| P. GRAY MEEK. INK SLINGS. —Remember, it is not so much what you give as the spirit in which you give it. —Putting another tax on automobiles won't prove a very popular means of raising revenue. —The Democratic National convention will convene in St. Louis, Mo., on Wed- nesday, June 14th, 1916. —Next year the girls will have their inning again and many a timid swain may be helped over the rough places on the way to matrimony. —“CROWLEY,” surely that name sounds too much like Ireland to be involved with the German Consulate in San Francisco in a plot to blow up outgoing ships. —The quickest way to get rid of the un-American hyphenated American idea is to wipe all prefixes designating nation- ality out of use as applied to the word American in distinguishing a citizen of the United States. —We protest against the plan to put a fire alarm whistle on the steam heat works. In the first place there won’t be half enough steam to blow it and in the second, we need that steam to keep our radiators from freezing up. —Tuesday morning of this week last year brought the first real appearance of winter. It had been raining on Monday, the rain turned to sleet that night, with snow Tuesday morning, but by Wednes- day there was nothing left but mud. - —VERNON CASTLE has quit the stage and professional dancing to prepare him- self for enlistment in the flying corps of the English army. VERNON was born in England and would have enlisted sooner, perhaps, if it hadn’t been for “the hesi- tation.” —When you are thinking of a desira- ble Christmas remembrance for a friend at home or at a distance fasten your thought on the WATCHMAN. It will be fifty reminders of your friendship and thoughtfulness that would be wonderful- ly acceptable to any one longing for the reliable and well presented news of Cen- tre county. x —*5, 0.8!” “S. 0. 81” *S, ‘0. SI” Last week we sent out the hurry call for help in raising that $3000, that we need. It’s down to $——— now. Possiblysome of you didn’t hear it. In fact many of you evidently didn’t, the response indi- cates it. If you were deaf in the ear we sent the call into last week turn the good member around and listen. We must have $3000 to make the WATCHMAN bet- ter and ourselves happier. Your share may be a trifling sum. Won't you please send it in promptly? —If it were not for our college profess- ors our mental existence would be a most tranquil one. ‘Here's a Cornell sa- vant passing out the dope that movies, automobiles, industrialism and alcohol are breaking down the human race. Then we stack this bit of highbrow infor- mation up against the declaration of the wise boy of another great institution to the effect that the human race is becom- ing morally purer and more virile every day and where are we? At the point of wondering which one of the really smart men is lying. —The manager of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Co., has resigned a $30,000 job ‘because he thinks that when a man is past seventy years old he is “either fool- ish or irritable.” While we grant that there is something in Mr. BOWERS’ state- ment we are of the opinion that only two conditions make for the incapacity that he fears. No man past seventy years of age need necessarily become foolish un- less he becomes a widower and goes hunting a second wife, nor need he be ir- ritable unless his digestive apparatus goes to the bad. —Ordinarily the announcement that a gentleman named KELSEY, of Fleming- ton, Pa., has been appointed to a $3000.00 job on the State Water Commission would have little more than passing in- terest for Centre county politicians. It means more than appears on the sur- face, however. No less a distinguished - seeker after place and perquisites than our own ToM HARTER had inaugurated a gum shoe campaign for the “snit” that Mr. KELSEY has landed and knowing how singularly happy ToM feels when sitting up at the “pie counter” anywhere we know how secretly unhappy he must feel now. This brings to mind the fact that Centre county is not being very well tak- en care of at Harrisburg. Every day long lists of those who have received the Governor’s favor are being named for this or that “snit” and we scan them in vain for the name of some one of the faithful in Centre county. It is too bad. It is pathetic. It is an outrage upon the expectations of such eminent exponents of Republicanism as the Hon. Deacon HARRIS et al. They actually say that he has become so nearly a nervous wreck that he spills more alfalfa than he uses when rolling a cigarette nowadays and that he has looked so steadily towards Harrisburg that he has worn out those valuable glasses through which he once saw a majority of twothousand for Judge QUIGLEY. There is hope! When Tom HARTER couldn’t land some one must surely be slated for a juicy plum in Cen- tre county. > TOL 60. BELLEFONTE, PA STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. .. DECEMBER 10, 19 15. NO. 49. SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. —Itis said whole fields of corn remain uncut in Juniata county and that much corn remains unhusked, in spite of the very favorable weather of the fall. —N. E. Young, of Williamsport, for some years past a conductor on that city’s trolley line, has fallen heir to a fortune estimated at from $55,000 to $80,000 and has resigned his position, expect- ing to embark in other business. —David J. Miller, an eccentric old bachelor who died last week in Somerset county, was .| buried in the casket he selected more than three years ago, and which he had stored in one of the town’s undertaking establishments. —Roy Will is the name of a 20-year-old resi- dent of Snyder county, his home being two miles north of McClure, who took his first ride on a The President’s Message. | —_— | As might have been expected a con- | siderable part of the President’s mes- sage, delivered in person to Congress in joint session on Tuesday, is devoted to | the question of strengthening the defen- i sive facilities of the country. His plan is that which has already been outlined to the public by Secretary of War GARRI- SON and Secretary of the Navy DANIELS, and enthusiastically received by a vast ; majority of the people. It may justly be designated as a conservative proposition to increase the army and navy, as com- pared with the present forces, about in tke same ratio that population and wealth has increased within the period that has elapsed since the existing limits were. fixed. For example -the present maximum strength of the army is 5023 officers and 102,980 men. The proposition is to raise that force to 7136" officers and 134,707 men. In addition to that the President proposes to create a new contingent te be known as a Continental army to an aggregate of 400,000 men by enlisting 133,000 annually for three years. This contingent would be equipped at once and called into camp for drill and disci- . pline on an average of two months each vear. The President believes that pub- lic patriotism would keep this force up to the standard all the time and make it efficient. The National Guard would be recruited to full strength and improved in every way. With respect to the navy the Presi- dent’s plan is no serious departure from the time honored policies of the Demo- cratic party. It contemplates the con- struction of ten battleships within a pe- riod of five years. In addition it would provide for six battle cruisers, ten other cruisers, fifty destroyers, fifteen fast sub- marines and eighty five coast subma- rines. The battle cruisers are a new unit in the naval equipment in this coun- try. They are simply very fast battle- ships being built for speed rather than for battery service. In addition to those | shipsit is proposed to add four gunboats, one hospital ship and two fuel oil ships to the equipment. The completion of this program will require ten years. The discordant note in the Presidents message is the renewal of his proposition for the purchase of ships for carrying trade with South America. This isa pol- icy which has always been opposed by the Democratic party and is abhorrent to the fundamental principle which for- bids governmental competition with the citizen in business. It is a species of i subsidy and subsidies are evils however ! they may be disguised. ' i Distress in the Capitol City. Harrisburg, the capitol city of Penn- ‘sylvania, sometimes derisively referred to as the “State Steal Works,” has had | trials and tribulations through all its more or less eventful history. But so! far as information is attainable it has’ never suffered under such a load of trouble as that which is now bearing it down. The Buckshot War was bad | enough and there have been legislative | scandals, the memory of which brings a blush to the cheek of every honest citi: zen of the Commonwealth. But these were trifling incidents in comparison, pleasant and peaceful dreams as com- | pared with the most horrible nightmare imaginable. : The “sum and substance” of the pres- ent distress in the State capitol is a work of art. Mr. HERSHEY, the chocolate king, “whose home and habitation isa | personally conducted village within the | shadow of the dome of “the Palace of Graft,” contracted with an Italian sculp- tor to create for him in marble a foun- tain to decorate his lawn. After the bar- gain was sealed, the “candy king” visited | the artist’s studio, and presumably, un- der the influence of an artistic atmos: | phere, consented to such changes in the specifications as developed the fountain | into a trio of nude female figures which ' justified the title of “Eternal Spring.” It was a beautiful creation, but to the un- sophistocated mind naughty, and when delivered in the rural retreat in which the chocolate king reigns, assumed an abhorrent form. = | Thereupon the king refused to accept the figure and declined to pay the con- siderable price which had been put upon it. A suit at law ensued and the artist won, thus compelling the acceptance. Making the best of a bad bargain the de- ' fendant presented the figure to the city | of Harrisburg and “wished” upon the community the duty of placing it. Those upon whom this duty devolves remem- ber that the female figures which were placed at the entrance of the Capitol had. to be draped to satisfy the prudery of the city and these figures have “Septem- ber Morn” skinned a mile. ! Small 'won- der the authorities of the city are in dis- - tress. ! . Ever since This is the Spirit. Last week the WATCHMAN published an item to the effect that it needs $3000.00 by the first of the year. It was not a joke, it was a plain, fair call to those readers of the paper who are in arrears to help a little in raising an amount which will be necessary to clean up current bills and finance some improvements that are necessary to the efficiency of the mechanical department of this office. If we had called upon three or four or even a dozen people to contribute such a sum it would have sounded like a prodigious undertaking. But the call is to hundreds and hundreds. No one owes the WATCHMAN very much and those who | do, have the best of credit here and always will have. That's what the WATCH- MAN thinks of its customers. But the trouble is that the fellows in the city who sell us paper, ink, type and machinery don’t think the same of the WATCHMAN’S credit. They want cash in: thirty or sixty days and if they don’t get it the next thing they want is a lawyer or the sheriff. Now you see how it is. We have to pay our bills as we go along and about the only capital we can lay up with which to make replacement and improve- ments is represented by the unpaid subscriptions on our list. And a dollar or two due from many hundred readers would make quite a neat sum if it could all be gathered together. We don’t hope to do that. We are not asking anyone who finds it inconven- ient to pay all of his bill to pay it. All we want is something. If you owe $3.00 or $4.00 and just don’t have it to spare send half the amount. That will be very acceptable and help along wonderfully. Our old friend Isaac Harpster, of Gatesburg, caught the spirit of it exactly. He read the item in last week’s paper and three days later we got the following from him: P. Gray ‘Meek: DEAR Sir.—Enclosed please $3,000 you need. Give me credit for per like the WATCHMAN on all wind. GATESBURG, Dec. 8, 1915. find $1.00 to help make up that same. I know you cannot run a pa- Yours truly, ISAAC HARPSTER. . "Now probably it didn’t suit Mr. Harpster, just at the time, to send any more, but he did send what he could spare and if all the others would do the same our fund could be completed and we’d all be happy. Punishment that Fits the Crime. | The President’s request for their re- call was the only fit response to the activities of Captain VON Pa- PEN and Captain Boy-Ep, attaches of ‘the German legation in Washington. the beginning of the Euro- pean war thése ge: have. | abusing the hospitality of the goverti- ment and violating the laws of the land. For some months the President has been. cognizant of their operations and his patience has been-severely tried. There- fore when the evidence of their perni- cious activities were revealed by the tes- timony of credible witnesses in a court of ‘law, he had no alternative. He prompt- ly and emphatically asked the German Ambassador to have them recalled. Diplomatic agents of a government are entitled to and enjoy many special privi- leges among which are freedom from ar- rest. But they are also under obligations to obey the laws of the country to which they are accredited and to abide by the rules of hospitality. As a rule they are educated men and thoroughly informed as to their duties. In fact European dip- lomatists are trained to their duties and schooled in their obligations. The culprits in this case are especially well in- | formed in the matter. Their delinquen- cies were “in the light of knowledge.” Their offences are aggravated by full understanding. In the circumstances | there was nothing to do except as the President did. . The offence charged against these diplomatic attaches is that they procured the discharge of ships by false represen- tation as to cargoes and destination. But it is known,and practically admitted, that they have been concerned in various conspiracies against the industrial life of the country and were active in efforts to procure fraudulent passports. These offences are indictable under the law, if committed by other than diplomatic agents of a foreign government. This ‘relationship, however, does not mitigate the offence or lessen the perfidy involv- ed. The culprits are as guilty of crime as if they had been tramps and the Pres- ident has fitly punished them. ——Of course Senator PENROSE will oppose the President’s preparedness pro- gramme. PENROSE would pervert patri- otism, religion, morality and every other sacred thing to politics and the result is that he is discredited even among the interests he serves with such slavish fidelity. ’ : I ———————. v ——Having “tied up” the city of Phila- delphia BILL VARE is now in Washington dictating the plans and programmes of Congress. BILL VARE is a marvelous man in his own mind. ——If Germany gets a correct answer to its demand for the reason why the recall of Boy-Ep and VON PAPEN was request ed its kultur will receive a hard knock. . ——Panama canal slides are to be in- vestigated by experts who will probably discover that no actual reason can be ‘found for them. men have. been | The Sixty-fourth Congress. The Sixty-fourth Congress which as- sembled at noon on Monday is "likely to make history. Since the session that opened on the first Monday of December, 1861, no Congress has had before it more print problems or a more difficult urse. Under the excitement of domes- tic disturbance ing, t domestic tranquility. We are not only free from war but in the midst of pros- perity, an unusual combination. Never- theless the Sixty-fourth Congress will be compelled to make appropriations great- er than any of its predecessors and rec- oncile the public to the consequences. If there is anything more abhorrent to | the rational American mind than anoth- er it is militarism. Every real achieve- ment of our government has been along the lines of peace. In agricultural pro- duction we have mastered the world. In manufactures, commerce and industry we have easily taken the first place. But the Congress which assembled on Mon- day will be compelled to take steps in the direction of militarism, though it will not necessarily go to that extreme. It will be required to provide defensive facilities adequate to any emergency that may arise while keeping within the limits of our traditions asa peaceful peo- ple. This is the titanic task which is cut out for the coming Congress. : Undoubtedly the appropriations of the present Congress will mark a new record. The popular demand for an increased navy and army will increase the expendi- tures for the fiscal year to a figure which has never been equaled in times of peace. But conditions have changed. Our “splendid isolation” is no longer an ample protection. We must make ready for any emergencies that may arise and the preparation is expensive. There is comfort, however, in the conviction ' that the government will get one hundred cents worth of value for every dollar ap- propriated. In other words so long as the present administration is in control there will be neither graft nor slovenliness to absorb the substance of the people. ——Mr. ForD offered Mr. EDISON a million dollars if he would go along with the absurd peace expedition and consid- ering the amount of money FORD has EDISON'S presence aboard would have been ‘worth that sum. It might have saved the outfit from a destructive storm of ridicule. ! . —We publish the President’s message to Congress in full in ‘this issue. Read it. Itis a splendid document and one fraught with great interest to every citi- zen of the United States. : ! ——Friends of the President depend too much upon the support of Uncle Jog CANNON. If Uncle JOE gets a chance to throw a harpoon into the Democratic party he will be certain to do so. ——Anyway the people can be certain that money appropriated by Congress —=Have your Job Work done here. will be honestly spent. 4 things are easy. Every-| body is acquiescent. But we are enjoy- nks to the patience and wisdom ! of the President, a period of exceptional : Should Get Together. ; From the Johnstown Democrat. : ! All our time-serving politicians, be- lieving that the proposition is popular, | favor national “preparedness.” But ! they are at sea as to what kind of pre- | paredness the country needs. Conse- . quently we have all sorts and conditions ‘of preparationists. One class favors | “reasonable” pr unmindful of | the fact that no astute politician would : think of favoring unreasonable prepared- ness. Then we have those who vocifer- + ously declare that they are for “adequate” i preparedness and will not be satisfied with anything less. We have in our midst likewise “common sense” prepara- tionists: and ‘“‘satisfactory” preparation- ists. Then again we have the negative. | preparationist who, undecided with | which class to ally himself, declares that ! he is unalterably opposed to “frenzied” | or “panicky” preparedness. | . Where there is such a conflict of opin- rions as to the kind of preparation the | nation seems to need, would it not be ' well for this heterogeneous aggregation of statesmen to call a conyenti themselves and first determine whether the country is in need of any kind of for national preparedness emanates from the counting rooms of the War: Trust— which comprises such truly patriotic con- Plate Trust and the Powder Trust. The first two concerns are on record as furnishing the government defective armor plate at $600 a ton, at the same time furnishing Russia perfect plate without a blow hole for $249 a ton, = It would be well for our preparationist politicians to look into the past record of the War Trust and they may discover the source of this insane demand for na- tional defense. Mule Story by Telephone. Luke had been sent to the store with the mule and wagon. What happened is told at Luke's end of the conversation over the telephone from the store. | “Gimme seb’n-leben. | “Gimme dat number quick, please’'m. “Dis yer’s Luke, sah. “Dis yer’s Luke, I say, suh. “I tuk de wagon to de sto’ fo’ dat truck. “Yas, suh, I'm at de sto’. “Dat mule, she balk, suh, “She’s balkin’ in de’ big road, near de sto’. : “No, suh, she ain’t move, . “No, suh, I don’t think she's gwine t' move. ; “Yas, suh, I beat ‘er. “I did beat her good. “She jes’ r’ar a 1i’l bit, suh. “Yas, suh, she kick, too. “She jes’ bus de whiffletree 1i’l bit, suh. “No, suh, dat mule won’t lead. “Yas, sub, I tried it. “No, suh, jus’ bit at me. ! “No, suh, I ain’ tickle de laigs. “I tickle um last year, suh, once. “Yas, suh, we twis’ "er tail. “No, suh, I ain’t done it. “Who done it? . “I tink he’s I'l travelin’ man f'um ' Boston, suh. He twis’ ’er tail. | “Yas, suh! She sho’ did! “Right spang in de face, suh. “Dey’s got ’im at de sto’. “Dey say he’s comin’ to, suh. “I don’t know—he do look mighty sleepy to me, suh. : “Yas, suh, we tried dat. . “Yas, suh, we built a fire under ’er,. “No, suh, dat ain’ make ’er go. “She jes’ move up li'l bit, suh. ‘Yas, suh, de wagon bu’n right up. “Dat’s whut I'm telephonin’ yu ’bout-to ast yu please sen’ a wagon to hitch up to dis yer mule. She ain’t gwine budge lessen she’s hitched up. Good-by. suh.” 1 War Crisis Approaching. From the Altoona Times. Regardless of Henry Ford’s movement for peace, some eminent authorities agree that a crisis in the European war is near at hand. There are two reasons given: One is that all the nations involved are extremely anxious to have something decisive brought about before the win- ter fully sets in. The other reason is that the operations in the Balkans touch the central nerve of the real reason for the war—the desire of Germany to have an open way across Asia to tap British commerce in India and China. If Germany loses this, nothing else it may gain will atone for the loss. Itis said that Germany, losing this, will give up the fight and ask for peace." The seriousness of the situation is proved by. the strong concentration of German forces in the Balkan campaign, even to the weakening of the campaign against Russia on the east and against France and Great Britain on the west. On the other side, the dispatch of Gen- eral Kitchener to the Balkans is a proof of the estimate which the allies put upon the importance of the result in the Bal- kans. It is interesting to note that from the earliest times in the history of Europe nearly all wars have sooner or later in- volved the territory in southeastern Europe which is now designated by the general name, the Balkans. Not With Wilson’s Consent. From the Springfield Republican. Senator Weeks will never ride into the :| presidency of the United States on the issue that the assassin dictator Huerta should have been recognized as president of Mexico. We're Safe for Quite a Spell. "| From the Krioxville Journal and Tribune. Villa said he could lick the whole Unit- ed States; but it is pleasant to note he is not going to begin until he gets through with nza. of . preparation. They might find that out before adjournment that all the clamor cerns as the Steel Trust, the Armor |. ger train less than a week ago. His moth- er has yet to take her initial train ride. —Mrs. June Querry Walker, of Johnstown, who died in a hospital there last Thursday morn- ing, was married less than a year and the few months that have intervened since her marriage witnessed the death of both her parents. —The individual who swindled several Clinton county ministers out of small sums recently has been arrested and lodged in jail at Lock Haven to await trial. He gives his name as Charles C. Griest and claims to hail from Montour county. —A fellow calling himself John D. Witt who entered a Lock Haven grocery a few days ago, insulted the young lady clerk and struck the pro- prietor, inflicting a severe wound, was sent by Judge Hall to the penitentiary for not less than two years and nine months. —In the Westmoreland county court, at Greens- burg, Mrs. Mary Kowalski, of Claridge, was’ awarded $300 damages in an action for slander against Frank Leniski, of the same town. It was shown that the man had made frequent remarks reflecting on the lady’s reputation. 3 : —John Glenn, 10 years old, was cremated last Saturday night when the home of his grand- parents, with whom he lived, was burned tc the ground at Martintown, Indiana county. His grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. William Glenn, had a narrow escape from a similar fate. —Comity between State employees in Hunt- ingdon county seems to be an unknown factor, a .State forester having been fined and taxed a total of $59.46 because two dogs owned by him were caught running deer. The information was made by a State game protector. . —Robert L. Sterling, of Beaver, Pa., aged 80, former member of the State Legislature, died on Sunday from blood poisoning which developed from a wound on his left foot as a result of wear- ing a tight shoe. He was first elected to the Legislature on the Republican ticket in 1885 and again in 1891. —Through the showing of the African game pictures of Lady Grace MacKenzie throughout the United States, the Wild Life League of Penn- sylvania hopes to secure sufficient funds to en- able them to purchase the Cook forest, in Clarion county, the largest tract of virgin timber yet re- maining in the State. —Former Commissioner Gabriel Good, of Som- erset county, declares that he has a joint of pipe on his kitchen range that has been in use for at least seventy-two years, he having had it for fifty years, while his mother told him it had al- ready seen twenty-two vears of service before it passed into his possession. —Over in Lycoming county the other day Judge Whitehead suspended sentence on a wife beater named Waltz, telling him to go home and live peaceably with his wife. The Judge likewise re- marked that if Waltz ever went home drunk he would be locked up for a year while the landlord who sold him the drink would lose his license. “-~When a citizen of Ligonier arose early Satur. day morning he found the body of a man named Robert Ankney hanging against a picket fence, his neck having been caught between two of the '| pickets. As the neck wasnot held very closely it is not quite certain whether he was strangled to death or died from exposure. He was aged 25 years. -—While engaged in painting the ceiling at a Philipsburg slaughter house Monday morning, Gust Nelson, a highly respected citizen of All port, Clearfield county had the misfortune to get his clothing entangled in the machinery and be hurled to instant death. He was born in Sweden 54 years ago and is survived by his wife and five children. —Melancholy because of ill health, Cyrus Rugh, a farmer 60 years old, living near Greens- burg, got up from the breakfast table Monday morning, picked up a rifle, carried it to his bed room and shot himself through the heart. He was dead when members of his family who heard the report reached the room. His wife and five ‘| children survive. —Frank Sembella, an Austrian employed in Johnstown, had accumulated $600 which he meant to deposit in a bank. Meeting three strangers, also Austrians, who made him believe they were from his home town, he allowed them to look at his roll. He received in return a dol- lar bill wrapped around several pieces of paper of the same dimensions. —Charles A. Livingstone, Irwin’s lone police- man, has resigned. In his letter to the borough council he says that he has acted as chief of police, dog catcher, health officer and truant officer. Every time he made an arrest somebody tried to thrash him. Several times after making arrests he had been taken into court on a charge of assault and battery. And so he throws up his hands. —Enraged when he found two young men, Fred Bells and Warren Underwood, at the home of Miss Anna Benns, in Emporium, on Friday, Morris Young, one of the young woman's ad- mirers pulled out a revolver and fired at each of the three. Ineach case the caitridge failed to explode. Then placing the pistol against his own head, Young pulled the trigger a fourth time, killing himself. —The management of the Johnstown and Irvona brick plants, owned by Hiram Swank’s Sons, announced Tuesday that approximately $45,000 will be spent next year in improvements. The greater part of the improvements will be made at the local plant, itis said. It is the pur- pose of the operators to make the combined out- put of the two concerns 30,000,000 a year. Changes will be made in the track facilities and four new kilns will be erected, making a total of six at the local works. A large dryer also will be installed. —While preparing supper at her -home, Ethel Lawson, aged 27, of East Altoona, was struck in the face by the contents of a can of coffee which exploded and severely burned the girl’s face and neck at 5.30 o'clock Sunday. Another member of the family had placed the can on the kitchen stove. It had been boiling several minutes and the lid had been pushed tightly over the top. Steam accumulated in the vessel and, as the girl bent over the stove, the can suddenly exploded with aloud report, hurling the lid and a stream of hot liquid into Miss Lawson's face. —John Anderson, aged 22, a coal miner of Rosebud, Pa., appeared at Altoona hospital, on Sunday, with a bullet wound in his left shoulder. The only explanation he would give was that he was busy dodging bullets when one of them struck him. Anderson stated that he was on the first floor of his boarding house, when someone with a revolver “cut loose” onthe second floor, and for several moments the occupants of the ground floor turkey trotted about in an effort to escape the danger. Anderson was the only one shot, and after the bullet was removed and the wound dressed, he left the hospital and returned to his home,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers