6
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
A NEWSPAPER FOR THE HOME
Pounded Itjl
Published evenings except Sunday by
| THE TELKGRAFH PRINTING CO.,
I Telegraph Building, Federal Square.
35. J. STACKPOLE .Pres't ana Editor-in-Cliief
2'. R. OYSTER, Business Manager.
OUS M. STEINMETZ, Managing Editor.
Member American
syivania As9°ciat
| rue Building. New
1 — cago, Illf'
Entered at the Post Office In Harrfs
burg, Pa., as second class matter.
..By carriers, six cents a
week; by mail, |3.00
a year in advance.
MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 1
When you can't remove an obstacle,
plow around it. — LINCOLN.
A REPUBLICAN PROTEST
HAVING just passed through the
period of "peace on earth, good
will to men," it is the hope of
Republicans who have no ax to grind
—just the plain, everyday voting and
working Republicans—that the mis
guided gentlemen who are doing their
level best to permanently disable the
party will hear above their own racket
the roar of protest which is going
up from every quarter of the State.
If the party as a party, however,
has no further good to accomplish, if
its record of great usefulness is at an
end, then there is no occasion to wor
ry over the spectacle of factional dis
sension which is arousing the anger
and contempt of thousands of loyal
party men all over the State.
Letters received by the Telegraph
heartily commend a recent editorial,
published in this newspaper under the
caption, "Party Foolishness," refer
ring to the silly rumpus over the
speakership of the House. "You never
wrote a better one," says one writer, a
stalwart Republican; "terse and to the
point, every word of it true; others
have been thinking the same things;
others who have the good of their
party at heart have been deploring
this foolish quarrel."
These letters are simply the expres
sion of a deep-seated feeling among
Republicans that the time has come
to stop making a football of the party.
Philadelphia is an important city
find its large Republican vote is use
ful in augmenting the strength of the
party organization, but unless and
until the factions in the metropolis of
the Commonwealth learn that the
party at large has no interest in set
tling old scores there will be no peace.
Let the Pliiladclphians shinny on their
own ground. It is unfair to annoy the
rest of tho State and involve in the
scrimmage the great body of the,'
party which has absolutely 110 interest
in the unseemly wrangle.
Skating at Wildwood is doubtless all
Tight, but do you remember the de
lights of skating to Clark's Ferry on
the old canal?
THE NEW YEAH
WHEN the poet wrote of the
New Year:
"Ring out the old,
Ring in the new;
Ring out the false,
Ring in the true,''
he did not have 1917 in mind.
The New Y'ear promises little re
lief from the abnormal conditions in
which we lived during 1916. interna
tional peace is not only nowhere in
sight, but we as a nation, are closer
to participation in tho great European
conflict than wo were a year ago. The
efforts of President Wilson toward a
cessatyan of hostilities has been mis
understood at every turn—perhaps in
tentionally so In some quarters—and
ir Germany launches the underseas
campaign of which there have been
threats wo shall most certainly be
drawn Into the war. On the .other
liand, if Germany or the Allies should
suddenly yield sufficiently to offer
peace terms upon which an agreement
could be reached wo in America
would be plunged into Industrial chaos
at once, confusing and disastrous to
labor and capital. Which ever way
the cat jumps the United States, in all
.probability, will be tho sufferer In a
financial way, at least.
But not alone with relation to the
European situation does the govern
ment find itself beset by doubt and
uncertainty unpleasant to contem
plate. The Mexican situation is bor
dering 011 nn open break with Car
ranza. Villa is becoming stronger
tvery day. The maintenance of order
along the border is a more serious
problem now than it was when the
troops were summoned to the Rio
(Jratide last summer, and the details
there arc being reduced gradually.
While these things are transpiring
with respect to our policies as they re
late to foreign nations, domestic con
ditions are not improving, to say the
least. While wages are going up by
leaps and bounds the high cost of liv
ing keeps constantly a lap or two In
advance, and it is a question if the
average wage earner is not in worse
condition now than he was when
jirices and wages were both lower.
Work, It is true, is plentiful, but the
Industries of the country are feeding
on a very perishable food supply.
They are eating of the plentitude now
*t hand, but what they will do when
tho war manna is exhausted none can
tell. The national administration is
ilke an ostrich with its head in the
•and, safe enough for the present, but
MONDAY EVENING, *
making >lO preparations for tho in
dustrial tornado that is to follow the
resumption of peace in Europe. We
are even less prepared for peace to
day than we were for war in 1914, and
the President and Congress show no
disposition to give tho matter the
thought it deserves.
Another serious prospect is that of
continued disturbances between the
railroads and the brotherhoods. As
all thoughtful persons foresaw, the
Atlamson law has not solved the eight
hour dispute. What tho outcome will
be nobqdy at present can foresee. The
possibility of a railroad strike is as
alarming a reality to-Gay as it was
before the eight-hour legislation halt
ed the trouble temporarily.
On the other hand, there is encour
agement in finding the people of the
country thinking beyond their mere
material prosperity and preferring
I even the trials and tribulations that
must be met in America, following a
declaration of peace, to a continuance
of the frightful tragedy in Europe.
This is tho best tradition that the old
year has left to tho new—that we in
America have learned to think more
in terms of love and justice than in
those of the dollar, that we are living
up to the principles upon which the
nation was founded and that wo lay
aside purely selfish considerations in
resolving to stand for the greatest
number, regardless of the boundaries
of nation or of continent.
The new year will bring its suffer
ings and Its trials, but it will bring
also its opportunity for service world
wide in Its scope, and if we as a na
tion live up to the high ideals in
which a majority of the people earn
estly believe and for which they
would strive under any and all cpndi
tions, wc shall approach its conclusion
with more of satisfaction than we did
the end of 1916.
The Allies seem bent in serving up
the dove of peace as a New Year's
roast.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
WHEN the momentous question
of who's who in the Legisla
ture shall liavo been deter
mined this week, the Republican lead
ers who have been rapping each other
and incidentally giving much hope
and comfort to the political enemy
might engage in the more profitable
business of outlining a legislative pro
gram that will appeal to the people.
Their ears to the ground, they should
'be able to ascertain without great ef
fort that there is no demand any
where for more legislation. Two years
ago Governor Brumbaugh and Lieu
tenant Governor McClain clearly inter
preted public opinion in their formal
addresses when they declared that
Pennsylvania was surfeited with laws
and that instead of increasing the
number the statutory indigestion
should be cured by wholesale repeal of
manj' acts now cumbering the legal
volumes. Codification of some laws
has improved the situation, but there
is still room for improvement and real
reform in tills direction.
Those familiar with the processes of
legislation would be doing the State a
distinct service by placing the lid firmly
upon the half-baked proposals thrown
into the hopper at the beginning
of every session and which should not
even have consideration in commit
tee. Many bills are introduced as
mere fads without any popular de
mand and with no justification what
ever. Such measures ought never to
find their way to the calendars, and
negative committee recommendations
should be the rule. In this way only
can the deluge of legislative nostrums
and panaceas be held back at the
source.
Also of primary importance is the
short session. Unless and until the
lawmakers realize tltat the real busi
ness of the biennial meeting can be
more efficiently transacted in a few
weeks, instead of months, there will be
the usual waste of time without rea
son or excuse. Already the people
have grown weary of tho factional
controversy and they will not be pa
tient with a prolonged washing of
dirty party linen.
The Telegraph believes much will bo
forgiven should it be settled once and
for all this week that the session shall
be short, business-like and devoted en
tirely to the people's business. Repub
lican leaders In tho Legislature owe a
duty to the party. Will they measure
up to their responsibility?
Keeping open house on New Year's
Day is a mighty dry custom in the pro
hibition States.
IIISTOKY REPEATS
ONE may suspect that King j
George, Emperor William and j
various other of the warring
rulers, whoso disfcordant views occupy
so much space in the newspapers
these days, might be induced to agree
at least on the old year sentiment of
Robert Burns, written away back in
1788, but quite applicable from the
standpoint of all of them to the year
which came to such a noisy conclusion
last night. Burns wrote at the year's
end:
O Eighty-eight, in thy sma' space.
What dire events have taken place!
Of what enjoyments thou has reft
us!
In what a pickle thou has left us.
Working on a holiday is one of the
joys of newspaper publishing.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S JOB
COUNCIL has cut out a big job for
the City Health Department In
voting to have it inaugurate itß
own system of ash collections, but it
has done about the only thing left to
do under the conditions. The con
tracting firm has failed lamentably.
The city was on the point of open
rebellion against# a system that com
pelled householders to permit none
but the authorized collectors to take
away ashes and then found no way to
compel these collectors to perform
their duties.
The task imposed upon the Health
Department is not one that can be
accomplished in a day. Dr. Raunick,
under whose direction the work is to
be done, must outline a system of
routes, must hire teams sufficient to
clear ud the accumulations now piled
high in hundreds of back yards and
must devote his first attention to bring
ing the collections up to date before
lie can undertake to keep them so.
The likelihood is that tho differ
ences between Council and the con
tractor will end in a lawsuit. The ex
pense of collecting the ashes by the
city will be charged up to tho con
tractor and it is extremely likely that
a legal dispute will be raised on this
score. However, whatever tho out
come, Council was not only Justified
in the radical step it took on Saturday,
but compelled to act as it did in the
interest of taxpayers. The only won
der is that it waited so long.
Happy New Year!
fcK
*ptivKOi|tca>uaf
By the Ex-Committeeman
The Meetings
| Allegheny county caucus at 2:30
• p. 111.
Democratic House caucus, Capitol,
at 8 p. m.
Republican House caucus, Capital,
at 9 p. m.
Senatorial caucus meetings, Capitol,
9 p. m.
Both houses of legislature meet for
organization at noon Tuesday.
Whether the contest for the speak
ership of the House of Representa
tives which will meet at noon to-mor
row for organization will be carried
beyond to-night's caucus and whether
the Democrats would get into a fight
over their speakership nomination and
stage a sideshow of their own were
questions which were interesting the
whole State to-day. Indeed, judging
from newspaper comment, telegrams
and telephone messages coming here
and the numerous men active in poli
tical lifo who throng the hotels, there
is more interest in the speakership
contest in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
and other cities than here. Harris
burg is used to these battles, although
the virulence of statements which has
marked the present rumpus is some
thing unknown in the State Capital
since 1895.
Underlying all the comment and
discussion of the contest among men
who observe politics and play it is
general expression of the uselessness
of the present row, while up-State
men declare their weariness of being
harrowed up every time there is a
break in Philadelphia.
—Following Saturday night's ex
change of vitriolic statements between
Senator Penrose and Attorney Gen
eral Brown and Governor Brum
baugh's sudden dismissal of Banking
Commissioner Smith there was calm
for a lew hours, but Harrlsburg woke
up to find walls, fences, billboards,
poles and even surfaces of streets
plastered with placards assailing Bald
win in terms that recalled the days
when men considered verbal brickbats
tho proper Weapons in polities. 111
the evening the Baldwin people did
some posting of placards on their own
hook.
—Senator Penrose led off last night
with a statement in which lie declared
that instead of the State administra
tion helping the Republican ticket the
defeat of congressmen and legislators j
by Democrats was due to the work of I
certain people in the Capitol. It was
a severe arraignment and also banged
Congressman John R. K. Scott, field
marshal of the Cox forces, and the At
torney General. Senator Vare made a
retort showing that Philadelphia had
been true 1o colors, but the Allegheny
county administration leaders were
silent.
—Governor Brumbaugh renewed
l.is appeals to the people against
Baldwin and assailed the management
of the Republican party in this State
by its titular leaders.
—Some minor interchanges followed
and people went to bed thanking their;
stars that the end of the muss was in !
sight. The Philadelphia Ledger sum-1
med up the fight as "A war of epithets I
—but who cares?"
—Henry Gransbaclc, the "father of
the House" has issued the Republican
caucus call and expects to call It to
order on the dot. Only members and
accredited newspapermen will be ad
mitted.
—W. E. Tobias, the unsuccessful!
candidate for Congress in the Clear-'
field district, is going to' contest the
election of Congressman Rowland.
Rowland had a hard row to hoe ami
there were charges made that he did
not get loyal support.
—Ex-Speaker George E. Alter rs
here greeting many friends and look
ing on. He is for Baldwin as the best
fitted man.
—Congressman S. Taylor* North,
chairman of the appropriations com
mittee in the stormy days of 1913,
says the fight Is worth staying here
to see.
—"Good Roads" Jones, now a Sena
tor, was a prominent figure about the
Capitol and was greeted by many
friends.
—Congressman-elect T. W. Tcmpie
ton, of Luzerne, says he is certainly
enjoying things here.
—The demand for the resignation of
I Banking Commissioner Smith was the
I theme of much conversation about the
I hotel corridors and there was general
I regret that he had been asked to go
because tho place is desired for a
younger and more active man. Sharp
criticism of the Governor was voiced
in many quarters, but his frionds de
fended him by saying that in an
emergency he was entitled to all the I
patronage he could Ret. An offer of
the place to Gabriel H. Mo.ver, of Leb
anon, was reported, but it was turned
down hard.
—The Philadelphia mercantile ap
praisers were reappointed Saturday
except Edward Devlin, Senator Pen
rose's friend, who was replaced by
Prank J. Ryan.
■ —Major Merrick, former Senator
from Tioga, is here and renewing old
acquaintances and also having much
entertainment as he always does. The
major lias a fund of anecdotes of poli
tics that makes one forget, work anil
worry.
—The contest lias brought to the
city over a score of newspapermen, i
some of them the best posted men 011!
| politics in Pennsylvania. . |
—News of the death of ex-Senator j
E. 1. Phillips, of Newcastle, came as!
a shock to many friends in the Legls- I
lature. He was 65 years of age and'
served four years, as a Senator.
—Daniel J. Shern, an ardent Cox
boomer, circulated among old friends
in the Legislature who recalled the
days when Shorn and Congressman
Scott used to say things about each
other on tho floor and then eat lunch
together.
—Numerous Delaware countians
fame here to-day to greet Baldwin
and to root for him.
—Senator Penrose took dinner with I
the Allegheny countians last night!
and it created something of a panic
among Cox men, who hurriedly count
ed up their strength. Allegheny is in
a strategetlc position.
—William Dawson, of Scranton,
former chtef clerk to the banking
commissioner, is hero meeting his
HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH
1
When a Feller Needs a Friend . BVBRIGGS
j
many friends. Mr. Dawson is the
father of Itcpresentative Hugh Daw
son, the livewirc of the Lackawanna
contingent.
—The complacency of Herr Sarig,
i the Temple squire who aspired to a
smooth roud to the Democratic speak
ership nomination, was jarred badly by
other Democrats who were afraid
Sarig, if named for speaker, would in
sist on making speeches.
—Leo N. Mitchell, the Punxsu
tawney lawyer, will be the floor leader
for the administration forces, it is un
derstood. He is a nephew of ex-Sena
tor "Jim" Mitchell.
—Democratic State Chairman Guf
fey made a great discovery this morn
ing in his "news from Pittsburgh" and
it furnished much amusement for the
crowds. Guffey was going to carry
Pennsylvania and do other things last
fall and made other discoveries.
—Ex-Speaker Clfarles A. Ambler, of
1 Montgomery, was busy about the Cox
headquarters and his smile was as
broad as ever.
—Representative Miles A. Milliron,
of Armstrong, claimed by the Cox
managers shattered the story by a
blunt statement for Baldwin.
—Representative A. B. Hess of Lan
caster, was a much talked about man
to-day and seemed to have no objec
! tions about it.
—The Anti-Saloon League used to
be prominent in speakership contests
in years gone by and its old-time men
were trench fighters from the start of
speakership booms.
Dominion
To the Invaders.
(Josepliine Preston Peabody, in Harvest
Moon.)
Lords of disaster, waiting still to reap
New glory for the dooms that you have
sown,
New glorv for the ruin, stone on stone.
I And bleeding tribute wrung from them
that weep; , _
Great is your faith, above the watch
you keep.
Till there shall spring some vistage of
your own
Out of the tilth of blood and teurS
And trodden breath still crying from
the deep!
Yet, lords of famine, one gift late dis
cerned,
But still a triumph and a dwelling
place-
One master work of might Is surely
done.
Only your chosen way could so have
earned _ , ,
The men and brothers of the Belgian
race
| Their everlasting stronghold in the sun,
Making Better Americans
(Kansas City Star)
The assignment of a United States
army officer to institute a plan of mili
tary training in the high schools of
Kansas City ought to he welcomed by
every parent. Wherever the plan
has been tried it has been a success
ful aid to teachers and has overcome
all opj>osition. In Washington, where
there was opposition at llrst, it has
soon shown that the emulative spirit
among the boys in striving for drill
honors made better students of them,
for only the boys who stand high in
their studies get the coveted places
in the drill corps. Besides, parents
wore convinced of Its all around help
fulness in training their sons.
Co-operation between the board of
education and the parents in giving the
plan a triul will quickly demonstrate
its value in every boy who takes the
Instruction. Its value to the country
and to the spirit of nationalism and
democracy cannot be questioned.
H I'PV JfRW YEAR
M y Wluk Dinger
| Who e'er you be, where e'er you are
' I stretch my hand to you
i Across the space that Ilea between
For handshake warm and true—
I wish for you and all yours, friend,
A year of joy serene.
And health and wealth that know* no
bounds,
Through nineteen wsstsen.
PAPER HOPE
HOW to conserve the paper supply
is engaging some of the best
minds in America to-ri jy. A few
years ago it was the conservation of
the forests; then it was the conserva
tion of the soil and a few other things.
To-day it is paper.
The American Newspaper Publishers'
Asociation lias sent bulletins to every
State and city and town in the country
urging tiiat everybody, old and yoang,
save all the scraps of paper that come
into their hands. A. Traub. manager
of the Kansas City Waste Paper Com
pany, says the situation can be saved
only by the children. A children's cru
sade, he says, should be inaugurated to
see that not a scrap of any kind of pa
per is wasted.
"I mention the children," he said to
day, "because they are not too old to be
taught new tricks. Already there are
hundreds of Kansas City school chil
dren saving and selling waste f paper.
They are learning to sort It according
to grade, for they know that a single
piece of low grade paper in a bundle of
high grade paper is apt to qualify the
entire bundle for the low grade price
instead of the high grade price.
"There is a wide difference between
the prices we pay for the highest and
lowest grades. There is a wide differ
ence, too, in the prices paid for paper
10-day and that paid a year ago. Al
though the price had begun going up
a year ago, we are paying double to
day wha>t we gave at this time last year.
1 EDITORIAL COMMENT 1
In our role of peacemaker we might
induce Mexico to sign a treaty with
herself. —Wall Street Journal.
The Greeks appear to enjoy all the
rigors of war without any of its moral
benefits.—New York Sun.
Roumania probably could be arrested
for what it thinks ot the statesman
who got it into war.—Kansas City Star.
Texas is making sausage from jack
rabbit meat and we expect to hear any
time that food his taken another jump.
—Boston Transcript.
The Central Powers have subdued
Roumania, Belgium, Servla and Monte
negro, but San Marino stiil holds out.
—New York Morning Telegraph.
- If!
If all who liate would love us.
And all our loves were true,
The stars that swing above us
Would brighten In the blue;
If cruel words were kisses,
And every scowl a smile,
A better world than this is
Would hardly be worth while;
If purses would not tighten
To meet a brother's need,
The load we bear would lighten
Above the grave of greed.
If those who whine would whistle,
And those who languish laugh,
The rose would rout the thistle,
The grain outrun the chaff;
If hearts were only Jolly,
If grieving were forgot,
And tears of melancholy
Were things that now are not.
Then love would kneel to duty.
Then all the world would seem
A bridal bower of beauty,
A dream within a dream.
If men would cease to worry,
And women cease to sigh.
And all be glad to bury
Whatever has to die;
If neighbor spake to neighbor.
As love demands of all.
The rust would eat the saber.
The spear stay on the wall;
Then every day would glisten
And every eye would shine,
And Cod would pause and listen.
And l\fe would be divine,
•—Washington Star.
I *
JANUARY 1, 1917.
I hesitate to give out definite prices, be
cause so many misunderstand. It Is
true tliat we pay $1.50 for high grade
magazine paper and even more than
tiiut (or linen letter paper—a good deal
more when it comes to us clean. We
give on an average of fifty cents and
a dollar for newspapers and magazines,
delivered neatly tied, here. But when
our wagons have to go a long distance
for a small load of papers, the price is
naturally cut in half. Papers are not
easy to handle. AVe are a long way
from a large paper mill, and tlieso
things mililate against our ability to
pay top prices for waste paper. But
at that the collecting of waste paper
pays.
"I said there were hundreds of chil
dren saving and selling waste paper.
There ought to be thousands —a hun
dred thousand in Kansas City, and
there ought to be at least one in every
home The Star goes into, whether It is
a rural home or a city home, a large
one or a small one. It has become a
patriotic duty for every American
household to save and return to the
proper sources all the paper that en
ters its doors. This can best be done
by giving it to some child who is col
lecting papers in each block or neigh
borhood. If each child were to take
The Star and Times to school the day
after It is read at home, that alone
would mean the conservation of all the
print paper used In this one great news
paper."—Kansas City Star.
|QUR DAILY LAUGH
LSSfc
OXE GOOD
turn, f-rfm
| For a woman ,Vr ii " -~SSL
to find ' ■
I If she marries a
life
is a grind. '
. .1. - .a m ATHANKBGTV-
IrSS&dl J INO EXPERI
' Aft ENCE.
1 What are your
I fowls, good
| Dealer tell?
•";/ Rut told, he
\ glaring eye,
O W I 1 must be
ij^r - eagles that
■ you sell.
! I No turkey ever
soared ■ o
Fox's Reply to Burke
(Kansas City Star)
In 1796 Edmund Burke protested
against peace between England and
France on the ground that the French
government had murdered a king.
"What," he exclaimed in his "Let
ters on a Regicide Peace," "you
would treat with regicides and
assassins'."
To which Fox replied: "Assuredly
"wo should treat with them. If we
"treat with France only when she has
"a government of which we approve,
"good God! we shall fight eternally."
That is inspU-ed .common sense as
again a futile idealism. The prin
ciple involved often comes up in in
ternational affairs, where naUons
every now and then are called on to
deal with governments of which they
hearUly disapprove,
Etoning Qlljat
The Pennsylvania general assembl:
which will meet to-morrow at noon
for the 122 nd regular session since
177 C will be the third to usemble 011
the second day ol January since the
adoption of the present constitution
in 1873. The sessions of 1877 and
1883 began on January 2, the latter
being followed by the memorable
extra session. The legislature has
organized on New Year's iL>ay live
times sinco the present cqusUtution
became effective, the years being
1878, 1889, 1895, 1901 and 3907. OL'
the legislatures meeting upder the
present constitution two hak'e closed
their work in March and eight have
run into June, with one, tine session
ofl 1897 when the Capitol burped, con
tinuing into July. Four times ses
sions have ended in April, the last time
in 1909 when the date of adjourn
ment was set the day of meeting.
Eight times the legislators have gono
home in May. There have l>een two
extra sessions under the present con
stitution. Under the constitution of
1838 the legislators met in January
except in the year of the adoption of
the constitution und the sessions gen
erally ended in April or May. The
lawmakers mot annually in those days
and only three times did the sessions
last beyond May. Under the consti
tution of 1790 the legislators met the
first, part of December and continued
at work until March or April, having
a. recess at the holidays only and sit
ting at times on Saturdays.
* •
Miss Elizabeth M. Baker, assistant
principal of the Camp Curtin school
building, and one of tl.e leading mem
bers of the committee of the Pennsyl
vania State Education Association in
the teachers' retirement fund bill, In
licr talk at one of the recent associa
tion meetings told of the objections
that young women raise in opposing
the pension bill. She said that many
of them claim that they do not intend
to become "old maids in the service,"
but gave a little quotation as a warn
ing, "As we are, so will you be; as you
are, so were we one day."
• •
Another interesting incident at one
of the general sessions resulted from
an attempt to have the educational
association by-laws changed. One su
perintendent of schools' claimed lhat
the organizatipn was no longer delpo
cratic, and that by listening to con
versations in hotel lobbies, one could
get inside information of the work
ings of a "ring." Miss M. Katherino
McNiff, teacher in the Central High
School, Harrisburg, came to the de
fense of the accused officials and said
that she had been a member of the
association since 1885; had been chair
man at several section meetings; had
read papers at other meetings, and
knew nothing of the "political" part
of the organization. The resolution to
have the amendments changed was al
most unanimously defeated.
• • *
There are more old-timers back
for the organization of the 1917
Legislature than known for years, the
strenuous contest for the Speakership
having brought them to town. In
strategy and bitterness the present
contest goes back to ante-bellum days
and there are many men in the
throngs who recall incidents in ses
sions which dated from the battle for
the honors. The hotel corridors are
tilled with reminiscences and there is
as much talk of other fights as of
chances of rivals getting this or that
member.
• * *
Il* there be any distinction in being
the first criminal to wear a new pair
of handcuffs, then William Jackson Is
going to be thus honored before the
end of this week by Shferiff W. W.
Caldwell. Jackson, who pleaded guilty
to murder in the second degree for the
shooting of Charles Brown, a fellow
negro, und who was sentenced to servo
from eighteen and a half years to
twenty years in the Eastern Peniten
tiary, will be taken to the State's
prison at Philadelphia before the dawn
of the new year. Incidentally, within
a few days Sheriff Caldwell's office will
be furnished with a half-dozen pairs
of new steel bracelets. And Jackson
will try out a new pair.
* * *
The first number of the bulletin of
the AVilliam Penn Highway, which
Colonel H. W. Shoemaker says is
"happy in name and happy in route,"
has just come out and contains a
greeting from Texas to "Mr. Penn's
Highway." It was written by Judd
Mortimer Eewis, of the Houston Post,
and halls the William Penn Highway
because "our road runs right to that
highway being built by Mr. Penn."
The bulletin also contains the fac
simile of the handwriting of William
Penn and a statement of faults of the
improved highway froni the type
writer of Hiram G. Andrews in which
he makes the "bum" road admit many
things. Girard, otherwise Herman 1..
Collins, of the Philadelphia Eedger,
contributes some additional informa
tion on the subject of William Penn
and roads. The Bulletin is unique,
official and out exactly on time.
A few days ago the State Depart
ment of Agriculture issued some
figures relative to the wages paid to
farm labor in the State. In comment
ing upon them at (he Chestnut street
market Saturday a farmer said: "The
figures are not high enough. I have
had to pay more for help on some
days than my net profit, and T own
my farm. And some days I could not
get help at all and I lost money again.
The men say that they cannot afford
to work for what is paid in the coun
try because the cost of living is so high
all around. The increase in pay does
not begin to buy as much, some men
tell me, as in the dollar-a-day days."
WELL KNOWN PEOPLE
—Mayor Smith' says his new year
slogan is Greater Philadelphia.
H. O. Wilbur, Philadelphia manu
facturer, celebrated his 82nd birthday
by working at his olllce.
—Burgess J. M. Yeakle, of Bethle
hem, has taken charge of arrange
ments to receive the local company
when it returns from the border.
—Dr. David Grimm, elected presi
dent of the Reading Medical Society,
is well-known here.
—William Decker, the Lycoming
furniture manufacturer, has estab
lished a profit-sharing plan.
| DO YOU KNOW
Thut Iliirrisburg distributed
nunc automobiles last ><;ar than
ever in Its history?
HISTORIC HARRISBURG
New Year's Day used to be cele
brated in Harrlsburg by bonfires and
punch bowls.
The Purpose of Reading
TK merson.]
Books are for the scholar's idle
times. When he can read God direct
ly. the hour is too precious to be wast
ed in other men's trunscripts of their
readings. Hut when the intervals of
darkness come, as < onie they must—
when the sun is hid, and the stars
withdraw their shining—we repair to
the lamps which were kindled by their
ray, to guide our steps to the east
again, where the dawn is. We hear,
that we may speak. The Arabian pro
verb says: "A fig tree, looking on %
fig tree,, becometh fruitful,",