J : Tlemocral, UEQUAL AND EXACT JUSTICE TO ALL MEN, OF WHATEVER STATE OR PERSUASION, RELIGIOUS OR roLITICAL." wdefloreon. TERM 8S: $1.50 per Annum, in Advance- F. E. & G. P. BIBLE, Proprietors. VOL 7. NO. 34. ’ The Centre Democrat, Terms 81.50 per Annum in Advane FRANK E BIBLE, Editor DEMOCRATIC COUNTY TICKET. FOR JURY COMMISSIONER, JOHN RHONE YOR CORONER, Dx. H. K, HOY. BELLEFONTE. PA.. THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 1885. Great Rallroad Mass Meeting Pursuant to a call, the people of Bellefonte, Nittany, and Bald Eagle Valleys assembled to enter their sol emn protest against the destruction of competing railroad lines, and to declare that the constitutional pro, vision known as the XVII Sectioa shall be applied to Railroad corpora- | | the people in the future, In the dis | cussion of such a subject in which we | are interested in some measure on both | sides, we need to guard against preju- dice snd the extremes of feeling, snd | by calm discussion and temperate action | determine the proper course to be pur- | sued, and then follow it without swery: ing. to a final conclusion. The object fir which this meeting has been called as | understand it, embraces but a sin- gle phase of thi« great subject nod re- in, an independent line competing for trade and traffic with our other portation companies, | be discussed the two questions, which, | as I have stated, underlie this proposi- | tion, | transfer and merger of the Beech Creek | road would be both illegal and subver- | What- ever may be said as to the superiority | sive of the rights of the pecple. | of any corporation to our presentConsti. trans | | Pennsylvania Railroad Company; and | | company owning or having under its | control a parallel or competing line; I believe that the contemplated | 4 aw of | sylvania is the supreme | Commonwealth and all the public off | cers, whether belonging to the legisla { tive, executive or judicial departments | of our State government, are required | Wikanas, The Constitution of Peon~ | this o—— ———————————————————— Gen Beavers Address Wuengss, S-ction 4 of Article 17 of | | the Constitution of Pennsylysnia pro- | | have not the |}, any railroad company from pur-| | time to night to discuss as they should | chasing, leasing or in any manner sc- | | quiring contro! of anp other railroad | We give in the proceedings of the lailroad meeting of last week, Gen. | Beavers speech in full. In view of | the fact that the Republicans of the state look to the general as their standard bearer in the coming guber- | natorial struggle, and that his party leaders, refused to pass anti-dis- crimination bill last winter, or to in- Aan The im- mediate cause of action was the deal by which the Beech Creek round passes into the hands of the Pennsylvania Company. Gen. Jas. A. Beaver was | elected President, and the following tions in its letter and spirit. | to take an oath to “support, obey and defend" the Constitution, including all | : : | its provisions; therefore, involved in the proposed transfer of | tion of our present Constitution to an | Resolved, First, That we, the citizens | of Centre county, in mass-mecting as | sembled, protest against the proposed | acquisition of the Beech Creek, Clear | Intes to a single transaction. Two ques. | tation, it is certain that the traosfer of | tions present themselves to my mind as | any road incorporated since the sdop corporate a plank of that nature in To THE Eprror :—The signers of the document annexed respectfully request its insertion in your paper, as a favor 1 a good cause. The above modest request, is the heading to a little circular recom their platform, his position is away in advance of the fellows who run the machine. We have heard the ques- (tion asked by the General's party field and Southwestern Railroad as be. | . 'he 2 friends in town as to “how will it ef- 8 | this new system of railroaas to the older | other company by which its independ i . 1 {ond better established system which ence and competing power would be de seeks 10 absorb it. One is, would such | stroyed ought to and would forfeit its a transfer be legal, and the other is, if | franchises, so that the pesple would |ing in violation of the provisions of the i | pamed gentlemen were chosen Vice mending certain text-books on Tem- perance Hygiene, and is signed by a number of Reverends, M. D’s,Lectur ers ete. ete. We would cheerfully do soythiog in our power to aid the tem. perance cause, and our colamns are open to anything that will have a tendency to make our people temper- ate in all things. But under the guise of temperance we don’t propose to do a lot of free advertising for a certain publishing house which is trying to introduce its books into the schools of State, “As a favor to a good cause” we respectfully decline to advertise the three “books most fully approved to this end.” - Nort in many years have the people of Centre county been so much aroused, so heartily in earnest or so unanimous in sentiment as they are to-day on the question of the sale, con golidation or merger of the Beech