8 HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH Established 1831 PUBLISHED BY THE TELUGHAPII Pit I TING CO. E. J. STACKPOLE President and Editor-in-Chief F. R. OYSTER Secretary GUS M. STEINMETZ Managing Editor Published every evening (except Sun day) at the Telegraph Building, 216 Federal Square. Both phones. Member American Newspaper Publish ers' Association. Audit Bureau of Circulation and Pennsylvania Associ ated Dallies. Eastern Office, Fifth Avenue Building, New York City, Hasbrook, Story & Brooks. Western Office, Advertising Building', Chicago, 111., Robert E. Ward. Delh-ered by carriers at <un len n>;lAbi 1 > .six cents a week. Mailed to subscribers at $3.00 a year in advance. Entered at the Post Office in Harrls burg. Pa., as second class matter. Sworn dally nverntfe rlrculntlon for the three mnntlm ending; Jior. HO, 1015. Jf* 21,794 ♦ Averafff for the yeae IHI4 Averijce fop the year 1013— 10.0«jJ fop t!ip year 1012—-10. "4ft Aver line fop the year 1011—17.5JJ- Average fop the year 101fr—16,261 The above Drum are »et, All re turned, unsold and damaged cap** l dieted. TUESDAY EVENING, DEC. 14 To be what ice are, and to become what we are capable of becoming is the inly end of life. —Robert Louis Steven ion. GOVERNMENT CONTROL IT is not likely that much will come of the suggestion of Senator Cum- • mins that a Senate committee be named to Investigate the feasibility t»f a government monopoly for the manufacture of all materials needed Tor the national defense. This is a foolish proposal. It is all i-ery well for the government to con trol sufficiently the manufacture of ships and munitions to keep prices at a reasonable level, but it would be the height of folly to turn all of this work over to government controlled fac-1 torles. In the first place, the people are to J l>e assessed for additional arms and equipment, and they should have some return for their money. In the second place, to discourage private manufacturers would be to leave the country in dire distress at a time when every available means for the making of army equipment would be required to insure the safety of the country. Thousands upon thousands of dollars from the savings funds of the city are being distributed and are finding their way into the ordinary channels of trade at the present time. Merchants and business men are looking with optimis tic vision Into the new year and there is a widespread disposition to pull to gether for a prosperous 1916. Dry laws are responsible for an im mense decrease in the amount of liquor consumed in 1915, amounting to nearly 9,000.000 gallons, according to Commis sioner of Interna] Revenue Osborne. Yet our anti-dry advocates insist that all such legislation is of no avail. FREIGHT CONGESTION "JUST now It Is not so much a ques tion of more business for the rail- ' roads as it is a problem how to handle the business that is being offered, especially on the Atlantic sea hoard. Reports for the last week show that the enormous increase of railroad transportation has created conditions such as have not been known in the railroad world for years. The export trade has been largely augmented by the war orders from abroad and these, coming on top of a natural increase in business, have ( given the railroad experts sleepless I nights. t It is pointed out, however, that the 1 increase* of earnings over 1913 do not i represent so much abnormal pros- i perlty as a subnormal condition two years ago. It is a one-sided condition ] which will be overcome, of course, at ■ the close of the war, when normal < trade balances will adjust the present jug-handle situation. ! One of the worst features Is the fact that the railroads are not now equipped for a great business revival. They have been economising to the last, degree for several years and now And themselves without facilities to take care of an enormous volume of business, i-iocomotlves and cars and rolling stock of every character have been wearing out without replacement and the reports of June 30, 1914, show that in nearly every Instance old cars Rnd locomotives during the year were scrapped by the thousands and re placed only by the hundreds. It is known, for instance, that in many cases couplers and other equipment were transferred from idle cars on the sidings to those in active service to avoid new purchases. In short, every effort has been made during' recent years to keep the old equipment going as long as possible, and the railroads are now confronted with unusual pres sure at a time when they need all the rolling stock that can be had. Most of the old wooden cars have disappeared and even those still in service are inadequate