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Tom wo
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Democratic State Convention.
Democratic State Headquarters,
Pa., February 6th, 1912. i
To the Democrats of Pennsylvania: }
In pursuance of the rules governing the Demo- |
cratic party of Pennsylvania and agreeable to the
action of the Democratic State Executive Com-
mittee at a special meeting held in the Demo-
cratic State Headquarters, Harrisburg, on the
last day of February, 1912, notice is hereby given
that the Democratic State Convention will as.
semble in the Majestic Theatre, at Harrisburg,
on Tuesday, May 7th, 1912, at 12 o'clock, noon.
The business to be transacted at said con-
vention will be:
The nomination of one candidate for Auditor
General.
The nomination of one candidate for State |
Treasurer. |
The nomination of six candidates for Electors |
at large, and to elect in the manner provid.
ed by the rules of the party.
Twelve delegates and twelve alternates at
large to the National Democratic Conven-
tion,
and to considg such other matters, pertaining to
the interests and success of the party in Pennsyl
vania, as may be brought before it.
WALTER E. RITTER,
P. Gray MEEK, Chairman
Secretary. i
Harrisburg,
ADDITIONAL LOCAL NEWS.
RisHEL.—Mary Ann Rishel, of Clinton-
dale, widow of the late George Rishel,
and one of the very few real Daughters
of the American Revolution in the State,
died at five o'clock on Sunday morning of
a general decline. Her maiden name
was Miss Mary Ann Allison and she was
born at Cedar Springs on March 23rd,
1821, hence at her death was ninety-one
years and one day old. Her father was
Matthew Allison, who fought in the Rev-
olutionary war from 1778 to 1783. Her
entire life was spent at Cedar Springs and
Clintondale, within a radius of five miles
of the place of her birth. Her one son,
M. Allison Rishel, of Clintondale, was a
soldier in the Civil war.
In the spring of 1907 members of the
Bellefonte Chapter daughters of the
American Revolution learned of Mrs.
Rishel and the fact that she was one of a
very few real daughters of a Revolution-
ary soldier and on their solicitation she
became a member of the Bellefonte chap-
ter. Shortly afterwards the National So-
ciety gave her a gold spoon and also voted
her a pension of eight dollars a month
which she received until the date of her
death. In addition the Bellefonte Chap-
ter always gave her a substantial remem-
brance on Christmas and the anniversary
of her birth.
In addition to her son she is survived
by one brother, F. B. Allison, of Forest
county; twelve grand-children and twen-
ty-two great grand-children. She was a
consistent member of the Methodist
church and the funeral was held from
that church in Clintondale at ten o'clock
on Wednesday morning. A delegation of
the Bellefonte Chapter D. A. R. was in at-
tendance and their loving tribute to the
dead was ninety-one red and white carna-
tions, one for each year of her life. Bur-
ial was made in St. Paul's cemetery at
Clintondale, the casket being shrouded
with a Revolutionary flag.
. |
KERSKETTER.—After being a patient
sufferer the past four years with dropsy
and other ailments Mrs. Michael Kerstet-
ter died at her home a short distance
east of Bellefonte on Tuesday night.
She was a daughter of Rev. and Mrs.
John Sebastian Musser and was born in
Penn township, being 76 years and 2
months old. Her grandparents were
among the early settlers of Pennsvalley
and her father was a prominent minister
in the United Evangelical church. Mrs.
Kerstetter when a girl joined the Meth-
odist church and was always a strict ad-
herent to that faith. She was a woman
of many enobling qualities, a loving
wife and mother and a good neighbor.
She will be sadly missed, not only in her
own home but by a host of friends.
In addition to her husband she is sur-
of Spring township; William M. and A,
M.,, of Pleasant Gap; Mrs. Ella Welty, on
the old Curtin farm east of Bellefonte,
and Mrs. Samuel D. Gettig, of this place.
