BHUUERT A VAN ORXKR, Editors.
VOL. 1.
Tsrmi 11.50 per Annum.t Advenes
t. T. SHUOERT A J. R. VAN ORMtR, Editor!
Thursday Moraine, December 21, 1882
A GREAT fire occurred in the city of
London ou Thursday night last, in
which the loss is estimated at over
iiftceu millions. No lives are repnr.
ted as lost but a number of persons
were seriously injured.
THINGS change sometimes very sud
denly. One year ago members of
Congress, particularly of the stalwart
class, laughed and sneered at the very
lueDtion of civil service reform. Now
it seems to lie the "God of their idola
try.
THE Hon. H. J. M'Ateer of Hunt
ingdon county will be presented for
the chief-clerkship of the House of
Representatives. He is a courteous
deserving gentleman, and if elected
will make a most efficient and deserv
ing officer.
CONGRESSMAN CARLISLE says that
the report of the tariff Commission
does not make a reduction of twenty
per cent all around as claimed, and
he expects to show to the House and
the country, that the average reduction
is not more than five per cent, on
many of the necessaries of life.
VERMONT has refused to grant indi
vidual property rights to married
women. That State is still behind the
age, uncertain whether King George
is on the throne of England or the
American Revolution is yet fought to
a final conclusion. All they have learn
d is that they ought to vote the Fed
eral Republican ticket.
SENATOR WARNER MILLER of New
York, more familiarly know as Wood
Pulp Miller, will not be particularly
pleased with the report of the Tariff
Commission he was so anxious to have
appointed. They propose to knock off
the duty on Wood-Pulp, a tax very
dear to Mr. Miller, and one for which
he made a very earnest and interested
fight.
EX-CARPET BAG SENATOR SPENCER
from Alabama, who is wanted as a
witness on the trial of the Star-route
thieves, to dodge the process of the
court has fled to Canada. As that ap
pears to be the common resort of all
the rascals from the States who desire
to escape justice, or to shield their
thievish friends, the ex-Senator will
doubtless find many congenial spirits
A PROPOSITION is before Congress
to purchase the building iu which
President Lincoln was shot. It is a
three story brick buildingopposite what
was Ford's Theatre but is now owned
and used by the Government AS the
Army Medical Museum. There seems
be a propriety in the Government
owning both of theee points directly
connected with the tragic death of the
martyred President.
Gov. CLEVELAND has been iu con
sultation, with Mr. Tildeu, and shows
his good sense in the choice of advisers
in doing so. Mr. Tilden's great ex
perience aud his magnificent record in
reforming the government of New
York some years ago pointed to him
as one peculiarity qualified to furnish
facts and views of interest to one de
sirous of inaugurating an administra
tion of advanced reform and economy
for which he was chosen by the people.
THE annual reunion of the surviv.
ing members of the last Constitutional
conventioo of this Htate is to be held
I at Lancaster on the 28tb iust. Gov.
Curtiu is President of the association
and Lewis C. Cusidy, Treasurer. The
Convention was composed of 136 mem
bers. Of this number 36 are deceased,
and in this list is embiaced our own
esteemed and honored representative*
H. Nelson M'Allister, whose memory
is still cherished with must affectionate
regard by the community in which be
lived and served so faithfully.
Tho Star Routo Frauds.
The Star route trials are again he
fore the Washington Court, a jury
having been obtained last week. The
defence made a hard struggle for in
definite postponement on account of
the impaired health of Dorsey, who it
is alleged is atllicted with disease of
the eyes, but the Court overruled the
motion and decided that Mr. Dorsey'*
presence in person was not absolutely
necessary. In view of the bitterness
engendered by the former trial, and
subsequent events, this trial will
doubtless he couducted by the
prosecution with a determination to
bring out every fact to prove
guilt, which they claim to be over
whelming. and must lead to convic
tion. Many supposed that the first
trial was a mere farce to permit the
guilty ones to escape punishment; but
it resulted it liecame
necessary to corrupt the jury to pre
vent a verdict. This, and the attempt
to throw the onus of this corruption
upon the Attorney General has prob
ably weakened the defence, and ad
ded vigor ami determination to the
prosecution. This trial therefore, it
may he recieved, will be no sham, and
whatever the result,will without doubt
be accepted by the country a- a ver
dict to be approved. If these men are
guilty of the shameless robbery and
villauies charged upon theu, they
ought to be severely punished —if in
nocent, the suspicion, indeed the con
viction, in the public miud of guilt
should be removed, not by subordi
nating the prtss as in the former trial,
or tampeiing wiili the jury, but by
such evidence us to merit acquittal.
-
THE House Committee favors an
appropriation of $10,(MK),000 annually
for the next five years for educutiooal
purposes, to lie distributed among the
several states find territories by the
secretary of the Treasury in the ratio
of illiteracy. The Washington Pod
refering to this says: "There can be no
question of the constitutional right
|of Congress to appropriate from the
public treasury any sum of money that
it may deem expedient for the purpose
iof aiding the States in cducatioual
work. The statistics of illiteracy, es
pecially iu the States where slavery
existed twenty years ago, show how
urgeut is the necessity for largely in
creased school facilities. Much has
been done already by public and pri
vate means, but the work accomplish*
cd is insignificant when compared with
what remaines unperformed. The
most startling revelaiious of the census
tables are the facts that there are in
the thirty-eight States of our Union,
four millions of adult citizens, includ
ing two millions of voters, who cannot
write their names, and that out of a
school population of eighteen millions,
seven and a-lialf millions are growing
up in ignorance of the alphabet. The
right and duty of extinguishing a fire
that threatens destruction of a great
und costiy edifice are not more clear
and imperative than are the propriety
and exjiediency of using the National
means to insure the safety of the Na
tissual structure, menaced as it is by
this- frightful mass of ignorance.
THERE is quite a commotion among
the tobacco dealers and manufactur
ers of New York and elsewhere, and
many petitions numerously signed,
urging early action of Congress to set
tle questions of taxes and duties, are
I icing sent in. That industry iu New
York alone, employs 18,000 people in
the manufacture of cigars aud it is
held that if congress d.ies not act
promptly great suffering will result to
the thousands of families dependent
upon it. It is alleged as a reason for
this that jobbers and retailers only
purchase for immediate necessity in
anticipation that the taxes will be re
moved or reduced, which, if effected,
will cheapen both tobacuo and segart.
This necessitates the working of the
factories from four to ten hours a day
and the balance of the time the work
men are out of employment The
tax on cigars is $6 per thousand.
"KyUAI. AND KX AIT JUSTICE TO AI.L MEN, OE WII ATE VKK NT ATE OR PERSUASION, HKLltllOtM OR POLITICAL."—JsfIsrMin.
BELLKFONTK, l'A., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1882.
About Rlvore and Harbors.
Congressman Randall wants to
know something more about River
aud Harbor Steals, and has presented
a resolution requesting the President
to transmit to the House a statement
showing the aggregate amount which
has been expended iu the improve
ment of rivers aud harbors from the
beginning of the Government to the
present time ; the amount annually ex
|K'uded uud the aggregate and annual
expenditure iu tho improvement of
each river and bar bur, ao nmpa >it-d
by references to the laws author zing
each of such expenditures, ami also a
statement showing what benefit to
commerce, if aoy, has resulted from
each of said expenditures und stating
the navigable capacity of each of said
rivers and harbors bolero and after
improvement ; ami also to inform the
House whether any moneys have been
appropriated or ex ponded in the im
provement of rivers <>r hdhhor* not
nnvignble within the legal definition
of the word "navigable" as defined by
the United States Supreme court, and
also to statu whether any money has
been appropriated or expended for
the improvement of any river or har
bor not within the United Slates.
4 .
THE new converts iu Congress to
civil service reform under inspiration
of the late election returns, seem to bo
charged with what they call civil sir
vice bills rmst of which arc certainly
of a low grade. While the Senate is
discussing with evident approval of
the main features of Mr. Pendleton's
bill, Mr. Kasson, of the House, intro
duces a sham partisan bill to antagon
ize it when it reuche* the House. It
is evidently the intention of these pie
teuders to defeat any measure uf real
merit to improve the civil service
that might come up to them
claiming Democratic paternity, or
that might elevate the Federal sir
vice above its present extreme partisan
and de|>cndet)t standard. Ka#on's
bill is of this character and presented
with uo elevated view to improve the
civil service hut to provide
against emergency in the anticipated
defeat of his party hereafter. This
system of evading a needed reform
has long been practictd and with suc
cess, but the amused public seutiment
on this subject will only be satisfied
with something practical and effective-
This has been demanded in no uncer
tain tone. Pendleton's bill is not free
from objectionable features, aud ought
to be carefully amended, hut not by
the substitution of a pnlpahle fraud
such as is proposed by Kasson.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Patriot
says that Representative Deuzeudorf,
of Virginia, will at the earliest oppor
tunity, introduce a hill prohibiting any
|ier*on who holds a public trust or a
government office of any kind front
living a member of any central, exec
utive or any other committee of any
|olitical organization, from being a
delegate to any convention of any
party, and from seeking to control the
political action of bis subordinatea. It
also prohibits any such person from
taking part in any campaign as speak
er or canvasser during the hours for
which he is employed by the govern
ment. The penalty for violation of
these provisions is dismissal from
office and ineligibility for reappoint
ment for five years.
TUB Stalwarts having become very
earnest reformed since the election,
are making vigorous efforts to convince
the Independents that they intend to
be honest" next year." It in believed
that they have captured Mitchell and
he is prepared so serve under the lead
of Cameron, provided be bosses mildly
aud will divide the stalwart patronage.
Now, if the bosses can arrange with
Woli and Htewart and other Independ
ent leaders, harmony may be assured
for " next year." A reasonable amount
of "crow diet" will prepare their
stomachs for any methods that may
follow.
Is It a Stoal ?
The Huston Sentinel, commenting on
the expenHes of the state government,
brings to view some remarkable fig
ures which need explanation und the
incoming Legislature should not fail to
i apply the crucible. The Srntinrl says:
j " Although there w& no seas ion
jof the Legislature, 844,W0.01 ia set
! down a* expenses of the Senate and
I 8133,084.28 for the House, ami, in ex
| planatioii of thin, it is stated that this
i wa the " bark pay" of the members
I after the Supreme Court hud decided
| each to he entitled to 8300 extra. But
a* there ate only 23] member* in nil,
j this would account for but $123,000 —
whereas 9187,610.38 are credited to
the expense* of the legislature.
Wa- there al-o 30 | <-r cent, addition
made to the pay of the clerks, mes
sengers, pa-ters, fohli r-, doorkeepers,
and janitors, ami to the " contingent "
fund ?"
There i* something here very like a
steal aud demands attention.
"" * •
FROM present indications, llarris
i burg will lie visited by the largest
crowd of free citizens of Pennsylva
nia to witness ami participate iu the in
auguration of Governor Pat(isou that
ever congregated llu-re on a similar
occasion. No pari of tin- exjvnse of
the demonstration will he drawn from
the treasury of the .State, but will lo
dic voluntary offering of tin- [H-ople in
their private capacity, of ilmir sincere
gratitude for the prospective rescue of
the commonwealth from the control
ol bo* management aud tin- intl icnce,
|of corrupt ring* and plundering niis
crcaiita *
AN attempt made on Saturday
night la-t to burn the office ami prop
|erty of Mr. Merrick, the hading
counsel of the Government ingthc
prosecution of the star-route conspira
tors, has produced considerable ex
citement in Washington. This, in
connection with the threatening letter*
of assassination and injury recieved by
Messrs. Merrick and Bliss and Attor*
I ney General Brewster, gives rise to
the suspicion of a concerted design to
terrorize the trial now in progress.
These suspicions may lie unwarranted,
but they are scarcely avoidable under
the circumstances.
THE New York World, of Monday
contains an expose by Stephen \V.
Dorsey, of Star Route fame, of the
secrets of the campaign of 1880. It
ia quite lengthy and embraces many
letters from Gen. Garfield, showing
that he wa iu full accord and in con
fidential relation with Dorsey in all
that was done io the conduct of that
campaign of corruption in Indiana,
New York and elsewhere, lheexjs.se
he states, is given to the public lo de
fend himself, and not with the view of
attacking anyone.
PREPARATORY slejis are being tak
en in I'll ladelpbia to secure the re
jieal of the Rcci rder law which was
enacted someyi-arsago to rob the tax
fiayera and to fix up a soft and profi
(able job officii for Bos Quay, who
held it some time, and then return* to
the office of.Secretary of the Common
wealth. The emolument* of (he office
are large and it is believed by many
that Mr. Quay and others, arc not dis
interested parties ill the large revenue
it yields to the incumbent. To abate
thi* wrong ujion the Philadelphia tax
payer* should ho one of the first duties
of the legislature.
■■ - ♦
APPEALS are now lieiug made to
public sympathy in favor of Mr. Jay
Hnhhell, whose campaign nu-tli< da
and agency have been si revolting to
public decency, on the ground that ho
it no more culpable than the Senator!
ami Representative! associated with
him on the Congressional campaign
committee. This it true. They were
all a shabby set of robbers, and should
divide the responsibility equally.
"Honor among thieve*" will apply in
this, a* in other CAM*.
When Uoirut'H Fall Out.
Tho melancholy report comes from
Harrisburg that Senate Librarian nn<i
Supply Custodian John C. Delaney has
quarrelled with the contractor for state
supplied and refuse* to take the articles
he proposes to furnish Lecatiae lliey are
not up to the standard bid for. The
contractor in turn allege* that Delaney
is "pinching" him because he wanted a
friend of his own to get the contract.
In view of the way IIIIH supply business
is managed the public will tie very revdt
to believe both stories. Fraud and pec
ulat.on have nearly always honey comb
| ed the furnishing of ut ile supplies, and
I there never was more suspicion and
! scmdal attaching to it than since
has heed invested with the maiiipijla
lion of the contracts and Delaney ha-
I received and has had charge of the sup
plies. Nobody will believe that Delaney
would make ot jection to the contractor
furni-liing "wagon sponge at iper
pound" in-lead of "fie.t, pong< *at s|.'i
per p mud "towels at per dozen
instead of Turkish towel* at S2O per
dozen : soaptone dishes instead ol
I China; small pi< res chamois, Mislead of
large skins : common plain glass, in
stead of cul glass tumbler-; ordinary
ru-pidores, in-tead ol fancy decorated i
Ulterior brushes an i <lu*t palls ; 2". cent
towel rack* lor tho-e costing $ i Ist;
poor (|U .illy of dsma-k towels and run
j clone made conjb-, for Land nt.de ;"
j and otherwise making from B<*'i to
I 200 per Cent —if Jteimey * (ilends
will profit by the steal. On the other
hand everybody will be re.i Jy to believe
that the contractors for 111. *e supplies
regii|,r!y swindle the state by furnish
ing articfe* of inferior qjalitv and in
quantities befiw their contracts. Hut
the c mtraols thein-elv.-s are swindle*
| in tiiat they call for many articles which
i tins state should not iuy at all, and
miny others of which there should tw
an ample supply on hand from the pur
chases of preceding years. The whole
subject needs thorough ventilation and
j reform and thequarr.-l between Delaney
and the contractors may help to Lght
up the dark way* and vain tricks which
have too long prevailed at Il urtsburg.
—/. inraiUr Inlfihgcoeer.
Tux Harn-burg Patriot very properly
calls attention to the fact that under
legislation of doubtful constitutionality,
and by still more doubtful construction
of the statutes, the attorney general
and the incumbent of the office of sec
retary of state have been drawing large
fees in excess of their salaries ; and it
very sensibly suggests that "if it tie
possible for the legislature to tix the
salaries of the attorney general and
secretary of the commonwealth before
these officers shall have been sworn in
that body should not hesitate in the
premise*. Such a course on the part ol
! the Legislature would relieve the new
1 administration from a very delicate po
sition and would at the same lime in*
I augurate a pro|er and necessary ref rruj
i in the eoni|enation of public officials."
The pernicious system of feeing pu'-lic
officials, sought to be obviated by the
new constitution, ought certainly to be
I abolished in connection wiih these two
! office#. The practice of collecting fees
| in the attorney general's office has led
to scandal ever since it has been indulg
ed in, and if, as the Patriot suggests, it
i* unlawful, the Legislature should act
on this mailer promptly. The salary of
$-1 ■ r BKl is probably not adequate to the
professional standard required in the
b-g. I adviser of the slate, hut this had
belter be increased than lo longer tole
rate the present elastic system under j
which the emoluments ran he swelled
lo SIIOOO by sometimes questionable
devices.
Ova of the most intelligent writers in
the country think* that "if the nation
*l government can afford to spend five
million dollars a yesr to improve the
navigation of the Mississippi river in
defiance of the enormous extent to
which the commerce of the Mississippi
valley ia monopolised by the railways, '
whirb'have changed the whole *|>ect of
western civilization, it certainly ought
to tw- able to spend at iwasl as much in
building a new fleet of naval vessel* for
seagoing purposes, now sadly needed to
look after the interests of our national
commerce in the ocean highways of the
w.-Hd."
A m*p of Pennsylvania ia rtill given
by Tua Pmi.sDßt.riiu WMRLT Paaaa to
lbo*e who send $l5O for i-nw year's sub
aeriplion. There ia no better nt*p of
this State, and it is liaelf worth the price
asked for map aud paper.
TERMS: per Annum, in Advance.
Con. M'CU KF, of the Philadelphia
Time* in hi* editorial correspondence
from Washington under date of the 14,
s|H-ak thus of the subdued Chief
Stalwart ami his Pennsyl
vania Lieutenant:
"There is a soft, 'subdued mel
lowness of tone in stalwart circles
here that is as novel as it is re
freshing to this citv of partisan rnas
i ters and de|>endenU. The imperial
power ol the Stalwart leaders, that was
so ostentatious in asserting itself to
friend and foe, now pipes as gently as
the dove, and I hear only of Republi
can harmony, roue<-ssion and fraternal
love lie ween the Republican factions.
Nor is tLis an idle promise to mislead
i be revolutionary elements of the party.
For the first time since the advent of
the Cameron reign in Pennsylvania
the sealping-kuife ha- been sheathed,
and Senator Cameron really means not
onl v to intcrpu e no obstacle to the re
union of the stalwarts and Indepen
dents, but to promote it by his own
(efforts. It is his first leasou iu that
line of political education and he has
studied it until he has learned it. It
i- only proper to say that he had a po
tent ami probably an exacting teacher
iu President Arthur, who understands
that IM,OOO majority against oue of
his < 'ahiuct officers in New York means
more than a passing caprice of the peo
ple, ami Aithur has called a halt on
himself mid on all around him. The
venerable Biinou Cameron has also
taken a hand a a peace commissioner,
lie wants hi* *<m to recover for IK*4,
and thus secure B*nator Cemeron'e re
election ; and he knows that the Inde
pendent* must !<• thoroughly welded
back unto the'party lines again to
make the reelection of the younger
Cameron possible. He is riper in wis
dom us well as in years and he calla
for f>eace and unity at any sacrifice
but that ol his son.
The result is that both President
Arthur and Senator Cameron have de
cided to pool their issues with the In
dependents by welcoming back the
boiiiug prodigals, killing the fatted
calf and taking a fresh start. I re
peat no idle gossip in these statements,
hut reflect whtft has been formally do
j termined upon as the policy of the
Stalwart administration and its follow
i ers. Senator Mitchell is now r i wel
come a visitor to the White Honae as
is Senator Cameron, and while it is
not pretended that Cameron is in any
less favor than fa-fore it is known to
Cameron that he is no longer the ab
solute dispenser of aiiiniuistration far
■ ors. ami his use of the patronage of
the President to punish those who have
disobeyed his mandates is an achieve
ment of the past. Pennsylvania ex
pectants may therefore venture to seek
the favor of Senator Mitchell again
without playing the mle of the suicide.
A LIVE PRINCE IN NEW YORK.
Among the |>asseugers arriving in
New York the other day was his Roy
al Highness Prince Arisongava of Ja
pan with an army of attendants. He
i. uncle of the Emperor of Japan, and
is to visit the National Capital to in
terview the American solont.
Ins hasty resiling of the message we
do not see the the President makes any
attempt to jlist ify his flag. Perhaps Mr.
Arthur isol the opinion th*t this subject
1 mav as well be dropped.—(W.-aaoti Em
fttir+r.
Ihe youngest Guvei.or, James B.
Grant, of Colorado, is a Democrat, and
so ia the oldest, Alexander 11, Siephena
of Georgia. The true Jefferaoniao de
mocracy covers all ages and aisea.—„! f
/anhi (bmhtnhon.
In China when • candidate for office
under the government (ails to pass ei
animation he generally goes out and
hangs himself. In Itiia couotry he us
ually bangs himself up for the clerkship
of a Congressional commission.
Noting Jay Gould's purchase of a cem
etery lot at a big figure, the Chicago
Timet in fearful leet tnis ia the begining
of an attempt on hiapart to get contro'
of the route to the shining shore.
Mr. Grover Cleveland, of whom tba
pub be have lately beard much, it is re
ported, la to be married to Miss Mary
Burlingame, Uviog near Gtke, N. Y.
NO. r>o.