THE SCRAaSTOS. TRIBUNE-IP IUDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY IB, 1S97. loll nml Weekly. No uinla' IMItton. PublUhctl at Scrnnton, Pa., by Iho Tribune Publishing Company. btv, York IteprMcntntlvc I'll INKS, OKAY CO. Jtoom 1 Trllinne nullilliiit, New York City. IMIIUD AT THE rOSTOlTICB AT BORAMTOK TA., A3 f iCOND CLASH MAIL UATTSU BCIt ANTON, PrJHHUAUT 12, 1S97. One of the Spanish newspapers In Havana, El Pueblo, says cen If Spain docs abandon Cuba, native Spaniards will not leturn to thn mother country until they "lcao behind ih once opu lent Cuba only a heap of rubbish." Talk appears to be cheap in the shadow of the Spanish bai racks. Those Pittsburg Libel Suits. On the Oth of Maich last the Pitts buiff Comnreiclnl-Gnsrotto published In conspicuous manner the statement, in detail, that Scnatois Mngee and Pllnn, ho weie then candidates for national delegates, had "sold out" to Mink Han na. This statement was subsequently lelterateil, edltoi tally and locally, and tins lepubllshed In substance by the Pittsburg Leader and lJress. Messrs. Magec and Film; at once entered suit against the lesponslblo heads of these papets for cilmlnal libel. The cabe against the Commerclnl Gazctto came to a conclusion Tuesday when Its manuger, Sir. Reed, and its political repoiter, air. Chilsty, were found guilty as indicted. They ad mitted on the witness stand that they l etched theli tnfounatlon ftom Rich ard Quay and connldeicd that utithot ity sulllclunt. On the other hand, Mark Ilanna and the two prosecutors, each swoie that the stoiy of a deal of any kind vVas absolutely false. Some paits of the judge's chaige in this case uie woith of reproduction Judge White said - "Undii the old Jaw, altnough the tiuth could be given hi ( vldcnco In u tivll notion lot damaitcs, the tiuth could not be Klvcn in evllence in .i rrlnilnal prosecution for libel; and the theoiy of that law was that the publication of a truthful fact oi st ite ment against u man would be mostlj llke- 1 to excite publli trouble, lead to u breach of the piace una mtn weie not allowed to publish oven the tiuth bv via ot justltl catlon In a eilmlual piosecution The Constitution ot 1S71 modllled tliut old prin ciple ot law, and 1 will icfti to It because the defense hero rests upon the giound that this was a pilvlleged communication In the Constitution of 1S71 the seventh sec tion of what It. tailed thu declaiation of rights leads as follows 'The pi intlng press shall be fieo to every person who may undertake to exumlno the pioceedlngs of the lrgUluturc, or any branch ot the government and no law shall ever bo undo to le&traln the light theieof ' 'Hi it prohibits the leglslattuo from passing an law restialnlng tho tieedom ot the press And It continues. 'The free communica tion of thoughts ;ind opinions is one ot the Invaluable rights Of m m; and eveiy cltlen ma freely speak, write and print on till subject' what follows? 'being responsi ble for Uio abuse of that libel t It doesn't give free license to the press oi to any poison writing for the press, or publishing books oi pamphlets, oi an thlng else. It slmplj piohlblts the leg islature fiom ltstrainlng the publltatlon of ai tides or the expression ot oplnloiib and views, but leats tho paitles lespon slblo foi tho abuse of that llbeit. That may bo elthei b a civil aetlon for dam aces, oi. 1 doubt not. by a criminal prose cution foi libel Then It adds- 'No con- vlctlon shall be had in any prosecution foi the publication of papers relating to the olllclal conduct of otllcers, or men In public capacity, or to an other matter proper for public investigation or lntor matlon where the fact that such publica tion was not malleiousl nor negligently made shall be established to the satisfac tion of the jurj." Judge White also said: "There Is a great mistake on tho part of political wrlteis and newspapei edltoi s and reportoib as to tho meaning of this constitutional section Sometimes thc think, or act us if they thought, it gave fiee llbertj to publish what they please That Is not the meaning of tho section. Sometimes they think that they can hear something on tho stieet deiogatorj to the charcter of a man or woman, some thing lmmoial or impioper i elating to their private charactei, and thej seem to think they can publish that as news of the da. They have no light to pub lish It at all It Is an nhuse of the pi ess; it Is an outrage upon cltlzenH to publish theso scandals and gossips derogatoiy to the character of pi Iv ato lndiv iduals. They have a right to publish proper criticisms and truthful fnets in leference to any man holding an olllclal position In a com munity, or any man who Is a candidate for olllce, and In this case, here weie two men, rilnn and Magee, candidates for the national convention to nominate a president of tho United States. They were in that public position where a truthful publication in reference to them would be proper, or where they subject themselves to fair and honest criticism; but the newspapers have no light to pub lish lies concerning them. It Is a com mon thing in this countiy, and It is a dis grace to oui pi ess and a tciWble public evil, that political nowspapeis will pub lish all the gossip thoy heai In leference to candidates and men In public posi tions. The i-eem to think that they cm catch up anything that they hear deroga tory to a candidate on the other side and publish it in the nowspapeis. That thing has been carried so far that when there is a publication of that kind verj few be lieve it, because the papeis are so much in tho habit of publishing lies 'n ior erenoo to candidates that very few read ers placo much confidence In what they say. T say It is a tunlblo dcgiadatlon to tho press and a dlsgraco to all those con nected with tho press It will not do to publish lies ngalnst prominent men sim ply becauso other newspapers are In the habit of publishing lies It would be far better for tho country if tho newspapers would conllno thomsolves strictly within what this constitutional ectIon authorizes to publish lnfoimatlon proper for public Investigation or publlo lnfoimatlon, pub lish facts, not what thoy may pick up fiom anybodj, what some intetested paity may tell them, and then on the faith of that nan publish It to the world as a fact " The same idea, perhaps more cilsply woided, is thus uttered by Senator Ma gee's paper, the Pittsburg Times, In its comment upon tho ense: Tho newspapers necessarily hae very laige liberty in commenting upon and criticising the actions and motives of public olllclals und the candidates for publlo olllces, but that llbeity does not Imply a license to slander and to He about them. It does not open the door to malevolence, malice and falsehood; It does not compel the man who engages In politics to become the unresisting tai get of every aecusation which those who are opposed to him may imnglno will fur ther their intorests A newspaper may freely indulge In criticism and m.i expose nets of his life which would not be per mitted In the case of one who Is in pri vate station, hut It must conllno Itself to the truth, or to what It lias substantial reasons to bellovo to bo tiuo The mill who enters politics does not, as some suppose, surrender his reputation, and the law, upon his taking that stu. does not grant Immunity to every liar to assail him. Tho liberty of tho press Is one of tho greatest bulwarks of freedom, but the abuse of that liberty and its deteriora tion Into unbridled license Is i crime against the public, inasmuch as It robs publlo criticism of all value, anil It Is the mission ot tho law to call u halt on such nn abuse whenever It occurs. If this were not done, it would not be long until eveiy man with a vestige of chatnetet would be driven nut of politics. The prosecutoiB In this case, having won on n criminal charge, now seek civil dnmnges and have announced their pill pose to begin n ptosoctltlon of Hlchaid Quay. These vailous attlons, if pushed, will doubtless enliven state politics for Bomo months to come. It seems fair to believe that tho various defendants were moro tho victims of fnctlonnl onthuslusm than deliberate nssallants of chnmcter. Of their tech nical guilt theie seems to be no ques tion, but if thoy have gone over the lino of justifiable attack, wo loinembei occasions by tho score when tho pattl sans of Mngee and Kllnn, and even their Plttsbtitg newspaper, have done the same thing. The condition of po litical ethks wliich genet ntes such iii dlbcietlons Is of couiso denloiable, but It is as old as politics Itself and wo doubt If it will ever be l amoved. There Is this to bo said in justice to Senatoi Mngee. lie has long been a hind llghtoi, to whom politics has been a war with many vicissitudes of give and take; jet Ills peisonal honesty and Integilty have novel been successfully questioned nnd he has letained the re spect oven of his most ardent ndver sailes. Now that he has accomplished his purpose of exploding the false charges of last bPilng and uncovering tlieli author, hu oujlrt as a niattoi of chivalry to let up. Magnanimity pays far better dividends than v Indlctlve ness. That wan a light handsome act which Phil Almoin did the othei Uuv when he donated i cat load of meat to tho staiv lug people eif Atpentlni, Kunus, who a few inonthb befoie had boycotted his oi Its. That kind of tieatment.lf made geneial, would soon cine Populism. Olney's. Cake Is Dough. A publication appeals in the Wash ington Post which makes us smile We quote ftom it. Tho results of tho radical poltej ot practical and economic roloim Inauguiated In Cub i b the deciees of the Spmlsh rninistt) aio awaited with much inteiest at the state department and In the com mittees on loielgu affahs of the two houses ot congiess it Is not a suipiise In these quarto s, noi at tho Spanish legation, that tome lultatlon has devel oped In Spain ovei the gieat toncesslo 13 made to the pilnclplo ot home lulo in Cuba which aio so much bevohd those Usually gianted to colonial dipendineks bj Kuiopean states This feeling In Spain does not, however, causo anv special un easiness lieie, because It is felt that the Spanish .people will see the wisdom of putting an end to the expenditure of treasuie and blood in the Island, with the substantial lesult of malntilnlng Spanish sovereignty unlmpilied The skill und delicacy with which Seeiet.uy Olney Ins managed the