She also’leaves two brothers and two
sisters, namely: John Musser, of Wolf's
Store; William, of Haines township;
Mrs. Sarah Wert, of Miles township, and
Mrs. Mary Harter, of Coburn. Funeral
services will be held in the church at
Pleasant Gap this (Friday) morning at
10.30 o'clock, after which burial will be
made in the Pleasant Gap cemetery.
| |
KELLEY. — Jeremiah Kelley, a well
known resident cf Buffalo Run valley,
was stricken with paralysis on Saturday |
afternoon, March 16th, and died the next
morning at his home above Waddle. He
was aged eighty-four years and most all
his life was engaged in farming. He is
survived by the following sons and daugh-
ters: John, George and Edgar, of Buffalo
Run; Philip, of Lock Haven; Samuel, of
South Philipsburg; Mrs. Robert Reese, of |
Scotia; Mrs. Robert Dewey, of Tyrone,
and Mrs. Daniel Stine, of Philipsburg.
Burial was made in the Hunter cemetery
on Tuesday afternoon, March 19th.
——Subscribe for the WATCHMAN.
A Few Plain Facts for the Demo- |
crats of Centre County.
Looking squarely at the situation in which the Democratic party in Cen-
tre county finds itself today the unbiased mind is forced to acknowledge that
unless something can be done to bring about a unification of the contending
factions success in the future seems well nigh hopeless.
Why such a condition of affairs should exist is probably not understood
by the Democrat who takes no personal, active interest in politics, but the
fact that it does exist is warning to all classes of our party to consider the
matter seriously. "
As it appears to us all of the trouble had its beginning when the Key-
stone movement was organized in support of Was. H. BERRY for Governor as
against WEBSTER GRIM, the nominee of the Allentown convention. It is of
no avail to hash over again the right or wrong of that action and the sooner
the whole affair is dropped and forgotten the better, but the situations that
have grown out of it are the obstacles our party will have to surmount before
it can hope to become a harmonious working unit.
For the purpose of stating the case clearly let us say that those who or-
ganized the Keystone movement to oppose Mr. GriM, the regular nominec of
the party are, for the most part, those who are now calling themselves Reor-
Vhile those who supported Mr. GRIM, and the fifteen hundred
Eliminating the fight for
ganizers.
Democrats who did not vote at all, are Regulars.
State control between these two factions we will consider only ils bearing on
the situation in our own county, in which, after all, we are all more particu.
larly concerned.
In the TENER-BERRY-GRIM fight |
the chairman of the Democratic party in Centre county.
chairman of the Democratic organization to support the nominee of the par-
yr Governor Mr. ARTHUR KIMPORT was
It was his duty as
ty, no matter what the stories of how that nominee was placed on the ticket *
amounted to. If he felt that he could not do so then the honorable thing for
him to have done was to have resigned the chairmanship. Instead of doing
that, however, Mr. KIMPORT held on and made NO effoi! lo effect an organiza-
tion in Centre county, appointed no county committee and by his manner and
his sympathy lent every aid possible to the Keystone movement. It was but nat.
ural for the Regulars to feel that they had been betrayed and thereafter en.
tertain a spirit of resentment against him. Again, when Mr. KiMPORT attend-
ed the meeting of the State Central Committee in Harrisburg last June he
voted against the Regulars in the State Organization. Later he asserted that
his action in voting as he did at Harrisburg was justified by a preponderance
of sentiment in Centre county in favor of reorganization. Just how he arriv-
ed at that conclusion he probably knows best, but as there had been no pri-
mary or vote upon the question to show conclusively how the majority of the
Democrats felt, we are certain that he must have relied wholly upon his own
determination of it. At the time, it was suggested to him that, in view of the
approaching important campaign in the county, it might be well to take no
chances on splitting up our party, and that he should go to Harrisburg and
decline to vote for either side.
You all know what he did do. Besides voting for the Reorganizers he
hid away from évery attempt to get him into the district caucus to vote for
our home candidate, Dr. F. K. WHITE, for district chairman, notwithstanding
that the chairman of every other county in the district was there to vote for
him.
Later Mr. KimpoRrT fell back on the vote for BERRY and GRIM in the
county as his reason for believing that the Reorganizers were in the majority.
And every week since the Centre Democrat has been hammering away at the
same argument.
If BERRY did have 2701 votes and GRIM only 911 does that signify any-
thing? As a matter of fact we honestly believe that if it were possible to
open those ballot boxes it would be found that Mr. GRIM received as many,
if not more Democratic votes in the county than Mr. BERRY. No one will
charge that Mr. GRIM received any but Democratic votes because every one
knows that the stalwart Republicans voted for TENER, the other Republicans
and Prohibitionists voting for BERRY. Mr. BERRY carried Bellefonte Borough
by a majority of 69. To have done this he must have received 200 Republi-
can votes. He carried Philipsburg Borough by 16, which means that he re-
ceived 150 or more Republican votes there. He lost the Republican strong-
holds of Howard by only 2 votes, Snow Shoe by 7, Liberty, Taylor and Worth
by small margins and carried Half Moon by 3. So it was all over the county.
In every Republican precinct Mr. BERRY ran far beyond what it would have
been possible for him to have had had he gotten every Democratic vote in it.
Why then was it either reasonable or fair to point to that vote as an hon-
est indication of how the sentiment of the Democrats of the county stood?
And in any case it can be proven that very few more than half the Democrats
in the county actually voted at that election.
After Mr. KiMPoORT had taken his stand at Harrisburg for reorganization
he did absolutely nothing in the way of reorganizing his own county for the
approaching campaign. In its issue of July 21st, 1911, this paper called upon
him publicly to appoint his county committeemen and get the organization in
shape for the fight. Candidates for office last fall will tell you that they had
considerable difficulty in even getting a list of the county committeemen in
time for them to make their canvass for the primaries and we understand
that some of them never did get one. As a matter of fact the list was never
published until after the primaries were over.
This is the way Mr, KIMPORT acted for a year and a half as our county
chairman. Then several active, energetic gentlemen with a determination to
do something associated themselves with him and if there is any glory to be
passed around for winning last fall's fight if they were to get the share to
which they are properly entitled there would be very little left for the chair-
man.
It is not our desire to detract one iota from the credit that is due for that
victory, but when the Centre Democrat and Mr. KIMPORT presume to parade it
as the sole accomplishment of Mr. KIMPORT they lose sight of the fact that
first of all the Centre county court house had more to do with it than any-
thing else. Next, the natural tide of sentiment everywhere in the county was
toward Democracy last fall. Next, Mr. KIMPORT had the largest campaign
fund ever levied against candidates for county offices to work with. Next,
practically every one of those 911 Democrats who had voted for GRIM and
been insulted by Mr. KIMPORT and jeered at by the Centre Democrat and the
other 2000 Democrats who were so disgusted with conditions during the cam-
paign of 1910, that they did not vote at all, stood ioyally by the ticket.
This, we think, is a fair statement as it has existed since the fall of 1910
up to the present time. Now, Mr. KIMPORT is asking to be re-elected county
chairman. He has said that he doesn’t actually want it further than as a vin-
dication of his course in the past as chairman.
If he was right he needs no vindication.
If he was wrong certainly he should have none.
He has been county chairman two terms, as long a term as is usually
given to those occupying that position; he has had one year longer, (nine years
in all,) in the county's best office than any other Democrat in the county and
before his first election had been clerk in the same office for a great many
years.
Therefor, in view of what the party has done for him it seems to us that
. instead of trying to foist himself on the element that he has already insulted
and tried to discredit, he should withdraw himself from the contest and per-
mit some one to be named who can stop what will otherwise prove the most
disastrous split that has ever occurred in the ranks of the Democratic party
in Centre county.
The WATCHMAN is not urging Mr. WALKER particularly, but itis trying to
show all the Democrats of Centre county why it would be imprudent and un-
wise to re-elect Mr. KIMPORT chairman. Whether he has been right or wrong
in the past it is certain he has antagonized a large element of his party in the
county and this breach should be closed up, not made wider by his re-election.
ee ee ———— i So ee A
——Spring is here and now is a good time to subscribe for the WATCHMAN. It
will rest and entertain you after a hard day's work.
| personally to vou as.
| the Democrat
i the coming primaries,
appear in the pape
{
| To A. B. Kimport and W. Harrison Watker, candi. |
dates for Chairman of the Democratic Commil- |
|
|
i pleased to be governed in the
| the Democratic State Committee of Pennsylvania,
| 1910, cou
Not a Square Deal.
If You are Running a Democratic Paper, Mr. Kurtz, Give Dem- |
ocrats a S
On March 11th the editor of the Centre Democrat wrote Mr. Harrison Walker
In answer to it Mr Walker promptly made reply stat
the letter published below.
ing his position in the present contest as
sue of March 14th the Democrat announced that it had received Mr,
communication and would take it up next week.”
Democrat announced that it had returned Mr. WALKER'S letter to him because he
had not been specific enough in his answers.
when it returned the letter the editor of that paper wrote Mr. WALKER a most
Notwithstanding this Mr.
abusive letter.
Democrat and if you will read its issue of
WALKER'S letter which is published in fu
dea! Mr. WALKER is getting.
Mg. KURTZ is the absolute boss of Mg. Kinirory
to anyone who dares "To Cross My PATH” as he
Mr. Walker for being a candidate.
March 11th, 1912.
W. HAarg!sON WALKER, Esq.
Bellefonte, Pa,
Dear Sir:
The aitacired lelter is hereby
candidate for Chairman o!
ttee of Cen re county at
A similar letter is also
wi in this mail. 1 would be
picasad to have vour renly at your earliest con
venience for publication in the Centre Democrat
this week if » e. The attached letter will
addressed
mm
sent to Mr. Kim:
Yours truly
CHAS. R. KURTZ
THE CENTRE DEMOCRAT.
Bellefonte, Pa.
Monday March, 11, 1912.
tee of Centre County:
GENTLEMEN: —Believing that you would be
event of your elec-
tion. by the wish of the majority of the Demo._rats
of the county. in order to ascertain what is the
wish of the mocrats at the county the follow.
ing questions are propounded that the Demo-
cratic voters of the county in turn may know
where you stand:
Question: —~Will you, if elected Chairman of the |
Democratic Committee of Centre Count
nize Hon. George W. Guthrie as the
recog:
rman of
and will you co-operate with him and support the
Re organization movement ‘n the ocratic
party of Pennsylvania? Or will you recognize, co:
operate with und support the old o ization
now headed by Walter E. Ritter, as chairman?
Question:—After Centr e County cast 2701 votes
for Berry and only 911 for Grim, in November
you consistently represent the Demo-
crats of Centre County by upholding the old or-
anization led by J. M. Guffey. and of which
alter E. Ritter is the chairman? “
Question: —1f you say you favor “harmony” or
Te-ortatization” kindly be definite and state, if
e chairman, with which organization of the
Democratic State Committee you will co-operate
(the Old or the Re-organization) to accomplish
such results.
This information is requested of you for the
purpose of informing the Democrats of Centre
County that they may know how to cast their
ballots intelligently at the April
rimary election.
Of course, you donot want any rat to vote
for or you under a misapprehension, and
hence necessity of making your answer to the
above questions clear and definite,
Your reply to the above questions should reach
us at _once, or before Wednesday March 13th,
1912, that it may be inserted in next week's issue
of this paper. There willbe nn charge for pub-
lishing the same. Respectfully yours,
THE CENTRE DEMOCRAT.
CHAS. R. Kurtz, Pub.
March 26th, 1912.
MR. CHARLES R. KURTZ,
Editor Centre Democrat,
Bellefonte, Pa.
DEAR SIR :— .
In answer to your letter under date
of the 11th instant, and in pursuance
with your request contained in The Cen-
tre Democrat under date of the 21st in-
stant, which you desire for publication in
“The Centre Democrat,” 1 to inform
vou that having given to the party in
every camplig my most enthusiastic
service, having contributed in every
conceivable way to the success of the
Democracy in Centre county, I feel that it
is no presumption on my part to be aspir-
ant for the chairmanship of ny party.
use theterm “my part” advisedly, because
it is the only I have ever been at-
tached to and I have always found it at | cam
least enough better than any other to
or 2 th bh argument
W or the present, an; men
as to the question of your
te me or any one elise who is a can-
Pu,
tre ty, mn ye
ing to your questions, as follows:
First.—If elected chairman of the Dem-
ocratic county committee I will recognize
. Guthrie or anybody else
who has been y and legally elect-
ed chairman of Democratic State Cen-
tral committee.
1 | effort of every loyal Democrat in Centre
L
quare Deal.
In its 1s-
WALKER'S
fully and clearly as he could.
In the issue of March 21st the
that
It did not announce, however
WALKER again tendered his reply to the
this week and then read the copy oi My.
il below you will see the kind of a square
and, of curse, can’t he
said himseli when threateains
tion, which seems tu be altogeth=r un
called for, 1 feel constrained to remind
you of the fact that Hon. James M. Gu
fey is not a candidate for anything the
Pere 3
Democratic party in Pennsy!
offer, and consequently 1 i
reference (uo matters not at issue has a
tendency to divide our party, and keep up
factionalism which should not exist if we
desire harmony and success.
THIRD.—In answer to your third ques.
tion it gives me pleasure to assure you
that f am allied with no faction and do 10t
tatend lo be. 1 believe I am sufficiently
capable of being entirely fair, and not
having been mixed up with any of the
local dissensions [ do believe that at
this time my candidacy offers to the party
the better chance of getting together. Jf
elected county chairman I will co-operate
with which-ever organization of the Demo-
cratic State Centra! committee is the leeal
one. It is my sincere hope, however, that
neither one of the contending factions
will continue in control, and it is my in-
tention, if elected. to vote to that end if I
have an opportunity to do so.
Mr. Guthrie is a most estimable gentle-
man, but] think you will agree with me
that a man who has bolted the ticket in
the last three or four presidential con-
tests is not exactly the kind of a leader
to inspire all of the Democrats of Penn-
sylvania. Mr. Palmer who is seeking a
place of prominence in our party now by
abusing those who had anything to do
with the Allentown convention, has not
denied the statements of the public press
to the effect that he stumped the State in |
1910 for the nominees of that Allentown
convention and accepted money for so do- |
ing; therefore I think we could find some- |
one more desirable to all Democrats than
Mr. Palmer. Mr. McCormick is another
whose Democracy only seems to extend !
as far as his personal interests are con- ;
cerned. He declined to vote for Mr. Bry- |
an each time he was nominated for Pres- |
ident and to my mind is not an exceed-
ingly wholesome example to hold up to |
the Democrats in the ranks. If we are |
trying to get out of the hands of one crowd!
of “bosses” let us be sure that the others |
have been good Democrats before we fail |
into their clutches. !
I do believe there will be little hope for |
any candidate for a local office unless all |
this cry about “factions” is dropped at |
once. I am one of the ones who believes |
that the interests of our party in Centre
county are paramount to the interests |
of any faction or clique. Centre coun-
ty is one of the few remaining Dem- '
ocratic counties in Pennsylvania, and our
Republican friends are only biding the
time when they expect the new peniten-
tiary to locate enough office holders of
their own persuasion in our midst to
wrench it from us. Therefore it behooves
us, as Democrats, to conserve every ele-
ment of strength we have in our party
here in the county.
You must rememper that last fall's vic-
tory was purely the result of combined
county which, of course, I shall aim, if
elected, to continue to carry out in future
paigns.
In conclusion let me assure you that I
do not favor the re-election of either of
the contending factions. If chosen chair-
man of the Democratic county committee
I will be most careful to keep my skirts
clean of the taint of favoring one candi-
Fla um A i 5
up an n inter-
est of any faction. If we have factions
we cannot have success and it is the suc-
cass of the 1% believe in. Wud thers.
ore orm I rest my cause
o-oo.
Very respectfully yours.
SECOND.—In reply to your second ques-
WILKES-BARRE, PA., March 16.
have been taken to have teachers in
public schools of Luzerne sounty giys a
of each in teaching
Bindncs to animals. The Lusetne Cour
Literature is to be distributed and if the
Association has its the teaching of
kibiness to animals will form NES 3 im:
ta school
Pi iidren Dr in atic and
spelling.—Ex
We know of no better instruction
than the above, to be given to the
young of our schools. From the fact that
an observer has communicated to us,
W. HARRISON WALKER.
only a prey for the small boy's kicks.
A dog shot and left to howl through
| the streets unaided. Six weeks’ old calf
taken by the ears and dragged, whilst the
tail was used as a handle to guide it to
slaughter, taking two men to perform
i o'clock yesterday afternoon.
this inhuman act.
Is it not time that a course of instruc- |
tion along humane lines should be taught
in Centre county. es |
os oe —
A a —
Boney.—]. K. Boney, a well-kaown
resident of Bald Eagle valley, died at his
home at Howard on Sunday evening,
Born a cripple he was endowed with a
great deal of determination and learning
the trade of a cobbler he supported him-
self and family until the infirmities of old
age incapacitated him for manual labor.
He was eighty-one years of age and was
twice married, leaving a son by his first
wife, his second wife and two young chil-
Three horses hitched to a post for
hours, on a main street, on a cold night,
dren. Burial was made in the Curtin
cemetery on Tuesday.
C !# RLES MCCAFFERTY.
SUDDEN DEATH OF CHARLES
McCar-
uarles Me
esident of Beli ne, dropped
hea a the
building, Philadelphia, on Monday after.
noon, where he had gone to attend to
some business matters in which he was
interested. While seated in a chair talk-
ing io a friend death came so sudden
that those about him could scarcely real-
ize 11. Not a struggle, not a gasp, not a
sound io indicate anything but a peace-
ful falling asleep.
All efforts to him proved
futile, and a physician who was hastily
summoned pronounced his death as due
to heart failure, probably caused by over-
excitement. An undertaker was at once
notified and the remains were removed
to his hioine at No. 4543 Chestnut street
where they were prepared for burial.
They were brought to Bellefonte on the
4.20 train and taken to the Bush house
where they lay in repose until three
Rev. George
E. Hawes, pastor of the Presbyterian
church of which he was a member, offi-
ciated at the funeral services which were
held in the Bush house parlors after
which burial was made in the Union
cemetery.
Mr. McCafferty was eighty-three years
old and most of his life was spent in
Bellefonte. In early life he followed the
occupation of a stonemason but later
went into the contracting business and
among the buildings in Bellefonte that
stand as monuments of his work are the
Brockerhoff house, the Elks lodge (for-
merly the home of Governor Curtin;)
the house now occupied by Thomas A.
Shoemaker and maonv less pretentious
buildings. About twenty years ago he
became interested in coal lands in the
south and moved to Philadelphia as a
more convenient place to live. Notwith-
standing the fact that he has lived in the
Quaker city for a score of years he came
back to Bellefonte regularly once a year
and sometimes twice, and always had a
warm and hearty hand-clasp for his old-
time friends. Mr. McCafferty was twice
married and is survived by his second
wife and three sons: Charles G. and
George B., of Bradford, and Robert Louis,
of Mount Summit, Pa. He also leaves one
brother, Thomas McCafferty, and one
sister, Mrs. Susan Powers, both of this
place.
dead {rom ire in Drexel
revive
! l
DALE.—At eleven o'clock on Tuesday
night Edward Dale passed away at his
home at Lemont. He had been ill for
two or three weeks with typhoid fever
and diabetes developing caused his death.
He was twenty-five years old and was a
son of the late William Dale, of Houser-
ville, where he first saw the light of day.
For a number of years past he had been
a member of the United Brethren church
and was an upright, christian gentleman.
Surviving him are his wife and two
small children; his mother, three broth-
ers and two sisters. The funeral will be
held at two o'clock this (Friday) after-
noon, burial to be made at Houserville.
| |
KLINGER.—Edward Klinger, the two-
year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Klinger, of Penn street, died at four
o'clock last Saturday afternoon of a com-
plication of ailments augmented by a case
of measles. The bereaved parents and
four other children survive. Dr. Ambrose
M. Schmidt had charge of the funeral
services which were held on Tuesday
afternoon, burial being made in the
Union cemetery.
| |
MEESE.—An infant child of Mr. and
Mrs. Francis Meese, of Pleasant View,
died on Saturday of last week. The fun.
eral was held on Monday afternoon, bur-
ial being made in the Trcziyulny ceme-
tery in Boggs township. Rev. C. W. Wi.
ney, of the United Brethren church, had
charge of the services.
| I
HOCKENBERRY.—Mr. and Mrs. John
Hockenberry, of Thomas street, are
mourning the death of their eight
months old baby, which occurred on
Monday after a short illness. The fun-
eral was held on Wednesday afternoon,
burial being made in the Union cemetery.
ou
~—If Mr. GUTHRIE would just think it
over he might come to the conclusion
that the chairmanship of the State Com-
mittee is no guarantee of favor at the
White House.
v