to take care of the business that is offered. Thou sands and thousands of loaded cars are tied up along the eastern terminals and more traffic Is on the way. Every effort Is being made to relieve the pressure so that these cars may be •••turned to the points of delivery, but TUESDAY EVENING, HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH DECEMBER 14, 1913. despite the bent endeavors of the rail road experts there Is ntlll a most serious situation. So It Is that with returning business and expansion of trade In every direc tion the shippers of the country are suffering: from a remarkable conges tion in the transportation facilities. An important development is appre ciation by the public of the necessity for directing' industrial and business activities into channels other than those now clogged with business re sulting from the European conflict. It is generally conceded by financial agencies and the representatives of large corporations that the basic con ditions are sound; that there is ample capital, enlarged earning power, con fidence in the future and ( a tendency to broaden all lines of activity, but Intelli gent care must be exercised in the processes. Manifestly, there are Democrats In the United States who have the Idea that a plank In the party's national platform is a more or less solemn obligation. Champ Clark's supporters are preparing to make a fight for him and they de- Iclared in a circular yesterday that the party platform for a one-term plan must be carried out. The present occu pant of the White House was manifestly of the same opinion two years ago. THE NEW FEED RULING THE new State Agricultural Com mission, through Secretary Pat ton, has ruled that all manufac turers or Importers of feedstuffs be required to so mark their packages that the buyer can tell at a glance Just what he is buying and in what per centages the ingredients are mixed. This ruling supercedes the old so called "sliding guarantee," by which unscrupulous dealers found a loophole through the law. No honest dealer ought to object to this. Indeed, the reputable manufac turer and Importer ought to stand by the department in its enforcement. It protects them from the operations of dishonest dealers who undersell them In the open rrfarket because they sell cheap goods marked to look like the best and most expensive. The pur chaser, beyond question, has a right to know exactly what he is getting. HERE'S A REAL SUGGESTION WE quote from the Wall Street Journal: Frank A. Vanderlip, president of National City Bank, suggests that government might raise as high as $500,000,000 a year for pre paredness by a tax on luxuries. Mr. Vanderlip suggests a tax on all suits costing above S4O, on all gowns costing more than SSO or $100; on all restaurant checks for more than $2. and on all articles representing luxuries rather than necessities; tax, wherever possible, to be graduated. Here's a real suggestion. Taxes on gasoline and automobiles may not be popular, but who will there be to raise objection to taxes on gowns and clothing and luxuries more expensive than necessary for any but those who love luxuries and are able to indulge their fancies. The adoption of Mr. Vanderlip's idea by Congress would bp no more novel than many another taxation plan pressed into service in governmental emergency and It would place the burden where It belongs, on the shoulders of those who are best able to bear It. Down Atlanta way the voters ore going to attempt the recall of Mayor Woodward and six members of the Police Commission, all because Chief of Police Beavers was removed last August for the alleged reason that he had closed a segregated district and was trying to close the locker clubs operat ing in defiance of Georgia's prohibition low. More than 4,000 signatures have been attached to the recall petition and a bitter campaign is anticipated. On other fine illustration of the new fangled municipal administration sys tem. When will the people learn that laws do not constitute a panacea for all the ills of the body politic. "BUTTING IN" IN MEXICO PRESIDENT WILSON has little regard for consistency in his public utterances. In a speech at Cleveland the other day he declared himself a Democrat and a strong sub scriber to the doctrine of the Virginia bill of rights. He said in this con nection: The Mexicans may not know what to do with their Government, but that is none of our business; and long as I have power to prevent It, nobody will "butt In" to alter it for them. It seems not so long ago that the Government at Washington was "but ting into" the Mexican situation with a. vengeance. The President had hardly landed on his job until