© Braid. BY P. GRAY MEEK er INK SLINGS. — Obey the dog law or the dog law will bite you. —Are you remembering to buy each month all the war savings stamps you pledged your honor to buy. —The farmers of Centre county are being called upon to seed two thousand more acres to wheat this fall than they did last year. —Wouldn’t it be a good plan to cut out celebrating both “fake” and real victories and wait until the war is over then have a National holiday of about a month. —They're coming. Every week a few new ones are added. And the pretty part of it is that they're com- ing voluntarily to enroll as subscrib- ers to the “Watchman.” Wise peo- ple always hunt up the good things themselves: — This is the middle of August. There are but fifteen more days in the month. Then it will be September and everybody will be after plumbers and coal: Fix your heating plants and replenish your coal bins now, if you can. Do it early and avoid the rush. —The salaried man who is working today for the same wage that he re- ceived before the war, and there are lots of them, is the man, and the on- ly one we know of, who merits the fullest consideration of the men who are now framing the new tax bill in Congress. — As the good news comes from the other side day by day, don’t slack up a bit. The war isn’t over by long odds. Things are going our way nice- ly enough, but it’s a long hard way and it will be harder still for the boys over there if we don’t fight just as hard here. —The things we can’t reconcile these days are the reports of the tremen- dous victories the Allies are gaining with the war bulletins from Berlin to the effect that every “enemy attack was completely repulsed.” Of course we have overlooked the fact that Ber- lin’s reports are only for home con- sumption. ! — Some time ago the “Watchman called your attention to the fact that from the moment Admiral Sims ar- rived in European waters with his fleet of American destroyers the curve of the destructive efforts of the U-boats began to decline and that the American soldiers in France hadn’t yet taken a step except in the direc- tion of Berlin. All we want to add now is that they are still going. — What’s the use of making Liber- ty Bonds legal tender anyway: We have all the gold and. legal tender notes that are needed and legislation putting the Liberty issues into a le- gal tender class would have the effect of holding them at par all the time, whereas the regular laws of supply and demand will probably bring wide fluctuations in their value between the dates of issue and maturity. ” —Robert F. Hunter is now driving a2 new Olds motor. In itself this is not a startling bit of news, but as Bob has been driving and swearing about a Franklin for the past twelve years our interest is aroused. We can’t see how he will be able to al- lude to a single virtue that he may find in his new car without eating some word he has said about it all the years he was hugging the delu- sion that the only real car was the Franklin. —An episode that recently occur- red in one of our local churches where noon-day prayers are daily offered for our boys over seas would suggest the idea that since no one but men do the actual fighting no one but men should do the public praying. 1st Corinthi- ans, 14th and 35th might be tortured into support of such a notion but we fear the army would be in as sorry a state as we know most churches would be if the women were actually to rely on getting their dope as to what to do for both organizations by “asking their husbands at home.” — The amendments to the constitu- tion of Pennsylvania, which you will be called upon to accept or reject at the election in November, are publish- ed in this issue of the “Watchman” and will run until the week before the election. It is a duty that every vot- er owes to himself to read them care- fully so that when the time comes for him to vote on them he can do it in- telligently. Changing the basic law of the State is a serious matter and that man is not a good citizen who votes “yes” or “no” on the proposi- tion without fully comprehending what he is doing. Only the two first amendments will be voted on in the fall. The others must pass another Legislature. —If Congress were to make the new income tax law simple enough so that each individual could fill out his own papers, without the assist- ance of special deputies from the rev- enue offices, hundreds of thousands of dollars would be saved to the govern- ment. There is no need of any meas- ure of the sort being as ambiguous and complex as the last one was and it would be far better, to employ a few experts to put it in a shape that the ordinary mind can understand be- fore it is promulgated than have to employ thousands of interpreters for it after it has been enacted into law. Let us have an income tax law—no matter how high it is—definite enough that no doubt will remain in the tax payer's mind as to whether he has made it out right or not. VOL. 63. BELLEFONTE, P STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. A., AUGUST 16, 1918. NO. 32. Embracery Attempted in Chester County. The closing incidents of the trial of the Philadelphia