shaio of the United States In the matter ale 1 etching eiy genual commendation He has at no time at tempted to bullv the Spmlsh government, nor to dictate the terms or Its Internal pol icy. Ho Ins blmply Insisted that it would bo veiy agietible to tho United States to be saved fiom the necessity of action dis tasteful to Spain by the voluntary action pf the Spanish monarchv In bringing to an end all reason ible giounils toi com plaint of Spanish uile In Cubi Ills Hi ni nes In enforcing the laws against plrat Ical expeilltloiib to Cub 1, and his dis avowal of svmpathv with tho benatel evo lutions, created a friendly feeling foi him on the pail of the Spanish mlnlstiy which no amount of threatening and blustering could have pioduced The result has somewhat suipilscd even the state de paitment odlclnls, who have been familial with the negotiations, by the great bcope of the reforms gianted by Spain in Cuba We have aliendy explained how "ladlcal" the Spanish policy of Cuban "leforms" is. It amount to this- that the small peicentnge of the native In habitants of Cuba who nie peimitted by Spain to vote at all may , if Spanish promises are not deceptlv e, elect a mi nority leprosenttttlon In a Council of Admlnlstiatlon which, subject to the governor-general's cto, will have power to regulate the expenditure on internal Improvements of 1 per cent of the island's icvenues, the other 07 pei cent, to be expended as the Spanish Coites shall dliect. Cubans under this plan would have to pay the inteiest and principal of the war and acciued debt, now well-nigh $GOO,000 000 or an annual interest debt nlone of $120 apiece for each head of a Cuban fami ly; would have, as before, to support a brood of Spanish pensioners and black mailers, and would nt the end of each jeai's labor llnd in reward therefor only inci eased tax burdens and no -visible relief. No doubt It is culpably unie.isonnble on tho pait of the Cuban people, and very dlscouiteous to Mr. Olnev, that they do not at once gtab at this Invit ing overtuie, lay down their aim, and smilingly slip their heads again Into tho Spanish halter. We can imagine how distressing it must be to 0111 ami able societal y of state to hae all his "skill and delicacy" In Spain's behalf go for naught before the ciudo Cuban rebels who are so Ill-mannered as to resent the theft of thelt property by Spaniards, the slaughter of their de fenseless children nnd old men, and the outraging of their wives and daugh ters. Hut what more can Olney do? It is hardly feasible, even with all his friendliness foi Spain, to older Ameri can warships to Cuba to aid Spain In forcing Cuba to submit And even if it were, Olney would scarcely hae time between this and the 4th day of next Match. Alas foi tho -vanity of human en deavor! We feel foi Olney, but nt the same time we feat his cake is dough. "The American farmer," says the To ronto Globe, "Is hearing again tho old philosophy about tho need of being pro tected against the cheap farm products of Canada." Yej, he is hearing this and he Is believing It. He has had experi ence. To Protect Railway Hrakemen. Kncour aged by their success In se curing congressional legislation requir ing Interstate railroads to equip their cars with nit brakes arrd safety coup lets, the railway employes of the coun try are now piesslng a bill to compel the tall carriers to adopt borne safety appllanco to prevent hrakemen nnd others ftom falling between cars, A measure for this purpose Is at present before congress, and In its support some lmpresslo arguments have been advanced. It is pointed out, for Instance, that the tcpoits of the Interstate commerce commission show a greater fatality duo to the falling of trainmen off cars than to any other single cause. In 1SD1 MS men were thus hilled and U.l'Jt Injured. In 1S92 0U men were kilted in this manner and over 3,000 injured, In fact, for the past six yenis tho aver age annual 11101 tallty from this muse has been over GOO und the average num bei of men Injuied, pver 3,000 These llguies cover all kinds of falls off cats, but it is held by railway men thnt a laige mnjoilty of tho accidents would have been pi evented had there been an effective netting or other life-saving device between the ends of freight cats In motion. i:poits who luivo made Inquiry Into this subject assort that should the lot agoing bib become a law, the nec- cssaiy bafety devices could be manu fnctuitd In laige numbers at an ex pense of not moio than $1 apiece. The money paid out unnunlly by railway companies In tho foi 111 of pension", compiomlse often Ings and damages bo cause of accidents of this chai actor would piobably sulllco to liquidate the entire cost of so equipping fi eight can that this class of accidents will eiy largely be wiped out. This showing alone will sutrico to muse tho moio humane and Intelli gent railway managements of the countiy to adopt the lequlred appli ances without nticss ot federal 'com pulsion as soon as effective Inventions aio put on the market. Hut a fedeial law will still be neccssaiy to leach the infeilor londs, und in order to aveit loss ot life 01 limb all cais must bo equipped uniformly, since the otdlrr aty Intel change of fi