Creek, Clearfield aod Southwestern railroad with the Pennsylvania system of roads. They are not up in arms against a great corporation, but be- cause it seeks to destroy or break up competing systems to the detriment of the people of Pennsylvania. All that the people of Centre county ask of any corporation is that it shall be subject to the fundamental law of the State: as much so as the humblest citizen: that the course of trade and commerce shall not be checked or trammelled by the absorption of rival and competing lines of railroad ; that the chartered rights of individuals shall be respected by corporations They do not waat their business to be at the mercy of any one railroad or system of railroads. These demands are modest, they are rights sad privi- leges which areguarenteed by the laws of the State. THE present managem the running of trains. to connect with the train West on the B. E. V. Road. Returning on the arrival of the train East on B. E. V te Lemont, at Lemout it conuects with a train from Lewisburg, and returns to Bellefonte. Leaving Bellefonte on the arrival of the night train it goes as far as Spring Mills. Thus nobody along the line is accommodated. Freight can be shipped cheaper from Oak Hall vis Montandon, P. & E., & B.E. V., to Bellefoute, than direct to Bellefonte via B. N. & L. R. R Penns Valley merchants can get freight from Philadelphia the next day after it is shipped. Bellefonte merchants have to wait three or four days. Express charges are about if. ty per cent. higher at Bellefonte than Spring Mills. These are some of the complaints made against the manage ment by our citizens. It takes two days to go to Millheim and back by rail Coburn, which would be the most important station on the road, as four wealthy and populous townships are tributary to it, is merely a way We don’t know on which end of the double headed manage ment the blame rests, but an applica. tion of common sense to the business management of the road would help station. matters. | Presidents—E. H. Carr, Milesbarg ; Jno. M Wagner, Boggs twp; Hon. | Juo. A. Woodward, Howard; D. J. | Meyer, Potter twp; Moses Tompson, | | College; Robt Volentine, Bellefonte, | N. W; Adolph Loeb, Bellefonte, S | W; W. V. Emery, Bellefonte, W. W; A. Walters, Millheim; A. S. Valen- | tine, Spring twp; Hon. B. F. Huauter, | Benner twp; L. W. Kimport, Harris | twp. Joe W. Furey of the Watchman, | Geo. P. Bible of the DeMocraAT, and | | N. 8. Bailey of the News, were elected | Secretaries. C. Humes, and J. L. Spangler, Esq., were appointed a committee on Reso- lutions. While the Committee ubsent Gen. beaver addressed the meeting as follows : Was perty from one point to another has be come #0 essential to personal comfort and success in business, that whatever lation, touches popular rights and awakens popular protest. We ars met this evening in answer to a modest lit- tle-hand-bill circulated throughout our town and its vicinity calling upon citizens who deem it important to the the Beech Creek, Clearfield; & South- western Railroad retain its presemt con- nection with the Reading system, to meet in public meeting in this place al this time, It is well known that the railroad re. ferred to in the circular which invites Hon. Jno. H. Orvis. E. | The transportation of person and pro | touches the freedom of such transpor-| techuoically legal, would it not be an in. vasion of popular rights, such as should be resented by every legitimite m=»ans within the power of the people? In 1873, by a po. ular mojority of 144, 150, the people of this Commonwealth declared that *No railroad or canal cor | porations shall consolidate the stock, ‘property or (ronchises, or in any way control any other ratlroad or eanal control wr A pat vilel [| line; competing nor shall any of the officers of any such railroad or eanal corporation act as an { officer of any railroad or canal corpor- ation owning or having control of a | parallel or competing line; and the | | question whether railroads or canals | | are parallel or competing lines, shall, when demanded by a partly complain, | ant, be decided by a jury | civil issues.” This Section of Article 17, of our Re- | vised Constitution, was adopted in its | final passage by the Constitutional Con. i our Constitution, by a vote of 76 yeas i | | that section of the Constitution had been submitied singly to the people of oli | this Commoawealth for adoption or re | jection, nioe~tenths of all the voters of | the Commonwealth would have voted i | i | no popular deliverence upon this sub- ject sinoe the vote upon the adoption | of our new constition, and it is sale, | therefore, to assume that our people | are ia favor now of what they declared | themselves to be in favor of when they | voted upon that question in the fall of corporation owning or having under its as in other | | vention chosen by the people to reform | to 11 nays. And it is safe 10 say that if | us to meet here, is now operated under | joeg Maay questions have arisen since » traffic contract with what is known 8 | (he organization of our present railroad the Reading System of Railroads in system which were not anticipated or | have the right to confer them upon | corporation which would earry out the | provisions of the Constitution in their It is ip | true intent and mesning, My nj i Constitution and subversive of public rights and interests Second, That we call upon 1 executive of the Commonwealth and he chief {all the pub ic officers lo use ali the pow- | judgment undoubtedly the duty of the | | Executive to interfere in sach an emer gency by all the legal power at Lis com | mand fo Pp «sent such a transfer: and in case il were consummaied, to have it declared null and void, In esse this were declared impossible or impractic the | to able, then it becomes the duty of people in their soverign capacity take hold of the question, and by the | election of who will obey their will, pass and exe, legislators and executive cute such laws as will compel obedience | to the plain mandate of the Constitu | | | in this question. tion. All citizens are alike interested Our railroad compan- jes ure also interested in it. They can | not afford to disregard popular protékt | | and trample upon popular rights. So | far as our immediate surroundings sre stockholder of "alley Railroad, 1 would | concerped, if I were a { the Bald Eagle \ | prefer as a matter of business that the | contempluted road from Pine Grove to | Beech Creek should be built. It would | | Clearfield and Southwestern | with the Peansylvarin Rvisoad system | ! undoubtedly send two tons of freight over the Bild Esgle Railroad for every ton which would be diverted it | - | The great iron region which it develops from business interests of the comunity, shat | o, oor of ts adoption. There bias been | Would send its raw materiale and its | manufactured product in very large | measure over the Bald Eagle and Peon | aylvania systems, and trade instead of | being restrained would be largely in: | ereased to the mutusl advantage of both | railroads. While this may not be true | to the same extent of the Beech Creek { road, it is nevertheless true that the ! region through which it passes will de- | velop a vast amount of traffic sufficient ent of the Railroads between this place and Lewisburg is gathering laurels, by the manver in which the people of Penns Valley are accommodated im A train leaves Rising Springs (Spring Mills) about 4:30 A. m. and arrives in Bellefonte Pennsylvania, which is one of the few competitors for publicitrade and traffic of our great and growing system of rail- roads known as the Pennsvlvania sys- tem. ple that an eflort has beem made and is now being made to forma connection with the h Creek, Clearfield & South -western Railroad by a line of road running from Pine Grove on our southern border to Beech Creek in Clin ton County just opposite our north-east. ern border, which road with its branches would be about 50 miles long, and would traverse for, at least, half that distance a region which kas no railroad It is also well known to our peo- facilities of any kind, snd whose miner- al and sgricultural resourees would be largely developed by its construction, 1f the Beech Creek Clearfield & South- western Railroad should pass out of the control of its present management and into the control of the Pennsylvania system as public rumor asserts itis like- railroad through our county, and the built; at least not io such a way as to give us a competitor for our railroad traffic, We come together to night I trust, as business men, looking at our business interests in a business way, ready and willing to express our sentiments upon a great public question in a calm and dispassionate and at the same time, in a firm and decided way. It is not neces ary to heap abuse upon any corporation or the men who manage it; it is not necessary to inveigh sgainst corporate power and corporate greed. No good ean be accomplished by this mode of discussion, We stand face to face with a great absorbing public problem, one which must be considered and finally acted upon by the people in some one of their several aggregate capacities; which reaches far beyond the immedi ate subject before us to-night, and in. volves not only public welfare and our individual interests, but the maintenance of rights’already granted,and the consid. eration of privileges to corporations by ly to do, there would be little use in| the construction of this new line of} probabilities are that it would not be | foreseen at the time of the inception of | the system. This question of compe- | ving lines is one of them ; the impor tance of it not having been appreciated ®y the former generation, because they had no knowledge of the possibility of | & monopoly of the carrying trade in the | hands of private corporations. When | our turopikes were built, they were | free to all who chose to travel upon {them and pay thew tolls. When our | oanals were built they were free to the boats of every individual who chose to transport the goods of his neighbors | for a consideration in case they paid i the legal rate of tell. Our railroads in- troduced a new system of