“BY P. GRAY MEEK. INK SLINGS. —This must be the January thaw. —Did you have much trouble getting used to dating it 1917. —Ice is being cut in some parts of the county. The wise man makes hay when the sun shines. —There are other things quite as pleasant as being Governor of Pennsyl- vania these days, — How many of the new leaves that you turned over on the 1st are beginning to take on that sere and yellow look. —If the Vares had spent more time in getting votes and less in calling names they might not have been forced to move to make it unanimous. — We have all the paper we will need in 1917 stored away, thanks to a list of subscribers the like of which no other country paper ever had. —Strange, that it took’Governor Brum- baugh two years to find out that so many of his heads of Departments were not loyal to his administration. —1It is back to the woodpile for Gov- ernor Brumbaugh. He might be a good preacher, he has the reputation of being a good teacher, but in politics he has some things to learn. —The Standard Oil Co., has announc- ed that its research warrants the asser- tion that our supply of crude oil will last 138 years more. It must break poor John D's heart to think that he can’t stay with it to the finish. —The Hon. Harry Scott voted with Penrose on the organization of the House. That was to be expected. Scott always was a Penrose man, was elected as one and is not the kind to go back on his convictions or his friends. —1It looks like it is a fight to the fin- ish on the other side. The Allies have a suspicion that there is serious internal trouble among the central powers and are determined to press home whatever advantage they may have as a result of it. —Page 2 of this issue of the “Watch- man” is one that is worth while preserv- ing. Itis the chronology of 1916 and carries a lot of information you will prob- ably be hunting for some months later, if you don’t have this issue laid away for reference. —The citizen's committee that is nurs- ing the steam heat works now is happy in the discovery that it is a mere matter of shoveling in the coal to make Belle- fonte as hot as hades. Later, it will be time to make the discovery that the matter of paying for the coal is a differ- ent one. —We have been utterly overwhelmed with the responses to the letters we mailed to subscribers last month. The gracious spirit of the letters we have re- ceived, the many expressions of kindli- ness and appreciation of the “Watch- man” have been encouraging indeed. We regret that we can't reply personally to every one of them, for surely courtesy would seem to demand it. All we can say is that our faith in the “Watchman” subscribers is wholly vindicated. They are the salt of the earth and, being so, appreciate a good newspaper. —William E. Tobias has instituted a contest of the election of the Hon. Charles Rowland to Congress in this District. Rowland’s majority was 212 in the District and Mr. Tobias charges that he procured that through improper re- turns.in certain precincts, through an il- legal alliance with the Socialists and through spending more money than the corrupt practices act permits candidates for Congress to spend. We don’t recall a Congressional contest in this District since that of Curtin and Yocum. At that time a Democratic Congress was sitting and the shade of partisanship was with the contestant, but Congress seated Yocum, who had been elected as a Green- backer. —Rumor has it that Clinton county is grooming Henry Hipple to oppose Judge Harry Alvan Hall, should he decide to run again in the Cameron-Clinton-Elk district. While it may prove only a ru- mor we regret to note the fact that some Clinton county Democrats are talking of it as though it would be the means of resurrecting the old Old Guard and Re- organizer fight in that county. How foolish! How short sighted! In the first place the judiciary contest is pre- sumed to be non-partisan, very much more so, it should be non bi-partisan. In the second, the district is a bad field in which to inject any such issues or open old wounds that have been slowly heal- ing. The memory of the late Senator Hall is still cherished in Elk and Cam- eron and certain parts of Clinton and any attempt to asperse his memory will be resented by his friends in a way that would certainly prove disastrous to tne plans of those who would predicate a campaign for president judge on the question as to whether an aspirant was an Old Guard Democrat or a Reorganizer. ) VOL. 62. Pot and Kettle Again Active. During the campaign for the Speaker- | ship of the House Senator Penrose told a good deal of truth about the Governor and his Attorney General, Francis Shunk Brown. On the other hand both of those gentlemen made some exceedingly un- complimentary remarks about Senator Penrose. For example the Senator de- clared that “the State administraticn, in many places, was against the Republican candidates,” last fall and that the party was “handicapped by the character of the people who surrounded Governor Brum- | baugh.” In support of this assertion he characterized Congressman John R. K. Scott as “a defender and protector of the lowest type of criminals, ballot box stuff- ers, white slavers and vice panderers and Attorney General Brown as “the King of shysters.” On the other hand the Governor makes STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. BELLEFONTE, PA.. JANUARY 5, 19 " Brumbaugh’s Prostitution of Power. In pursuance of his purpose to influence : the Legislators by the expectation of pat- , ronage, Governor Brumbaugh has, since our last issue, demanded the resignations ' of Samuel B. Rambo, Superintendent of Public Grounds and Buildings, William M. Smith, Commissioner of Banking and J. Louis Breitinger, head of the Moving Pictures censorship. This action with | respect to Mr. Rambo and Mr. Smith was ! predicted in this column two weeks ago. : . Those gentlemen had not shown the ser- ; vility to Governor that he expects. They | had not perverted their offices into trad- ing posts for the Vare political machine | as the Governor required. It appears | that Mr. Breitinger was equally unrespon- | sive to executive demands along these | lines. | | Mr. Rambo has been an exceptionally | There Will be No Investigation. 1%: | Upon the opening of the session of the General Assembly, on Tuesday, Repre- sentative Sarig, Democrat, of Berks coun- | NO.1. Headmaster Hughes Banquets His Advis- ory Board at the Academy. An exceedingly enjoyable and highly successful affair was the banquet which "ty, promptly introduced a resolution to | James R. Hughes, head master of the investigate charges which the factional ; Bellefonte Academy, tendered the mem- leaders of the Republican party, in con- | bers of his advisory board and a few trol of the government of the State, have | others, with whom he has been very recently been preferring against each intimately associated during the rebuild- other. It is a proper subject of legisla- | ing of the Academy, last Friday even- tive inquiry. The leaders of each faction | ing. accuse those of the other with malfeas- would disqualify them from the offices ‘they hold, if true. The people have a right to know whether the charges are true or not. Every citizen is concerned {in the integrity of officials and the justice of administration. ’ i | 1 | Just twenty-nine gentlemen sat about ance in office and other crimes which | the tables in the well appointed dining hall at the Academy. They represented every branch of the business life of Bellefonte and enjoyed the varicus courses of the menu as men are wont to do when the presence of the ladies does not take half the pleasure out of The resolution was laid upon the table | eating by putting a curb on the sundry under the rules. Upon the reassembling | creakings of man’s devouring machine- ! efficient officer. He understood his duties | of the House after a recess of three ry. equally strong charges against Penrose. thoroughly and performed them with | weeks it may be called up and considered He says that Penrose lied to him in the campaign for Speaker of the House two years ago and that in 1914 the Senator had denounced the late Highway Com missioner Bigelow and Secretary of the Commonwealth McAfee and promised “to have them resign.” He declares that upon another occasion, at Pittsburgh, the Sen- ator said “that he wassure of his election and that he did not care anything about the rest of the ticket.” Finally he declar- ed that “the conérol of the Republican party in Pennsylvania by special interests, of which the Senator is the acknowleged political agent, must and should be brok- en if the party is to live.” Brown and the Vares have denounced Senator Penrose quite as emphatically. Upon careful scrutiny of these gentle- men the public will be inclined to accept all their statements as correctly estimat- ing their respective characters. In falsi- fying the statement of his campaign ex- penses Governor Brumbaugh may have perjured himself and is therefore not a credible witness but the Senator’s estimate of Brown and Scott are taken from the re- cords and therefore indisputable. In view of these facts it must be impossible to escape a legislative investigation and subsequently a court inquiry. Criminals have no right to places in the public ser- vice which give them power to administer the government of the people and dis- pense justice among men. The Gov- ernor says “justice and decency and right of all prevail.” Then criminals must be punished. ——Commissioner Philips, a member of the Public Service Commission, was in Bellefonte yesterday taking testimony in the case pending between the Emer- ick Motor Bus Co., and the Bellefonte Central Railroad company. Organization of the Legislature. The General Assembly organized on Tuesday at noon with Richard J. Baid- win, of Delaware county, as Speaker of of the House of Representatives and Ed- ward E. Beidleman, of Harrisburg, as pres- dent Pro Tem. of the Senate. Both these gentlemen are reactionaries and under the absolute control of Senator Penrose. During the campaign the Governor and others connected with the State adminis- tration denounced them as representa- tives of all that is vicious in legislation and undesirable as citizens. But in the House caucus, after the vote was taken, Mr. Cox, the Vare candidatef or Speaker, moved to make the nomination of Bald- win unanimous and there was no opposi- tion to the election of Beidleman. In the nature of things the expectation of a reactionary Legislature would be jus- tified from a body so organized. But the chances are that it will be ultra progres- sive, except, of course, along certain lines. Legislation in the interest of labor and humanity will be prevented, at any cost. But reform will be played up strong and we shall not be surprised if some import- ant and effective election laws will be en- acted. The Vare machine’ in Philadel- phia and the Magee machine in Pitts- burgh have developed the art of corrupt- ing elections to a degree never dreamed of by the old political mechanics. Pen- rose finds legislative restraints necessary to curb the frauds of his enemies. Senator Penrose is a cunning politician and his scheme is to fool the public into the belief that he has reformed. If Quay had been living when the nomination for Governor was made in 1906 his party would have been so badly defeated that recovery would be<dmpossible for years. But Senator Penrose was too cunning for such a blunder and nominated a gentle- man personally above reproach. His candi- date was elected and his party restored to popular confidence. His present plans are along such lines and he has chosen in Speaker Baldwin the best instrument available to accomplish the desired result. It remains to be seen whether the people are credulous enough to be fooled now. Subscribe for the “Watchman”, the hundred or more employes under his direction only the hones: performance of their duties. He selected Republicans in- variably, but paid no attention to their factional aligment, if they had such pref- erence. Now a hundred men or more, enjoying good salaries, with comparative- ly little to do, might be a potent force in behalf of a faction. Rambo might have guided these men into the service of the Vare machine and made them felt. Banking Commissioner Smith with less patronage but vast powers, nevertheless, might have contributed largely to the prosperity of the Vare machine. But neither of them did. Because of this failure to prostitute their powers as the Governor desired, they have been asked to resign and Ram- by has already done so. Mr. Smith is “holding the question under advisement,” but will probably comply with the execu- tive order in a few days. Meantime the ' conscience of the Commonwealth stands appalled at this prostitutution of the pub- lic service. Never before in the history of the State has such an outrage upon decency been perpetrated. Pennsylvania, “corrupt and contented,” has been the victim of many partisan crimes in the past. Other public officials have offend- ed the morals and outraged the con- science of the people. But never in the bold and forbidding manner that this party maverick has employed. He is the limit. Paternalism Carried to the Limit. The Acting Chairman of the Demo- cratic State Committee has appointed a legislative committee consisting of Mr. E. Lowry Humes, William T. Creasy and two or three new members of the Senate and House. mittee will be to suggest subjects of leg- islation to the Democrats on the floor and guide them in their legislative duties. The Acting State Chairman has also the House of Representatives, thus re- lieving the Representatives of another delicate as well as important obligation. This seems to be carrying paternalism to the limit. Incidentally it implies a want of confidence in the representatives of the party in the General Assembly. Among the Democratic Representa- tives in the Legislature is John M. Flynn, of Elk county, who has been elected nine consecutive times. Another Representa- tive is Charles A. Shaffer, of Columbia county, who is entering upon his fourth consecutive term. Both of these gentle- men have been nominated as the candi- date of their party for Speaker and they are well informed in parliamentary prac- tice. In the nature of things one or both would have been placed upon the “steering committee.” But the Acting State Chairman, who has had no legisla- tive experience, took the opposite view of the subject and named members of that committee who are almost, if not entirely, inexperienced. The Republican party is torn into tat- ters by personal ambitions and political enmities and these antagonisms might easily have been used by the minority members to promote wholesome legisla- tion and party interests. But this mark- ed discrimination between men because of former alliances within the party is not calculated to have such a result. Experienced men ought not to be humil- iated without good reason. and the dis- crimination shown by the Acting State Chairman in selecting the “steering com- mittee” is humiliating them without any reason. We sincerely hope it will not have the sinister effect upon the party of which it is possible and more than like- ly to have. ——On Saturday as Dr. J. L. Seibert was going up Linn street in his new Franklin car the rear wheels skidded and ran against a tree, breaking the running board and putting a dent in’ the door. The latter was sent to the factory for repair. The business of this com- | chosen a floor leader for the minority in | | holed, the course most likely to be pur- sued. The leaders of the factions don’t | want investigations. All they are after | is opportunity to loot the State. If in ap | proaching the process to distribute the ! spoils one faction appears to have an ad- ! vantage over the other charges are made ‘and investigation threatened. But after ! the crisis is passed they get together and agree upon a basis of division. No doubt ' what Penrose says of Brumbaugh and Attorney General Brown is true. What | Brumbaugh and Brown say of Penrose : may be equally susceptible of proof. But : neither will press the inquiry to complete | disclosure. | The Republican machine of Pennsylva- | nia is rotten to the core. Any govern- | ment directed by any faction of this ma- ! chine will be necessarily corrupt. No | stream is purer than its source. Brum- | baugh has added the vices of hypocrisy | and cant to the catalogue of evils which | Penrose had created but these are only | aggravations. In the main they are all | aiming at the same target which is spoils of office. Representative Sarig was right ; in attempting tocall the bluff which these factionists had set up and his Democratic colleagues in the House are under moral obligation to press for the advantage | which a real inquiry would afford. But ' we have little hope of their success. Two Fires. { On Tuesday evening of last week the i hay barn and hen house of D. Harry | Shivery, on his farm up Buffalo Run, | were entirely destroyed by fire. All the , chickens were saved but the season’s entire crop of hay went up in smoke. | Mr. Shivery was engaged in shredding j corn fodder when one of the flues blew | out in the fire box of the engine. Hot coals were thrown around and one set fire to some fodder in the barn but the workmen dragged it outside before it | gained any headway. In the meantime | the hay barn caught fire and soon got beyond the fire fighters. In fact it was with the utmost difficulty that the barn was saved. The burned buildings and contents were insured. 5 smith shop of the Centre County Lime company, up Buffalo Run valley, caught fire and burned to the ground. While the building itself was only a frame structure and the loss thereon not very great, all the tools in the building were ruined. so ——Minnie Hayes, Alice Smith and George Daon, of Philipsburg, were brought to Bellefonte on Friday and lodged in the Centre county jail on a serious charge. Ruth Hayes, the twelve year old daughter of Minnie Hayes, was also brought to Bellefonte and given into the custody of the juvenile court. The home of Minnie Hayes, in Rush town- ship, was destroyed by fire on Christmas eve. At first it was believed to have been set on fire but later developments proved it to have been the result of an accident. ——Motoring in the old pike on Sun- day evening with his wife and children and Mrs. Maurice Runkle and daughter Dorothy, George Hazel attempted to turn out to leave another machine pass. The front wheels turned out but the rear wheels skidded and the car turned over on its side. Fortunately none of the oc- cupants were hurt. Word was sent to the Beezer garage and John Porter Lyon went out with another car, righted the Hazel car and towed it to the garage. The car was only slightly damaged. ——— ——H. S. Ray, proprietor of the Brock- erhoff house, who has been in ili health for some time, has gone away for a pro- tracted rest. In his absence J. Mitchell Cunningham will have supervision of the hotel. Mr. Cunningham’s experience in all departments of hotel management qualify him to give very satisfactory service to the patrons of the Brocker- hoff. Late Wednesday evening the black- It was not until the flummery had been | scrupulous care and fidelity. He exated of | or referred to a committee to be pigeon- served and cigars were the order that the discovery was made that the event, in- didentally, celebrated the fifty-first birth- day of the Head Master. Andrew J. Cook, who was president of the board of trustees at the time the Academy passed under the control of Mr. Hughes, pre- sided and when he called upon the host to speak there was a rousing applause’ Mr. Hughes spoke briefly and most happily. The occasion was an eventful one for him because it celebrated the completion of the rebuilding of the his- toric old institution of which he is Head Master and owner and the successful financing of an undertaking that has meant the use of funds reaching nearly to the oue hundred thousand dollar mark. Well could he feel in fine fettle after havning achieved something that when it was started some of the finan- ciers about his board were fearful spell- ed disaster. He told of his work, the loyalty of his friends, and among them almost first was E. J. Geh- ret, his contractor, his hopes and plans for the perpetuity of the institution. The latter held most interest for the com- munity at large for it revealed the fact that while the Belleforite Academy is the personal property of Mr. James R. Hughes his plans are all formulating around the hope that it will be regarded as a great public institution in which everyone may have an interest and of which the community will eventually acquire ownership. J. Thomas Mitchell, John Blanchard, A.J. Cook, Dr. M. J. Locke, Col. J. L. Spangler and Col. Hugh S. Taylor spoke. All of them recounting experiences either as students at the Academy or with its present management. Much of delight- ful reminiscence and more of congratula- tion of the host at the brilliant way in which he has shown to everyone that the Academy has quite as successful a business achievement to its credit as an educational record. The closing response was by the ven- erable principal-emeritus, the Rev. James Potter Hughes, now in his eighty-ninth year. Strong of voice, full of the good feeling of the occasion, he spoke most entertainingly, mixing facts with fun in such a clever way that round after round of applause interrupted him. The latter part of the evening was de- devoted to an inspection of the buildings and many pleasing surprises were re- vealed to those who had not seen the interior since it has been occupied and given the touch that only boys at a high class boarding school are capable of add- ing. Brought Suit to Recover Damages. Wednesday's Altoona “Tribune con- tained the following item: Walter Gates, a resident of Snyder township, has entered suit in the Blair county court, through his attorney R. A. Henderson, against John Noll, of Belle- fonte, Centre county, to recover damages in the sum of $96.80, in payment for in- jury alleged to have been received at the hands of the defendant. The plaintiff states that on August 8, 1916, his milk wagon was driven by his son on the public road leading from his residence in Antis township to Tyrone borough, and that while the wagon was driven in a careful manner on the right hand side of the road, the defendant’s automobile, driven by an employe in a careless manner, struck plaintiff's milk wagon and damaged it so badly as to cause almost total loss. That the plain- tiffs wagon was on the proper side of the road, allowing plenty room for the driver of the automobile to pass, but that he drove over to the other side of the road and against the milk wagon. ome —— — At a meeting of the contributors on Friday evening, December 22nd, the Centre county Soldier's Relief associa- tion practically wound up its business by allowing H. C. Valentine $200 of the $500 surplus as a small remuneration for his services; donating $60 to Mrs. Maurice Yeager, $40 to the Associated Charities -and retaining $200 to defray the expenses of the celebration to be given Troop L when it returns home. 'SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. —Miss Clara Fiscus, of Indiana, dropped dead a few days ago while in the act of getting a buck- et of coal from the coal house. ¥ —Clearfield county’s license court will be held January 15, at which time there will be presented 79 retail, 15 wholesale and 3 brewery applications. —Blair Kauffman of Walker township, Juniata county, recently killed, a hog that weighed 838% pounds dressed. The animal was almost 4 years old. —MTrs. Rebecca Kiernan, of Latrobe, celebrat- ed her 92nd anniversary of her birth on New Year's day. The day found her in remarkably good health. —One of Westmoreland county’s most venera- ble residents is dead in the personof Mrs. Susan Robb, of Unity township, in the 90th year of her age. She is survived by four sons and four daughters and many grandchildren and great- grandchildren. —A gas well with an estimated production of 5,000,000 feet a day has been brought ii near East McKeesport, It is the largest well brought in for more than a year in that district. The pressu re of the well is so great that no attempts haye yet been made to cap the flow. —When a revolver which had come into the possession of some children fell from a window sill the weapon was discharged Robert Rund- berg, aged 6 years, living with his parents near Barnesboro, was instantly killed by a bullet which lodged at the base of the brain. —At the instance of the school board the city of DuBois will hold a special election on Febru- ary 6 for the purpose of determining whether the school directors may issue bonds for $85.000, the intention being to use the proceeds for the erection and equipment of a junior high school. —While her mother was engaged in sweeping the snow from the sidewalk, Mildred Hallberg, aged 2 years and 7 months, residing with her parents in Renovo, procured a Christmas candle, lit it and set herself on fire, sustaining burns Yeh resulted in her death about two hours’ ater. —The Williamsport plant of the United States Rubber company is to add 150 employes -at once to its force, making a total of more than 950 men and women. This will mean an increase of the output of over 12,000 pairs. Seventy new stitch- ing machines have just been received and are being installed. —Jonas Fischer, mayor of Williamsport, after a stormy year of service, announces that he will resign at the first meeting of the city council in January. He solemnly declares that he is a citizen of the United States but has thus far managed to foil those who want him to exhibit his naturalization papers. —It is rather expensive to take practice shots at does and fawns. This fact was ascertained by George C. Anderson, of Curwensville, who was placed under arrest by Game protector Woody Kelly on Friday. The man pleaded guilty to the charge and was assessed $101 for his rash- ness. The incident happened during the hunt- ing season. —A record price was paid for coa! land .in Cambria county last week when James A. Mc- Lain, representing the Balew Baker Coal com- pany, of Spangler, purchased 463 acres of coal land for $118,000. The price per acre was ap- proximately $250, the sellers having paid $3.90 per acre for the same land 40 years ago. They reserve two seams of coal in the tract. —J. W. Davis, of 303 Main street, Williams- port, has 12 hens that have laid 1,961 eggs from February 1, 1916, until December 31, 1916. Each hen averaging 30 cents a dozen, Mr. Davis se- cured $48,90. The feed cost him $22.59 and the net profit was $26.31, or about $2.20 per hen for that period. Very few poultry fanciers can boast a better or more profitable flock of chick- ens than Davis. —Capt. and Mrs. {Isaiah Copelin, of Philips burg, New Year's day celebrated their 72nd- wedding anniversary. The event was marked by a big dinner, at which the members of the family were present, given by their daughter, Mrs. Andrew Nelson, and held at the home of the latter and her husband on Fourth street. It was a happy occasion, and enjoyed by none more than the Captain and his good wife. —Ground was broken at the Cambria Steel company at Johnstown on December 27 for two new blast furnaces to cost $3,000,000. With ten such furnaces in operation, announcement that a car wheel plant to cost $4,000,000 was followed immediately by provision for greater pig iron production. The expenditure of $7,000,000 for plant extension indicates Cambria has provided well in boom times for the future. Further ex- sions are promised but official announcement has not been made. —In connection with the recent robberies pull- ed off just over the Centre county line near Phil- ipsburg, Judge Bell at Clearfield, Tuesday morn- ing sentenced Willis and Albert Brandon to the Huntingdon Reformatory for an indefinite per- iod; their sister, Luella, was given three years in the penitentiary, and David Bryant also re- ceiving a sentence of three years in the peni- tentiary. Willis Brandon has hanging over him charges that will send him to the penitentiary for any future infraction of the law. —Samuel H. Kline, a farmer residing near Mc- Clure, on Tuesday of last week uaearthed cash amounting to $1,344.36, buried in a crock at the roots of a chestnut stump. Kline had gone out to remove the stump and found the crock com- taining the money, which was in coins and bills. Both the coins and bills looked like new and as though they had never been used, and the coins were untarnished. They were dated 1882 and prior to that, so that they were buried about thirty-four years ago. Kline bought the farm for $1,600. —MTrs. Hannah, Dial, the oldest woman in Westmoreland county, and probably in the State, celebrated her one hundred and second birthdav on Wednesday at her home in Jacobs Creek. Sheis probably the only true daughter of the American Revolution living, her father, Robert Slemmons, having served throughout the Revo- iutionary War with a distinguished record for bravery. He was a noted scout and Indian fighter and was several times captured by the Indians and put to torture because he would not betray the plans of the American Army. —William Decker, president of the Montgom- ery Table Works, the largest manufacturing concern in Montgomery, announced Saturday a profit-sharing plan for the benefit of the 600 employes. The share of each employe will be based upon his year’s earnings. All of the prof- its above six per cent and an amount set aside for depreciation and surplus, will go to the employes. In addition, the company will pur- chase a $5.000 insurance policy for every mar- ried man in the employ up to five years, and a $1,000 policy for all others in the employ more than ten years. : —The mangled body of an unknown man was found lying along the New York Central rail- road tracks at Torbet, about four miles east of Jersey Shore, by a train crew at 2 o'clock Wed- nesday morning. The head, both arms and one leg were severed, making identification almost impossible. The man was about 35 years of age, short and stocky, weighing about 170 rounds and was clean shaven. The only thing found on his person which might lead to identification was ‘a note book containing a card case with the name “Robert Anderson, Arnot, Pa.” It is presumed that the unfortunate man was attempting to steal a ride and slipped, falling under the wheels of the cars.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers