16
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
A NEII'SPAFER FOR THE HS>itE
Founded iSjl
Published evenings except Sunday by
THE TELEGRAPH PHI VTI\(I CO..
Tcleirnph Rnlldlnar, Federal Square.
E. J. STACK POLE, Pres't and Editor-in-Chief
y. R. OYSTER, Busittrss Manager.
GUS M. STXEINMETZ, Managmg Editor.
* Member American
Newspaper Pub-
I Ushers' Associa-
Bureau of Circu
lation and Penn
sylvania Aaiociat-
EB3tern «ffice, Has-
Brooks, Fifth Ave
nue Building. New
Brooks. People's
Gcs Building, Chl-
Entered at the Post Office In Harris
burg, Pa., as second class matter.
By carriers, six cents a
<nffifflgAi2Ssl> week; by mall. $3.00
a year in advance.
Sworn dally r.vernjre circulation for the
three mnntlut ending April 1, 181 V,
■JT 22,432 if
Theae flgurea are net. All returned,
nnaold and damaged coplea deducted.
FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 14
Be willing to be one of Christ's
"peculiar people," no matter what men
may say of you. —D. L. Moonr.
THE NEW POLICY
THE promotion of W. S. Ruther
ford, of Harrisburg, for years
head of the order department at
Steelton, to he chief of the order de
partment for the whole of the Beth
lehem Steel Company, with headquar
ters at South Bethlehem, Is the first
demonstration of the new policy of
promotion at Steelton.
It will be remembered that Presi
dent Grace, in an interview with a
Telegraph reporter, said it was the
purpose of the Bethlehem company to
promote Pennsylvania Steel employes
into the service of the Bethlehem com
pany as rapidly as vacancies occurred
and as the men showed fitness for
advancement. The Rutherford ap
pointment is a plain Indication that he
meant just what he said and that
opportunity for the working force at
Steelton lias been widened, rather than
lessened, by the new ownership.
Schwab's big men of t"o-day were
small men in his employ but a few
years ago. "Pull" In the Bethlehem
enterprises is unknown. Ability and
energy arc the open sesame to the
highest places in the service of the
company. The Rutherford promotion
ought, to be of vast encouragement to
the hundreds of men at Steelton who
have, been watching closely the policy
of the new organization with respect
to the employes of the recently ac
quired plants.
Since the dropping of the large water
mains In East State street under Pax
ton rreck the completion of the gap
In the concrete work along: the stream
iB now possible. It seems, however,
that there Is no available appropriation
for this work unless some balances may
be found which can be utilized for the
purpose. Under the recent decision of
City Solicitor Seitz the surplus excess
interest funds of the various loans may
possibly be used for this emergency
expenditure. It is certain that the Rap
should be closed and closed promptly.
THK DONATO STATUARY
THERE is wide popular interest
throughout the city in the loca
tion of the Donato statuary pre
sented to Harrisburg by Mr. Hershey,
the genius of the sweet flavored town
on our cast. ,
It was generally expected when
this statuary was accepted by the city
last year that there would be no
difficulty about its proper placing, or
concerning the location agreed upon
by the Art Committee chosen for the
purpose of selecting a site.
It now appears (hat the cost of
erecting the statuary In a proper way
is an obstacle and the municipal
authorities are not clear as to just
how the three lovely figures in bronze
may be given a suitable environment
on the River Front. Inasmuch as the
Department of Public Safety, which
has control of the niter plant and
pumping station, has jurisdiction over
all the fountains of the city it would
seem that this department should
properly locate and care for the city's
most important gift of this character.
City Commissioner Bowman has
done so admirably In the reduction
of water rentals and in the general
conduct of his department that we
have no doubt he will evolve some
plan for the setting up of the group
of statuary which has evoked so much
discussion. His handling of the affairs
of the Water Department has been
manifestly businesslike and inasmuch
as it is a productive branch of the
city government we believe that the
statuary should be under his charge
and keeping.
It is expected that the proposed
Eby memorial will be located on the
handsome plaza at the pumping sta
tion. In any event, some reasonable
plan should be worked out for the lo
cation of Ihe statuary to the end that
the people of Harrlsburg may enjoy
this work of art and show proper
appreciation of the generosity of the
donor.
UOUJAXD AS AX KXAMPI.K ~
A FRIEND of this newspaper has
taken violent exception to an
editorial pointing out Holland
as an example of military prepared
ness. There was no inlentlon therein
to convey the idea that Holland has
prepared solely to repel an invasion by
Germany—although the people of Hol
land so much feared the aggression
of the Kaiser that public demonstra
*l
FRIDAY EVENING, HAKRISBURG t&SfSb TELEGRAPH ~ APRIL 14, 1916
tto'ns were made against the marriage
of the Queen and a German Prince—
but to show how the military strength
of this little kingdom is keeping its
borders free from the trampling feet
of either the English or the German
armies. It was intended merely to
illustrate the weakness of the United
I States in military equipment as com
! pared with this pigmy among the na
tions. A half-million trained men
mobilized in a few days! How long
! would it require America to duplicate
j Holland's demonstration at a time
when a display jof strength was all
Jthat was necessary to save the coun
jtry from the fate of Belgium?
DIPLOMATIC "PIFFLE"
THE reply of Germany to the
Sussex note is diplomatic "piffle."
Of all the absurdities that have
come out of Germany since the out
break of the -war this is the climax.
The American government respect
fully asks: "Did a German submarine
sink the Sussex?" And the reply
comes: "No, the German government
does not believe one of its submarines
sank the Sussex. To be sure, one of
Its submarines was nearby at. the time
and did sink a steamer, but it was not
the Sussex. We feel sure of this be
cause while the ship was sinking the
captain sat on deck sKetching the
scenery, and Incidentally he made a
pencil picture of the sinking vessel
which does not at all resemble the
Sussex. No, the name plate of the
sunken vessel was not included in the
sketch."
Was ever anything more ridiculous?
Did ever a government attempt to
convince a doubting world with an
excuse more transparently false? How
can the United States continue to deal
with a nation the diplomacy of which
is based upon such a gospel of false
hood and subterfuge?
This is the length to which we have
attained after all these months of
dickering over the sinking of the
Lusltania, that we are put oft with a
tale so palpably untrue that It is Im
possible to believe It was concocted
for other than home consumption and
in an effort to place the blame there
upon America for whatever eventual
ities may ensue. Not to view the
matter in that light must lead to the j
conviction that Germany is not only!
warmad, but that her foreign ministry
has become drivellngly insane, as well.
THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH ,
THAT was n high-sounding speech
wliich President Wilson delivered
at a political gathering in Wash- I
ington last night, but Just what docs
it mean?
The President asked his audience if
the.v were "ready to go in" for the
cause of humanity and to come out
jwhen the cause of humanity shall have
been served. Americans always have I
been ready to do that. In all the his
tory of this nation they have never
done anything else. Military glory and
the acquisition of territory never were
American ambitions. We have fought
only for our own protection or for the
rights of mankind as a whole, in one
form or another.
This generality Is so plainly true
that It requires no presidential interro
gation for demonstration. So the
President must have had something
definite in his mind when he put his
question last night. Are we "ready"?
Ready for what? Why cannot the
President be frank? Surely the coun
try ought to be permitted to know
where the administration Is heading,
if it knows itself. If we are to be
"ready," we ought to know just what
we are to be "ready" for.
Truth is that the President has cried
"wolf, wolf" so often that people want
to see the beast before they believe
that the executive has not been fright-
I ened by a frisky sheep. Timid Con
i gressmen were induced to give away
I our birthright in the Panama canal
' because the President looked solemn
j and intimated that the country was on
the verge of war with England. Again,
] during the "preparedness" swing to
1 the West, one might have thought
from his words that an army of in
vasion must be even then on its way
toward our shores.
The country needs no presidential
heroics to spur It to its duty as a
guardian of humanitarian principles,
but it doesn't like to be told that there
Is a great big bugaboo just around the
corner about to gobble It up. It wants
to see the bugaboo.
If the army meets with any grave
! disaster in Mexico the fault must be
I lodged at the door of the Wilson ad
j ministration, which sent the soldiers ln
{ to that country unprepared after three
i years of "watchful waiting," during
I which the mere presence of the troops
along the border was proof positive that
the Government looked upon a clash of
arms or an Invasion as likely to occur
I at any moment.
President Wilson declared the
country is demanding non-partisan
service. He held that the Demo
cratic party lias sought not onlv to
be nonpartisan between all inter
ests and classes, but had endeav
ored to be partisan to both sides In
every question.—Newspaper report
of President Wilson's speech last
night.
The nerve of It! There has not been
a single instance of anything but parti
sanism since the Democrats assumed
control at Washington. Southern
Democrats especially have been ap
pointed to displace Civil War veterans
at the national capital and everywhere, ;
the country over, the administration j
has been acting out to the last extrem
ity the vicious assumption that "to the
victor belong the spoils."
CO-OPERATION
WHAT can be done by the en- j
thusiastlc co-operation of a!
number of persons united in a
common cause has been admirably
illustrated in the matter of the rum-!
mage sale for the benefit of the Har-'
risburg Hospital. This sale is not only
a fine demonstration of community
co-operation for and In the interest of
a worthy Institution, but Is an exhibit
or the value of getting together for
the welfare of all. the people. This
rummage sale has been an eye-opener
for all who have any knowledge of
Its ramifications. It will not only he
a good thing for the hospital but it
will likewise be helpful in the future
movements for the city's development.
If the same energy and co-operation |
| ran be enlisted in l)ehalf of the cam
| paign for the adornment of the city
v.'ith window and porch boxes this
summer Harrlshurg will be known far
and wide as the floral city. By the
way, are you going along with the
movement?
| TELEGRAPH'S PERISCOPE
i —Tom Taggert says the United
'States Senate is composed of "Intel
j lectual giants," which ought to be
gratifying to President who ap
pointed Senator Taggert.
—John N. Brown, aged 16, Is
America's richest boy, and he's Just as
happy as though his name was Fer
dinand Cecil Reginald D'Fortlnoy.
—The politician who is referred to
as a "dark horse" naturally feels that
he is trotting in pretty fast company.
—Says the Cleveland Plain-Dealer:
"The colonel is now dubbed the Am
erican Caesar," which may or may not
be why at least one Tribune is for
him.
I
—Carranza Is now displaying his
j Mexican gratitude to the administra
tion that made him.
! —The Mexican idea of friendship is
to be cordial until somebody has lifted
' you into the saddle, and then kick him
' in the {ace.
EDITORIAL COMMENT
Statistics coming out of Harrlsburg
show that out of every dollar paid for
foodstuffs the farmer gets 45 cents.
The rest goes to the men who handle
it before it gets to the tables of the
consumer. Until some one can devise
a way to reduce this cost of distribu
tion, we shall have to struggle along
under the burden of the high cost of
living.—Philadelphia Ledger.
What becomes of strict account
ability that is not strict and waives
accountability?— New York Sun.
Silent Partner's Advice
LOYALTY
Loyalty Is deference to discipline,
devotion to organization, allegiance
to associates. Disloyalty is rebellion,
revolt, mutiny, treason.
Loyalty makes a man a superman.
He can do the kind of work that
counts.
Loyalty to the foreman does not
mean playing second fiddle. It proves!
that you can be a leader when the
leader is sick. Some violin.
The impatient, insubordinate indi
vidual is of no value anywhere, at any
time.
QUALITY
Every quality that you recognize as
good in Washington, in Lincoln, in
Grant, or in nnv other man. dead or
alive, is a quality that you possess.'
The only point that concerns you is
this: Have you developed this qual
ity?
FOUR-LEAF LUCK
Ability and will, courage and skill
—these are the component parts of
the four-leaf clover we call luck.
MODESTY
Some people are called modest when
they appear to think but little of
themselves.
If you will take pains to observe
them closely, you will find this mod
esty is really nothing but good judg
ment.
The Optimist
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Copyright, 1916, Star Company.
The fields were bleak and sodden. Not
a wing
Or note enlivened the depressing
wood;
A soiled and sullen, stubborn snow
drift stood
Beside the roadway. Winds came mut-
tering
Of storms to be, and brought the
chilly sting
Of icebergs in their breath. Stalled
cattle mooed
Forth plaintive pleadings for the
Earth's green food.
No gleam, no hint of hope In any
thing.
The sky was black and ashen like the
face
Of some poor wretch who drains life's
cup too fast.
Yet, swaying to and fro. as if to fling
About chilled Nature its lithe arms of
grace.
Smiling with promise In the wintry
blast,
The optimistic Willow spoke of Spring.
The Old Motto
We found It in the attic, where it long
had lain away:
The dust had veiled the letters In a
shroud of misty gray,
A spider's web was tangled In Its odd
fantlstlc weaves
Across the frame whose corners were
handcarved In oaken leaves.
The old, discarded motto—it was
worked in green and red
On perforated cardboard, and "God
Biess Our Home," It said.
"God Rless Our T-lomc"—And loving
hands reach out from all the
years,
The hands that always reached to
help, that wiped away our
tears;
And now we know full well that when
this motto held its place.
They meant the faded prayer that to
day we slowly trace;
That every morn of work to do, that
every night of rest,
The good old home was by some mys
tic benediction blest.
—W. D. Is'esblt.
Roosevelt Sentiment
[Blythe in Saturday Evening Post]
I have been about the country a
great deal since the first of the year,
and have discovered that where one
man was talking Roosevelt last Fall
ten men are talking Roosevelt now.
These men are not all Progressives,
either. There are plenty of Republi
cans, men who stood by Taft in 1912,
who are of the opinion that the situa
tion demands the colonel, not merely
on account of war or other problems,
either domestic or international, but
because they have come to the con
clusion that he is the only man who
can hope to win against the Presi
dent.
Why So Many Balls Were Lost
fFrom Everybody's.)
A young married couple who lived
near a famous golf course were enter
taining an elderly aunt from the depths
of the country.
"Well, Aunt Mary, how did you spend
this afternoon?" asked the hostess on
the first day.
"Oh. T enjoyed myself very much,"
replied auntie with a beaming smile. "I
went for a walk across the fields. There
seemed to be a great many people
about, and some of them shouted to me
In a most eccentric manner, but I just
took no notice. And. by the way," she
went on "I found such a number of
curious little white round things. I
brought them home to ask vou what
they are."
And the dear obi lady produced from
her handbag about a dozen golf balls!
fofcttXc* Lk
*PtKKOi^ttfa>ua
By the Ex-Oommittefraaa
With Governor Brumbaugh away,
presumably In Philadelphia or Atlantic
City, for a birthday holiday, the center
of political interest shifted from this
city to-day and only Attorney General
Brown was on the Job looking after
the managing end of the Brumbaugh
campaign. The Governor's mail con
tinues to be well filled with letters
commending his course, although It Is
pretty broadly intimated about the city
that all of the mail received does not
approve of his candidacy. Mr. Brown
said to-day that he expected the list
of Brumbaugh candidates for delegate
to be ready on Monday. The papers
are coming in and are being gone over
to see if they are in form. The Attor
ney General refused to talk about re-
Sorts that some eleventh-hour changes
ad been made In the Brumbaugh
slate which have been flying about the
last twenty-four hours.
National Committeeman Henry G.
Wasson Is expected here within a dav
or so to talk over matters with Mr.
Brown. He will probably bring the
Western Pennsylvania petitions. Thus
far nothing has been said at the Capi
tol about the possibility of a clash
between the law and the candidacy of
Public Service Commissioner Magee
for national delegate and the silence
regarding that matter is as profound
as about the Oliver letter.
—Among the nominating petitions
filed for House of Representative
nominations, which are coming to the
Capitol in bales, are for renomlnation
of Representatives Samuel A. Whlt
aker, Phoenlxvllle, chairman of the
judiciary special committee of the last
House; George W. Williams, Wells
boro, who was sponsor for the Gov
ernor's local option bill; H. H. Brosius,
Brookville. chairman of the committee
on game: Representatives Albee, Pot
ter; Milliron. Armstrong; Campbell,
Allegheny, and Sarig, Berks.
—Captain James H. Wiltbank,
Philadelphia, a member in 1913, is out
for the nomination again in the Tenth
Philadelphia.
—Public Service Commissioner Ma
gee makes a lively attack upon Sen
ator George T. Oliver in the Pitts
burgh Dispatch to-day. He insists
there is no legal obstacle to candidacy
for delegate while serving as public
service commissioner, and says things
about the senator. The Pittsburgh
Gazette Times comes back and calls
the Magee candidacy brazen and rakes
him as a boss. The Allegheny light Is
on.
—Senator W. J. Burke Is out on the
stump for Brumbaugh In Pittsburgh.
—The Philadelphia North American
makes a great fuss over the Fleitz can
didacy for national delegate in the
Brumbaugh interest in Lackawanna
county saying a Penrose man has gone
away from him. The North American
handles the Gribbel, Johnson and
Wanamaker delegate candidates
with care.
- —The Pentiypacker commendation
of the Governor is much commented
upon although some Philadelphia pa
pers let it go by.
—The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times to
day says: "There is doubt even among
the men, who are looking after the
interests of the Brumbaugh-Vare com
bine in this county, about Governor
Martin G. Brumbaugh filing papers as
a preferential candidate for president.
Attorney General Frnncis Shunk
Brown says his name will go on the
ballot, but in a conference of the
Governor's supporters held yesterday
In Pittsburgh the opinion was ex
pressed that he would retire. The
plan discussed is to get the Gover
nor out of the running and endeavor
to put Theodore Roosevelt to the front
in Pennsylvania. This is what Wil
liam Flinn has been trying to bring
about since before, Mr. Mrumbaugh of
fered himself as a probable candidate.
The scheme la to make Senator Boies
Penrose the target. This was tried
without success in 1914."
—P. C. Knox received an ovation at
Scranton when he spoke on national
affairs last night. Lieutenant Gover
nor McClaln was also a speaker and
well received.
—Philadelphia and Pittsburgh reg
istration was not heavy. Probably the
voters are not as much "heated up"
as politicians think.
—The Philadelphia Record insists
that the Governor's silence in regard
to the Oliver check worries his friends.
The Governor left last night without
breaking silence and neither he nor
his friends appeared to be disturbed.
—The Yare majority in the Phila
delphia county commissioner board
dismissed a SI,OOO McNichol clerk in
the opening skirmish of the fight.
—Ambler headquarters have been
opened at Norrlstown with Theodore
Lane Bean in charge. The Montgom
ery men say that Johnson is for Am
bler after all. Johnson has not talked
lately.
—The Philadelphia Press to-day
says: "Unpledged national delegates,
whose election at the May primaries is
being urged by Senator Penrose may
defeat the whole purpose of the Pres
idential preference clause of the uni
form primary act. For the first time
in the history of Pennsylvania the
electorate will be given an opportun
ity on May lfi to express itself on its
favorite for President of the United
States. For years public sentiment
had demanded such an opportunity:
but only after prolonged agitation did
the Legislature pass a State law, which
expressly permitted the voter to regis
ter his choice. The attitude taken by-
Senator Penrose in advocating the
electlpn of delegates, who will . not
agree, as provided by the. uniform pri
mary law, to support .the expression
of the popular will, is construed there
fore, as a direct altempt to thwart the
popular will."
—Guy Mayo, of McKean, an active
Bull Mooser in 1914, is running as a
Republican delegate for Brumbaugh.
—The startling news came over the
river last night that Scott S. Leiby,
Marysville lawyer, with offices here,
had joined H. B. Saussaman, of Pax
tang, in t lie sacrifice class. Leiby will
run for Democratic senatorial nomin
ation against Senator Franklin Mar
tin. of Cumberland, and Saussaman
plans to get in the way of Congress
man Kreider.
—James R. Wilson, of Landisburg,
is a candidate for Democratic national
committeeman in Perry.
—Congressman Crago's denial that
he was behind the Hartnian campaign
for State Treasurer produced some
what of an Impression here. The
Hartman papers, however, are going
around briskly.
—Probably "Big Bill" Adams, Lu
zerne member, was dropped from the
State pay roll in the Insurance Fund
to allow him to look after his cam
paign for renomination. He has op
position.
—Dr. G. A. Dilllnßpr, the Pittsburgh
councilman, who was here at the local
option meeting, has aspirations to he
mayor of Pittsburgh.
—The Franklin-Adams Democrats
have decided to present the name of
Thomas J. Mrereton, Chambersburg.
for Senator In that district. This
means that ex-Senator Martin, of Get
tysburg, and Parker U. Skinner, of
Franklin county, will not run.
THE CARTOON OF THE DAY
BUT THIS IS HOW HE DID IT
RJ3MXY MR SIMRLEI&N.MX) MU&f HAVE HAP UONDERFuL INFLUENCE
OVER MY CWuGhTER t> SET HER TO SE"fiiE W)WN 10 TrlAf
PREARY ANP UNEX-CltiNG OaONTRV L|F=£— iVHV. BEFORE SHE,
YOU 5H£ PtVOTfeP A LOT OF * T5 SPORISS!^/
BUT THIS IS HOW 6HE PIP IT.
'
MOONLIGHT SCHOOLS
By Frederic J. Haskin
NO illiteracy in Kentucky after
after 1920!" This is the slogan
which appears in newspapers, on gate
posts, telegraph poles and in barber
shops throughout the Bluegrass State.
You can't escape It. For you arc not
in Kentucky live minutes before some
proud citizen sidles up to you and
savs:
"Some campaign we're waging down
liere, eh? Ever hear about our moon
light schools?"
In Kentucky everybody is a self
appointed publicist and apostle of
learning—the whole stnte is inspired.
And no wonder; for not only has their
slortan reverberated throughout Ken
tucky, but it has been heard In seven
teen other states as well, all of which
have established moonlight schools.
ft all came about through a woman
a rather small, dark-eyed Kentucky
woman, with the pluck and clear
vision of a pioneer. Her name is Mrs.
Cora Wilson Stewart, and she started
the. "no Illiteracy" campaign while
superintendent of public schools In
Rowan county.
In Kentucky, as in a great many
other states, a. considerable per cent,
of the adult population in the rural
communities is illiterate. For exam
ple, one night Mrs. Stewart attended a
rural school entertainment where in
the course of the program a young
man with a very good tenor voice sang
a pleasing ballad which was his own
improvisation. After the program was
over Mrs. Stewart shook hands with the
young man and congratulated him. "I
should like to have a copy of your
song," she said, "if you will write it
down for me." The young man
blushed, then smiled grimly. "I can
neither read nor write," he said.
"Often 1 think of songs, but forget
them while waiting for someone to
come along and write them down."
Mrs. Stewart was appalled. Here
was a man with decided talent, who
was capable of giving something to the
world, handicapped because he was
hopelessly illiterate. Then came the
inspiration. Was it, after all, hope
less? Was there not some way in
which these adults—old, middle-aged
and young—could be taught to read
and write? ' Mrs. Stewart estimated
that there were 1,152 such illiterates
in her county alone.
A meeting of public school teachers
was called and Mrs. Stewart laid the
situation before them. She told them
about one old woman who bought a
speller and sat up until midnight
studying so that she could learn to
read letters received from her daugh
ter. who was away at school. She told
tiiem of a big, stalwart, farmer whose
eyes had filled with tears as he said. "T
would give twenty years of my life if I
could read." She told theni ahout the
young man and his songs which were
THE STATE FROM DAf TO DW
The Kitchen Klub of Warren held
their regular thirtible social Tuesday
evening at the home of Miss Flossie
Branch. The hostesses were Miss
Branch and Mrs. Wager. We wonder
how important a part the thimble
actually played.
The Cemetery Association of the
same town has likewise met and it
is said that there will be no dividends
declared this month.
Speaking of the dear departed, esti
mates show that there have been twice
as many deaths as births In central
Bucks county. Fourteen children
were born and 27 persons died. War
rington and Warwick townships es
caped a visit from both the stork and
the Grim Reaper. Better get in the
swim, you W's and accomplish some
thing.
The Punxsutawney Spirit proves Its
right to the name when it speaks out
in its editorial voice, loudly as It can,
in denunciation of a Yale professor
who made the comparative statement
that it is less of an insult to the flag
to spit on it than to spill American
blood on It. It would be Interesting
to ascertain the political attitude of
the Spirit before judging the merits
of the editorial.
This is Clean-Up and Paint-Up
Week In Johnstown and yesterday
morning five teams of members of
Cambria Life Saving Scouts, each un
der a captain, sallied forth to deliver
"lettergrams" to the populace asking
them to join the clean-up movement.
Splendid co-operation.
Was old hop-a-long Peter Stuyve
sant's wooden leg on the right or the
left side? Who remembers? At any
rate G. L. J. Ferris, whose historical
paintings are now on exhibition in
old Congress Hall, Philadelphia, has
placed It on the right, and raised a
discussion.
Rohesonla citizens want a town Tiall,
So does Harrisburg wane a city nail
irretrievably lost because he could not
write them down. The teachers, hear
ing these things, were also inspired
nnd the upshot of the matter was the
establishment of the moonlight, school.
This simply meant that the public
day schools were kept open during* the
bright moonlight nights of the Ken
tucky autumn by volunteer teachers,
who called 011 the various illiterates
of their communities and induced
tliem lo attend. At the beginning
there were many doubts as to the
plan's success. The teachers thought
they knew a thing or two about that
invincible Kentucky pride. But from
the beginning the moonlight school
was popular. People came, and in
great numbers. They came down the
rugged mountain trails, women carry
ing their babies, and old men hobbling
on canes. 'Soon twelve hundred per
sons were enrolled in the moonlight
schools, the youngest of whom was
eighteen and the oldest eighty-si*.
During the first few weeks of the
experiment the trees and fences and
walls of the barns began to blossom
out with singular decorations. In their
enthusiasm over yieir newly acquired
knowledge the people were carving
their names in large irregular letters
on every available wooden surface.
Many who had hoarded small sums of
money under the kitchen hearth did
some rapid excavating ana opened
hank accounts. It was so fascinating
to be able lo write your own name on
a check!
Resides the three R's, Hie moonlight
schools taught agriculture, horticul
ture, roud building and home eco
nomics. Magazines and newspapers
began to make their appearance in the
various households and In Washington
the Department of Agriculture was
swamped with requests from Rowan
county for farm bulletins. Special
textbooks were provided which would
appeal especially to the moonlight
pupils.
So the moonlight schools grew and
flourished each succeeding season, and
with them grew the ambition of the
Rowan county school teachers. They
were now determined to banish illit
eracy from tho entire county. There
were still many persons who for vari
ous reasons refused to attend the
schools, so it was decided to take the
schools to them —figuratively, of
course. The teachers canvassed the
whole county, invading the hiding
places of the most stubbornly elusive
illiterates, and made a list of the names
of these persons, togethef- with all the
information obtainable concerning
their peculiarities and eccentricities.
Thereafter, when an illiterate proved
abdurate and insisted that he did not,
wnnt to be educated, the teachers con
sulted the Retails of his history as ap
pearing on the list in an endeavor to
find some means of appealing to him.
Two hearts that beat as one. friend
Robesonia.
John Ash, of Trappe, has scarlet
fever, and his house is quarantined.
Trapped. John, in Trappe.
The Philadelphia Record tells of an
aged woman of that city who made
elaborate preparations to die, first
taking a bath and then dressing her
self in white clothes, after which she
turned on tho gas. Contrary to her
expectations, she was discovered be
fore life was extinct.
There is hog cholera in Waynes
boro.
A girl living in Pottsville, fifteen
years of age. has received from the
city $3,410 damages for stepping into
a defective sewer inlet and sustaining
a fracture of the leg.
OUR DAILY LAUGH
QUITE SO. ' • l r _ jft#
He: Let's patch f A
it up and get
have to be patch- jk
lng the rest of my [gJHpnr ivl^Jki
SOON.
tWell, Spring'U
soon be here.
Yes, I used to
look forward to
it when I was
courting, but now
I'm married, it's
nothing but house
cleaning.
FiEbemng (Sljat
Harrisburg folks of some sixty odd
years ago were quaintly recalled yes
terday In City Clerk Miller's office
when that official unearthed a yel
lowed dog-eared volume of the city
director of 1856. The book had been
given by ex-Commoner Charles K.
Osier wlio.se father, George Osier,
helped print the volume. The olil
directory is interesting in many ways.
As compared to the present thick
l °'ume of hundreds of solid pages of
names, it contains a complete list of
Harrisburg's citizens in thirty-six
pastes. The names by the way, are
not listed alphabetically. At that limn
Harrisburg's population numbered but.
11,127. C. A. Snyder was chief bur
gess and Chief of Police Zeil's present
Jou was held by one Daniel Rhodes,
"high constable." The directory gives
a complete list of the employes of
• apltol Hill at that time, too, and the
personnel of the State government's
payroll as compared to-day, is well
worth comparing. For instance, in
those days when James Pollock was
Governor and Andrew G. Curt in was
Secretary of the Commonwealth, the
number of employes in the whole seat
of government on "Cap Hill" included
the following: office of Secretary of
the Commonwealth, 8; State Treasury
K; Surveyor General (now the De
partment of Internal Affairs), 'J; and
Pennsylvania Canal Commission, 5.
furthermore the compilers of the
directory were not without their chic
pride in the growth of the old home
I^ n ' * n " le "foreword" there is this
little mention as to the way they
"watched llarrisburg grow" in the
olden days: "There are very few per
sons living who resided here before
the laying- out of the borough and they
look around with wonder at the
mighty changes it has undergone dur
ing a period of seventy years. It. is
rapidly rising in the scale of wealth,
power and intelligence. Its citizens
are widely known for their zeal, enter
prise, patriotism and hospitality and
are worthy children of the Keystone
State."
One of the surest indications that
King Winter is absolutely superseded
by Young Spring is the sound of a
hurdy-gurdy wafting in through tlio
open windows of office and school
room. And there is nothing more
provoking to the schoolboy or girl.
JVe know, because we have been there
ourselves. One has simply got to get
out and roll around on the grass a
little, or at least do a Highland fling
to work off the superabundant fever
of Spring which runs through the
veins. And if yon will visit the river
bank you will see the familiar ferry
plying its well-worn watery path to
Fairview and back. That is another
sign. And still another; the number
of roller-skaters on the streets of the
city are legion. The other evening
there were more'n a million in Front,
street, and the constant rumble of
many wheels made a sound as of the
roar of many waters, and there was
no peace for the drivers of automo
biles; always in fear and trembling
does he manipulate his car lest soma
little tot lose his balance and fall out
of the line of march for the skaters,
which extends over every portion of
the street. The idea of Chief of
Police Zeil that each skater tie a
tinkling bell to his skates is a good
one and possibly the harmony as well
as the safety might prove more satis
factory.
* * •
Some of the borough league dele
gates who were here for the conven
tion at the Capitol this week are not
used to the chairs in the hall of tlia
House. These chairs are specially
built for legislators and have a slightly
tilting bnck and four wheels in well
oiled castors. Unless a man is ac
customed to the chairs there is trouble
in store. The average man tilts a
chair when he is at ease. In the tirst
hour of the conference seven citizens
found that the chair castors were well
oiled and that they were different,
from those in borough halls. They all
landed on the floor.
* * . *
The dandelon brigade is out in force
these days and men, women and chil
dren can be seen on vacant lots in
the outskirts of the city cutting up
the young and tender plants, which
are in demand as a vegetable and for
making concoctions known as "tea."
This is the season of the year when
the dandelion is at its best and the
number of people after It shows tluit
the demand is as great as ever.
David L. Starr, the president of the
Municipal Home Rule League, who
Was re-elected head of that body yes
terday, is a prominent lawyer in Alle
gheny county and specializes in
borough law. Mr. Starr was an active
figure here during recent Legislatures.
WELL KNOWN PEOPLE
—E. T. Stotesbury, the Philadel
phia banker, will build a big suburban
home near Germantown.
—Horace W. Davis, deputy attorney
general, who addressed the Stale Con
vention of borough officials this week
on borough regulation, used to be
borough solicitor of Sharon.
—Dr. Edward Maryin has been put
at the head of the military training
committee of the Philadelphia school
officials.
—Lieutenant - Governor McClain,
whose birthday is to-day, is far-famed
as a singer. ,
Dr. G. W. Shelton, Pittsburgh
minister, here this week, is one of the
foremost local option men of the
country.
—Horace Geiger. who will run for
Legislature on the local opilon ticket
in Germantown, is a retired woolen
merchant.
| DO YOU KNOW
That Dauplihi county steel Is used
in building tank cars?
HISTORIC HARRISBVRG
This city had its first State arsenal
during the war of 1812.
STUDENTS \IM)I'T WAR BABY
Lawrence, Kas. —Kansas University
chapter of the Phi Kappa Psi fra
ternity has adopted a French baby
boy, a war orphan. The fraternity
members have agreed to support the
child at the rate of ten cents a day.
11l return one of the privileges granted
the fraternity is the naming of the
war orphun.
Are You Sure? Then
Go Ahead
"Be sure you are right then
go ahead" was a favorite motto
of frontier days, and Is a pretty
good mono to apply to the af
fairs of everyday life.
Particularly good to apply to
matters that involve the spend
ing of money.
Why buy haphazardly or on
guess?
Why not be sure first?
And' one good help to surety
is the advertising in the Tele
graph.
It is full of information help
ful to the buyer.
I '