conspirators in West Chester were thrown into confusion by the discovery late last Saturday evening that an instrument of the Vare machine had been systematically trying to corrupt the jury. A police- | man named Allen had offered one of | Bonniwell Can be Elected. | In 1910 Judge Bonniwell organized the Keystone party in Pennsylvania in less than three months and procur- ed for its candidate for Governor | 382,187 votes. He believed that the Democratic candidate nominated at. Allentown that year was not fairly. chosen and his keen sense of justice impelled him to the action. He had the jurymen $4000 to procure a mis- | no nucleus upon which to build. His trial and made a small payment on account. Fortunately the juror was! incorruptible and the purpose failed. ! But it revealed the desperate frame of mind of the Philadelphia Republican machine, the force of which has con- | trolled the elections in this State for many years and expects to decide the contest for Governor of Pennsylvania | this year. : | Six or seven of these political: toughs “rough-housed” the Fifth | ward of Philadelphia at the primary election of 1917 during which an of- ficer whe had not been taken into the confidence of the gang was murdered. | Because of the fear of a mistrial a change of venue was taken and the trial was held in Chester county. The evidence of conspiracy to nominate an adherent of the Vares against a sup- porter of McNichol was overwhelm- ing. More than a hundred witnesses testified to acts of lawlessness upon the part of the accused and to prevent conviction and just punishment the attempt at embracery was finally re- sorted to. The agent employed in the perpetration of this crime is now in the West Chester jail. After the election of 1910 the emis- saries of the Vare machine openly | boasted that the election of the Re- publican candidate for Governor was | procured by fraudulent votes cast and false counting made in the section of | Philadelphia of which this Fifth ward is a part. The managers of the ma- chine have already declared that the same section will secure the election | of the Republican candidate for Gov- | ernor this year and presumably by the same methods, certainly by the same men who are involved in this scandalous proceeding. Will the Re- | publicans of Centre county contribute | a share to this shameless operation? They can make such politics impossi- ble Tor all time, +o" TET { A couple of Texas Congress- | men have reaped the just reward of | defeat for opposing the war and a couple of Southern Senators are ' scheduled for similar treatment. The Democratic people of the United States are for Woodrow Wilson and his war policies and Senators and Representatives of that party faith who nag him betray their constituen- cies and deserve defeat. | | { Support the President Properly. The anxiety of Chairman Hays, of | the Republican National committee to elect Congressmen of his party com- plexion ought to serve as an incen- tive to the friends of President Wil- son to strive for the election of Dem- ocratic Representatives. With a Re- publican majority in Congress every plan of the President for the prose- cution of the war would be defeated. Because that party hasn’t strength enough to control legislation some Senators and Representatives vote for legislation favored by the Presi- dent. But if they could defeat such measures they would do so and even in the face of certain defeat they have delayed the passage of some im- portant measures for months. Every conceivable plan to embar- rass the President in his war work has been tried by the Republican lead- ers in Congress. In violation of the federal constitution they tried to usurp the functions of the Command- er in Chief of the Army and Navy. Failing in that they tried other ex- pedients to impair his processes. If they had had a majority in the House of Representatives every one of these measures would have been passed through that branch and probably forced through the Senate by threat- ening to withhold supplies. It is not a question of partisan politics that confronts the voters at this time. It is a question of patriotism. The life: of the Republic and the liberty of the | world is at stake. | All the Democratic candidates for Congress in this State are earnest’ and zealous supporters of President Wilson. Nearly every Republican candidate for Congress in Pennsylva- nia has, at one time or another, tried | to defeat his plans. Why then should | a loyal American citizen, though he be a Republican, vote for a candidate | for Congress who will cast his vote | for measures to nag the President: and defeat his plans and policies? | Some of them may feel it a duty to support the President. But they will | all be under control of a sinister or-| ganization which will force them un- | der the party lash to vote as party, interests require. The Republican, machine is selfish and sordid. ——1t is as important to work as it is to fight and happily we have plen- i ef good men able and willing to do oth. appeal was to the conscience and jus- | tice of the public. But he went to the work with such energy and pursued ! it with such intelligence and ability | that it is now practically admitted by : the opponents as it has always been ; claimed by his colleagues in the work, | that his candidate was elected and counted out by fraud. The “Watchman” had no sympathy | with Judge Bonniwell in his workin | that instance for we never doubted the fairness of Webster Grim’s nom- | ination. But the “Watchman” did have profound respect for Judge Bon- | niwell’s sincerity, courage and ability | in the campaign which he directed. | With little money, no party patron- age and even without tradition to ap- | peal to, he created a giant organiza- | | | tion and won a marvelous moral vic- | tory. He is now about to repeat that ' achievement. He has seen a bunch of patronage brokers outraged the | Democratic party and betray its can- didate for Governor in a way that | has justly aroused the indignation of | every right thinking Democrat in the | State. | With proper support from the Dem- | ocrats of Pennsylvania Judge Bonni- | well will be elected Governor this ! year. The skill in organization, the | sincerity in purpose and the force in | argument which he invested in the! Berry campaign in 1910 will give him an overwhelming majority of the votes this year. Voters do not think politically now as they used to. Con- ditions have changed materially in Pennsylvania as well as elsewhere. The people are for Woodrow Wilson and they will vote in such fashion as to guarantee him moral support. Senator Sproul may camouflage as much as he likes but he isn’t fooling the people. They know that voting for Bonniwell is the only way to help | Woodrow Wilson. ——Tt is hardly worth while to try to get information into the Austrian Emperor’s head by dropping litera- ture out of a flying machine. An ax or some heavy surgical instrument is what is needed. ri ——— Good ‘News from Russia. The impending collapse of the Bol- sheviki government of Russia is an encouraging sign. That Lenine and Trotsky have become servile tools of Germany no longer admits of doubt and their disappearance from the pub- lic life of the country will mark the beginning of the end of German con- trol. Late information indicates that | their bogus government is tottering and we would not be surprised to hear within a few days that they are fugi- tives. Where they will find an asy- lum is problematical but popular opinion is that they will go to Ger- many. How they will get along there after they have ceased to be useful to the Huns remains to be seen. Out of the confusion which over- shadows Russia, however, the conduct of the American Ambassador, Mr. Francis, . is a subject of pride. He has measured up to the highest stan- dard of intelligence, courage and ef- ficiency. His communications with Washington have been held up and his personal safety frequently men- aced. But he has never wavered from the path of duty. In reply to one of the messages of the Bolsheviki gov- ernment he wrote: “Speaking for myself I have no desire or intention of leaving Russia unless forced to do so, and in such event my absence would bz but temporary. I would not properly represent my government or the sentiment of the American people if I should leave Russia at this time.” With the allied forces now in pro- cess of assembling in Siberia and the demoralization among the fake rul- ers in Moscow and Petrograd there | are abundant reasons for the hope of a restoration of the Russian army to its place among the forces of the Al- lies and when that occurs the last chance of German victory will have vanished. Aside from that promise the fate of the Hohenzollern dynasty is sealed but the result will be greatly expedited when Russia is again in its rightful place in the world war, for liberty and humanity. Trick diplo- macy and fake government will dis- appear together and for all time when this result is achieved. — The U-boat operations in American waters do the Kaiser's cause no good but are continued be- cause he thinks it annoys Washing- ton. And it does, more or less, but the penalty will amply compensate in satisfaction. ——We don’t hear so much com- plaint of Food Administrator Hoover these days but he is fulfilling his pub- lic obligations the same as ever. An Inquiry Worth While A vast number of people outside of | Pottsville will follow the progress of | the with deep interest, in its investiga- tion of the causes for the high prices | of coal. The plan is to interrogate those who have permitted the high prices as to the basis upon which the . price is fixed. The League wants to know whether interest on the money paid for the purchase of the Schuyl- kill canal, since abandoned, is figured | in the cost of production. It also wants to know whether interest on: money paid for large tracts of unde- | veloped coal land is included in the cost of production. : . Athracite Consumers’ League | onion nolwithstan ding exemptions of all Exempting Government Salaries. From the Williamsport Sun. The Ways and Means committee of Congress is not having much of a va- the recess of that body, but the daily reports show it to be industriousdy working upon the involved problems of the new rev- ' enue bill. The announcement of their activities, by its reference to non- JoTSune: offi- cials, from the resident down through the scarcely less important offices of justices of the Supreme court and other federal judges, reveal- ed something of the sensitiveness of the committee over the criticisms at- tendant upon the exemption of gov- ernment salaries, including those of The practical | the Congressmen themselves, from men who compose the League believe ! the operation of the first war revenue that the price of coal is too high and | ought to be reduced. The people of the United States are paying cheerfully and willingly} immense sums of money in taxes, | bonds, thrift stamps and through | other mediums to meet the expenses of the war. They are paying, less cheerfully but quite as certainly, oth- er large amounts to meet the increas- ed cost of food and clothing. But they object to profiteering in any and every form and believe, justly or oth- erwise, that a considerable part of the high prices is ascribable to profit- eering. Because of this impression the Anthracite Consumers’ League was formed and the investigation in question has been undertaken. Let us hope that it will be productive of much good. It has a fruitful field for operations. Last winter there was much suffer- ing throughout the country on account of cold. There was a scarcity of coal and transportation facilities fail- ed sadly. But these were not the on- ly causes of the suffering. If coal had been plenty and accessible poor families would have suffered for the reason that they couldn’t pay the prices charged for coal. Presumably the scarcity now noticed will contin- ue to and through the winter, but that is not a sufficient reason for the high prices that are threatened. If the investigation shows that interest on investments foolish, criminal or for future profits are included in the cost of production, the prices fixed by te government ought to be decreas- ed. Farmers of Centre County. The government has just issued a call to the farmers of Centre county to put out more grain this fall. To be exact old Centre is expected to roll up an increased acreage of at least 2000 acres. It is imperative that it be done, else the call to have it done would not have been made. While at first glance it would seem an impossible accomplishment unless a natural increase over last year’s acreage is to come about as the result of the regular rotation plans follow- ed by most of our farmers. Such plans often bring about relatively wide variations in the number of acres sowed to wheat each year, but as there is just as much chance that rotation will decrease the acreage this fall as there is that it will increase it we cannot afford to rely wholly on the latter chance. Every farmer who can should put out a few acres more than he did last fall. The very attractive price at which wheat is now selling and the govern- ments’ assurance that the price for the 1919 crop will be equally as high has led a number of farmers we know of to start turning over sod fields that they had intended holding in grass for another year or so. They have told us that they consider wheat at anything from $2.10 up a more profitable crop and less troublesome than hay at anything under $25 a ton. And as there is no guarantee on the price of hay they are leaving only enough grass stand to fill their own needs on the farm, putting everything they can turn to wheat. Another farmer is turning a wheat stubble that he had seeded to both clover and timothy. He discovered that his catch of clover is not near up to standard on the field and rather than take the chance on a bad hay yield next spring he is plowing and going to put the field in wheat again. Asked as to whether this wouldn’t break up his plan of rotation he said that it would, so far as this particular field and possibly one other are con- cerned, but that he could arrange matters very satisfactorily and, after all, it might be a good thing for the farm to change the system entirely for a year or so and give the soil treatment different from the routine diet it has had for well onto a cen- tury. Of the 2000 extra acres called for from Centre county we know of two farmers who will supply possibly for- ty of them. Both are very patriotic and would try to answer the govern- ment’s call at any time, but both of them have made big money out of farming and they deem it good and paying business to put every acre they can to wheat while the price is what it is. bill. The conclusion reached by the committee was to permit no exemp- | tions, though there is a hint that this | tax might be construed as a lower- ing of their compensations and there- fore forbidden by the provision in the constitution that salaries shall not be increased or diminished during the term of an incumbent’s office. To the ordinary mind this logic seems to be defective, and that was the view taken of it by the committee, which seemed also to hold the view that a pro- nounced public sentiment favored no exemptions. Some rapid calculators have placed the President’s tax, if the recommendation becomes a law, at about $24,000 per annum. 3 There is a slight sensation of in- congruity to be perceived in either way this question of taxing income deriv- ed wholly from the government for services rendered is considered, de- pending upon the standpoint from which it is viewed. If the official is only paid the value of his services, why should the employer take a por- tion of it back for its own use again? On the other hand, the salary is the income of the official, and when every other income is subject to a univer- sal tax for the imperious needs of the nation, why should it be exempt ap- parently for the sole reason that the salary comes from a fund which would be non-existent except for these extraordinary taxes. Surely the officeholder has the largest inter- est in the cause that makes the taxes necessary. The latter would seem to be the better argument, but the former had the benefit of the custom, and it would probably never have been in- terrupted had it not been for the in- congruity that was so the work of Congress in the first war revenue bill exempted the congres- sional salary, in glaring contrast to every other private source of income. It was the makers of the law includ- ing themselves among its beneficiaries that gave it the thrifty aspect that caused member after member to an- nounce that he would not accept the exemption and then its speedy repeal. The economic condition brought about by war presents peculiar hard- ships to the salaried man with a fix- ed income, but they are common to all in that class and the governmental income is no harder to increase than that of similar conditioned men or women in private pursuits. All these are subject to the tax law where they come within its provisions, and it is to be presumed that the President and judges, federal and otherwise, will set the example of cheerful compli- ance with its terms. The conclusion of the committee seems a logical and just one. Disintegrate. From the New York Evening World. Prematurely, but inevitably, as the feeling of certain victory grows among the Allies, comes s eculation as to the best way of dealing with the German Empire after the war. “First catch your hare” is still good advice. But the hare is so sure to be caught that the discussion can- not be i out of order. Trade reprisal, disarmament and economic thraldom are all under discussion. Will we add to these ideas the sug- gestion that the empire be disinte- grated? Founded as the result of Bis- marck’s shameless alteration of Ben- edetti’s telegram, it has been for more than forty years a menace to the peace of the world. The German gen- eration of today deserves small kind- ness from the rest of the universe, but there will come a new one out of the welter whose place on earth must be considered. Why not, therefore, restore the conditions prior to 1871? Why mot revive the petty States and keep them disunited? Let Prussia, Bavaria, Wurtemberg, Saxony and all the lit- tle duchies resume their former con- dition of political independence and dislocation. This would scotch the snake and make the world a safe place to live in. As for the Hohenzollerns, there should none remain when the bill is paid! Austria. From the New York Evening World. The Entente Powers will do well to heed the Italian suggestion that a smashing move be made against Aus- tria. It is pointed out that the dual monarchy’s army is in the same cha- otic state of mind as was that of Rus- sia when the revolution blew it up. "With Germany so close at hand it is hardly possible to expect the Aus- trian proletariat to go as far as did his Russian brother, but the breakin down of the government under Allie blows is a reasonable certainty if they ean only be made to fall. A year ago the Allies disregarded the Italian pleadings with direful re- id A Perhaps this time they will be eeded. apparent when SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. —Joseph Hauser, a farmer of Orefleid, Lehigh county, was perhaps fatally in- jured when he was run down by a pair of runaway horses hitched to a self-binder, the knives of the cutterbar plercing his side. —Rather than take physical exercise prescribed for the police department, John McElwee resigned as lieutenant of the Hazleton force after three weeks’ service, making the seventeenth officer to quit the service since January 1. —Mr. and Mrs. Charles Briggs and six children, of Lamar, are in the Lock Ha- ven hospital suffering from typhoid fever. The youngest is a daughter, eighteen months old. Owing to the drought they had been using water from a cistern. —Curtis L. Porter, aged 40 years, an electrician, employed by the Mercer Coun- ty Electric Light and Power company, died in a hospital at Greenville, Monday afternoon, shortly after a charge of 6,600 volts from the power line had passed through his body. —Nine wife-beaters jailed in fourteen days is the record of Alderman Fierro, of Hazleton, who wants all such cases sent to court, despite the fact that he gets no costs if he commits the defendants, and there is from $10 to $15 in it for the mag- istrate who consents to settlement. —With the average loss of grain in the harvesting, shocking and threshing from one to ten per cent., officials of the De- partment of Agriculture are planning a campaign among Pennsylvania farmers designed to prevent this waste. It is be- lieved that thousands of bushels will be saved. —Returning to his room after midnight, Friday night, S. D. Christos, an Altoona restauranteur, found a burglar under his bed. Discovery of the intruder was made by Christos’ little dog. Christos summon- ed help and captured the man, who gave his name as Harry Boyle, of Buffalo. Boyle has been held for trial. —Adjutant General Beary on Tuesday announced that he has accepted the res- ignation of Major E. Lowrey Humes, of Pittsburgh, from the Pennsylvania Nation- al Guard reserves. Major Humes, who is United States district attorney for West= ern Pennsylvania district, has been com- missioned in the judge advocate gener- al’'s department. —When telephone linemen climbed a pole at the corner of West Fourth and Stevens streets, Williamsport, they found the box at the top filled with honey bees, which resented the intrusion vigorously until “gasses” with sulphur fumes by their owner, William A. Matter, who, hav- ing missed the bees, recaptured and re- turned them to his apiary. : —The federal grand jury at Harrisburg is considering the case of pretty Olwen Davies, arrested at Stroudsburg for mas- querading in a sergeant’s uniform. She was known as ‘Sergeant Bobby McMul- len,” and achieved great popularity. Another case before the federal inquisit- ors is that of Richard O. Allday, of Cham- bersburg, held in $7,000 bail for alleged pro-German activities. —Henry Rouscher, of York, was sen- tenced to forty-five days in prison and or- dered placed in class Al on a charge of being a slacker, after a trial in United States court at Harrisburg on Tuesday. A number of sentences were imposed up- on people for furnishing liquor to soldiers, Judge C. B. Witmer declaring that these were war-times and that the law must be obeyed even by friends of soldiers. —Following a dispute over the due to an employee, whom he gy charged, Ernest Saylor, aged 25, a son of James B. Saylor, former sheriff of Som- erset county, was shot and instantly kill- ed on Tuesday morning at the plant of the Scott & Saylor Coal company, at Blaketown, Somerset county, by Tomes Moon, aged 32, employed until Monday night by Saylor. Moon was lod county jail. gpa —An injury sustained in the course of employment and which brings a latent disease into activity, with resulting per- manent disability, entitles the injured workmen to compensation, the Workmen's Compensation Board has decided in the case of Fred Eckert, Pittsburgh vs. Su- perior Coke company. ¥ckert was struck across his face when a horse suddenly raised its head. He lost his eye because of the “latent disease.” —The John Wildi Milk company, oper- ating the large plant in Lewisburg, is about ready to start operations in the ad- dition built during the summer months, which will greatly increase the capacity of the concern. A large addition was built to the condensary, and in this building much new machinery has been installed. The output of condensed milk is almost entirely taken by the government for feeding its immense army abroad. + —With nine bullet wounds in his body, John Romierez, a Mexican, of Midland, declared on Monday in the Rochester Gen- eral hospital that he would not die. He was shot Sunday durirmg an affray among Mexican mill workers in Midland. After being removed to the hospital, he refused to divulge the name of the man who had shot him. Romierez has one bullet wound in his head, one in his chest, three in his back, one in his shoulder and three in his stomach. —Phares Hemling, a well known resi-- dent of Clay township, Lancaster county, ended his life on Saturday morning by hanging. Hemling was 39 years of age, and was part owner of a saw mill at Robesonia. It is believed that financial difficulties in connection with the mill caused him to commit suicide. He was found dead on Saturday morning behind the stove in the summer kitchen of his home in Durlach, where he was a resident for some years. —“Please withdraw classified advertise- ment for sale of barn I sent you yester- day.” This was the message in a letter re- ceived by a Williamsport paper oR Wed- nesday morning from F. C. Lucas, of Lock Haven, who on Tuesday imserted an ad. for the sale of a barn near Castanea. The message then went on to explain that the barn which had been placed on sale had been forcibly taken off the market. The building was struck by lightning during a thunder storm Tuesday and destroyed by fire. i —8. 0. Poffenberger, Harper D. Collier and Charles Hummel, of Marysville, were sentenced in Federal court at Harrisburg to pay a fine of $100 each and serve nine months in jail for robbing freight cars in the Enola yards, the shipments having been in interstate commerce and hundreds of dollars’ worth of loot having been se- cured; and Arthur M. Barnhart and Ralph E. Shaeffer, of Harrisburg, implicated in the robberies, were fined the same amount and sentenced to nine and six months, re- spectively, in jail.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers