&€9
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
INK SLINGS.
—Don’t be encouraged. August has
often been hotter than July.
—Next week we will have an intel-
lectual week at Chautauqua.
—Roosevelt’s army is now in the G.
A. R. sandwich class. Mustered out.
—Are you giving as much thought-
ful consideration to the excellence of
the “Watchman” as we are giving to
the editing of it?
—The Russians have invaded Hun-
gary. It seems next to the impossible
for the Teutons to stop their onward
sweep.
—Every town in Pennsylvania
worth while has the prospect of a pub-
lic building. Bellefonte doesn’t seem
to be in the worth while class, how-
ever.
—Sherman said “war is hell” and
our boys on the border have come to
the conclusion that if the real thing
is any hotter than their patrol duty in
Texas, it must be.
—If ever there was a bum weather
prophet the fellow who predicted that
the farmers would be making hay in
their overcoats this year is a shining
example of the class.
—“Republicans Plan for Fall Cam-
paign’ is the heading over the first
call to the disconsolate to rally to the
forlorn hope. “Fall” used in this par-
ticular sense, is synonomous with dull
and sickening thud.
—The photographs of the Hughes
girls, which are now being published
as part of the exploitation of their
distinguished father, do not indicate
that they should be classed among the
master pieces of the Creator.
—We don’t believe the stories that
are being sent out to the effect that
the crew of the submersible Deutsch-
land is in a panic of fear over their
possible fate on the return trip. The
Germans have not shown themselves
to be cowards.
—We are waiting for some of our
Republican friends to charge that the
presence of the man eating sharks
along the Atlantic coast resort is due
to the Democratic administration at
Washington. Some of them are capa-
ble of just such asinine thoughts.
——The bank clearings indicate the
highest measure of commercial pros-
perity and the pay envelopes show the
fullest standard of industrial activity.
And the Republican machine is oblig-
ed to go up against these conditions
on a calamity cry. Really there is in-
stant and urgent need for a relief ex-
pedition. .
—Reports from Fishing creek are
to the effect that the fishing has been
unusually poor since an eminent
Bellefonte lawyer tumbled into the
water down there. They say he went
in with such a splash that in all prob-
ability the trout for a mile up and
down stream were scared to the
mountains and haven’t, as yet, had the
temerity to return to their native
haunts.
—It remained for John M. Parker
to explode the theory that “once a
Moose is always a Moose.” As Vice
Presidential nominee of the Bull
Moose party he has called upon his
followers to convene in another con-
vention, excommunicate Roosevelt,
Flinn and Perkins, adopt the name of
“Eagles” and soar above the steam
roller methods of those who sold
them out for the promise of personal
preferment.
—The Philadelphia “North Ameri-
can” announced, on Sunday, that the
suburbs of that city have a “Jack the
hugger” who “Hugs Girls in Shady
Spot.” This is evidently a new sec-
tion of the human anatomy. Never
having heard of it before we call upon
our Philadelphia contemporary to
throw some light on the subject for
the information of rurals like our-
selves, who are at a loss to know just
where and what this “shady spot” is.
—Trout are getting so scarce and
hard to get on Fishing creek that
some of the local anglers are consid-
ering introducing a bill in the next
Legislature which, if enacted, would
make it unlawful to catch any but
male trout. These wise ones are now
at work devising bait that the female
of the species will turn up their noses
at and only the males will take and
when the experiments have been satis-
factorily developed the bill will be
framed.
—Of course it was to be presumed
that President Wilson would be charg-
ed with playing politics when he re-
quested former President Taft to be-
come chairman of the American com-
mission for the settlement of our diffi-
culties with Mexico. Mr. Taft is
probably more peculiarly fitted for
such service than any American living
and if he should decline to act he will
subject himself to the very proper
charge that he has held party expedi-
ency above service to the country that
has honored him with the highest of-
fice within its gift.
Carranza’s Obvious Duty.
The order to dispatch National
Guardsmen to the Mexican border
has had a most wholesome effect up-
on the mind of Mr. Carranza, the
First Chief of the so-called de facto
government of Mexico. Instead of
insisting upon the withdrawal of the
punitive expedition under command
of General Pershing in truculent
terms, he now professes a complete
acquiescence in the enterprise it has
undertaken and offers to aid in the
work. In fact he has already sent
inadequate forces against the ban-
dits under command of Villa and
pretended, at least, to be more or
less disappointed because his meagre
armies were defeated. But he is
not fooling anybody by his actions.
There has been and will be no abate-
ment of activities on the American
side of the border.
Carranza boasts that he has or
can summon an army of 60,000 to
oppose the bandit chief, who is said
to be supported by a force of three
or four thousand. But on the en-
counters reported thus far between
thera there have been no more than
fifteen hundred government troops
against considerable more than that
number of guerrillas. Of course the
government troops were defeated.
They were neither as capably officer-
ed nor as efficient. The result was
the creation of a fictitious enthusi-
asm among the bandits and a per-
ceptible impetus to their enlist-
ments. In other words instead of
contributing to the
the bandit operations Mr. Carran-
za’s movements have encouraged
them to greater effort and increased
activity. That is a poor way to
help.
If Carranza wants to extinguish
the bandit forces which have been
raiding the American communities
on the border his obvious duty is to
invite the American government - to
send a formidable expedition into
Mexico to help such force as he is
able to assemble in: a real war
against the banditti. There would
be no impairment of national spirit
or surrender of national honor in
such a course. France suffered no
loss of dignity in inviting armed
forces of Great Britain to come up-
on French soil to check the invasion
by Germany. Belgium has lost
nothing in national spirit by permit-
ting France and England to send
troops against the German invaders
of that, to them, sacred territory.
Then why should Mexican greasers
be so jealous of national honor?
Chairman Detrich’s Humor,
Like the late Artemus Ward’s kan-
garoo, Mr. A. Nevin Detrich, chair-
man of the Washington party State
committee is “a amoosin’ little cuss.”
While presiding over the obsequies of
the Bull Moose at Harrisburg, Pa.,
last week he pulled out of his pocket
a bunch of proxies and carried every
proposition that he submitted to the
meeting just as his boss, Bill Flinn,
wanted it disposed of. In an inter-
view made public since Mr. Detrich
sort of deprecates the use of proxies.
“I want to say,” he declares, “that the
three men at that committee meeting
last week who did the most kicking
against my voting proxies all held
proxies.”
The men to whom he referred are
former Congressman Rupley, of Cum-
berland county; Mr. Ruth, of Berks
county, and Mr. Boland, of Lackawan-
na county. Each of these gentlemen
held the proxy of the member of the
committee for the district in which he
lives and exercised a legitimate right
in voting upon it. But Detrich, who
lives in Franklin county, voted upon
proxies of committeemen who lived
in other parts of the State and repre-
sented constituencies who were dia-
metrically opposed to the action tak-
en by Detrich. He perverted a power
bestowed upon him under a misappre-
hension of conditions and if he is una-
ble to discern a difference between his
conduct and that of the other gentle-
men named he is a stupid ass as well
as a colossal humbug.
In his most recent interview Mr.
Detrich reveals his humorous bent in
another way, moreover. He has not
received any requests from members
of the committee to reorganize, as
yet, he declares, but adds: “I pre-
sume many will come.” Why this
presumption? If as he and Flinn
stated at the meeting, the overwhelm-
ing sentiment of the party is in favor
of the action taken he had no reason
to expect requests for a reversal. But
he probably knew the contrary to be
true and apprehends a protest. How-
ever, he consoles himself with the ex-
pectation that all the candidates will
withdraw and there will be nothing)
for a committee to do.
suppression of.
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA, JULY 21, 1916.
Sinister Side of Justice Hughes.
If former Justice Hughes had been
President of the United States when
Germany sent an army into Belgium,
would he have declared war against
the Kaiser’s government? At the
time that tragedy was perpetrated
Theodore Roosevelt said that there
was nothing the government of the
United States could do except that
which the Wilson administration did.
Yet former Justice Hughes insinu-
ates that he would have done some-
thing different. He doesn’t say so
in plain terms. He doesn’t even in-
dicate what he would have done. But
he tries to convey the impression
‘that Pregident Wilson failed in some
essential particular to meet his obli-
gations.
If former Justice Hughes had
been inaugurated as President of the
United States on March 4, 19183,
what would he have done with re-
spect to Mexico? For two years
that unhappy country had been in a
state of anarchy. President Diaz
had been driven out of the country
by revolutionists some time before.
One or two claimants to the title had
been murdered and the apparent
head of the murderous conspiracy
had usurped the office and was pre-
tending to exercise the power. Pres-
ident Taft had refused to recognize
the usurper and President Wilson
followed the precedent thus set. For-
mer Justice Hughes insinuates that
if he had come into the office of
President of the United States at
that time he would have pursued a
different course. What would he
have done?
The meanest scandal monger who
pollutes the atmosphere is he who
insinuates things, ascribes to others
sinister motives and implies false-
hood by innuenda. When Justice
Hughes was nominated for President
by the Republican convention we as-
sumed that he was a man of decent
life and honest impulses. By ‘his in-
sinuating falsehoods he proves that
he is neither. He is simply a slan-
derer without courage to put his ac-
cusations in tangible form that they
may be refuted. So far from being
the high-minded and honorable man
that would adorn high office, he is
simply a cowardly back-biter who
operates his evil designs by innuen-
do. Such a man will never be elect-
ed President of the United States.
The Rural Credits Bill.
No one of President Wilson's prede-
cessors in office planned as compre-
hensive a legislative program and
certainly no other President ever ac-
complished as much in the way of be-
neficent legislation. His last great
triumph in this field was celebrated on
Monday when he attached his signa-
ture to the Rural Credits bill. That
measure firmly fixes the farmer in the
business life of the country and gives
him equal opportunity with citizens of
other vocations in the strife toward
progress. Under its provisions capi-
tal will be accessible to the farmer as
it is to the merchant and manufactur-
er, according to his assets, and that is
an advantage he has never before en-
joyed in this country. ;
In signing this important piece of
legislation President Wilson remark-
ed that “the farmers, it seems to me,
have occupied hitherto a singular po-
sition of disadvantage. They have not
had the same freedom to get credit on
their real estate that others have had
who were in manufacturing and com-
mercial enterprises, and while they
have sustained our life they did not
in the same degree with some others
share in the benefits of that life.” The
purpose of the legislation in question
is to remove this inequality and
though the system is somewhat com-
plicated and more or less experimen-
tal, there are abundant reasons to
hope that it will be successful. Simi-
lar legislation has worked satisfactor-
ily in Germany.
The plan is something like that ex-
pressed in the Federal Reserve law re-
cently enacted which has given com-
plete satisfaction. It creates twelve
Federal land banks with a loan board
in control. These banks are empower-
ed to loan on first mortgages on farm-
lands to the limit of fifty per cent. of
the value of the land. ocal farm
loan associations are provided for,
which are composed of borrowers, who
have stock in the bank. The interest
rate is six per cent., borrowers will
share in the profits and mortgages
may run from five to forty years.
Altogether it is a promising measure
and if it meets the expectation of
those who have given it thought will
be of great benefit to farmers.
Roosevelt’s Army Disbanded.
Major General Theodore Roosevelt
has disbanded his army. In an order
signed by the Great Warrior himself,
attested by his Adjutant General and
certified by his Military Secretary,
he has notified that valiant host
which had expressed a willingness
to follow him, in search of glory, “to
the cannon’s mouth,” that the plan
has been abandoned. There is no
immediate need for the sacrifices
they had contemplated. The prompt
response of the National Guardsmen
throughout the country to the call of
the President relieved them of such
obligations to patriotism as influ-
enced them to offer their lives, their
fortunes and their poor relatives
upon the altar of Roosevelt’s ambi-
tions. :
This is a happy incident in the life
of the country. It has revealed not
only the highest standard of devo-
tion, but a collective unselfishness on
the part of a vast body of men with-
out parallel. Roosevelt himself made
little, if any sacrifice. There is no
great hardship in enlisting as Major
General to participate in an imagi-
nary war. On the contrary an en-
listment as Major General upon
terms which afforded almost equal
distinction to four sons and two
sons-in-law, thus placing the whole
family on “Easy Street,” is some-
thing in the nature of an enticement.
But the 19,994 other fellows who had
volunteered to serve in the Roose-
velt army manifested the real spirit
of altruism. Theirs was a sublime
specimen of patriotism.
But there is an irrepressible ex-
pression of comedy running through
this incident from start to finish.
In the first place nobody asked Mr.
Roosevelt to enlist as a Major Gen-
eral and nobody outside of a lunatic
asylum would entrust an army of
20,000 men to his control. in. war.
or out. The very fact that he ser-
iously considered such an enterprise
is ample proof of mental unfitness
for such service. He certainly knows
that organizing armies like other
functions of government are regulat-
ed by law and that no government
can commission a large body of men
to act as an army outside of the reg-
ulations. Literally his army would
have been simply a force of guer-
rillas. -
——The Clearfield “Progress”
last week published a fifty-six page
“Get Acquainted” edition for
Clearfield county which was a credit
to the publishers as well as the large
number of public men and business
places throughout the entire county
who took advantage of the columns
of the “Progress” to advertise them-
selves as well as their wares. The
paper was artistically gotten up,
profusely illustrated and contained
much valuable information about
Clearfield county not generally
known.
ST ——————
——No doubt the late John R. Me-
Lean had some interesting correspon-
dence with prominent people and it is
quite likely that there are some spicy
letters among his effects. But the
statement that the publication of his
letters would create havoc in official
life in Washington may be question- | be
ed. John was somewhat of a secre-
tive person himself.
——There is to be another Progres-
sive National convention, the purpose
of the second one being to let Colonel
Roosevelt know that he isn’t “the
whole cheese.” It may give him an
interesting tip or two on other sub-
jects also.
——The proxy record has been ac-
quired by Nevin Detrich, chairman of
the late Bull Mouse State comittee,
and he was only a beginner in politic-
al chicanery at that.
——Perkins and Bill Flinn may
have secured promises that satisfy
them for the present but they will on-
ly get what is coming to them after
the election.
——It has been decided that the
Deutschland may carry passéngers on
its homeward voyage. It's a safe bet,
however, that its passenger list will
be limited.
>So far as we have been able to
ascertain no government has been
able to supply parlor cars for the
movement of troops.
——Come to think of it it was prob-
ably the Armageddon army that
Roosevelt disbanded the other day.
UNGRATEFUL? ?
I ———
BY M. MURRAY BALSAM.
He never pays a single cent,
Toward food, or gas or even rent,
In winter, spring or fall.
While other folks are making hay
He sits or sleeps the live long day,
And worries not at all.
He never cares to work—not he,
Thinks its beneath his dignity.
Performing menial deeds,
He never buys a single stitch
Of clothes; yet tho’ we aren’t rich,
We cater to his needs.
Despite his faults, we love him so
We wouldn't trade him for—dear no,
Ten times his weight in gold.
And you'll not think it strange a bit,
The fact remains, I will admit,
“OUR BABY’S NINE MONTHS OLD.”
Hardly Starving.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Reports of National Guardsmen
rioting at stations, storming fruit
stands and stores, and complaining
bitterly that they had had nothing to
eat for 36 hours, more or less, should
be received with caution. The tales
which are now told regarding the
boisterous behavior of New York
troops at Cleveland are very similar
to those telegraphed two weeks ago
from Kansas City about Philadelphia
soldiers, and which were subsequent-
ly denied. It is to be feared that
high spirits among the militia and
journalistic imagination at various
stopping points are co-operating in
giving a wrong impression regarding
the manner in wkich the mobilization
is being handled.
General Leonard Wood, who is re-
sponsible for the provisioning of the
Eastern regiments, says that “every
man on that train (reported as
starving at Cleveland) had ten days’
rations when he left New York in
addition to a daily allowance of 20
cents for coffee or tea. The food
was the regulation army kind, which
is not the most eatable food in the
world, but which is wholesome and
sustaining.” All other troops have
been similarly provided.
One of the revelations of the mobil-
ization is that some of the men fail
to exercise proper self-restrrint,
This is not at all surprising, but un-
due importance should not be attach-
ed to it. It is not unusual for sol-
diers to get out of hand at times, es-
pecially among the militia. Stories
of starvation and great hardships
may be safely discounted.
Giving Him Confidence.
From the Youth’s Companion.
It was the first campaign, his first
political speech, even. Although the
county committee had sent him into
a rural district to try out his orator-
bical wings, he was encouraged by the
warm welcome of the local comimit-
tee and the elaborate preparations
for the meetings that were evident
on all sides. There was even a
band that played on the stand in the
public square for half an hour before
the speech. Finally the great mo-
ment arrived. The chairman step-
ped to the platform rail and address-
ed the crowd.
“Fellow citizens,” he said, “we
have with us today a young man
who is destined to make his mark in
the ranks of our party. He comes to
tell us of the burning issues that
confront us, and his fame as an ora-
tor has preceded him. He will now
address you, and when he has finish-
ed the band will call you together
again.”
Germany’s’ Splendid Achievement.
From the New York World.
Except under the stress. of war, no
experiment such as the Deutschland
so brilliantly carried through would
worth while. Little was it
thought, as the submarine was devel-
‘oped, that it would be converted to
the uses of commerce. But the Ger-
mans have demonstrated that it can
be made to serve as a carrier of
freight, in spite of the vigilance of
hostile fleets.
From necessity they may extend
this use of the submarine much fur-
ther, until we become accustomed to
the sight of undersea cargo carriers.
But there will always be the sharp
reminder that Germany was driven
to this expedient by a blockade that
closed the seas to her thousands of
ships of commerce. The voyage was
a splendid achievement, but it does
not restore to Germany the freedom
of the seas.
By Parcel Post.
From the Popular Science Monthly.
Though our parcel post is a won-
derful system, enabling us to send all
kinds of strange things by mail, the
English system can do one thing
which we have as yet not attempted.
An Englishman who was in a hu
to reach a part of London with whic
he was unfamiliar, called at the gen-
eral postoffice to consult a directory.
Upon explaining his case, the clerk
gave him the startling information
that he could go parcel post for
the payment of threepence a mile.
He was accordingly placed in charge
of a messenger who took him to his
destination. The boy carried a print-
ed slip on which was written “Arti-
cle required to be delivered” with a
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—Miss Grubbs is the highly appropriate
name of the newly elected teacher of domestic
science in the public schools of Latrobe.
—Lock Haven is rejoicing over the disap-
pearance of its last case of diphtheria. Save
for a few cases of measles the town is free
from infectious diseases.
—Sheridan Ardary, aged 50, a resident of
Kylertown, was found dead near the old tan-
nery, in Philipsburg, Tuesday morning, He is
survived by a wife who did not live with him
and by two adult children.
—Thomas Haag, aged 19, a resident of La-
trobe, and a member of Company M, Tenth
regiment, National Guard of Pennsylvania,
was drowned while swimming in the Rio
Grande last Monday evening.
—The handsome $50,000 church edifice
erected by South Fork United Evangelicals
was dedicated Sunday with appropriate ecer-
emonies. The dedicatory exercises were in
charge of Bishop W. M. Stanford, of Harris-
burg.
—Harry R. Eberly, controller of Williams
port, who was stricken with paralysis while in
Bellefonte last April for the big Odd Fellows
convention, is slowly recovering, but does not
expect to resume his official duties for some
weeks.
—The town council of Newport has joined
the Municipal league of that town in filing ob-
jections before the State Public Service Com-
mission to the proposed abandonment of the
Newport and Sherman Valley railroad be-
tween Newport and Bloomfield Junction.
—G. W. Bubb, a resident of Williamsport,
visited friends in Mosquito valley last Sun-
day and in the evening started to walk
home. He was taken ill on the road and
was picked up by ,a passing automobilist in
whose car he died as it was passing through
DuBoistown.
—Elk county commissioners are still on the
Progressive list. They have just filed a peti-
tion with the clerk of courts for the improv-
ing of the highway between St. Mary’s and
Johnsonburg to the extent of $10,000, which is
believed to be sufficient to put it into fine
shape for travel.
—DMadera is making arrangements to roy-
ally entertain the District Convention of the
Improved Order of Red Men which meets in
that place on August 4th and 5th. It will
be the greatest event ever held in Madera.
The parade, with at least five bands in line,
will be a feature.
—The motion filed by the Elizabeth Whit-
comb heirs for a new trial in the $100,000
suit lost recently against the borough of
Hollidaysburg for appropriating lands for
water sheds, has been overruled by Judge
Charles P. Orr, of the United States dis
trict court at Pittsburgh.
—Nine mules were burned to death and
thosands of dollars’ worth of mine supplies
were destroyed late Thursday night when
the mule barn of the R. & P. Coal and Iron
company at Eleanora was burned after be-
ing struck by lightning during the passage
of a severe electric storm.
—Johnstown has a man named James A.
Diabel who acknowledged before Mayor
Franke, of Johnstown, that he has slapped
his wife several times “because she needed
it,” four days after she had given birth to a
child. He paid a fine of $30 and the mayor
‘was right when he said such a man desery-
£d to be hanged. :
“~When a motor car plunged over a 75-
foot embankment on the Eagles Mere-Pic-
ture Rocks roadway Harold, the three-year-
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hoff, of
Montgomery, Lycoming county, was instant
killed, his skull having been fractured.
Six other persons were in the car and all
were more or less injured.
—Mrs. William Mason, of Clearfield, was
instantly killed and her husband and two
small sons were severely shocked when a
bolt of lightning struck a barn in which
they had taken shelter during the prevalence
of an electric storm. They had been in the
woods enjoying a picnic supper and took ref-
uge in Calvin Bailey's barn. The structure
was entirely destroyed.
—While Miss Olive Fruit, residing in Re-
novo, was carrying a can of gasoline
through a room in -which her father sat,
that gentleman chanced to light a maten.
There was an explosion and the girl’s hands
were badly burned although she held on to
the can, rushed to an open window and
threw it out. Her presence of mind pre-
vented a much more serious accident.
—At a joint meeting of business men of
Lock Haven and Williamsport, in the latter
city, Charles C. Krouse, president of the
Williamsport Board of Trade, and W. E.
Shaffer, president of the Lock Haven Busi-
ness Men's association, were unanimously
authorized to appoint a joint committee to
work toward the establishment of a state
highway between Williamsport and Renovo.
—The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh
shop men’s strike is over. One thousand
men who had been idle since Wednesday,
July 12th, held a great mass meeting Fri-
day morning and decided almost unani-
mously to accept a tentative agreement
which had been reached by the scale commit-
tee of the Union No. 15166, and officials of
the company, and every man is now at
work.
—Thirty-one hundred and twenty-five cars,
filled with munitions of war and consigned
to Vladivostock, Siberia, have gone through
the East Hollidaysburg freight classification
yards of the Pennsylvania Railroad compa-
ny within the past eight months. The bulk
of these shipments have reached the Russian
battle front by this time. On Sunday a sol-
id train of seventy-five cars of shrapnel
shells went through the yards, en route to
the Allied armies, in France.
—Clearfield county lost one of its oldest
and most notable inhabitants on Monday of
last week when Mrs. Ann Moore, widow of
Nathan Moore, died at her home in Gram-
pian, at the age of 90 years, 4 months and
8 days. She had been a resident of the
Grampian country for sixty-six years, dur-
ing which time she had nursed and cared
for 315 babies born to parents of that com-
munity. She is survived by two sons. The
funeral took place on Thursday from the
Friends’ church at Grampian and was con-
ducted by Reuben Kester, of Philadelphia,
her former pastor. '
—One of the important land transactions
in Indiana county the past week was that of
the transfer of coal land to the Clearfield
Bituminous Coal Corporation and Rembrandt
Peale by Myrtle J. McKendrick, of Indiana.
The land transferred was 174 acres in
Cherryhill township, one-third of 174 acres
being sold to Rembrandt Peale for $5,288.46.
Two-thirds of the land, or 116 acres, have
been transferred to the Clearfield Coal Cor
poration for the sum of $10,570.98. The lat-
ter's coal operations comprise a large
amount of valuable coal land in that county,
and the acquisition of the Indiana coal con-
siderably increases the holdings of the come
description of the parcel following.
panies.
*