BY P. GRAY MEEK. EE INK SLINGS. —And this is spring. —Every act seems to be an “overt act” these days. —He’s just common Nick Roman- off now, without a single Moujik. —This time next month we'll be ‘watching some of the garden things grow. —The first day of spring wasn’t calculated to excite any poetical ef- fusions. — There is less monotony in the war news these days but a great deal more information. —Anyway, Nick can find lots of jobs that are pleasanter than being Czar of all the Russias. — This uncertainty is so uncertain. We don’t know whether we are at war with Germany and yet we might be. — Bill Hohenzollern didn’t enjoy Nick Roamin off. It was a precedent he wasn’t keen for seeing establish- ed. —We can’t see much use in the pro- posal to send American troops to Bel- gium in the event of war with Ger- many. —The cow that jumped over the moon wasn’t much higher than some have been run up to at recent sales in this county. —The thief who has been removing thermometers from the porches of Spring street homes can be accused of many degrees of crime. —Russian consular agents in this country still have their jobs, but they must be éntertaining some concern as to who the new paymaster is to be. —By their withdrawal on so large a scale on the Somme front the Ger- mans have pulled the teeth out of the expected big spring drive the French and English were to have made. —We have been wondering, ever since we learned that Russia is to be the United States of Russia, whether she will have a Pennsylvania and, if so, whether her Pennsylvania will have its Penrose. —Germany is evacuating hundreds of square miles of French territory which she has held for nearly two years. Reports are to the effect, how- ever, that everything of value on the relinquished territory has been either removed or destroyed. —Orders have been promulgated to speed up preparedness. Hundreds of submarine chasers are under way and the coast defenses are all being cock- ed and primed for the approach of the enemy. What a blessed disappoint- ment if he never were to appear. —The Russians have really proven that there is some real meaning in that epigram, “If you want to find out who's boss here, start something.” They did want to find out who was boss, so they started a revolution and discovered they were bosses them- selves. —Judge Quigley has ruled that stealing cats violates no Pennsylvania statute. In other words, cats are not recognized as needing any protection at law in this Commonwealth. Of course this applies only to the feline cat. ‘I'he human cat is protected even more than she sometimes deserves. —Local Option held the center of the stage at Harrisburg on Wednes- day. It was the day for the hearing, pro and con, on the Vickerman local option bill and the drys and wets were there in force. As at present con- stituted the Pennsylvania Legislature is poor ground for local optionists to work on. The bill will have less sup- port this session than it did two years ago. —Last year twenty-six road super- visors attended the county convention held in this place. ‘This year there were forty which is evidence that the good roads movement has the super- visors in its grip and the time is fast coming when the byroads of the coun- ty will be put in such good shape that there will be no danger of a man hav- ing his teeth shaken out when driving over them. —Congress is to be called in extra, session two weeks earlier than was planned. It will convene on April 2nd and then the decision will have to be made for or against war with Ger- many. The “overt act” has been com- mitted two or three times, but as Con- gress has the sole right to declare the United States at war with any coun- try we will have to wait, at least until the 2nd to know just where we are at. —The trainmens’ Brotherhoods have been granted about all they have asked and the strike is off. Let us see how long they will remain satis- fied. If there ever was much public respect for the purposes of these four great organizations it has been griev- ously shattered of late and few peo- ple now are not ready to believe that they are wholly selfish, unpatriotic and ready to tie up the country n matter what the result. 3 VOL. 62. STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. BELLEFONTE, PA. MARCH 23, 1917. NO. 12. Grave Blunder of the Senate. The adjournment of the special ses- sion of the Senate without having ratified the Colombian treaty was inexcusable. The twelve Senators who filibustered against the passage of the armed neutrality bill were no more culpable than those who pre- vented the ratification of that treaty. The President has plainly stated that the ratification of that treaty was an important, if not an essential, link in the chain of preparedness. Colom- bia demanded it as an act of justice. The refusal to grant so palpably fair a demand might make an enemy of that Southern Republic and thus af- ford Germany or any other power at war with the United States a naval base or a supply station. But aside from that the treaty ought to be ratified because it con- templates the righting .of a great wrong against a weak sister Repub- lic. When the governments of the United States and Colombia failed to agree upon terms for ceding the Panama canal zone President Roose- velt organized a rebellion against the government of Colombia and forced and financed the secession of Panama, subsequently buying the canal zone from the bogus government thus created. against civilization, but it was char- acteristic of Roosevelt. If he were not afraid of the law he would do the same thing in private life. He is a born highwayman and if possible would take anything he wants. This outrage not only incensed Colombia but it spread suspicion of the integrity of the United States throughout all the Southern and Cen- tral American Republics. As long as we are at peace with the whole world that would make little difference ex- cept to our national conscience. But in the event of war it might make a vast difference. Therefore it was important that the treaty should be ratified duifsg the recent extraordi- nary session for we are on the verge of war with a powerful nation ready and willing to invoke every advantage which conditions afford. It would have been well and wise to prevent such a condition and the Senators respon- sible for it are no better than the twelve derelicts who refused to vote power to the President to defend the country against attack. “Jim—Ham’s” Gloomy Picture. Senator James Hamilton Lewis, of Illinois, has too gloomy a view of our national life. In an address before the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, in Philadelphia, on Saturday evening, he declared that “there is not a nation in the world that does not hold a grievance against us. “In Europs,” he added, “the allies object to our attempts to keep neutral and to treat Germany with consideration. Ger- many bitterly opposes our sending munitions of war to the allies. Yon- der in Asia the great yellow race is revolting against exclusion.” It would be hard to imagine a more forbidding situation. But the pen picture of the eloquent “Jim—Ham” is not justified by the facts. It is true that England, France and Russia grew impatient because of our patience in the face of repeated and inexcusable outrages by Germany. But if either England, France or Russia were driven to the necessity of appealing to the friendly offices of any alien power no sane man doubts the first call would have been to the United States. It is equally true that Germany objected to our shipment of munitions of war to the allies, but under similar circumstances, previous to the recent severance of diplomatic relations, either of the central powers would have turned first toward this great country of achievement in peace and prosperity in war. The government of the United States was never before as potential as it is today. Thanks largely to the wisdom and patience and patriotism of President Woodrow Wilson every civilized people on the earth holds the government of the United States as the model of excellence, the exemplar of justice and the triumph of civil liberty. The highest ambition of every people is to attain the standard of government which this country represents and unless the signs are misleading their hopes will be ac- complished within half a century. Russia which was farthest from it a year ago may be the first to attain the goal. But it is a safe conjecture that others will move with accelerated speed. It was a dastardly crime . There Will be No Investigation. Senator Penrose still has in mind the investigation of Governor Brum- baugh, according to information said to come directly from the War Board. His friends and others have been talk- ing about a compromise, the political gossip has it, but the Senator says “nothin’ doin’,” or words to that ef- fect. The War Board held a session at the Senator’s office in Philadelphia on Saturday. It reassembled in At- lantic City on Sunday and convened again in Philadelphia on Monday. It was more or less submerged during all these sessions but the periscope was exposed and constantly emitted a sulphurous odor which plainly in- dicated war. It gave out the fact, however, that Penrose has a pro- gramme which includes investigation. When the bitter war between Pen- rose and Brumbaugh over the Speak- ership of the House of Representa- tives began, pending which the threat of investigating the Governor was first made, we ventured the prediction that there would be no investigation. In the light of events that have since transpired we reaffirm our belief that there will be no investigation. Neith- er side can afford even a partial ex- posure of its iniquities. In vetoing the Sproul resolution Brumbaugh frankly admitted that fact. In fail- ing to avail himself of the facilities which the existing laws and rules of the Senate afford, Penrose confesses that he is afraid. In other words “it’s six of one and half a dozen of tother.” Every charge that Penrose has made against Brumbaugh is suscept- ible of proof. The Governor perjured himself in filing the statement of ex- penses of his campaign. His admin- istration has been profligate and he has grafted like a pirate. But any investigation of his administration will inculpate Penrose in equally odi- ous offenses and probably mix up ‘some of Penrose’s intimate friends as participants in the crimes. For those: reasons there will be no investigation and the War Board which issues the statement is knowingly and wilfully misrepresenting the facts. Before the next election “both wings” of the atrocious conspiracy will be “flapping together,” and if they win the looting will continue. Russia’s Revolution Accomplished. The overthrow of the government of Russia was as sudden as it was significant. Within four days from the beginning of what seemed a local disturbance in Petrograd the Czar of all the Russias had abdicated the throne for himself and his son and a new government of different form had been accepted by the people and the army of the empire. There was comparatively little contention and practically no blood shed. But within that brief period of time and at that trifling expense in human life the most important transformation in the affairs of a great nation was achieved. The new government may not be en- during but it is certain that the old one will never be restored. Of all misgovernments in the world that of Russia was the most atrocious. For half a century the government of the Czar has been a seething cauldron of corruption. Graft, vice and immorality of every kind and type have been rampant. It cannot be said that the Czar or his brothers either participated in or sanctioned the crimes which were perpetrated everywhere. But collateral branches of the royal family, including those who exercised the powers of the gov- ernment have been rotten for many years and since the beginning of the great war on the continent those in authority have been in competition with each other in endeavors to betray the country to its enemies. Most of the conspiracies which cul- minated in this transformation have been hatched in Berlin but it is not certain that German expectations with respect to them will be fulfilled. The intention was, of course, to de- moralize rather than overthrow the government of the Czar. But the dis- turbance developed into a mighty revolution and the conspirators oper- ating in the interest of Germany got the worst of it. At least that result is indicated by present conditions and instead of making the empire a hope- less foe it has been transformed into a powerful force in opposition to German purposes. We sincerely hope this aspect will not be changed in the future. ——Subscribe for the “Watchman.” any other question. The rights of the matter of immediate necessity at the Eight Hour Law Valid. y The decision of the Supreme court | affirming the constitutionality of the eight hour law for railroad trainmen is a substantial victory for the Broth- erhoods who contended for that meas- ure. But it is not entirely a one-sided affair at that. It puts upon the train- men obligations which they have not hitherto acknowledged and which are likely to work substantial advantages to the corporations. For example it practically declares for compulsory arbitration of labor and other dis- putes between railroad employers and employees and recognizes the right to make private or personal contracts with employers fixing both wages an length of day. : The decision brushes aside some of the claims of the corporation lawyers and will decrease labor disputes ma- terially on that account. First Con- gress has a right to fix the length of 2 day and the wages of an employee in the event that corporations and their employees are unable to agree upon those questions. Otherwise public service eorporations might easily be crippled if not destroyed. The public business must not be in- terrupted because of a disagreement upon the question of wages or upon public are paramount and capital and labor are alike under obligations to respect them. The burden of the dissenting opin- ions is that the eight-hour day law was passed hurriedly and without consideration. That was the conten- tion of Judge Hughes during the re- cent campaign and its absurdity was then revealed. The subject had been debated on every labor forum in the country for more than a year. It had been discussed by the President in his address before the Congress in joint session and debated at considerable length on the floor of the House of Representatives. Besides it was a time it passed and if a year had been spent in declamation it couldn’t have been better understood. ——The groundhog’s reign ended on Friday but just to emphasize the fact that he wanted to give full meas- ure Sunday was about as rough a day as it was possible to be. Cold and with violent snow storms it prov- ed unusually disagreeable. Of course the snow melted so that at no time was there more than just a covering on the ground. ——Our friend Mr. Romanoff may be out of a job for some time but in- asmuch as he has been drawing a salary of something like fifty million dollars a year for some time he needn’t worry much about the price of potatoes. — Even if the President shouid decline Roosevelt’s offer to enlist as a Major General in a war with Germany the “Coinel” can fall back on Arme- gedden where he will have liberty to fix his own rank and select his own army. ——If the forces of the allies con- tinue to advance on both east and west fronts as they have been lately the Kaiser is likely to imagine that his side partner has abandoned him to his enemies. — Spring is sure here as the Bush house storm doors were removed on Tuesday afternoon. Now all that re- mains to emphasize the fact is the hurdy-gurdy man or “dot leedle Ger- man band.” ——The Supreme court on Monday granted Ernest Haines, the Jefferson county youth under sentence of death for the murder of his father, a new trial. ——Colonel William Potter having enlisted in Roosevelt’s army it is to be hoped that Ryerson W. Jennings will not be backward. —If the Kaiser should follow the example of the Czar that little dis- turbance in Petrograd would not be without value. ; —Speaker Baldwin was simply giving the lobbyists a sample of what a well developed Czar can do if he wants to. — Penrose is afraid and Brum- baugh dare not. And there you are. ——They are all good enough, but the “Watchman” is always the best. ——For high class Job Work come to the “Watchman” Office. A Setback for Autocracy. From the Johnstown Democrat. Russia’s revolution may not stop at the borders of the empire. It may spread until it shall involve other countries where autrocacy has held sway. What the effect of the Russian over-turn may be on Germany and Austria-Hungary no one can now say, But that it will powerfully stimulate the democratic spirit which lies dor- mant in those king-ridden countries there is little room for doubt. This spirit may remain quiescent for the time, but it will surely rise before the world is much older. Unrest is known to be profound and widespread in the central empires. Possibly popular feeling both in Ger- many and Austria is as intense as we now know it must have been in Rus- sia for months before the successful outbreak. But in Germany and Aus- tria, as until lately in Russia, it has been and is being held in check; it has as yet found no effective expres- sion; it awaits some event which will impart to it the impulse which may carry it to the point of revolution. Apparently the Russian upheaval was brought about through growing distrust of the masses with respect to German influence in the government. It is said that the “push the war” party is now in control and that Rus- sia will now be found a more formid- able figure in the great struggle than before. But we suspect that general distrust of aucocracy has had more to do with the culminating event than mere distrust of German influence in the higher circles of Russia authority. In any case autocratic power has sustained a tremendous setback, the effects of which must be felt in other lands than Russia. It may even be felt in Great Britain, where absolut- ism has all but throttled criticism of the ruling power. The assertion by the duma of its high functions can scarcely fail to stiffen the resolution of other parliamentary bodies the world over which have been inclined in recent years to bow in meek sub- mission to the executive and to act only at the behest thereof. World Turned Upside Down. From the Lancaster Intelligencer. There is a good deal of smiling at 18 the belligerency of China but it just possible that John Chinzaez demonstrate that as a beiii . is no longer so altogether absurd as he used to be. The emphatic manner in which China has severed relations with Ger- many leaves no doubt about her in- tention to align herself with the Entente powers—for whatever war policy may be possible to a nation without sea power and so remote from a chosen antagonist. It is not at all clear how China could be of any assistance to the enemies of Germany although all recent reports are unan- imous about the wonderful awaken- ing of the Chinese and particularly the very efficient military development since the overthrow of the empire. That famous Englishman, Sir. Robert Hart, for most of a lifetime in charge of China customs and familiar with their leading men through all changes of government, had the greatest re- spect for them and was particularly emphatic about their “pride of race, pride of intellect and pride of suprem- acy,” notwithstanding all the humilia- tions to which they had so long and tamely submitted. All that pride, he thought, had substantial foundation. He seemed to suggest that some day China would awaken to astonish the rest of the world with even more rapid progress and more assertive power than that of Japan. With China, as well as the United States, on the brink of the great war and Russia in revolution the disturb- ance appears to be expanding and changing in a way that suggests eith- er the beginning of the end, or a world turned upside down. As Spring Comes Smiling. From the Johnstown Democrat. If you can pry yourself loose from the war talk long enough, it would be a good idea to give some considera- tion to the garden idea. You really should have a garden, you know. First, the country may be at war; and in such a case every bit of provender raised in your garden would be a bit of “preparedness.” Then, you can find health in a garden if you can just find the time to dig. Time, of course, is the main’ consid- eration as far as gardens are concern- ed—time and land. It would not do to forget the land. There really must be some of that before there is very much of a garden. If you want a garden very much that fact may lead you to give some consideration to the land question. If a garden did nothing more than that it would be a good thing. Belated Justice to Colombia. From" the Florida Times-Union. Senator Penrose says opposition will develop to the payment of dam- ages to Colombia and the debate will consume two weeks. Let the new clo- ture rule be enforced here—all the arguments have been heard and it is only to be decided when the United States will pay an honest debt. ——Happily the world is wide and Count Bernstorff may be able to get a job in some other country after “this cruel war is over.” It is a safe bet, however, that he will never come back to Washington. | SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. —Examinations for places on the state police force will be held at Harrisburg on Monday, April 2, according to an an- nouncement. At present there are about fifteen vacancies in the force. —Lillian Uple, employed in the Monroe silk mills at Stroudsburg, was severely injured, her scalp being torn, when her hair caught in the cogs of her machine. It was necessary to dismantle the machine to remove the locks. For a half hour the men worked hard to rescue the girl, who : refused to allow her hair to be cut. —On one night recently thieves stole 200 chickens from Miss Jessie Derstine, whe runs a chicken ranch on the Carrick farm, just a little distance from Clearfield. They were valued at from $1.50 to $2.00 each. Miss Derstine looked upon the loss as one of the troubles incident to life, and did not report the stealing at the time. —Henry Fox, aged 23 years, a Pennsyl- vania shopman, accidentally shot and kill- ed his wife with a shotgun in the kitchen of their home in Altoona, on Thursday evening, March 15. A baby bumping the father’s arm while he was cleaning the gun was responsible. The husband, who had been married a year, endeavored to commit suicide, but was stopped by neighbors. —Rositer, the mining town located four miles below Punxsutawney, was visited by a fire Friday morning which entailed a loss of more than $16,000. The build- ings destroyed were in the business sec- tion of the town, including the clothing store of Levinson and Freeman, the New- man butcher shop and the Swartz grocery store. The flats above the business places were also destroyed. —8ix persons were killed and property damage amounting to $60,000 was done when an explosion of mysterious origin wrecked the finishing department of the Aetna company at Emporium on Wednes- day morning, the 14th. The explosion fol- lowed fire which broke out in the cotton plant. The origin of this and several oth- -| er explosions in plants of the company during the last year is unknown. —Mrs. James Dodson, aged 54, who died in Center township, Indiana county, lasf week, is believed to have been the heaviest woman for her height in the State. Little more than five feet tall, she weighed 466 pounds. It was necessary to order a spe- cial casket of heavy plank and it was im- possible to get it into the Dodson home. It was necessary to use a block and tackle to lower the casket into the grave. —On Saturday the State took possession of the Millersville State Normal school. The consideration in the deed was $4725, subject to a mortgage due the Common- wealth of $170,000, money appropriated by the State for the buildings. It is also subject to a mortgage of $54,000, of which $34,000 is due to holders of bonds and $20,- 000 due to the People’s Trust company. The $4725 will be distributed to the hold- ers of contributors’ shares, the par value being $25. —William Hummell, a Lewistown in- ventor, has just refused $50,000 from the American Investment company, of Wash- ington, D. C., for the patent rights of his electrical mine door operator in the Unit- ed States and Canada. Hummell says $500,000 would have been refused just as promptly as it is his intention to keep away from the well known failure of in- | ventive minds and instead of selling out for a pittance he will manufacture and sell his own product. -—The accidental killing of the Hartzfield boy at a serenade or wedding celebration in Brady township, Clearfield county, re- cently, was responsible for a bill being in- troduced into the Legislature at Harris- burg by Representative Greenwood W. Bell, of Clearfield county, last week. The bill prohibits the use of cannon, explo- sives, guns and revolvers at wedding ser- enades or. celebrations, and also forbids the display by merchants of revolvers, dirks, slingshots and other weapons. —A Lancaster county woman who wash- es for a number of families in the lower end of the county went to the store where she deals to buy a new washing machine, and said, “I want one just like I bought from you twelve years ago, which is now worn out.” She added: “In these twelve years I have earned with that machine thirty-six hundred dollars and during that time I have paid for the property where I live.” And the storekeeper knew this to be a facet, and, by the way, the property is a neat little home. —What may prove to be a very impor- . tant industry for Perry county is now be- ing negotiated. The Haws Brick compa- ny, of Johnstown, Pa. has closed a one million dollar merger, involving work in four counties. This company has pur- chased from the Zartman Lumber compa- ny a large tract of land on the Tuscarora mountain, on which a fine quality of gan- ister rock has been discovered, and it is said will engage in the manufacture of bricks on an immense scale, giving em- ployment to hundreds of workers. —The Midvale steel company on Wed- nesday of last week purchased the Clays- burg brick works in Blair county, a com- paratively new industry, and will enlarge the capacity of the plant. A number of Huntingdon and Huntingdon county peo- ple held stock, which was taken over at the rate of $3.50 for every dollar invested, so that the sale netted those persons in certain instances a small fortune. For in- stance, one Huntingdon man had $1000 of stock for which he received $3,500; another held $1,500 in stock, the sale of which brought him $5,250. —Arthur Reese, of Hamilton, was in- stantly killed, Joseph Harl, of Young township, Jefferson county, was badly in- jured and two others narrowly escaped death when a gate valve blew off a gas line, in process of repairs on the Lingen- felter farm near Hamilton, Wednesday afternoon, the 14th. The huge valve, weighing nearly 300 pounds, struck Reese full in the chest, causing instant death. Harl suffered two broken ribs and bruises. At an inquest Thursday the jury absolv- ed all parties concerned from any blame for the fatal accident. —An increase in wages amounting to about $200,000 annually to the telegraphers and train dispatchers of its lines east of Pittsburgh, was announced on Monday by the Pennsylvania railroad. The increase, which is to be effective from the first day of the present month, is in line with the salary adjustments announced by the com- pany some time ago. Several other con- cessions, including the ratification of a schedule by means of which the men will know the official designation given various positions and their corresponding pay were also announced. The negotiations were conducted by a committee represent- ing the order of telegraphers, dispateh- ers, agents and signalmen. More than 4,000 men are affected.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers