ER ——— i — a i
BY PP. GRAY MEEK.
—
Ink Slings.
——Another year is almost gone beyond
recall.
—Have you done it yet? Your Christ
mas shopping !
——fGood morning, readers. How do
you like oar Christmas overcoat?
—One consolation the fellow with money
always has, is, if he can’s express himsell
he can at least pay the freight.
—The ARBUCKLES have disgorged to the
government without even a struggle. They
‘evidently thought it cheaper to pay up
and save costs in the sugar scandal.
—Send the WATCHMAN to some [riend
for a year. It would be as nice a Christ.
mas gilt as yoa could make because it will
be welcomed by the recipient every week.
—Prohibitionists are walking now with
higher heads and more extended chests
than ever. Nine United States Senators
failed to draw cork screws from the Senate
supply room this year.
—The Washington minister who thinks
there is nothing lacking to afford the people
complete joy on Christmas, possibly
don’t work for $1.10 a day and pay 18
cents a pound for his bacon.
—Having bought the hanks, and insur-
ance companies J. PIERPOINT MORGAN ie
starting in now to buy the telephones.
Alster while we won't be able to talk with-
ous settling with him. Ain's it awfal, MaA-
BEL?
—80 we contemplate a protectorate for
Nicaragua. How nice, especially since
Nicaragua would be able to take care of
herself were it not for foreign soldiers of
fortune keeping her in a constant tar-
moil.
—The Pablic Defense association wants
fands. If yoa know of any association of
a public character that don’t the WaTosH-
MAK will be glad to make doe ackvowl-
edgment in addition to farvishiog it a four
color chromo as a memento of the fact.
~The authorities of New York are haut-
ing for one Edstadio Papavasiloputo uoder
arrest for the nnderestimation of a cargo of
figs. A fellow whooould get away with
that kind of a name hanging to him ought
to be able to hide with a thunder storm in
his pocket.
—Love of country is a great thing. Keep
count of the Senators and Members who go
down to Panama to see that no one runs
away with the canal and you'll know how
many patriots we bave. Bat don’t forget
that they all make the government foot
their bills.
—It is altogether probable that the
wrinkled-bellied patriots who are always
““‘whoopin’ it up’ for tariff protection and
the Rapublican parsy, will have reason to
conclude that a public appropriation for
them would fis their case fully as well as
one for the ship subsidy seeker.
—Bellefonte and State College will
both be mecas of interests next week. The
annual teachers’ institute will be beld in
this place and that will mean the assem-
blage in Bellefonte of almost three hun-
dred teachers as well as instructors and
visitors. At State College the meeting of
the State Grange will attract almost one
thousand visitors.
—It is to be a game of give and take in
Washington. The President ie sore be-
oause Senator LA FOLLEITE, ol Wisconsin,
has oritioised him in magazine articles and
because the President is sore he hae refused
to recognize any of LA FOLLETTE'S friends
in federal appointments. ‘Big Brun”
doesn’t seem to be very big when it comes
to overlooking personal pique, does he ?
—Next Saturday will be Christinas and
the present we want from many of you ie
one of those green Williams that will push
your label up to the point where Uncle
SAM won't be nosing around ahout i$,
Now just let us see how many Christmas
letters of this sort will be seut to the
WATCHMAN office. We would like to have
alot of them, so please don’t disappoint
us.
—Pennsylvania is reputed to have fallen
into third place in the number of students
sent to Princeton each year. Previous to
this year she has invariably held second
place. Gradually Peunaylvanians are be-
giuniog to realize that their own great in-
stitutions of learning are advancing with
leaps and bounds while the older schools of
the east are content with the reputations
they made ball a century ago.
~While we have no sympathy with
strikes or strikers we do believe that some
step will have to be taken by labor, ere
long, to bring about a fairer parity between
its wage aod the cost of living. Itis out
of the question for any honest man to re-
main hooeat, support his family and bave
anything more thao the scantest existence
under present conditions. We do not pre-
tend to place the blame but we do think
that whether yon be a Republican, a Demo
orat, a Probibitionist or a Socialist and are
a laboring man as weil, it is time for you to
look about and try to discover whas is
wrong. We would tell yom, but right
away youn would say: Ob, that is only
your Democratic idea of it! You kuow
there is vomething wrong when you can no
longer make ends meet even io the moss
prosperous times, 80 we wounld udvise youn
to think bard on this matter and when the
next Congressan is to he elected see that a
man who will do something for you is
ohosen. Congress is the only place you
can ges relief,
“VOL. 54
MeNichol In New York.
Senator MCNICHOL, the contractor boss
of Philadelphia, bas just pulled down a
three and a half million dollar contract in
New York. Senator McNICHOL, it ie sig-
nificantly observed in the news statement
of the event, ie a close personal friend of
Tim SULLIVAN, one of the TAMMANY
sachems. Both gentlemen belong to that
school of politics which teaches that it isa
matter of friendship rather than principles.
It McNicHoL lived in New York he would
be s Democrat and if SULLIVAK lived in
Philadelphia he would bes Republican.
But they are alike ‘“‘out for the staff,” and
they get it. Probably they have ‘‘pooled
their issues’’ and will divide the profits of
manicipal work in both cities.
On the other band there may he some-
thing of greater importance than appears on
the surface in this invasion of New York
by contractor McNicHoL. MURPHY and the
SULLIVANS, big and listle TiM, are notin
politics for their health. As the last manio-
ipal election is was demonstrated with a
tolerable measure of clearness that the
Democratic party of New York bas been
rescued from the control of MURPHY and
the SurLnivans. The eleotion of Judge
GAYNOR to the office of Mayor was a more
ot less emphatio notice to the political cor-
raptionists of that city that no crooks need
apply in the latare. Iu the face of such
facts it wouldn't be io she least surprisiug
to see MURPHY aod the BULLIVANS face
about and join hands with RoosEvELT'S
friend, HERBERT PARSONS, in the interest
of spoils.
If those enterprising gentlemen bappen
to have such purposes in mind, Shey could
hardly do better than form an alliance
with ocootractor McNicHOL, of Philadel-
phia. The smiling Senator has abundance
of money of his own and vast resources in
the way of accumulating that of others in
political emergencies. It is said that he
can reach the board of any Sunday school
in Philadelphia by simply sayiog thas the
tariff isin danger and shat votes mast be
bought to save is. Sach an ally joived in
selfish parposes with Mr. PARSONS and the
MurpHYS and SULLIVANS would probably
give the combine a secare grip oo the
municipal work of both cities. It is worth
while to keep an eye on all of them.
The Usurpation of Power.
Secretary NAGEL, of the Department of
Commerce, is certainly an adherent of she
RoosevELT echool of politics. “In fivan.
cial and commercial conditions,’’ he de-
clares in his annual report, ‘‘the bnsivess
of the country has become nationalized.
Ite legal regulation must also be nesional.”’
In other words the strong arm of the feder-
al governments must be sufficiently etretoh-
ed ont so as to reach the remote sections of
the country aod [all with fall force upon
every individual who aspires to participate
in the business activities of the country.
Other members of the present cabinet have
expressed the same ideas in different forms
and leave no doubt as to the trend of senti-
ment in official Washington.
Soon after the beginning of President
RoOSEVELT'S elective term in the presi-
denoy such ideas were sent out tentatively.
EutAu Roor, at the time Secretary of
State, in a epeech delivered in New York
suggested thas if the state governments
failed to exercise certain powers ‘‘sooner or
later constructions of the constitution will
he found to vest the power where is will be
exercised —in the national government.”
This declaration so shocked the public ag
the time that both Mr. Roor and the Presi-
dent subsequently modified, or apoligized
for expressing it. There is no fear of it
now, however. Both the Secretary of Com-
merce and the Attorney General bave
enunciated it within a month.
The pretense that the States have failed
to exercise their legitimate functions and
that therefore the federal government is
justified in usorping power, is a sabter-
fuge. The States bave always been willing
to exercise the authority vested in them
and when some of them fulfilled their obli-
gations in this respeot sell-seeking federal
judges like PRITCHARD, of North Carolina,
hastened to win the favor of ROOSEVELT
by enjoining them from executing the
lawa passed by the Legislatures.
The constitution of the United States
gives ample power to the national govern-
ment and the usurpation of power not
granted in that instrument is treasonable
aud should be punished with all the sever-
ity possible.
we The day is ended —its work is done;
it befits thee, O my soul, before thou givest
thyeell to repose, to ask if that work has
been well done. Consider if thy duties
bave been faithfully performed. Host thou
exercised a geatle, obliging dispo<ition to-
ward those with whom thou bass been ae-
sociated ? Hast shou been careful to keep
in subjection all vain thoughts and evil
pas<ious ? Has pride had no dominion over
thee, and have not vanity and ambition
caused thee to err ? Hast thou spoken no
ill of thy veighbor ? Hast thou espoased
the cause of the injasil, and has troth
dwelt on thy lips? Has love to thy Heaven
ly Parent influenced thee in all thy doings,
and made itself visible in all thy actions ?
New Form of Prosperity.
The country is indebted to one of the
officials in Washington, who enjoys an
adequate income, for a new phrase. He
tells us shat ‘‘prosperity is coming in
bonches.”’ That is a more or less ambign-
ous expression and might mean anything
or nothing. Bat it was intended to ocou-
vey the idea that prosperity is abundant
aod that the rewards of labor and indastry
are generous. The railroads are anusaally
busy, this self-satisfied optimist adds, und
the mails and express offices are deluged
with Christmas wifts and other traffic. This
fact might indicate that the Post-office
Department and the express companies are
prosperous but is no evidence of the pros-
perisy whioh brings contentment to the
people.
The mails may be crowded at this time
and they need to be to make up the defi-
ocienoy of nearly $20,000 000, the largest
io the history of the country. The ex:
press companies are certainly prosperous
"STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., DECEMBER 1 7, 1909.
Postal Savings Banks.
Information comes from Washington to
the eff<ct thas Senator ALDRICH bas finally
inolined toward public sentiment sufficient
ly to consent to necessary legislation for
the establishment of postal savings banks.
The platform adopted by the last Republi-
oan National convention committed tbe
party to that form of financial folly and
President TAFT asks for the legislation in
his annual message. At first ALDRICH,
who is hoss of the Cougressional machine,
was vehemently against the projest and
there was some reason to hope that he
would prevent it. But be has been in-
duced to alter his mind on the subject and
the chances are that postal savings banks
will be provided for during the present
session,
We can imagine no more mischievous
form of centralization than this. With
the President and Congress usurping ao-
thority to regulate industrial activities
and farther fastening their ocootrol of the
for they have been declaring dividends of
financial operations of the country through
NO. 50.
Cutting of Melons.
From the Philadelphia Record.
In spite of the financial oatastrophe of
1907, and she consequent slowing down of
busiuess in 1908, there bas been a wounder-
fal cutting of melons amoug the transpor-
tation companies in the year just drawing
to a close,
Notwithstanding the tremendous outlay
of the Pennsylvania Railroad company for
permanent improvements—involving the
payment of a lnmp sam of $50,000,000 out
of surplus earnings and profits toward cost
of coustruction of its New York terminals
~—it is now offering what is equivalents to
an extra 8 per cent dividend tosharebolders
subscribing for new stock.
The New York Central isoutting the
same kind of a melon for its stockholders.
The Delaware, Lackawanna & Western.
with earnings for 1908 of 40 per cent on its
capital stock, 20 per cents nividends and
total sarplas 32 per cent greater than its
capital stock, consributes a very jaioy
melon.
The Soathern Pacific and Union Pacifio
bave managed to turn lean yems for the
business of the country into exceedingly
fat years for the owners of sheir preferred
and common stook.
some hundreds per cent. But the express
messengers and deliverymen are not pros-
peroas for though the cost of their living
has been increased at least fifty per cent.
the amount of their wages bas not heen in- | founders of the Republic unanimously | dend
creased at all. Workingmen in other ave-
the medium of postal banks we can see
little hope for the long continoance of that
equilibrium between the authority of the
state and federal governments whioh the
agreed is essential to the preservation of
naes of indusiry are not prosperous, either, | our form of government. There is especial
and as & matter of fact most of them have
the greatest difficulty in making ends
meet. If we bave *‘prosperity in bunches,”
the distribution of the bunches is not
equal.
The giving of tokens of affection and
testimonials of [friendship at Christmas
time is increasing in popular favor, justly
aud properly. Men, women aud chiidiea
in all walks of life strive as they never did
before to exchange gifts with their friends
during the Yuletide season. This fact
materially enhances the volume of business
of the Post-offiee Department and the ex-
press offices, but it is not a certain sign of
prosperity. On the contrary is proves
nothing in that direction. The measure
of prosperity is the ability of the body of
the peopie to provide themselves with all
the necessaries and some of the luxuries of
life and that condition is far from present
at this time.
——fubsoribe for the WATCHMAN.
dauger in this project for in the event ofa
currency famine the postal banks would
afford a seourity absent from others and
would naturally drain other banks, how-
ever substantial ard deserving, of deposits.
What popular demand bas infloenced
Senator ALDRICH to change bis mind on
| his subject can bardly be conjectured.
We have seen no evidence of it in this seo
tion or in this State. It was one of the
absurd ROOSEVELT policies and none of
them were based on reason. The Repub-
lican National convention approved the
soheme because the leaders of that party
imagined that it would be popular with
the people. Bat as a matter of fact this
expectation was disappointed and before
the campaign was ball over the subject
was quietly dropped out of the reckoning
altogether. Probably Mr. MORGAN imag-
ines that with a friendly Postmaster Gener-
al postal banks could he annexed to bis
bunch of assets.
ee ———————
spawils from the Keystone.
—In the Clearfield schools there are en.
rolled 735 boys and 699 girls, a total of
1.434.
—Within the next week almost $1,006,000
will be drawn from banks and trust comps.
nies having state money deposited in them
to meet the appropriations which fall due
near the beginning of the year.
—Erb & Moyer, who bad been operating &
saw mill on the Boring tract of timber near
Mill Creek for some months, have moved
their mill to M. F. Robley's land, near Ma-
pleton. There are 200.000 feet of timber om
the Robley trset.
—C. G. Trimmer, of York, was held up
and robbed of about $145 in broad daylight.
He bad been accustomed to take the money
every Saturday from a bank to his factory
and when he was in the alley where the fae-
tory is located three men pounced on him
and took the money.
—Mayor Aikens, of Lewistown, will ask
for damages for an alleged assault made om
him recently by Reed Hayes, as the result of
a quarrel as to whom should go fees to the
amount of $1 50. Hayes not long ago inher-
ited a fortune from his uncle, Andrew Reed
but still looks after small matters in law.
—All the ears that are needed are now be-
ing supplied to the Glenwood company at
Glen Campbell, Indiana county, by the
Pennsylvania Railroad compuny. The com-
pany bad plenty of orders and men bot was
kept from doing as much shipping of coal as
it could on account of the shortage of cars.
It is now operating in full in all its depart.
ments.
—Frank Erdman, aged seventeen years, of
Sunbury, was run down by a Reading pas-
senger train on the bridge over Shamokin
creek Saturday and killed. Erdman saw
the train approaching and started running to
clear the structure. He had only a few more
steps to reach solid ground when he was
struck by the locomotive and his body
hurled into the creek.
—Electricity is now used to haul at the
| | mine of the Valley Stone & Coal company in
‘| Stoney Creek township, near Johnstown.
The new system has done away with some of
"| the drivers, etc., but more men are now em-
The Jeisey Central is paying an extra 2
per cent dividend in addition to its regular
8 per cent —a Christmas offering.
The Adam« Express company bas added
$4 per share to its regular 8 per cent divi-
The Wells Fargn Express company bas
incteaved ite capital stock from $8,000,000
to $24,000,000, giving its stockholders
what is equivalent to an extra dividend of
$300 per share, paid ous of surplus.
In the face of these proofs of corporate
prosperity it is hard to understand the
alleged necessity for a general advance in
freight rates.
What Chester Felt.
From the Emporium Gazeite,
Former Senator Chester I. Long, says he
has felt the political pulse of Kanvas ;
which is no snch thing, unless her pulse is
in her big tra. What he felt—that bot,
throbbing thing, that Senator Loong fels,
not the pulse of Kansas, but a swift kick.
He should revi-e his =satement.
New Postulate in Laelid.
From the New York Evening Post.
The committer of professors that bas ses
ous to reform Euclid’s geometry might be-
win by incloding the postulate that a
straight line between two terms in the
White House leads through East Africa.
: ——You missa good thing if you don’t
take the WATCHMAN.
ployed on tonnage work, so that the labor
saving improvement increased the pay roll
rather than diminished it. There are about
300 men employed in the mine.
— Edward C. Cunliffe, who four years ago
stole $101,000 from the Adams Express come
pany at Pittsburg has finished his term in
the western penitentiary and started life
anew. Two years bad been taken from his
term for good behavior. He is thought to
have some of the money he took in hiding,
but when asked about it said that he and the
express company had adjusted their affairs.
—Patton’s board of health at a recent
meeting was forced to close the schools until
January 1st and to forbid any child under 16
years of age to attend church or Sunday
school, or any place of amusement. This
step was rendered necessary by the many
caces of contagious disease in the town and
was arrived at after mature deliberation and
under the advice of almost every doctor im
the town.
~The State Department of Health has now
114 tuberculosis dispensaries in Pennsylva.
nis, two new ones having been opened at
Nanticoke in Luzerne county, and sat
Brownsville, in Fayette county. At the
present time over 11,000 tuberculosis patient®
are being treated at these dispensaries and
trained nurses are visiting the homes of
these patients teaching them how to care for
themselves and instructing the other mem-
bers of the household how to guard agains®
nfection. :
—In the Apoilo- Vandergrift- Westmore
land county, district, the hello girls are out
on strike. One young lady had been having
a young man call to see her while she was at
the office and the management became aware
of the fact and suspended her for violation
of the 1ules. Then the other girls went on a
sympathetic strike. The manager filled
their places aud will not give up bis side of
the fight and the girls, having other alleged
grievances, will take their side of the ques-
tion to court.
—John Miller, superintendent of the Mel”
lon National bank building in Pittsburg
committed suicide on the main line express
ata point near Downingtown shortly after 1
o'clock Sunday afternoon. Miller had been
in Atlantic City in the hope of regaining lost
health and was on his way howe. It is be-
lieved that he became despondent on the
train because of the fact that he had little
improved, and, taking a razor irom his suit
case, slashed himself across the throat. He
! died before any assistance could be given.
He was about 50 years of age.
—Several years ago, while Miss Nell
Bowers, of Blandsburg, was a student at
Birmingham seminary, she made the ac
qusintance of John Seeds, a lumber mer
chant. She graduated and the pair drifted
apart. On Friday they met accidentally on
a street in Altoona and they determined to
be married immediately. A marrisge li-
cense was procured and Miss Bowers be-
came Mrs. Seeds, the Rev. William 8. Mil
ler performing the ceremony. Seeds was
on his way west to look over some timber
lands, and his wile accompanied ins
—Returning io his bome near Bloomsburg
late Saturday night with his wagon laden
with Christmas presents he had purchased
for his family, Charles Freeze, when he
reached home, attempted to pick up the
packages while he had his loaded shotgun in
his one arm. Several of the packages
dropped from his grasp, the gun was acei~
dentally discharged and the top of his head
blown off. The team took fright at the gun's
discharge and ran away. The hones were
found by the victim's father a considerable
distance from the scene. Freeze was lying
dead in the wagon.
~The officers of the Young Men's Demo.
eratic club, of Willismsport, are arranging
for the annual Jackson day bauquet which
will be held in that city on the evening of
January 10th: The anniversary is January
Sth, but as that day falls on Saturday, the
club decided to hold the meeting on the
Monday evening following. These dinners
are always well attended, prominent Demo-
crats coming from within a radius of 100
miles of Williamsport. The list of speak-
ers for the occasion is not complete, but
among them will be C. LaRue Munson
Esq., and Hon. William B. Wilson.
Gh