he be gan interfering with the defacto gov ernment established In the City of Mexico. He would have none of Huerta, the recognized president, nor would he listen to the protests of his countrymen that interference in Mexico might involve the United States in a bloody controversy south of the Rio Grande. Then he raised the embargo on war materias at the border so that the enemies of the existing government of Mexico might obtain all the arms and munitions necessary to upset the government that had aready been recognized by several foreign powers, v This was "butting in" if it was any thing, and the United States has paid the price in the butchering of her citizens, the destruction of American property and loss of prestige for our own government throughout the world. President Wilson should have adopted his policy of not "butting In" about two years ago. With the first fall of snow this winter the necessity for providing relief for the sick and destitute of the city is em phasised. Several excellent instrumen talities for the distribution of adequate i'd are provided In the Associated Charities, the Benevolent Association and other organizations. Indiscrimi nate- charity Is not alwnys the most ef fective measure of relief. There are emergency cases, of course, which Justify prompt action, but an a rule It is better to distribute relief through the organized bodies. A constitutional monarchy Is to take the place of the new republic of China. All the world seems to be restless and discontented with existing conditions. ""PtKKOlftiKUua. By the Ex-OommltHsmu s=n—cor. Men interested in politics through out tho State are commencing to speculate as to the scope which may be played in the coming primary and next Fall's Congressional and legis lative elections by organizations which are considered as likely to spring from the Committee of One Thousand at Pittsburgh. This com mittee, which seems to be going about things more systematically than the Committee of One Hundred and other organizations in Philadelphia, is un derstood to have considerable sup port in other counties and may prove to be a big factor In the selection of legislators. At the meeting held in Pittsburgh last night J. Denny O'Neil, Ex- Speaker George E. Alter and others were participants. The committee has announced its intention of taking a hand In legislative primaries. The men connected with It are all In favor of local option and good govern ment. —Governor Brumbaugh joined the Pennsylvanlans at Washington to-day in the work for Philadelphia. The Governor will meet men of promi nence in the national Republican or ganization. —Reading Is all fussed up over the same troubles that York had regard ing the term of its mayor. The ques tion whether the term of the new mayor begins on December 1 and not on January 1 was raised yesterday by Councilman-elect William Abbot Wit man, who contends that the present chief magistrate's term expired on December 1. Mr. Wltman bases his allegations on the fact that the may ors of both York and Easton retired from office on December 1, admitting they were no longer eligible to serve. The new city father served notice yesterday that he dkl not propose to permit Mayor Stratton to swear him In, asserting that he no longer possesses the essential legal powers. In denying Mr. Wltman's contention, AJayor Stratton points to the provision of the Clark law, specifying the first Monday in January as the day for the organization of the in coming council. —lnternal Revenue Collector Led erer yesterday announced that he had appointed Hugh J. Harlvins, of Bristol as a deputy for the section compris ing the lower parts of Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties. The vacancy which Harklns will fill was caused by the resignation of George Shellenberger of Doylestown. —Old Guard forces and Palmerltes at Luzerne courthouse yesterday di vided the offices, when the Demo cratic plum tree was shaken. M. J. McLaughlin, elected to the office of county commissioner, broke the old rule by refusing to appoint a relative to any of the clerkships. Friends of Garman were well taken care of by McLaughlin. —Judges Stewart and Brodliead at Easton yesterday named a new board of prison inspectors to serve five years from January 1. The board con sists of D. F. Balentine and Amos Turner, Easton: Oliver Labar, Ban gor: James Mcßride, South Bethle hem, and Dr. O. D. Schaeffer, Naz areth. —Mayor-elect Thomas B. Smith, of Philadelphia, is having busy times these days. He said yesterday that he had not switched his cabinet officials and that he would not stand for vice. The new mayor was given high praise by Mayor Blankenburg in a speech last night. —Lebanon county is now being threatened with an election probe. The district attorney yesterday gave notice to the court that he would ask the January grand jury to look into charges which have been made. —The Schuylkill county court yes terday placed the ballot box of North Manhelm township In the custody of a committee of which a woman is one. The township has no justice, hence the committee. —Pittsburgh city employes are to undergo a councilmanlc probe. It seems that the new council is look ing into all sorts of matters and is getting as much startling informa tion as the late grand jury. —The Washington party name was preempted yesterday for Cumberland county. As In the case of the pre emptions for this county it attracted some attention because people won dered for what reason It could be done. —F. W. Baltliaser, former mem ber from Reading, is out as a candi date for Senator from Berks county on the Democratic ticket. —Col. John Grlbbel has been re elected president of the Union League at Philadelphia. —According to a Norristown dis patch "The die is cast for a fight be tween the organization and the re organization Democrats. Charles D. McAvoy, the deposed 'boss' and the county chairman, Assemblyman Cliristman, will, it Is believed, run for delegate and as alternate to the Democratic national convention as anti-Wilson candidates and will be opposed by .John B. Evans of the Subtreasury in Philadelphia. and Frank Harrigan, of Lower Merlon. McAvoy and Chrlstman will also be opposed to the renomlnation of R. E. Dlfenderfer, who served two terms In Congress and was defeated by Henry W. Watson, Republican. They will probably line up for a Bucks county man." —The Philadelphia ledger says: "The politicians in Lehigh and Berks counties are greatly interested in the national delegates contest. Avowed candidates are Fred E. Lewis, who has/ just stepped out as Bull Moose CoHgressman-at-large, and B, Frank Ruth, of Reading. In Lehigh there are likely to be several candidates for Republican honors, including Colonel E. M. Young, James L. Mausteller and Stale Senator Horace W. Schantz. In Berks, the aspirants include, besides Mr. Ruth, William Kerper Stevens. ex-Mayor Stratton and ex-Judge Bu shong. —The 12 Common Pleas Court judges of Allegheny county who will select a county commissioner to till the vacancy caused by the death of John A. Martin, are being besieged by numerous Democrats who are seeking this appointment, which will be good for four years at. an annual salary of SB,OOO. The Democratic county organization, through William J. Brennen and Joseph F. Guffey, has Indorsed James Houlahen. Pitted against him are 10 probable candi dates, who believe they have as much claim to the place as Mr. Houlahen. OUT OF DATK THAXSPORTATION I Kansas City Times.] The railroad of a generation ago with Its light rails couldn't begin to handle modern traffic. A railroad of the construction of 1880 between Chi cago and Kansas City would get no business in competition with a mod ern road. How about a city that tries to do its business on streets built, for the condi tions of forty years ago? Or a county on mud roads? The time is coming when they can't compete with the cities and counties with modern facil ities for transportation. _ CHRISTMAS IS COMING V "•""aasswj §j A NEW TOY. {Courtesy Eastman Kodak Company.) TELEGRAPH'S PERISCOPE —To buy a Red Cross Seal is to pass death sentence on a million tuberculosis germs. —"Why not spend the winter in Florida?" is the catch line over a current advertisement. If the agent will come around we'll take a half day off and tell him. —lf you are not careful it will be too late to shop early. —Writing a letter to Santa Claus is the favorite indoor amusement In many homes this week. —lf you have any doubts about Christmas being worth while take an evening oft and read Dickens' Christ mas Carol. After that if you are not convinced you are hopeless. —Senator Tillman is almost as great an admirer of Roosevelt as he Is of Bryan, but he Isn't urging cither for the Presidency. EDITORIAL COMMENT Roosevelt's method of preparing a speech Is to coin a new expression or dig up an old one to pass off as new, and then write around It.—Philadelphia Inquirer. Some of the Democratic leaders seem to think it more important to be pre pared for the next election than to be prepared for the next war. —Brooklyn Daily Times. The Kaiser is said not to have smiled for a year, but after he hears about Henry Ford's expedition, he will grin from year to year.—Louisville Couner- Journal. NEWSPAPERS FOR DHY PLANK Temperance Leader Sayn Poll Favors Action by Big Parties According to replies received by Deets Pickett, of Topeka, Kari., pub licity manager for the Temperance So ciety of the Methodist Church, a ma jority of the big newspapers of the country are believed to favor a pro hibition plank in the national plat forms of the big political parties. Mr. Pickett asked the newspapers for expressions on the matter. Of the .-,11 replies received, 265 favor party declarations, 174 oppose such action and 72 dodged the Question. A ma jority of the 174 opposing voluntarily announced their allegiance to the pro hibition cause, but deemed the po litical issue inexpedient. A dozen of the best known papers of New York, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia and other eastern cities favored national party action. Ninety six Republicans, 69 Democratic and the remainder of the 265 claiming in dependent tendencies favored action: 72 Republican, 58 Democratic and 18 independents opposed the plan. Our Daily Laugh i " —* SPEEDERS. •Wt the thoughts of tw Wj | \ young men turn vl\ X \lll to love and poetry / \\_ IkJ( in the ®P rln ß ? / If I may judge UJ L I L~- from my own ob bH A servttiom, I L 4 B '" t>uld » & y younß ** men never stop to think. "All things to 411 men." —Caesar. MU ijl WHEN THE WIND BLOWS By Wing Dinger By jove. when winds begin to blow At night, they sure can bust The peace of him who's sleeping, bo. With that sleep of the just. night, for Instance, just as I Began to pound mv ear The wind did blow, and funny sounds Burst forth upon my ear. Some window somewhere In the house Was rattling, out of bed I Jumped and tried to locate It. Some nothings sweet I said When after chasing "round the place For live minutes or more. I learned that all the noise came from A window right next door. 1 settled hack again in bed And soon was ready to Dosso oft again, when wlfey asked: "Dear, are you sure that you Closed tightly, ere you came to bed, The front door?" knew X liad. But couldn't sleep until I'd gone Down to And out, egad. THE MEXICAN^ Long Risks and Big Profits By Frederic J. Haskin L 2 J THERE are two ways of getting rich on the border nowadays. One way Is to stay on the American side and attend to your business. Tlie other is to go into Mexico. By the lat ter method you may make a great deal of money in a short time. You may also lose your original investment, and incidentally your life. A good example of the man who takes a long risk for a big profit is a certain New Mexican cattleman. There was in circulation on the border a large amount of Villa fiat money—bills print ed by the Villa faction, redeemable when they should have control of the Government. This money was recent ly repudiated, and you can buy a thou sand dollars for a few cents in Amerl [ can silver. At the time, however, it was .worth three or four cents 011 the | dollar in 151 Paso. The cattleman ! bought several thousand dollars' worth j and made a flying trip far into the in terior of Mexico. As he penetrated deeper Into Villa territory, his Villa currency grew more and more valu able, until several hundred miles from the border it was worth 40 and 50 cents on the dollar. Then he bought cattle. He might pay SIOO in the fiat money for a cow, and the animal would still cost him less than $5. When he cross ed the border on his way out he would have to pay aji export duty of about $8 a head in good American silver, but those were still very cheap cattle. When you consider the risks he took, his profits do not loom so large, Such speculation in currency is naturally discouraged by the party issuing the I paper, and he might have been turned I back, if not Imprisoned, at any time, j The American cattleman is the favor , ite prey of the bandit. He might well ; have been held for ransom, as a num ber of his fellows have been held, and killed If that ransom were not prompt ly forthcoming. He might have been shot by excited soldiery if tlie United States Government had happened to displease the faction through whose territory he was traveling. Charles Boone was so killed in a passenger train a few miles below Juarez, by in dignant Villa soldiers who had just heard of the American recognition of Carranza. Boone and a companion were return ing from the interior after a cattle- I buying trip. They suspected trouble. ■ ' IIECAI.I, OF DIPLOMATS Rninnt Made In Hut liltcht Instance* In Thl* Country'* History [From the Washington Post ] I Boy-Ed and Von Papen will be I known as Nos. 9 and 10 on America's blacklist of diplomats. Their prede 1. Citizen Genet, the French Minis ter, who was sent Ijome in 1793 by President Washington because he at tempted to fit out privateers in country to raid British commerce. ' 2. Marquis Casa Yrujo, Spanish Minister, who was given his passports In 1805 for attempting to bribe a Phila delphia newspaper to side with Spain in a controversy with the United States. 3. F. J. Jackson. British Minister, was recalled by request of this Gov ernment because he charged bad faith against the State Department in a diplomatic discussion. 4. M. Poulssin, a French Minister, was handed Ills papers in 1849 because he was impertinent to the Secretary of State and announced that he would go to other sources for information. 5. Mr. Crampton, the British Min ister, was handed Ills passports in 1855 for attempting to recruit men for ser vice in the Crimea. 6. Lord Sackvllle West, the British Minister, was handed his passports in 1888 for advising persons to vote against Grover Cleveland for the White House. » 7. Dupuy de Ixime, the Spanish Min ister, was sent home at the outbreak of the Spanish War in 1898. 8. Dr. Constantin Theodor Dumba was recalled In September last as a result of his alleged attempt to cripple American munitions plants. TUB WII.KKS-HARHB SITUATION [From The Outlook.) As in the case of International dis putes, The Outlook believes that both the wise and Just way- of settling labor disputes is by arbitration; that when the matter in dispute bus been settled by agreement through arbitration, and everv possible means has been taken to see that the arbitration board gives a fair opportunity to both sides, both sides should abide by the decree. Whichever side attempts to break the decree by violence or lawbreaklng or Illegal practices should be brought to terms by all the power of the State. In this particular case the men are the breakers of the decree. If the municipal or county or State or Federal authorities do not rigorously suppress the violence of the strikers In such a rase as tills, we can hope for nothing but anarchy in this country. The local police authorities have not handled the situation efficiently in the city of Wllkes-Barre and In the outlying bor oughs. In the less thickly settled com munities tlie State police have kept the situation well Ui hand. Assaults and riots have been confined exclusively to cities and boroughs In which the State Police did not attempt to exercise any authority unles* called upon by local officers of the law. The Governor of the State has so far taken no direct ac tion In this serious disturbance, al though It Is reported that he Is ready to Intervene It both sides wll seek his Intervention. The men have expressed their willingness to have him Intervene, and t)ie company has declared Itself willing to meet him upon Ills Invitation. If It Is true that the Governor Is waiting to have the two parties to the conflict seek his Intervention, we think he Is making a serious mistake. The function of a Governor is to protect the rights of the public. When an import ant city of the State Ik in a condition of rioting and disorder it is the duty of the Governor to take the Initiative in establishing peace. , and the other man hid under the coal In the engine tender, but Boone was too late. His companion came through safely under the coal and brought the story of K1 Paso. There are good profits on cattle bought In the interior even when they are paid for in "gold," as American money Is called locally. A little silver goes a long way, a few miles from the border. The principal Item in the cost is the export duty, which is levied by the faction holding the line at the point where the cattle are crossed to the United States. Sometimes the dutv is levied twice, when the buyer's dealings carry him through country held by more than one party. Thus the tax may amount to as much as sl6 a head, but with Mexican cattle bringing S4O and sl"i in the Knited States, the game is still worth playing. A third way of making money out of Mexican livestock is quite unattended by personal risk. This is the buying of cattle from the revolutionary fac tions themselves. The large scale of such business limits it almost entirely to big American dealers and commis sion houses. They buy In lots that run into tens of thousands of dollars. The war parties take this way of keeping up their bank accounts. The cattle are generally confiscated from the cattle barons of Northern Mexico. There Is one such man who was probably the largest single cattle owner in the world. His holdings were estimated at 600,000 head. As a matter of fact, he didn't know how many cows he had. and nobody else did. Ills saddle horses alone ran into the thousands. Since war began his cattle have been a principal source of revenue for one of the factions. At first they were sold outright, and the owner got nothing. They were even killed for the sake of their hides, when it was easier to ex port hides than cattle. But this par ticular owner Is a well-known and In fluential figure In the Southwestern United States. He is a prominent mem ber of New Mexican and Texan cattle men's associations. He. protested against the purchase of his cattle by American buyers. Now an arrange ment has been made by which he gets about a third of the sale price of each animal. This -may be poor justice, but it is a good deal more satisfactory than to get nothing at all. THE STATE FROM DAfTODW "Ezra Jones, of Jonesvllle" was wrttten by Harold Igo, and produced the other night for the first time by the local talent of New Wilmington, Pa. Igo is a High school professor in that place, and his play is reported to have made good with a vengeance. Hugo has nothing on Igo, when it comes t-> the question of writing plays. All ye who are accustomed to heaving cabbages, whether it be as a regular truckman's job or merely as an expression of feeling on cer tain occasions, had better beware of your trade. A Philadelphia man, Joseph Green, is dead as the result of heart failure from over-exertion in unloading a truck wagon full of that particular fruit. An albino doe, frequently seen on State lands in tV vicinity of Ole Bull's Castle, in i'ntter county, says the Philadelphia North American, was found dead yesterday, slaughter ed by some hunter. Many a hunter had previously drawn bead on the beautiful animal, but some unseen hand stayed his power. By the way, if you would avoid creating the im pression that you have a cold in the head, just refrain from repeating the name of the animal. A "tomb mystery" is being aired in the courts of Erie county, having started out on the first lap yesterday. It is the suit of Harry Perkins against Mr. and Mrs. Charles N. Strong for damages as a result of arrest for al leged desecration of the Scott Mausoleum. The case is attracting widespread Interest and a big array of legal talent is lined up on both fcides. There comes to Pennsylvania from "New York the report that almost bare feet are all the rage. This, of course, applies only to the feminine contingent of our readers. Woman is returning to the old Grecian styles In her choice of boudoir self-adorn ment. We are not interested. A touring car occupied by five per sons narrowly escaped extermination tlie other day Just outside Coates ville when it struck a telegraph pole and would have plunged over a fifty foot embankment, had it not been for a fence which was constructed recently to avoid future accidents of this very nature. There arc some, nevertheless, who do not believe in the guiding hand of Providence. "Walk and the world walks with you; sit and you sit alone," would be the version of Frank Hoy, of Beaver, who has been employed by the Fed eral government for the last 10 years on the locks In the Ohio river, lie figures that in that, time ho has walked more than 40,000 miles, or nearly twice around the world. Com petition under such conditions were hopeless. Ehnttng (Efyat Friends of Frank Wert, who began nis newspaper career us a reporter for the Telegraph, will be pleased to learn of his success in another field. X" or several years Mr. Wert has been manager of public relations for tho i IU" ! 8 an< * Shenango Kailway and l.iight Company, one of the largest and must up-to-date public utility companies in the Bast with heudquar tcrs at Youngstown, Ohio, and op erating in this State, Ohio and West , This number of the Km-and-Kss Klectrlß News the organ of the com pany, of which Mr. Wert Is editor, an nounces the establishment of a new bureau in the department of which he is the head. It will be known as rr bureau of adjustments and Fred If. uelbel, a Youngstown newspaper man, with one assistant, will be in charge. The publication also con tains a paper read by Mr. Wert be fore the Km-and-Kss Club on the pur pose and scope of the new bureau. Mr. Wert went from the Telegraph to the Patriot, from the Patriot to Bal timore and from Baltimore to Phila delphia. Leaving newspaper work for the wider field of publicity he ha« made such a splendid success of his efforts with the Km-and-Kss company that his work has been enlarged from time to time and his methods widely copied, lie is a son of Professor J. Howard Wert. Mrs. Edna GrofT Diehl, of Paxtang, whose Aunt Kste stories and Plumpy's Hollow Tales have appeared from time to time in the Telegraph been fa vored with places In a number of tho Christmas magazines. A little playlet entitled "A Santa Claus Party" and "The Santa Claus Song" appear in The Normal Instructor and Primary Plans, the most widely circulated school journal in America. The play let is intended as a vehicle for the distribution of gifts at a school en tertainment. "How the Gnomes Tried to Prevent Thanksgiving" is another story by Mrs. Diehl in What to Do, a Sabbath school publication. Mrs. DiehP is rapidly making a place for herself among the country's popular writers for little folk. "Send me a couple of 'Thorn's books' quick," was a message received at the State department yesterday. Chief Clerk George D. Thorn has been issuing a booklet for several years giving dates for people interested in politics and digests of important acts. Jt has been so useful that the different State committees stole it and put it out as their own. This year there were reports that it would not bo published owing to short appropria tions, but enough was sqeezed through for 2,000. The requests are for 20,- 000, one man having asked for 1,000 alone. Harris L. Sproat, who will retire as district attorney of Chester county to become the assistant district attorney, is the man who bore the banner in the West Chester club parade hero on inauguration day. He is 6 feet (i inches tali and as able and energetic as he is high. The other day "Penn," whose in teresting column in the Evening Bul letin of Philadelphia, has been one of the important features of that news paper for several years referred to the old form of "his excellency" as apply ing to the Governor of Pennsylvania. He points out that this phrase and similar phrases smack of the old days of royalty and have no place in ouv present official life. During the ad ministration of the late Governor Pat tison, who had no use whatever for highfalutlng forms and ceremonies, the use of "his excellency" was dis continued. Governor Patitison also declined to ride to the Capitol and in other ways emphasized his dislike for ceremonial formality. » • • Just as an idea of what the people of llarrisburg are reading it may bo stated that 75 per cent, of the 9,700 books taken out at the Harrisburg Public Library last month were fic tion. This Is a rather lower per centage than usual and shows that people are reading more standard works so to speak. There is a de mand for books dealing with the scenes of warfare. r WELL KNOVN PEOPLE Col. F. W. Stillwell, commander of the Thirteenth Infantry, Is re cruiting men for his command in Scranton. . C. L. S. Tingley, who opened the State Street Railway Association con vention to-day, has been president for several years of that organization. William H. Wilson, the new safety director of Philadelphia, is a graduate of the University of Penn sylvania. H. J. Keed may become the first burgess of the new borough of Do rain. ~ , , Dr. Russell H. Conwell is de livering a series of lectures In west ern counties. —William, Thaw the aviator, will spend Christmas at his home in Pitts burgh. He has been with the French army. DO YOU KNOW ~| That wheat and cattle raised hereabouts are being exported? HISTORIC HAIUUSBUKG John Harris' ferry was used by English troops to go west In the French and Indian war. PRIWARKDNKSS FOR PEACE [Pittsburgh Dispatch.] On the day before President Wilson read his annual message to Congress urging the need of national prepared ! ess for defense. Vice-president George |J> Dixon <>f the Pennsylvania llallroad. 1 sneaking before the International Trade iXnfe enre at New York, declared well built and equipped, uronerly manned, skillfully managed ami solvent railioads I were not only necessary to a. heal hy ! state of business, but a vital element of our military resources. It may be civnilirant that in the closing para graphs if his message the President fefeired to the mobilization of Industry and termed the transportation prob lem "an exceedingly serious and press ing one." He expressed the fear that be railroads as now equipped and co ordinated could not hope to cope with the problem much longer and suggest! a commission of inquiry to ascertain | whether our laws as at present framed and administered are as serviceable as they m«ght be In the solution of the problem." MmmmmmmmrnmHm mm — wmmmmm—my Then and Now A watch used to cost SSO, now Its price Is s2i>. An automobile formerly cost 12 000. A better one can be bought to-duy for SI,OOO. There are similar Instances that stand out strongly In face of a general rise In living cost. And the reason ADVKRTIS INMarkets have beon widened and sales increased. Automatically enlarged produc tion has forced down cost and prices. It pays to purchase advertised goods, not alone for their guar antee of quality, but also from the htandpolnt of economy.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers