
Coopersburg on the stock farm of T. 8. Cooper
& Sons 120 head realized $78,951, at an aver-
age of $647.08,
VOL. 54
The Philadelphia Scandal.
phia inflaences practically
life of the State.
into the wider field of state affairs.
himself almost hopelessly in debt.
legal proceedings and are of court record.
to the corporation.
have followed.
Bogus Government Statistics.
PATTEN wheat corner in Chicago.
of the farmers and that
of Labor and Commerce has just issued
essential to life.
adopted it.
~——=Subsoribe for the WATCHMAN.
rman | rman
The well authenticated story of the
financial relations between Mayor REY-
BURN, of Philadelphia, and contractor Mo-
NICHOL is a matter of more shaa local io-
terest. It is a scandal which involves the
entire State for the reason that Philadel-
control the
State and Philadelphia influences are goid-
ed by the coterie concerned in this scandal.
In a community of less political and com-
mercial importance such au affair might
easily be dismissed from the minds of all
citizens of the State except those of the
community affected. Bat Philadelphia is
the controlling force nos only in the Re-
publican organization but in the official
When Mayor REYBURN
bas fulfilled bis obligations to the Phila-
delphia machine be is likely to be brought
The obarges against Mayor REYBURN
may be briefly stated. At the time the Re-
publican machine was searchiug for a can-
didate for Mayor who would be servile,it
was discovered that Congressman JoHN E-
REYBURN, reputed to be very rich, had
through speculative operations involved
His
poses had heen floated, after the fashion of
frenzied finance, to a large amoant and he
was unable to take care of them. Con-
tractor MoNicHOL and a rich banker
named WoLF proposed to take care of his
notes if he would run for Mayor and after
his election serve their political interests.
The fact that he was nominated, elected
and bas since been most subservient to
these conspirators is substantial evidence
that the bargain was struck. The facts in
the matter bave been developed through
Among the things which REYBURN is
obarged with baving dove in pursaance of
his corrupt agreement with MoNIcHoL and
WOLF are the awarding of contracts to Me-
NICHOL at exorbitant prices to perform
work for the city and the appointment of
WoLF, a large share-holder in the holding
company of the Philadelphia street rail-
ways, to represent the oity oo the board of
that corporation. Naturally WOLF is obarg-
ed with baying taken care of his personal
interests at the expense of the city and
the people have been mauloted of an
amount estimated at $2,000,000 a year be-
cause the representative of the city on the
board of the corporation sacrificed the oity
It REYBURN and his
associate conspirators bad pulled this dzal
off successfally there is no telling what
plane, involving the entire State would
The utter worthlessness and absurdity
of the statistics issued by the government
have been revealed through two channels
recently. The first of these and the one
most easily understood is the success of the
Daring
all the period in whiobh Mr. PATTEN bas
been manipulating the market the Depart.
ment of Agriculture in Washington bas
been assuring the public that it counld not
possibly sncoeed for the reason that there
is an abundance of wheat in she granaries
it would come
ous, under the influence of high prices,
in time to defeat the purpose of the
speculators. Mr. PATTEN quietly answer-
ed that the Department didn’t know and
the result shows the accuracy of his judg-
The bureau of labor of the Department
statistical report on ‘‘wholesale prices on
raw and manufactured materials, farm pro-
duots, food, building materials, eto., *‘in
which it is stated that’ such prices last
year receded as a whole from the high level
of 1907.” Every man, woman and child of
understanding knows that that statement
is false. We can call to mind nothing
within the olass of necessaries of life that
were not higher daring 1908 than the
average of 1907. Meats, grain of all sorts,
in faot food stuffs of every variety have
reached a higher level during last year than
they have been at any time since the Civil
war and the same is true of all building
materials, olothing and everything else
The trath of the matter is that the
statistical departments of the government
are manipulated as political agencies and
figures are produced at any time they are
desired to prove any proposition that will
be helpful to the schemes of the corrupt
Republican machine. Just at this time
the misrepresentation is made, probably,
to aid the effort to deceive the public in
relation to the tariff. Recently the tariff
mongers pretend to bave discovered that
tariff taxation bas nothing whatever to do
with the prices of the commodities affect-
ed. We all know that from the beginning
of tariff agitation in this country the op-
posite bas been alleged and the fact that
such increase built up infant industries
contended. Now that the other side serves
the purpose best, however, they have
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., JUNE 4, 1909.
Deliguent Democrats in Congress.
Toe Democratic Senators in Coogres:
who have been voting for’she ALDRICH
schedules in the pending tariff bill are
making the fatare of the Democratic party
a difficals problem. For many years the
Demooratio platforms have been promising
tariff reform aud the Demooratio press avd
orators bave been asserting that tariff re-
form could only be achieved through Dem-
ooratio success. The Republicans bad josti-
fied this view of the matter by their refusal
to revise the tariff notwithetandiog fre.
quent pledges to that effect. But when the
opportunity to vote for a redaction io the
tariff rates came nearly half the Demooratio
Senators abandoned the faith they bad been
proclaiming and voted to perpetuate the
legalized robbery of she people.
That a vast majority of the people of
this country favor a decrease in the tariff
rates ie beyond question. Last fall the
Republican candidate for President averted
defeat by publicly declaring that however
ambiguous his platform was oo the tariff
questio he was personally for tariff revi-
sion downward and would exert his infla-
ence to accomplish that result immediately
after his inauguration. Up until the time
of that d-claration the tide of popular sen-
timent was ranning toward the Democrats.
But the public faith in TAFT induced the
people to accept his statement and the car-
rent of thonght snd purpose immediately
changed. Almost from the moment he
made that public pledge his election was
assured. If be bad not made it his defeat
would have been certain,
The next campaign for she Presidency
will be laid on the lines of tariff revision
downward. The people are tired of the
predatory operations of trusts and monop-
olies and will insist on a platform pledge
to end is. Both parties will conform to
this demand, the Democrats because it isa
feature of their policies and she Repabli-
caus for the reason thas they bave to.
Then it will be a question of where public
confidence will be reposed. If the Demo-
orats had been faithful to their party obli-
gations in the present emergency there
could have been no possible doubt of the
issue. Bat the Demoorate didn’t measure
up to the staudard and the voters havea
right to act upon their own judgment. If
they vote for the Republicans the Demo-
orate have themselves to blame.
An Unjust Innuendo.
In his Gettysburg memorial address
President TAFT revealed the militant epirit
in strong form. He was careful in the ons-
set to draw a line of distinction between
the regalar and volunteer soldier. “We
are gathered at this historic spot, today,”
be said, ‘‘to dedicate 8 monument to the
memory of the officers and the enlisted men
of the regalar army who gave up their lives
for their country in the three days’ battle.
Is is bat a tardy recognition of the nation’s
debs to its brave defenders, whose allegi-
ance was purely to the nation, without
local color or strengthening of State or
+ municipal pride.” The distinction is pure-
ly imaginary and there is no exouse for
imagining such things.
Praise of the regnlar army can bardly be
too generovs. From the beginning of the
government our small force of regular sol-
diets has been efficient and effective. In
the conflict of 18312,as the President stated,
a few thousand men of the courage and
gion might have added Cavada to our
domain and iv the war with Mexico a con-
siderable proportion of the troops were
regulars. The varions Indian wars were
fought almost entirely by regulars and the
courage aod discipline of regulars was neo-
essary to stand agaiust the treacherous
enemies in those encounters. Daring the
Civil war the force was maintained at only
nominal strength but it was always effect-
ive.
In praising the regalar army, however,
there is no necessity for disparaging she
volunteer troops who fought with equal
courage, discipline and intelligence, even
by innuendo. That is to say there ia neith-
er justioe nor reason in intimating that the
regulars were more loyal to the cause in
which they were enlisted for the reason
that ‘‘their allegiance was purely to the
nation.” The allegiance of the volunteers
was quite as olearly defined and depend-
able. The volunteer regiments were credited
to the States from which they were drawn,
it is true, but they were mustered into the
service of the general government and as
ready to sacrifice their lives as if the ao-
‘cident of circumstance had attached them
to a regular instead of a volunteer regi:
ment.
TAFT was unjust to himsell in making
such an invidious distinction. He was
cruelly unjust to the volunteers and es-
pecially to that splendid body of men, the
Pennsylvania reserves, who might bave re-
fased to leave the State but who went
wherever there was danger.
The Citadel of Protection.
Senator RAYNER,of Maryland, called at-
tention to a painful subject in a epeech in
the Senate on Decoration day. Is is the
frequency with which the ‘‘citadel of pro-
tection’’ has been destroyed, or attempted
to be destroyed, daring the pending effort
to revise the tariff. No matter what sched -
uly of the ALDRICH bill is assailed there is
some one to saggest in alarm that the
particular feature of the measure will
inevitably destroy the ‘‘citadel of protec-
sion.’’ A suggestion that the woolen sohed-
ule is excessive brought ALDRICH himself
to an expression of the fear. The proposi-
tion to reduce the tax on meat brought
REYBURN lorward with aa imperiled oita-
del in his bands and so with everything
elee.
The fact of the matter is that the ‘‘oita-
del of protection,” is an imaginary struc-
tare created out of the oupidity of the tar-
iff mongers. To the polygamous Senator
of Utah the tariff tax on beet sugar is the
citadel of protection and to the political
pirate of California the tariff tax on fruits
is the citadel. The tax on iron ore
is the citadel of protection in the minds of
the Senator from Michigan and the tariff
tax on lumber is the citadel according to
the notions of the Senator from Wisconsin,
Mr. STEPHENSON. In faot there are as
many citadels of protection as there are
scheduies in the tariff bill or at least as
many as there are tariff mongers in the
Senate and House of Representatives.
Anything is a citadel of protection which
gives a predatory trust license to rob every
individual who consumes its products. As
tariff bills have been drawn sinoe the enact-
mens of the MCKINLEY law the purpose of
them is to loot the earners of their wages
and any feature that promotes that result
is a citadel of protection. All these ocitadels
ought to be razed or destroyed in some ef-
fective way for as long as they endure the
poor will grow poorer and she rich richer.
The oitadels of protection ought to be
wiped out. They are as inimical to public
interests as a nest of rattlesnakes is danger-
ous to the neighborhood in which it is lo-
cated. By all means, therefore, tear down
the oitadels.
——On Friday ofjlast week John Snyder,
a retired farmer at State College, called
John Sebring Jr., of this place, on the
telephone aud asked if he could get bim a
Oldsmobile touring car similar to the one
delivered to Dr. John Robinson early in
the week. Luckily the Keeler company in
Williamsport had gotten such a car in just
the day previous, the deal for its purchase
was olosed within a balf hour and on Sat-
urday Sebring went to Williamsport, drove
the oar to State College and delivered it to
Snyder.
The County Primaries.
In accordance with the new uniform pri-
maries law the primaries for the nomina-
tion of candidates for county offices, ete.,
will be held tomorrow at the various vos.
ing places in Centre county, from $wo un-
til seven o'clock p. m. This will proba.
bly be the first time in years that there
will be no contest in Centre county for a
place on the Democratic ticket. There is
only one county office to fill, that of Jury
Commissioner, and the present incumbent,
J. Apaym Hazew, of Spring townshrp, who
is after a re-election, is the only candidate
for the nomination.
For State Delegates there are FRED F.
SymiTH, of Rush township; HARRY J.
YEARICK, of Walker ; W. M. GROVE, of
Gregg, and Hon. JoEN NoLL and JAMES
H. Cory, of Bellefonte, just the number
Centre county is entitled to in the next
State convention. The only place for
which there are two candidates is for
County Chairman, both W. D. ZERBY and
James CoRNELLY having registered for
thas position.
Notwithstanding the fact that there is
nothing to fight for this spring Democrats
throughout the county want to attend the
primaries tomorrow, if for no other par-
pose than to show that we are still on the
old stamping ground and ready to give bat.
tle with our political opponents when the
proper time comes. Tarn out and give the
few men on the ticket just as loyal support
as you would give to a sioket filled with a
soore of candidates. It is only by such loy-
alty and steadfastness that the Democrats
oan hope to win in the future, and the
time to begin is right now.
~The attestion of the road supervis-
ors all over Centre county is calied so the
proposition now being considered by the
Bellefonte Motor olab for the holding of a
supervisors convention in Bellefonte at
some convenient date in the near future.
That the motive of the antomobile owners
is not a selfish one is shown in the fact
that they purpose offering oash prizes to
the supervisors in the county who oan
show the greatest improvements in the
roads under their care in a given time. Of
course the autoists expeos to be benefitted
in the end with better roads, but that con-
dition of affaire will be of equal benefit to
the farmers or any owner of a horse and
buggy. So thas it is only good common
sense to advise the supervisors to be up and
doing.
——Subsoribe for the WATCHMAN.
EA
patriotism of she meager band in commis- | repu
—Mrs. Laora Enigall, a dressmaker at
Kittanning has fallen heir to a fortune of
nearly $200,000, through the death of her
uncle, F. M. Euglewell.
—The creosoting plant erected by the
Penusylvanis railroad company at Mt. Union
will be put in operation July 1st and will
at the start employ about thirty-five men.
~The school board of Indians, Pa. is in
the market for teachers for the coming term.
Ove high school teacher, two assistant prin-
cipals, one teacher of vocal music and seven-
teen grade teachers are needed.
~The White Pine sanitorium at Mt. Alto,
Franklin county, is to he greatly enlarged.
There are now 700 patients at the institution
and it is proposed to provide for 1,000 or more
as soon as the necessary cottages have been
built.
— Residents near the mouth of the Tresck-
how diggings at Hazleton, where work has
been suspended for some time, are annoyed
by great swarms of rats which come to the
surface in search of food, since their supply
underground has been cat off.
—Fire at Bakerton, Cambria county, de.
stroyed Miners’ hall, the Union hotel and
the residence of C. C. McCombie, entailing a
loss of about $20,000. Mrs. Sarah Shiffler
sustained a fractured leg and other injuries
in jumping from a secondfstory window.
—@George Schreckengost, of DuBois, con.
victed by a jury at Clearfield on Sunday of
murder in the second degree, on the jcharge
of killing his wife, was on Wednesday sen
tenced by Judge Smith to sixteen years in
the Western penitentiary andlordered to pay
a fine of $500.
~Mrs. Mary McDade, an aged woman);liv.
ing at Kingston, vear Wilkesharre, was brutal®
ly tortured by burglars who believed that she
had a large sum of money hidden in her
house. She was found unconscious by neigh*
bors and her condition is serious. A detail
of state constabulary is looking for her as-
sailants.
—Plans are being considered by the Lack-
awanpa Railroad company for building a
storage reservoir with a capacity of 25,000,
000 gallons at Nay Ang, near Scranton, where
it owns 110 acres of land. Four artesian
From the Lancaster Intelligencer.
Seoator Bailey jpropdten asp igcomy tax
to relieve the need of an increase of reve-
ede sopeow and pigpoves v0 rine
pul e, objects proposes $0
all the income needed through a tarriff bill
that is laid for protection, and not for reve-
Why there should be talk of an in-
come tax along with a protective tariff
would only be natarally explained by the
view that a sofficient revenue cannot be
and ol wget ve I ee
t might be supposed protective
tariff people would favor an income tax ;
while Senator Aldrich says he does not.
The sitoation seems to be ; sod
the views of the leaders. One imagioative
reporter charged Senator Bailey with work-
ing into the hands of Senator Aldriob, and
got his nmbrells smashed by the irate
senator over au adjacent policeman’s head.
When there is so much heat exhibited,
there is a natural d on $0 suppose
that there issome fire about ; and the
surest indication that Senator Bailey could
afford, or lack of sincerity in bis income
toposition, would be the excitement be
Is into Bpos such intimation.
The Rhode Island senator bas enough
tbat he would favor an FRO A save
his protective bpon-revenue-producing tar-
iff. Senator Bailey, however, is reported
to be a senator who talke as he thinks ;
and the income tax idea in his bonnes is
doubtless due to the Democratic sentiment
in favor of taxing wealth, As an ides,
the income tax is very good since it osten-
sibly taxes those who can afford to pay
the tax ; but in its actual working the in-
come tax bas never come up to ite promise;
the ways of avoiding it heing many and
easy.
Anyway, it does not seem to have any
business in connection with she making of
a tariff bill ; whioh should be equitably
prepared ; and it will be time enough to
resort to other modes of raising revenue
when the tariff fails to be sufficiently pro-
dootive. Everyone thas it
will not be likely so so fail, if the expendi-
tures of the government are not excessive ;
aod the iations committees out | wells of the company in operation there are
according to their cloth. gushing forth at the rate of 18,000 gallons an
hour. The company expects to sink ten or
High Tarif Priees. twelve wells before January 1st, erect a
From the Pittsburg Post. pumping station and build a pipe live.
Some of the quoted prices for the ordin.
ary necessities leave no room for doubt that
these are scaring higher than ever before,
except perhaps in war times. And that
applies. ast abl to meas prod but to
v
rtually every ee
_ It is readily Wiki ‘how the
burden of increased values in necessities of
life falls upon the poor mau, particular]
just at this time, when the country
emerging from a long period of business
sloth. The cost of living has advanced im-
weasurably, and she mill worker, the me-
chanio, the laborer, returning to bis toil
alter the lean period, finds that is requires
more than be can earn to supply his meager
table, to | pd his rens and keep his listle
family in decent clothing.
And what are our lawmakers in Wash-
ington doing to lighten the burden ? Are
Aldrich & company devoting their atten.
tion exclusively to reducing the indireot
saxation whioh the consumer of limited
resources finds is so difficult to meet ? Are
they, in fact, giving the slightest thought
to a matter that vitally concerns 85 or 90
per cent. of the consumers of thie country ?
Are they not rather concocting schemes to
keep the tariff on food and clothing as high
as possible, in order to *' "the
American workingman ? What a farce this
pose of the standpatters would beif is were
not so wickedly contemptible.
—————————————————————————
—The Patton school board held a meeting
Friday night and awarded to J. H. Hubba:d,
of Altoons, a contract for constructing the
new school house, the consideration being
$9,300. Eleven bids were submitted. The
new building will be of brick andiwill con-
tain four rooms. Contractor Hubbard ex-
pects to begin work this week and to have
the building ready for occupancy by Sep:
tember 1st.
—Being born in Pennsylvania coustitutes
a good start for a long life. Andrew Mat-
tern, who was formerly a resident of War-
riorsmark valley, Huntingdon county, and
who was the oldest male citizen of Hunt-
ingdon, Ind., died there on May 3rd, having
reached the age of ninety-seven years. His
wife, whose maiden name was Sophia Hall.
man, survives him and is ninety-four years
old Mr. Mattern left his native home in
1866 and for many years followed farming
in Indiana.
—From a milliner’s trimmer toa fortane
of $100,000 is the sudden rise of Miss Sara
Leas, a young woman at Bellwood. The
money comes from her uncle, J. Silas Leas,
a lumberman, at Rock Island, Ill, who died
May 10th, leaving an estate estimated at
$1,500,000. Mies Leas is one of five sisters,
all daughters of Mrs. Mary Leas, matron of
Conway Hall, at Dickinson college, Carlisle.
Each of the girls is to get $100,000. They
reside in five different cities, York, Harris~
burg, Scranton, Lock Haven and Bellwood.
—Thousands of people from Clinton and
adjoining counties were present at Lock
Haveu Saturday at the dedication of the sol-
diers’ and sailors’ monument. One of the
features was the parade of 600;school chil-
dren carrying miniature American fags,
taking part. Capt. Wilson Cress delivered
the dedicatory address and Adjutant General
Thomas J. Stewart also was among the
speakers. The monument is an imposing
one and was erected at a cost of $8,000
through the combined efforts of the county
commissioners and the Grand Army of the
Republic.
—The Cambria Steel company is constructs
ing the largest reservoir in the State to pro-
vide a water supply for its works in Johns.
town. The big dam is being constructed on
Quemahoning Creek, in Somerset county,
and the completion of the big reservoir will
give assurance that the company will never
again be handicapped by a shortness of the
supply. It is estimated that the capacity of
the dam will besuch that it could supply
the entire city of Johnstown without replen=
ishing for six months, exclusive of the mills,
and in case of a drought such as that of last
summer, the city will hardly be in sore
straits for an ample water supply with the
Quemahoning and other supplies of the
Manufacturing Water company to fall back
upon.
—-An investigation Saturday by United
States postoffice inspector Lucas disclosed
that the postoffice at Williamsburg, Blair
county, apparently has been conducted as a
postal savings bank for four years. Poste
master Samuel Spars, it is said, received des
posits from hundreds of Italian and Huu.
garian workmen, employed in the limestone
quarries,giving them receipts signed by him-
self as postmaster, In the bank books of the
depositors was imprinted the stamp of the
postofice money order department. The
foreigners, it is reported, deposited their
savings, believing that the postoffice was a
week, when they were run down by local mut bank. ‘Priday the
freight east. Fortunately they acked far assigned. Inspector Lucas says there is not
enough that only the front part of the ma- | _ 0 0116] case in the records of the postofiice
chine was struck, and while it was badly department. The workmen are said to have
damaged the men were not seriously hart. | lost about $12,000.
Congressmen Chuckle.
From the Williamsport Sun.
I looks as though the leaders of congress
are planning to circumvent the civil ser-
vioe virtue of both President Taft and for-
mer President Roosevelt. The Crumpacker
bill providing for the taking of the thir
teenth census is still slumbering peacefully
in conference, where it got alter a stormy
career in house and senate. It did not
piease Roosevelt when it reached him be
fore March 4, and be vetoed it. President
Taft has sigvified the same abjection to it
that President Roosevelt had made, that it
placed the employment of the thousands of
clerks under the spoils system and not un-
der competitive examination for their
places. Amended by the senate it was
sent to a conference committee, where it
will probably die. A new plan is now
by Chairman Tawney, of appro-
priations committee. He plans an appro-
priation bill of $10,000,000 as a starter for
the permanent census bureau, so that the
census can he taken without any more
authority than the law under which the
last census was taken, keeping the is
system in vogue. There is no tion
among congressmen to thie plan, and the
leaders are chuckling at the way in which
they are getting what they want without
gveciging the wishes of Rocsevelt or
5.
Let 'em Down Easy,
From the Pittsburg Sun.
Patten let the wheat speculators down
easy. It is agreed that he could bave skin-
ned his competitors alive and that many a
soarred bear pelt from the Wall street pre-
serves would have been included io the kill.
But Patten didn’t. Some folks think he
didn’s dare ; thas he was afraid of public
sentiment. It would be hopeful to think
#0. Bat this manipulator doubtless reason-
ed that pelts are uoreplaceable,
while a shorn animal turned loose may
grow another fleece for the shearing.
——J. D. Schaeffer and Simeon Mains,
of Beech Creek, attempted to drive across
the railroad track at the latter place in
Mr. Schaeffer's automobile, one day last