transporta- | tion and made the general system which had been in vogue prior to their con- struction impracticable, festly impossible for two competing common osrriers to use the of railroad. The only means by which the people can secure competition in railroad transportation, therefore, is by | parallel or practically parallel lines of | road controlled by different and compe | ting interests, within the first twenty years after the building of our first line of railroad through Pennsylvania. Upon the first opportunity the people of the State de, elared in favor of the maintainance when established of such compet ‘ng lines and against their consolida- tion or merger directly or in directly. For the first time in the history of our community we have come within sight of an opportunity te be served by such competitors for pub. lie traffic and public favor, The ques- tions for us to determine to-night are, first, do we stand by the provision which was incorporated in our Consti- tution of 1873, above recited, and secondly, will we insist by voice, vole and influence in compelling our public servants, legislature and executive to carry out Lhe said provision in ite true intent and spirit? Il we are so re mined, and if our fellow-citizens through out Penneylvania show a like determin. ation with us, there can be no that the Beech Creek, Cloarfiold % Southwestern Railroad will remain as it It is mani | same line | This was demonstrated | | to make the road & paying investment | without touching an scre of coal land previously reached by the Peonsylvania system. Be this as it may, howeVer, in | the present arrangement what we have | the right to demand is paralell and competing lines. We now have prac | tically paralell and competing lines, | No jury could be empansieled in Penn- | sylvania who would fail to find this asa | substantive fact. If this we | have a right 10 have them continue so And sa | understand the object of this | meeting, we are met to demand that | his right be respected. Uhere is but | one sentiment upon this subject so far | na [| know in our community, and it is | meet that this sentiment should have | formal expression. What is your pleas- be true, | ure in regard to the further conduct of { the meeting ? At the conclusion of the General's | speech, which was received with rounds | of applause, the committee on resolu. tions reported, J. L. Spaagler, the | Secretary, read them in a clear (cue of voice. Waengas, Within the Inst three years a railroad company has been incorpor- ated under the laws of this common- wealth called “The Beooh Creek Clear- field and Southwestern Railroal Com. pany,” which company is constructin and now av rr SA from Tos sey Shore in the county of Lycoming to Gausm in the sovaty engeld w road passes through counties of Clinton and Centre, and forms » par alell and comygeting line of railroad with railroads previously constructed, owned or wperated by the Pennsylvania Rail- Company, by reason of which this and adjoining counties are receiving the benefits and advantages of competition in eign and passenger transportation; an Wiereas, we are informed by well suthentioated rumor that the Penn- Ativaisa Raiond bovis ia Rg ng wuire a t the stoc of the phy ds Creek, Clearfield and South western Railroad Company in order to control its management and ope ation, practically consolida- ting it with the Pennsylvania railroad system, and hereby destroying any com- petition which now exists between the said Beech Creek, Clearfield and South. western Railroad snd the railroads dwned or leased and operated by the i er vested in them by the constitution and laws of this stile to prevent the consolidation of tle Beech Creek, Railroad snd thereby prevent an opea and fla- grant violation of the Constitution and | irreparable injury to the busines: inter. | | este of this section of the Sate, nled ge Third, That we hereby | influence snd votes in favor of our thoie { who will honestly snd in good faith »t- | tempt to earry into effect the provisions of the Constitution of this state regula- | ting and controling railroad companies and other earrying corporations, Hon. John A. Woodward moved the { adopt on of the resolutions, which were seconded by T. P. Rynder, of Milesburg. The resolutions were unanimously adopted, and the following petition | signed by hundreds of citizens: SxLieronte, August 20, 1885, Ts Hon. Robert E. Pattison, Gevernor of the Commomoealth of Pennsylvania: The undersigned citizens of Centre county haviag assembled in mass meet. | ing and passed resolutions expressive of our views in regard to the proposed transfer or merger of the Beech Creek, | Clearfield and Southwestern Railroad to and with the Pennsylvanis Railroad Company, beg leave to transmit here- with the resolutions adopted at our mecting and to petition your Excel lency to use all the powers with which the Constitution sad the laws of Penn- sylvania invest you to prevent said transfer, or if consummated to have it declared null and void. We have the honor to be with high regard Your obedient servants — Judge Orvis then spoke on the Res- olations. His speech was pronounced one of the most masterly statements of the legal phases of the question, and of the mutual rights of corporations and individuals and of their respective duties under the constitution ever heard in Bellefonte. There seemed 10 be no doubt in the Judge's mind as to a Jury declaring the Beech Creek line to be a competing line with the Pennsylvania system, and that any transfer, merger or sale of that road to the Penn. Co., would be in violation of the constitution and be null and void. Judge Orviy’ speech was listened to with intense interest by those present, and it was so plain and to the point that all could understand. J. L. Spangler, T. P. Ryoder, Aaron Williams, Hon. C. T. Alexander, D. 8. Keller, and D. F. Fortney, followed. The speeches of these gentlemen were a clear statement of the grievances of which the people of the state complain. They were able, eloquent and temper ate, but expressed a determination submit to no violation of the chartered rights of the people without a fight. the evening was the entire absence of any thing like agitation or appeals to the prejadices of the populace. Every speech was listened to to its conclu. sion. For nearly three hours men stood and listened without a murmar. A table was placed on the Court House porch and the petition was signed as fast as men could write their pames, Many were compelled to leave on ac. count of the lateness of the hour, who have since signed. Lovisvitug, Ky. , August 22, Ad. vices from all the counties in the State give Tate (Dem), for Treasurer, a majority of 67,607 over Fox (Pro), who is supported by the Republicans. This is the tenth time Tate has been elected Treasurer. - pT. «= Wodding earde and all kinds of prin. ng at the Cxxrag Democrat office. The one feature about the speeches of | feet him in the state?” Looking at it | from 8 political stand point, and from the stand point of a political oppon- ent, we say that it can do him no He has voic- ed the sentiments of our people and has made po enemies by it. Bat it is not the political consequences or re- | sult that we should look to nor is it fair to our fellow townsman to eonsid- er at, this time its political significance if it bad any which it had not. Gen, harm, but much good. | Beavers views on public questions are those of a private citizen, deeply in- | terested in the welfare of his county |and state. For years he has« been | agitating the establishment of manu- | facturing industries in our midst, and | increased railroads facilities. The | nailworke is one result of his efforts |and the road from Pine Grove to | Beech Creek if ever completed will |in a very great measure be due to his | energy and perseverance. His bold, | manly, but conservative address is Fast what his fellow townsmen would | expect from him. His interests are | identical with those of every man in | the county, and whea called on to | preside over their deliberations, not {a maa present considered his politics {or what effect his speech might have {a year hence. It was an expression of | confidence on the part of our people without respect to party, which was doubtless very gratifying % him. The cause which called together the greal mass meetiog of our people is above and beyood politics, it is a vit al, living growing, question which in- teresis alike the laboring man, mechan ic, farmer and capitalist. We hope to see the people of the entire state united on this question, every public man will have to face the issue and define his position, there cana be no dodging it, it will be personal to every man asking for the suffrages of the voters of Pennsylvania. The Just resolution adopted at the meeting set- | tled that question so far as the voters of Centre county were concerned. We regard Gen. Beaver's speech not as an “openiog gun" of a political campaigo, but as a public expression | of views in accordance with his well. known character as a public spirited citizen, who has at heart the business and industrial interests of our town. Again we say it was a bold and manly deliverance and will do no harm, on a question of the inviolability of the covstitution and the rights of the peo- ple, nobody can take issue with gener al Beaver. Every speaker of the evening, and they were among th ablest members of our bar _ the same ground. — ——— ExJudge Agnew's Opinion. Ex-Judge Daniel Agnew publishes a long letter in the Press in which he clearly proves that the South Penn- sylvania road cannot be legally aban. oned, except by public fh the highest bidder. He says: “The subject of the of South Por ih ilroad ’ the [rey is one ibs Batutent Ww a arge part of this state. I am a larse Mackholder iu the Pennayirary Iroad company and have not a cent of interest in the South Pennsyl- vania, and, notwithstanding, [ am de. cidedly of the opinion the so-called I high in fom int hl a w upon t ple. Further, 1 think mnjess our courts of justice be extremely weak, t by which the r purchased or ill be prenunced illegal vires. . 3
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers