Democratic watchman. (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1855-1940, October 01, 1909, Image 1

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    Bemisia
—Boston is to bave a hall of fame to -
hold the statues of one hundred of its most
famous men. Few of the living celebrities
will be dying to get in is.
—The Penn party in Philadelphia start-
ed off its campaign with oheers on Tuesday
night. While cheers help let us hope that
is winds it up with votes on November
2ad.
—If you have nos paid a state or county
tax within $wo years ‘you cannot vote this
tall. Saturday, October 20d, will be the
last day on which you can pay your taxes
and ges a vote.
—Mr. Harry WHITNEY no doubt
knows a los that he could tell about the
Cook—PEARY polar controversy but, being
a gentleman, we presume he feels that the
seal of silence is on him.
—The Hodson—Falton celebration in
New York fulfilled all expectations for
splendor and probably the most splendid
pars of she achievement is the fact shat
they bave enough money to pay the bills.
—No one who bas vot paid a atate or
county tax within swo years is entitled to
vote. If you are in this class somorrow
will be the last chance you will have to
pay your taxes and eave your right so a
vote.
—Beware of the proposed amendment
No. 7 to the constitution when you go to
the polls in November. Don's vote for it
beoaunee it will take away from you the
chance to vote for your own eleotion offi-
oers,
—Commander PEARY ought to be sent
right off to find the South pole. That oth-
er expedition didn't prove strenuous
enough to use up all his gas and the pab-
lio is about weary of baving to take any
more of it.
—An air ship flew at the rate of seventy:
four miles an bour in the speed trials near
Berlin on Tuesday. Theat is going some,
bus the average traveler would prefer a lit-
tle slower speed so that a soft place to light
might be kept the more easily in sight.
—The Penvsylvania is in the market for
mails with a vengeance and as most every
other railroad corporation in the country is
after large quantities of the same product
orowd at strulliens yovters cheering them on
$o victory in the world’s series.
—Mr. collector of customs, Los, of
New York, has found a woman who was
wearing six pairs of silk stockings. We
suppose he bas the proof, because thatisa
serious obarge for bim to make. Bat as be
is not from Missouri the public would be
interested in knowing how he got wise to
the lady’s game to beat the custom house,
~—FRANCESCO CREATORE, the gymuastio
Italian baod master whose antics have
amused as much as his band has pleased
throngs at the well koown resorts of this
country, fell in love with a girl in his an
dience acd married ber within the week.
A very impulsive proceeding, to be sure,
but only what might bave been expeoted
from CREATORE.
—The Riverside National, as the western
penitentiary bas been facetionsly desigoat-
ed, since so many bankers have worked
their way into is, lost two of its leading
financiers on Sunday. The famous ‘‘BiL-
LY” MoxrtcoMzRY sod Hemserr W.
Tiers were traveferred that day so the fed-
eral prison at Leavenworth, Kansas. Itis
not probable thas there will be a flood of
applications for the positions they vacated.
—A. E. SissoN, of Erie, candidate for
Auditor General on the Republican tiokes,
and J. A. StoBER, of Lancaster, candidate
for State Treasurer, arrived in Bellefonte
on the 8.16 train last evening and were
given a reception at the Bush house imme-
diately afterwards by their Republican
followers. It was noticeable, however,
that there was not a general outpouring of
the g. o. p., and is is very certain that the
weather alone canoot be blamed for the
ohilliness of the gathering.
—A Washington, Pa., mau and wife
settled their marital incompatibilities by
swearing before a justice. The former
swore to refrain from beer and his wile
swore So refrain from oross words. It
sonnds rather ridiculous but there isa lot
in this proposition. Beer and cross words
can be canse to effect either way you read
is. And while is is quite true that many
homes would be free of oross words if it
were not for liquor, yet it is sgually tine
that cross worde at home are often the
oause of liguor away from it.”
—It you want the thaogs and political
orooks who run thiuge in our State Legis.
latare to appoint the election officers you
have always been in the babit of helping
to seleot for yourself vote lor No. 7 of the
proposed amendments to the constitution.
You will find is advertised in this paper.
Read it over and see for yourself that i
will take away your obance to vote for the
men who shall hold your elestions for you.
Sarely you kuow more about whom they
should be than the political gangsters in
the Legislature. Therefor you should vote
against this soheme to fake sway your
right to express your ohoice.
of the city
yO. 54
A Recreant
It appears that ROBERT VOX MoscHZIS-
KER was an assistant distrios attorney, in
Philadelphia at the time that SAMUEL
SALTER was tried and acquitted for stofl-
ing ballot boxes in Philadelphia. SALTER
bad previously confessed his guilt avd be-
came a fugitive from justice. The evi-
dence against him was overwhelming. A
Philadelphia newspaper had employed a
man to offer his services to SALTER as an
election officer and SALTER bad engaged
him. Sabsequently in his presence SAL-
TER bad caused to be put into the ballot
box two hundred fraudulent ballots and
the detective election officer exposed the
orime. SALTER went to Mexico and re-
mained until after JOHN WEAVER bad
been elected Distriot Attorney and Vox
MosCHZISKER appointed one of bis assis-
tants.
Daring an accrimonions dispute between
JoHN WEAVER and the leaders of the
Philedelphia Republican machine, after
WEAVER had abandoned the machine and
gone in for reform, the machine leaders
obarged that the jurf bad been fixed, with
the knowledge and consent of the District
Attorney's office, to acquit SALTER. This
accusation, which has never been denied, is
sapported by a strong obaio of circumstan-
tial evidence. JoHN WEAVER was soon
alter promoted to the office of Mayor snd
was said to have been slated to sacoeed
PENNYPACKER io the office of Governor of
the State. One of the assistant distriot
attorneys, NORRIS S. BARRETT, was pro-
moted $0 a seat on the common pleas bench
and at the next vacanoy on the
is she betrayal of & trast by a public offiial,
and if the acousation be true thas the Phil-
adelphia machine indaced, by any means,
TER case by allowing the jary to be packed
tor she purpose of acquittiog him, the acme
of official recreancy was reached. The mani-
fest mistrail of the SALTER case, the so:
quittal of that self-confessed ballot box
stuffer, and the subsequent honors be.
stowed upon the then District Attorney
and his assistants, combine to form a
group of facts sufficient to convine the
most inoredalous.
Are the people of Pennsylvania ready to
tarther compensate a recreant official for
his sarpitude? The Republican machine
bas nominated RoBERT VON MOSCHZISKER,
the faithless Assistant District Attozney of
Philadelphia, for a seat on the henoh of the
higbest court of the State. His decision
affirming the constitationality of the jodi.
oial salary bill of 1903 is ample proof of
his professional unfitness for the place and
his recreanoy in the office of district astor-
ney proves his moral deligunency. For
these reasous he ought 0 be defeated by
an overwhelming majority and we bave
faith enough in the intelligence and integ-
rity of the people to believe thas such
will be the result of the vote at the coming
election in November.
Penrose Forgetful or Cheeky.
Io his speech at the convention of the
Republican olabs, beld at Altoona, the
other day, Senator PENROSE made the
boast that not a dollar of State funds bad
ever been lost through the defaults or ve.
pality of Republican officials. Senator
PEXROSE must bave ashort memory ora
bard cheek. It is not very long since the
exposure of the grafting operations in the
construction acd farnishing of the State
capitol revealed a loss to the State of up-
ward of $9,000,000, and there are reasons
to believe that the loss was lar greater than
thas.
Besides the immunity from loss which
the State bas enjoyed is not asoribable to
the honesty of Republican officials. Twice
QUAY abstracted mouey from the treasury
while he was one of the commissioners of
the sinking fond and sundry other times
he influenced other Treasury officials to
allow him to misase the public funds.
That the State sustained no loss is because
party assooiates,driven by fear of exposure,
reimbursed the treasury. Millions of dol-
lars would have been lost but for the fac)
that the laws would have been
otherwise. y
Io other words is is not for the reason
that the Republican fiscal officers of the
the publio prosecutors of Philadelphia to
permit a miscarriage of jastioe in she SAL-
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE
State were honest that there was no loss of
fonds bus for the reason thas the Demo-
orate in the Legislature compelled the pas-
sage of such restraining legislation as to
make loss practically impossible. Bat
there was a vast loss to the State, never-
theless. Is was years before the Democrats
were able to compe! the passage of a law
providing for interest on the pablic fands,
aod because of thas millions were lost to
the State and thousands are being lost
annually now.
The People to Blame.
What is justly called the better element
of the citizenship of this country is largely,
it nos entirely, responsible lor she political
corruption thas prevails. Mr. LINCOLN
STEFFINS has shown thas the brivery of
municipal councilmen is ascribable to the
officials and agents of corporations seeking
favors from the municipal governments, It
is equally certain that the grafting and
thieving among the lower strata of officials
is the logical and inevitable fruit of the
grafting and thieving among those higher
up, and those higher up are encouraged
in their illegal operations by the clergy,
the men of wealth and the social and pro-
fessional life.
Take the case of President Tarr, for ex.
ample. He is now making an extensive
tour of the country, at public expense,
when there is no authority of law for such
dishursement. The constitution of the
United States provides for the compensa.
tion of she President for his services aud
forbids any other emoluments. The com-
pensation of the President is fixed by law
at $75,000 a year and any money paid to
the President, or to any one else on his ac-
count, by the government, is a violation of
the oovstitation which the Congressmen
.and President are alike sworn to ‘‘pre-
serve, protect and defend.’’ Yet the Pres:
ident wantonly violating the law and hie
oath of office is acclaimed as a model of
Awerioan citizenship wherever be goes.
treasury of the United States for President
Tarr's trip for the purpose of electioneer-
ing for another term. Baurglars, bank rob-
bers aod bighwaymen are serving terms in
prison for taking money and property to
which they bave jost as much right as the
President has to the money which goes ons
of the treasury to pay the expenses ol bis
electioneering tour. Yes the burglars,
bank robbers and highwaymen are exeoras-
ed in the public mind while the President
is liovized though equally guilty with
them.
When the public conscience is trained 20
that is will protest as vehemently against a
orime committed hy she President as it
does against a orime committed by a tramp,
there will be reason to hope for an im-
provement in the public morals of the
country. Justice is blind and she surpi-
sade of an offense is not measured by the
ont of the clothes of the perpetrator or the
position io life of the criminal. The aver-
age mao reasons thas if the President can
get railroad transportation aud traveling
expenses in violation of the law, he basa
right to get what he neede in the same
way, even though it involves the violation
of an equally sacred law. And in this
reasoning he is right.
We will get an improved moral atmos-
phere when the people determine that the
violation of the law is wrong and muss be
condemned whether the violator is the
President or a hobo. Any appropriation
made by Congress whioh is in violation of
the constitution is invalid and without el-
fect. Money drawn in pursuance of such
au appropriation is stolen and no man in
this broad land knows this better than
President TAFr. Yet be is making bis
electionesring tour on fands so appropriat-
ed and is being received acd applauded by
men who must kuow of his reoreancy bat
condone it because he is President. Of
course their delinguensy doesn’s jussily his
immorality but it makes it possible.
For example, if the people who live in
the communities visited by TAFT in his
unlawfully financed ecleotioneering tour
should denounce instead of appland him,
no fatare President would follow so bad
an example. No President previous to
RoosEvELT ever did so violate the ethios
and ROOSEVELT was hardly responsible for
soythiog be did. Isis absolutely safe to
say that no future President wili ever do
80, il the present President is justly repro-
bated for it. But if the olergy, the press
and she sooial lile of the country applaud
his violation of the law, his successors in
office will feel that they bave a right to
follow his example. Bus it is the people
who sre to blame in shat event.
:
—Remember that tomorrow, Oot. 20d,
will be the last chance you will have to
pay your taxes, il you haven't already done
0.
SSS aa
~—Are you going to the Fair next
week ? a Fh alls
, PA, (
)CTOBER 1.
The Bench and the Machine.
Daring the discussion of the judicial
salary section of the constitution of Penn-
sylvania the very able gentlemen who
composed the convention of 1873 expressed
their opinions of the judges of the State
with considerable freedom. One gentleman
said “I bave seen as much log-rolling in
the Legislature in regard to increasing the
salaries of judges as I bave seen with re.
gard to the increase of the compensation of
any other officer.” Another delegate in
the convention declared that ‘‘a judge is
subject to the infirmities of human nature
juss as much as any other officer, and I
would bold bim to the same accountability
aod give him no more privileges.” Sill
another delegate, even more candid than
bis colleagues, added : ‘They are the most
importunate beggars to have their salaries
increased shat we have in the Common.
wealta. They bardly ever ges on she bench
that they do not want their salaries in-
creased."
In these expressions of experienced legis-
lators there is concealed the reason for one
of the most corrupting agencies in the
political life of she Commonwealth. This
coustant importunity for the increase of
judicial salaries has more than any other
one thing in the affairs of the State, de-
bauched politics. The late Senator QUAY'S
mind was alers enough to discern the ad-
vantage of she friendliness of the bench and
bis sncoessors in the leadership of his party
bave profited by his practice. The result
is that there has been more strenuous and
frequent effort to increase the salaries of
judges than those of any other office. The
judges, on the other band, soon learned to
appreciate the liberality of the machine
managers to themselves and in a reciprocal
spirit prostituted the beooh to serve the
machine. These beggars may be 1mpor-
sunate,as the delegate in the constitutional
convention said, bus they are not ungrate.
the increase or decrease of the salary of any
officer daring the period of bis tenure in
office. It was precisely similar to the bill
enaoted daring the session of 1903, approv
ed by Governor PENNYPACKER and de-
olared constisasional by Judge Vox MoscH-
ZISKER. Three or four attempts to retire
judges oo full pay at a certain age bave
beens made within the past Swenty years,
whioh, of course, is another method of in-
creasing judicial salaries and at every ses-
sion of the Legislature during a dozen years
or more, efforts have been made to increase
the namber of judges, and the judges bave
shown their appreciation of tae favors by
it was possible.
Death of Governor Johwson.
The death of Governor JoHNSON, of
life of the country of more than ordinary
magoitude. Governors may be of value in
the community in which they live and even
throoghout the State in which they serve
the people. Bas beyond that they are Ii).
tle known and unlikely to exert inflaence.
Governor JoRNsoN, of Minnesota, might
pever have attained to higher office than
that whiob he adorned at his death. But
both by precept and example he was al-
ready exercising a considerable power in
the pablic affairs of the country. His
name challenged attention wherever it was
uttered.
Governor JOHNSON owed nothing to an-
ceatry and listle to environment. His par-
ents were poor and be aoquired education
uoder difficulties. His virtues were inher-
ent, therefore, and his success the fruit of
hie own endeavors. But be revealed, early
in lite, those qualities which command re-
spect and challenge admiration. Both his
talents and his evergies were given freely
to the public and that he benefitted him-
sell while serving his neighbors is a vindi-
cation of the maxim that ‘‘virtue is ile
own reward.” JoHN JOHNSON bad lees
consideration for his own interests than
for those of the people but in serving one
faithtally be conserved the other.
Thereis » widespread popular impres.
sion that Governor JOENSOX would bave
socoeeded to the Presidency if he bad
lived. Thats President TAFT shared that
expectation may be inferred from the lan-
guage of hic Boston speech. Ol coureé that
isa matter of conjecture but itis certain
that it such hopes of his friends bad been
fulfilled the country would bave lost noth-
ing from the fact. Governor JORNSON was
agood busband, an excellent citizen and
an admirable Governor. If he had under-
taken to administer the greater office of
President he would have done it well for
he was a man of principle rather than a
oreature of expediency.
—Jorsey Shore's Tag netted $113.59 , while
the opening day celebrated at Lock Haven
brought in $684.42, or & total of $797.92 for
the new Lock Haven hospital.
lM
helping the Republican machine whenever raphy
Minnesota, involves a loss to she public | be
From the Pittsburg Post.
It ie with no small measure of sabisfac-
tion thas we find Judge Taft r ; him-
self in the matter of tvs,
aud finding now in favor of the
Bat it is also diffiouls to believe that the
Secretary Ballinger
been the victim of “cruel injustice.”
Therefore, we think it would be well to
submis the case to a higher court, to a jury
indeed, composed of the people of the
United States.
In his latest decision, Judge Tals de-
clares himself unreservedly in favor of the
conservation of our native resources. That
is well. Jodging by bis opinion in the
first case, there was reason to doubi this,
although any other position would bave
been suicidal. It is now discovered that
he specifically favors ‘‘proper restrictions
in respect to the use of coal lands and
water sites.’”” And yet in his previons
opinion he found that the seoretary of the
interior, who is known to have been attor-
ney for interested in Alaskan coal
lands, whiob his predecessor in giles pie
d evidence t6 show were obfaioed by
frandulent methods, to have been malign:
ed. He exonerated of all blame Seoretary
Ballinger, who is known to have represent.
ed these claimants, although a statue
would seem to have operated to bar him
fon Souk io seven Jad
n, in opinion,
Tals is insistent tbat, while he is in full
sympathy with conservation policies, the
aotion of himself and of bis administra
tim “must be within the law." Tom is
all very well, perbaps ; bus no evidence
bas been produced to show that Chief
Forester Pinchot has violated any laws.
Why, then, read him a lecture, while at
the same time giving him an
pat on the shoulder? It Jud
be so keen a stiokler for the
"hy
y to
ly in discord. Mr.
bis value as a public
servant, but is might be possible to pro-
oeed without Mr. Ballinger.
Lindsey om Politics,
From the Harrisburg Star- Independent.
Judge Lindsey, of Deaver, who is pab-
lishing bis autobiography in ‘‘Everybody’s
Magazine,” is exposing the political ‘‘ Beast
in the Jungle.” That is she object and
porpose of the publication. . His ex 18
of political rottenness in the first -
ment is so stars! that it would seem
thas nothing thas follows coumld equal is.
When is was aunounced thas the antobiog-
was to he published certain perscos
in Colorado sens so We Jublisiyn an at
tack on the J 's public and private
obaracter. The against bim were
inv olosely and with she meroi-
less veness of the purely business
toand to
untrue. That we oan readily belinve.
No jury of unbribed American oitizens
would have convicted him on any oue of
the counts, but to make sure that there
was not a seiuitia of uuihtel evidence to
80] charges vestigation was
e. ‘‘The system’ had fired ite last
shot at perhape the only waa is could not
Sous. dud is ised.
tis a moviogs
tion vi oy
of political ocorru;
a a
—the smothering Is,
ment of bad bills the log-rolling. she disap-
pearance of bills—has been dove again and
again in and by the re of Peun-
Ivania. Moreover, in the Legislature of
is State millions of dollars are appropri-
ated biennially io plain violation of she
Constisation. In this State not one of the
ordi law-
of ons, by
the raisers, nor by those gentlemen
who d that the Constitution is not
conatitational.
Judge es recital cannot reveal
anything worse than the condisions thas
obtain in Pennsylvania.
Size.
From Collier's Weekly.
Pennsylvania completed its new State
capitol five years ago. The °
$4,000,000 for baildi
the work was kept exactly within that
sum. Nothing was said about the cost of
farnishiog she interior. Four years ago a
Demooratic State Treasurer nosed
cles sos,
\ subsequen
oved that the actual value,
is proved by
off and several of the cars
spawls from the Keystone,
—In Berks county the magistrates are ac-
cused of returning too many cases to court.
Of the 173 cases returned for the September
court forty-nine were dismissed and forty~
three were ignored by the grand jury
—Hellwood, Indiana county, is right in
the wave of prosperity. The monthly pay
roll at the new mining town has reached
$90,000. Jack London, the new building
superintendent, will erect a large store and
hospital.
—Mr. and Mrs. Roggles M. Buck are the
parents of the smallest child ever born in
the region of Renovo, Clinton county. The
child 1s & boy and weighs one and one half
pounds. It is perfectly formed and aprears
to be healthy.
—Huntingdon county tax payers have
been unusually prompt in payiog up this
year. The receipts on September 15, the
last day on which the discount of 5 per cent.
was given, were a little over $10,000. On the
14th they netted $8,200.
— At the Spangler hospital there are so
many patients suffering from typhoid fever
that the authorities are beginning to worry,
there not being enough money back of the
institution to treat sc many people. Some of
the cases came from points miles away.
~Thrown from a burning express car iato
the river above Harrisburg last sprivg, a
package containing a $250 diamond pin was
found by a small boy who was bathing near
Baltimore. The lad took the valuable to
his mother and the owner was traced.
~The saw mill of W. G. Shaffer, of Mill
Hall, located near Marsh Creek, was de-
stroyed by fire last Thursday morning at 5
o'clock, along with 1,000 feet of lumber. The
loss is $1,500, with no insurance. Mr. Shaf-
fer was engaged in sawing lumber for Har-
ter & McCormick, of Lock Haven.
—~Thomas White, whe is putting in Har-
leigh Coal Co's new slope mear Munson, in.
forms us that they are down toa depth of
140 feet, and expect shortly to reach the
coal, and by November 1st be ready to ship
the products of the mine to market. Tom
has worked bard on this proposition, bat
now rejoices at the bright prospects ahead.
—The sunuai report of the state depart-
ment of mines shows a decreased pros
duction of bituminous coal during the
last calendar. During 1908, 114,837,375 tons
of bituminovs coal were delved from the
twenty eight counties of the state containing
DR | such mines, as against 149,550,047 tons in
1907, a reduction of 34,621,669 tons; all these
figures are net,
_ ~Miners in the Maple Hill colliery at
Mabanoy City discovered the petrified head
of a man. The stone was found under a huge
rock over which water had been flowing for
the head of a prehistoric man. Every fea-
ture is perfectly formed, oven the bair stand-
Sng an hardly. The specimen will be sent
jn_Hebley, of Flemington, Otiuton
was severely injured
Ra
passed over his
body. The train was stopped while one of
the cars was still on his body aud be suffered
much pain until it was lifted off.
—Miss Lizzie F. Martz, of Bloomsburg,
who is now a worker in the mills, bas been
offered wealth as much as she wants if she
will become the adopted daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Colbaugh,of New York city,
and change her name. The girl has been
raised by ber grandmother and is now the
old woman's sole support. She will not ac~
cept the terms of the Colbaughs unless they
promise to take care of Mrs. Martz.
—Frank Strause, lawyer, of Mt. Carmel,
is the one man iu Northumberland county
who bas the distinction of owning a
church. At a sherifi’s sale held in the
court house at Sunbury by Auctioneer
Joseph W. Morgan, Wednesday morning, he
bought the Kulpmont Methodist éhurch for
$250. The edifice was recently erected by
the church congregation in the growing
suburb of Shamokin, but they were unable
to meet their bills and the sale followed.
—Thirteen of the order for filteen en-
gines for the Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts-
burg railroad placed with the Brooks Loeco-
motive works, at Dunkirk, have been re.
ceived. The new engines are among the
largest cn the road. Five of the locomotives
will run through DuBois, where several of
them bave been received recently. Another
evidence of prosperity on the road is the
order for two new all steel coaches. These
coaches will be combination passenger and
baggage cars and will be run oa the fliers.
—Jce cream with salt in it will kill a bog.
At any rate that has been the experience of
Mrs. Grace Bender, + widow, of McConuells-
burg. Joe Thomas, a colored man-of-all-
work had made some ice cream for his em-
ployer inte which be got some salt, and
thinking it would be a waste to throw it
it sway gave it to Mrs. Bender for a nice hog
she was fattening. Without thinking of any
bad results some of the salty cream was fed
to the hog in the evening. The next day
it was sick and a day or two later died.
—Reports just compiled by the Pennsyl-
vanis railroad show that of the 46,907 pas-
senger trains operated by it in the
month of Aogust, 42676, or 90.9 per
per cent, made schedule time. Of the
twenty-five divisions of the Pennsylvania
baa Railroad east of Pittsburgh and Erle, fifteen
bad records of more than 90 per cent. of
trains making schedule time. The Cresson
division had a percentage of 99, the Cone
maugh division 989, and the Baltimore,
Pittsburg and Shamokin divisions over 97
per cent.
—JIadiana county is excited over three
new ges wells owned by the Philadelphia
company. The first opening is on the land of
Edward Wells, in East Mahoning township,
and is as good a producer as the company
kas had for several years. The owaer of the
farm considers himself very fortunateasa
good royelty is paid him by the company.
The other two new wells are on the Lowry
farm near the Wells property. Landowners
in the vicinity of the strikes are expecting a
golden harvest as a vesult of them. Three
. | hundred dollars a year and free gas in their
homes is the annual royalty paid for each -
o#n party is not a free trade party.
| producing well.