night cais would othei wibe be liable at any time to couple an equipped with tin unequipped cai, rundeting the foi met 's equipment uselebs. The veidlct of guilty, reached yes teiday in the Luzerne cuuits in the conspliary case ot Koons s. Spencet and Aubiey, was geneially expected aftei a. leading of the evidence. Yet we still find It difficult to believe that the defendants went into the Phoenix Con tiact company with n deliberate in tent to deft and. In spite of the un doubtedly damaging testimony elicited by the piosecution, the favoinble lrn piesslon which has been made by Mi. Spencei duilng his lcsldence in this community stands out as a. fnctoi In the ense which we hesitate to diste gaul It is fur easier to believe ill than good of a man, but In this case, w bile not wishing to set eon guilt, we feel In bplto of the convicting veidlct that the senior defendant has possibly as stiong a tlulm to sympathy as to con demnation. We should 1 egret to be foiced to consider the juiy s veidlct in all lespects a Just one. According to Cleveland's Inst message to eongiess, "when the Inability ot Spain to deal successfully with the Cu ban Insunectlon has become manifest and it is demonstrated that hei sov eielgnty Is extinct In Cuba for all pur poses of its rightful existence, and whe' .1 hopeleso stiuggle foi Its le ebtabl'hment has degenerated into a stilfe which nirnn.. nothing 11101 e than a useless saciillce of human life and utter destitution of the eiy subject mattei of the conflict, a situation w HI be piesented In which our obligations to the sovereignty ot Spain ma he super seded by higher obligations, which we can hardly hesltutj to recognize and dlschaige.' Has not this contingency already nriben? Mr. rdlbon announces that chemists under his dliectlon nie at work at the uito of 10 combinations a day In the en-dea-,01 to dlscoci chemical compounds wliich will suipass fluoi spar as a medi um of X-iay production. He has, It is claimed, already succeeded in greatly increasing the capabilities of the lluoto scope, but wishes to go so fai that sight can be restoied to the blind. One never Knows to what extent Ml. liai son may be taken seilously; but If blindness can be conquered at all, we shall pin our faith on his ability to con quei it. The Plttston Item lemarks with ti uth: "Too many parents seem to ha e no conception of the gieat Importance of prompt and regular' attendance at school, and by their Indifference In this matter counteract much of the earnest effort of capable and conscientious teacheis. An educational moement that would lench this class of parents would be of inestimable alue." Mr. Depew is lepoited to have de clined the ambassadorship to England. This, If true, is pel haps only the force of hnblt. But we question its truth. Oui lnfoimatlon is that Chauncey, 101 once like Harkls, Is "wllllnV The annexation of Ilaii all to the Uni ted Statefa lb less probahlo now than at any prior time Hut during the net ad ministration there Mill piobably be home Interesting pyiotcchnlcs on thlr hubject. A hanging for burglaiy is announced in North Carolina Does capital pun ishment deter evil minded peibons from committing burglary In that state'' ie wonder. THE NEW .IOUlt.VAI.IS.il. Each morning when I le.no my bed, And clothe mo for tho day's location, 1 wondei who is maimed or dead, And what new, tenlblo sensation My rapt attention will engage. Mj appetite, I'm sure, would fall me If. staling fiom the printed page, There were no scandal to regale me. I feel qulto disappointed when I llnd no gor tales of killing; No massacre of mulds or men, Or other dread dlsaslers thrilling lletween ni sips of coffee, I Am charmed to contemplate tho question Of wholesale crime and butchery Tls such an aid to tho dUestlon. Somehow It makes m buttcicd toast Sc m all the hotter when I'm leading A fiendish and atrocious roust Of soma pool vii tlin When I'm "feed ing" I find that I my lona repast Cannot enjoj unless, to cheer mo With fakes at which I gaze aghast, I hao my nroinlng papei near me. On talcs of faithlessness I gloat; With oestac I full Jy revel When somu one cuts another's throat. To get real filendly with thp Dei 11 Thtru Is no suier, quicker way That to remain ut home in quiet, I'eiuso the journals of tho day And cram your mind with sin and riot. What Inteiest, profound, intense, hat fond pursuit is mine, what pleasure When, In a quiier of suspense, I open up my prlntod treasure' My dully paper! Dearor jet Than all olee In this world so fickle A moigue leport and pollco gazotte, And bcandal-breudei for a nickel! San Tranclsco News Letter. STATE LEGISLATIVE ri- OPICS. J Senatoi Ciouse, of 1'hlladclphll, In com pliance with the request of policy holders, who claim that certain life Insurance com panies Improperly divert moneys collected from them to other purposes than the pay ment of death hrncllts and tho legitimate expenses of operating tho companies, has Introduced two bills to remedy this al leged Irregularity. The llrst bill directs the Insurance commissioned to exainlno each and ull of the life Insurance companies doing business uridci his supervision and within the commonwealth, which Issue uny o-callpd tontine 01 seml-tontlno poli cies foi tho purpose of ascertaining whether oi not" any portion of the moneys eollcrted by the s lid companies nre being used nnd expended by the companies from the cicdlt or benefit of the policy holders so contributed nnd paving the same In case It shall bo. found that any life insui anue companies mo now using nny poi tlon of such tontine or semi- tontine ac cumulations, and dlvettlng tho same fiom the credit or benellt of the policy holders, the Insurance commissioner shall adjudge such company to have diverted and mis appropriated the fluids ot its policy hold el, and shall forthwith revoke and cancel the license to do business In this common 11 c tilth therotofoie gianted, and he shall not tellccnse uny such company to ifo business In this commonwealth until he shall be "itlsged'bv a caioful examination that nil of the funds so diverted and mis appropriated as afoitsald have been made good and placed to the credit and for tho benellt of the policy holders entitled to tho same The second bill applies to the mu tual asbcssment coinorallons foi the in surance of lives, nnd directs nuch com panies which collect fiom their members larger sums of money than nie required to pay deo-th losos and current expenses to set nuart and hold nil such sums u ttust for tho exclusive tico and benellt ot tho members contributing the Mine. The In surance commissioner In required to adopt and piescilbe such iirles and regulations In his sitpei vision of all such companies, and In the leport of such compmles muile to him under existing laws, ah will insuie a stikt compliance with tho provisions of this act No such company having neg lected to complv with the rules and lcgu latlbnb so prescribed nftci due notifica tion by him shall do any new business within this state while such neglect con tinues The bill does not apply to bene volent und beuenrlul societies ot lodges. Tire (J rangers, through rhelr leader In the liotiM?, ltepicsentatlie Martin, hive pie sented a bill to not oulv limit the tale of oleomargarine and biittetlne, but to pie vent Its ue bv hotels nnd eating houses. Tho bill Is entitled "An act to prevent do ceptlon and fraud In tho nianul icture, lie and use of Imitation of daily products" It requires eveiy manufacturer of arid dealer In oh onuugarine 01 butterine to put in up In oblong packages, having sten cilled on It In letteis not less than one half Inch long, the name of the product, l.very manufacturer Is iceiulied to pay an annual license fee ot $1,000 oveiy whole- s-ilei J50D nnd every 1 duller S'O Proprie tors of hotels, re stain ints, boarding hous es and places where meals -11 e belied are termed letallcrs, aird In addition to paying .1 license, nie itqulitd toproeuie signs sot ting foith the fact tint they deal In oleo margarine 01 butterine, and theo signs they ate required to hang irr conspicuous places A hotel keeper Is compelled to hang one on each of tho four walls of his dining 100m to thus inform his guests that they aie 'cried with oleom.ugailne instead of butter The vlolutlon of the act Is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not liss than $100 01 Impilsonmcnt not more than thitty dus, and confisca tion of the oleomargarine and battel ine found In the premlse One of the new ballot bills under con sideration by the house judicial y general committee Ins a disability section that le qulies tho votei who can't read, or Is phy sically or other wise unable to maik his billot, to swear specifically as to what lo the mattei with him, while his holper must swear that ho will not attempt to inlluence him or disclose how he votes Tho inspec tor must write In the record of vote' "Helped bv John Smith, because of vot er's sore lingei," 01 whatever othei lca son there may be Chalnnan liogei says he will ofter an amendment requiring all election offlceis to subscribe to a state ment, super vlted by the election Judge, giving the names and addresses of all citizens recorded ns having voted that day Tor anv fiaud In this a penalty of two yeais in Jail is pioposeil This state ment must bo sent in a separate sealed en velope, with the billot box, lo the pto thonotaiy, where it shall be open lor public Infor matloir Then It w HI be know n that If a citizen named in that list did not vote there was a case ot lepeatlng, nnd the poison who voted but does not see his name will also have a case In this connection Representative Dunlap, of Philadelphia, has Introduced a bill increas ing fiom one ieit to five years tho maxi mum Imprisonment for fraudulent -voting. Sajs the Ilarrlsburg correspondent of the Philadelphia Ledger: Klforts -were made nt the last two sessions of the leg islature to pass bills Imposing a tax upon the pioducts of breweries in the state for the purpose of assisting in raiding the reienue In 1S9J the bill called lor a ta of 1C cents on each hail el of beer, ale or porter brewed, but the brewers succeed ed In hiilnir It defented. In lSVi the bill was reintroduced, hut the breweis, feel ing secure, p ild no attention to the pro posed tax, and the bill was bulled in .1 senate committee, though it had passed tho house. Xow , in the house, the hill bobs up In another shape Jt was presented by Mr Bliss, of Delawaie, and proildos that a tax of one-half of one cent slnll be assessed upon each gallon of bper, ale and poitei hi owed In the state, to be paid anrurallj, duting 1S77. lSJi and 183J Indl- Iduals and corporations engaged in the manufnctuie of these liquors aio lequlicd to certlfj under oath the amount brewed by them, and any deception in their ir potts or lefusal to compl with tire act makes them liable to hao their license revoked In his address Weduesdaj before tho state association ot school directors Uo emoi Hastings Eald "I want to take advantage of the opportunltj to saj thit the stnto of I'onnsjhanla Is big enough and rich enough to provide llberallj lor the education of eieiy child within Its borders' The present sjstem of distribut ing tho school nppiopilatioii ot ' Soo.uou " added tho coiemor. 'Is not fall to the ieal interests linohed The number of taxables Is not the proper basis Rich school liouso with its appliances costs about as much, whether attended bj ten or fifty pupils It the state appropriation was inci cased to $0,000,000 a ear I would suggest that oue-thlul of that amount should bo dhliled on the number of school houses or teachers, one-third atcoidlng to the number of school children und the other third, possiblj, us at piesent, on tho nuinbei of tftxables Tho countrj bos and gills should bo given the same ad vantages as tha$o of the clt 1 belloie that oieij township should hno a high school That Is the law In Misachusetts, and I'orinslan!u should not be behind that state " The Pennsylvania 'Hallot Iteform asso ciation is in earnest In its campaign to irecuro radical qmonilinent of the Hakei ballot luw. The bill Introduced TiierJiliv by Senntor Hi own to seeuro a grouping of candidates l olllces Ih one of Its opin ing guns in u gunernl battle for reforms In tho cleetoiul machlnei) Tho associa tion has Issued a elioului which sajs "As the law now stands, men nblo to mark their own ballots hao been allowed, and ocn required, to take other men into tho compartment which prevents seerec Ex perience Bhow i that if u ballot can be marked In two wn many orers aru cer tain to attempt to Ubo both at the same time. This cuuses many votes to bo lost by inconsistent marking, besides leaving It to partisan election olllceis to decldti delicate qucbllons as to voters' Intentions. In so fin, too, as this provision facilitates straight votes and obstructs the oxeiclse of the voter's free choice, It Is utterly un Amerlouu and Inconsistent with popular JHsP BfaiSjJ' vJ0Sy S AND SALE WASH. This department aglow with newness and elegance. The sombre hue of winter giyesway Lo the radiance of .spring. Blushing little roses peep out from back grounds of daintiest fabrics ever woven. The myriads of goods displayed presents a scene of color harmony never before attempted in this city. It's a worthy exhibition and should be at tended by all who are interested in ideal effects. We need not go into details. Variety and quantity are too extensive. We would exhause our space with a description of the smallest portion. You'll fiud the following rich fabrics abundantly represented : Aberfoyle Silk and Linen Tissue, Aberfoyle Finest Zephyr Gingham, Lap pet Stripes Jacquard Swiss, Scotch Dimities, Organdie Alixe, Irish Flax onette, Grampian Cloths, Cardonet Imprine, India Foulard Silk, Organdie Sublime, Tissue Brode, Chatillion Stripes, Organdie Royal. IMPORTED ORGANDIES.--The extraordinary impoit order, laid by us, has just arrived, and the collection ot Organdies shown in this exhibition will be without a rival. Every correct detail has been fully followed to bring these goods up to the highest standard of excellence. They are usually sheer and the designs are perfect and harmoni ous to a fault. Having imported them direct, 3'ou will find the patterns entirely exclu sive, which is not the case where Organdies are bought through jobbers. NOTE It Rives our firm grout pleasure in presenting these magnificent goods to our patrons nt this time. Great care has been manifested in their selection, and we would advise an early visit, as wo can not agree to duplicate tho present designs and coloring later in the season. GOL-DStVUTH BROTHERS Sc CO. E. ROBINSON'S SOfS' Lager Beer Brewery manufacturers of the CAPACITY 100,000 gov ci nment. A similar prov Islon has bet n declaied unconstitutional In California, and oui comts would piobabl reach tho same decision If a case came befoie them Our ballot law, therefore, needs to be amended to n quire that even voter shall maik his ballot absolutely alone, unless cleulj picicntt d bv phvsleal dlsabllltj or Inability to read, and that In all such enses tho man who helps a voter to maik his ballot shall himself be sworn to secrecv. We demand one uniform "istem of mark ing ballots, mimelv, by putting n maik op posite tho name of each candidate voted for, except In the case of presidential elec tors, when a mark fot a whole group shall be allowed " School Superintendent Coughlln, cf Wilkes-Bar re, writes to tho Itecoul an em phatic protest against the proposed cut in the state school appropriation Savs he: "While It maj bo wise nnd altogether advisable to cut down expenses at eveiy point without Injuij to the various Inter ests of tho state, It does seem to me un wise to begin nt a place so vltallj affect ing the Interest of the whole people ns tho appropriation to public schools. Such a step would bring no lellef to the people In puitlculnr. In ordei to maintain the pres ent stridency of the schools It would be necessaiv to Inciease the local levy ot taxes equal to the reduction of state aid as suggested, ot to lower teacheis' sal ailcs, shorten the school term and retrench at eveij point In tho management of tho schools We reallv should take no buk Vvard step In educational matters In this gieat, lich commonwealth It Is oildentlv hotter for the state to lev a dlioct tax to meet Its Immedlato needs and Issue bonds to meet the requirements of the state bejond what would be regarded fair to ralso by Immediate taxation than to make It necessarv for the school dlstilcts of the state to Increase theli local taxa tion for school purposes or compel them to l educe wages and shorten the terms of schools and thus lesson their elliclency. It must be remembered also that with the Increase of state nppropilatlons .additional obligations have been placed upon the sev eial school communities The minimum school teim has incitased one month, night schools were established, text books wero lequlred to be purchased 1 the d's tilcts The Incicasp of the appropriations bv the state were Intended In pait to meet those additional requirements These things hnve all been regarded by thought ful people ns gieit strides in the dliectlon of bettor education Nothing has contilb uted to the increase of attendance In the htghei departments of the schools In this city moie than fice text books The re duction of tho state appropriation will not i enrol e these lequlremcnts that have now become the law- but will make It pr.io ticallv Impossible for some sections In tho state, anil. In fact. sTmio parts of Luzerne cnuntv, to go on with their pohools, and maintain thelt picsent stand irtl, since many districts now lovs tho full amount allowed bv law to maintain them. It should be remembeied, too that the pur pose of state aid Is to equalize educational advantages The communltv Is made up of several units of which the state Is great est and most compichenslve Tho town ship or the borough forms a unit, taxes are collected, each Individual paving more or les, based upon property or pos sessions, but those taxes nro used again In such manner as to return to each Indi vidual equal advantages In the way of roads, streets lights schools anil protec tion Tho countv forms n greater unit than the township nnd the parts that mike up this unit aio districts, some rlch er, some poorer, and again taxes are raUo and used for the common good in surh a wav ns to secure to poor, or lemotelv situated dlstrlsts advantages approxi mating equality with thoso rlchar and more favoiably situated. Again the stato Is a unit and In the management of Its nl falrs should he no respecter of special communities, but should stilio to secure to all Its people equal advantages, ospe clallj In the Hires of education culture and competent PltliM nfchlp So the state col lects from the ilchcr nnd more favorably situated communities, or from corpo-n-tlons deriving thelt wealth and means from such communities and from the whole people, and tedlstilbutes the funds so collectid on a basis of equality to nil tho districts Tho airthiaclto coal legions have contributed lurcely to the wealth of our great cities and lurgclv to the wealth of our rallrond nnd other corporations of tho commonwealth A gieat number of tho towns .and villages of this same an thracite region llnd It exttetnelv dltllcult for them to furnish pronnr facilities for tho education of their children whllo they are paying a 2G-nilll tax We should there fore urge our leglslatois not to give tho wholo people of the stato less, but give them moro state old, until the most re mote nnd the most densely populated por tions of this commonwealth havo ample piovlslons to educate Its children, and to educate them thoroughly " -II:-The act of assembly under which, It Is said, Hlohard Quay is to be arrested by c.iBr G. IB. OF IMPORTED AND HOME MANUFACTURED Celebrated PILSNER LAGER BEER. Barrels Per Annum. complaint of Senator I'linn lor lurnlsh Ing false Information to the Pittsburg Commerclal-tjaette relative to the nation al delegate light last spring Is that of li'JJ, which pi ov Ides for u line of $300 and Im prisonment foi tlneo months, If the per son be gulltj of furnishing false tnloi mation to a newspapei or its recogrrlzed icpiesentntlve The genual Impression has prevailed that this act was passed excluslvclv for the benellt of the preas of the state, and that the only uggrievod patties, who eun seek Its penalties, nre newspaper publishers. Hut an Inspection of the statute Itself by an atturney re veals that tlroio Is no such exiluslon In the law. Senate r I'linn, It Is claimed, can vindicate tho alleged offense against the peace and dignity of tho commonwealth under tho piovlslons of this act, as well ns under the general enactment rogurdlng libel Tho Impression is gaining ground at Ilarrlsburg that Governor Hastings will be In the next cabinet. If ho Isn't, ho can have the Russian embassj. TULUUllAl'lIVn ITIIOUT nti:s. rrom the Philadelphia Ledger. There has been moro or less talk for manv eais about telegraphing without wires, and Teslu has given insteilous hints that he was about to perfect the necessaij apparatus, but nothing of Im portance has heretofore come from the man attempts to solve the problems In volved, Now, however, there Is high au thority fot tho announcement that teleg raphy without wins has been accom plished. V. ll. 1'ieece, trie teregrapn ex pert of tho British postolllee, has given unqualified endorsement to the Invention of Mr. Marconi, u oung Italian electri cian, and has exhibited It In operation, but without explaining its details, as patents have not et been obtained. Neail all of the experiments heretofore conducted ltave depended upon olectio-magnetlc In duction. Teslu, It was understood, was dealing with electric wnves of a veo high lato of vlbtatlon, and it Is waves of this kind thut Mr. Marconi Utilizes. Mi. Pieeee Intimates that tho late of vibra tion of these waves Is 230,000,000 a second These electric Impulses, he states, are projected through spaco In straight lines, but can bo reflected and refiacted like light. Vibrations aie set up In the ttans mltter and lire taken up and repeated b a receiver adjusted to respond thereto. No wires aio used s'leh as have to be em ployed In Inductive apparatus. Mr Mar coni's Invention was iirst tiled on the loof of the British postolllce, then ovet a distance of three-quaitets of a mile on Sallslmr plain and llnally before an audi ence in a public hall Mr. Preece states that no new electrical principle is Involved In the nppniatus, the electilcal waves employed being those which Hertz, the German phsiclst, taught us to generate, but Mr. Maconl had In vented Ingenious devices for controlling and regulating them The British post olllce department (represented b Mr Pieecc) Is so well convinced of the practi cal value of tho Invention thut It will spare no expense In cairlng on tho ex periments Tho value of such apparatus, oven though It should not bo able to do more than ring a bell undo inlluonces exerted at the dlstanco of a mile or two, Is tucal fMinhle If it could be used foi telegraphic puiposis It would, of course, lessen tho cost of installation: but for mere signal ling pur poses between vessdH at sen, or be. twen lighthouses and vessels. It would be of the utmost value to navigators A ves sel approaching it dangerous shore and having on boatd en t'ectrlc bell respoud inir in the vibiatlons of a transmitter In a government lighthouse would receive the signal notirying trie navrgaior oi ins i nroneh to dangerous reefs, in a manner superior to an sstem of lights or fog bonis Neither night nor da would make and difference, nor would sror m or for in terfere with the slRiiuls. unless, Indeed, tiro electric waves should be deflected, us Mr Tjndall found sound waves to lie de lleeted by sttatu of nlr of different densi ties. The ptomlse, however, Is that tho apparatus will wotk under nil kinds of weather conditions, and permit corunrunl- and Novelties. BEiDLEH THE BflOKIi 437 Spruce Street. Opposite The Commonwealth. cation between points such as the shoro and Nol ited llghthomes that cannot bo connected bv wire And this promise is nude, not bv an oioisungulne irrventor or bv unscrupulous speculators, but by tho responsible ilectilclan of the British post ollleo, and as the su In "Pinafore," It Is mule "olllclallj." Ml. Preece Is one of the leading electricians of the woild and he h is not spoken until after making trill of tho upparatus We aie, theicfoie, Jus tilled In believing that a decided step has been made toward solving the problem of telegraphing without wires, and wo mav be qulto sure that If tho tight meth od has been tourrd the upparatus will soon be peifected. - & SKATIXti IH'ISOUE. He mede a vow As forth he lnred No beauty now Could bo compared To thnt which sped Acioss his v low Those ehei'ks so red! Those e es so blue! But latei when Hei path he crossed He uaed uualn Ah, cruel fiost! He swlftlj lied And slirhed anew, "Those cos o led! Those cheeks so blue'" Washington Star. WE HAVE and liave some good bargains to ofier 3 on I'-nyl'isli Porcelain. Dinner Sctb, decorated, tilled in patterns, 100 PIECES, $ 9.48 112 PIECES, U.-48 English White dranite Dinner Sets, decorated, fi nit patterns, 100 PIECES, $5.98 112 PIECES, 6.98 r-Ve are ulso closing out some Mav Hand China Fruit Plates, decorated, at from $3 73 to $5 97 per dozen Ken! iJargalns. See then: guoiU in our bhow Windows. THE Clemons, Ferber, (VMailey Co. 422 Lackawanna Avz. T-" 5 Cant Think, no mattei how hard I try, of a better place to buy mv olllce and business sta tionery, blank books, tpe-vv titer's supplies, etc , than at He itolds Bros. They huve n large stock In every line to choose from, and ou never can beat them on ptlce on tho down scale; and we also carr In stock n complete line of diaughtsmen's supplies. Reynolds Bros., Stationers and Engravars, HOTEL JERMYN UUILDlNQ. Irv-r'fl
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