VOL. XI. NO 48.
C To Buy Your Jewelry \
C Nothing in Town to Compare YVithX
( the Quality that We are Giving /
) You for the Low Price Asked. \
C Quality anmoderate prices makes a. force that X
3 irresistibly draws into our store the best patronage r
C ofthis section. Many years here inbusiness, a ways J
X with a full line of goods above suspicion; chosen C
5 with a care and judgment commensurate with its !
\ desirability and adaptability to refine taste, makes 1
112 our store a safe place to invest. C
r Repair work done on short notice and guaran-Q !
\ teed, by skilled workmen. Your orders appreciated. :
s RETTENBURY, >!
<, DL'SHORE, PA. The |
" OL
No Place Like this Place
For Reliable
STOVES and RANGES,
COAL OE WOOD
HEATERS
ONE OP WINTER'S GREAT DELIGHTS.
H ousts* i "Uiiiishiug Goodi, • Toois of Every
Description, Guns and Ammunition.
Bargains that bring the buyer back.
Come and test the truth of our talk.
A lot of second hand stoves and ranges for sale cheap.
We can sell you in stoves anything from a fine Jewel Base
Burner to a low priced but satisfactory cook stove.
riot Air, Steam and Hot Water Heating and
General Repairing, Roofing and Spouting.
fS 'jfjses! sol«^«sfiore,fa.
The Shopbell Dry Good Co.,
313 Pine Street,
WILLIAM SPORT, PA.
A DEEP CUT
PRICE
Tor Ladies' Spring 3oits |
selli":;'d.i> s re slipping awav. I his has been an un i
u;v.backward s•; s >n which compells us to dispost
112 .• i.llui"»* r o! Lidiesst> lish suits and gowns at a price—
Tli v . o:n- in Navy, Black, Brown and in the new lancy I
mix ure s : .r!ped . nd ch ■ ked materials that are so popular'
t i> seas u
\\Y , lili-r tii. i>. an i i i»| .t ional ii[i|>orltmilv to procure :i t lioronjrlilv well made aiiil I
new 11j• •l.tif tilnt'cil suit, or drci-sy gown nl a remarkable reduction Iroin the
fibular111 •• • . :111.1 i 1 a »ea.-ori when then are-till month* of weal ing time ahead, j
Tii.' -.. nr. II'.IHII' A 1111I 11 1 I'.'ilon pony or cutaway roan lined t liniiiidtoiii with silk
<>■-;. ill- :< 11 <-n I .vet'tiie very latest models. At the |irioef» we have
marl:* ■ tn.-i!,F - it E. oM.tuv I«J Imy one if OIIJJ to wear till hot weather
ie i'i*.
C, me lie e Ibi the be t values in ladies suits that you
ha >e-.-ii <J r many a dav.
These are all This Sea on Styles
at an Honest Mark Down.
Subscribe for the News Item
Republican News Item.
LAPORTE, SULLIVAN COUNTY PA. THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 1907.
Will Likely Institute Legal Proceedings.
Harrisburg, April 20—Civil suits to j
compel the Pennsylvania Construct
ion company, of which Congressman
11. Burd Cassal was treasurer, and
John 11. Sanderson & Co., to return
at least 83,000.000 of their profits on
their capital contracts, are in pros
pect. Counsel for the capitol investi
gation commission says that basis
for such suits was established by the
admission of former State Treasurer
Harris that the law of 185)">, creating
the board of public grounds and
buildings, had been violated in
awarding these contracts.
This admission, counsel declare-,
invalidates fullys2,ooo 000 of the fur
nishing and decorating contracts for
the £l:t,000,000 building, and fully
$ 1,0()0,ooo can be recovered on the
: Cassel firms $2,000,000 metallic fur
-1 niture contract and*> 2,000,000 on the
! "trimming" contracts of Sanderson.
! The low of 189.5, which Mr. Harris
| admitted was violated by the board s
| of which lit* was a member, provides
| that all contracts let by the board of
j public grounds and buildings shall
specify "the quantities needed for
| the year and that the quantities given
■ in the lists of schedule shall be the
I estimated maximum quantity that
lis likely to be required during the
'year." It also provides that the
board"shftll distliow any payment
in excess of fair cash prices."
In Mr. Harris' testimony these
two admissions on which counsel
proposes basing the prospective suits
stand out: Virtually at the furnish
ing contracts awarded by # the hoard
of which Mr. Harris was a member
violated the act of 1895 in that the
quantities required were not speci
fic! and that thejarticles contracted
for were not for use in the current
year, but for a building not yet con
structed. None of the '•) ,000 per cent,
profit" charges of Sanderson and
none of the charges by Cassel's firm
were reduced to "fair cash prices" by
the board.
Counterfoil pennies by the hund
red are being circulated throughout
this city and street and steam rail
way conductor* are experiencing no
end of trouble.
The coppers are of uniform and
regular but are not stamped: in
some instances, designs bearing
strongly on 11 r• standard pennies
have been found.
Conductor John Met/,, on one of
the I Mingy I van in accomodation
trains, Mated that tie lias been re
ceiving the counterfeits from foreign
ers at a wholesale rate and like many
jot hers is of the opinion that they are
being made in tins vicinity.
A pile of three hundred of
the imitations were tound lying along
the Pennsylvania tracks above town
yesterday, evidently having been
dropped by one # of the counterfeiter*.
Several lead nick les were found near
by and from all appearances a count
erfeiting den i* going full blast some
where near town.
It will be remembered that several
weeks ngi., half and quarter dollars,
of poor imitation were unearthed in
I different parts of town but it is
j though! Ili.it owing to their flimsy
| make up and chance for detection,
j the counterfeiters ceased eircula
-1 tion.- Shamokin Dispatch.
The majority of the troopers of
j Company M. Pennsylvania State
| Constabulary, are now patroling the
I trout streams in Luzerne, Sullivan,
I Wayne, Lackawanna and Columbia
(counties. Troopers adopt various
i tactics in guarding the undersized
speckled beauties from being hook
jed. Some of them guard the streams
j in full uniform, with carbine in hand,
while others dress as tramps and
prowl around unknown to the fish
ermen, watching all the fish that are
lauded. Captain I'age and Sergeant
Wilhelni are l ishing for trout in sev
j oral of the counties in plain clothes
i for the purpose of guarding the
! fingerling*.
Harry (iottshall, aged lit years,
w hose home Is near Hughesville, is
in the Williamsport hospital as the
result of having been injure.! m a
runaway Sunday afternoon. His
skull is fractured and two pieces of
bone were removed in an operation
performed Monday. He was thrown
out of a vehicle and his head struck
I a stone.
j The people of the United States are
| the greatest sugar consumers in the
worlo and they are largely dependent
upon foreign producers for their sup
plies, but if Secretary of Agriculture
James Wilson is clear in his views
as to the future of beet sugar, the
sugar producers of this country will
soon be able to sell sugar for a price
against which the foreign sugar
makers will find competition utterly
hopeless.
This achievement is foreshadowed
by prospective reductions in the cost
of production. The cost of planting
and thinning the crop has heretofore
been heavy, because of the fact that
the normal seeds of the sugar beet
contain from one to five germs. The
seeds must be planted by hand, and
when they have germinated the
grower must go over the field and
laboriously thin out the surplus
plants.
To remedy this, the department
of agriculture has been patiently de
veloping by the process of selecting
a one germ seed that will produce a
single stalk, and now has a seed that
will do this fifty times out of a hund
red. When after further cultivation,
the single seed germ, is brought to
perfection, Secretary Wilson says
the cost of production will be de
creased 2-> per cent, because the plant
ing and the cultivation can all be
•lone by machinery.
The secretary predicts that with
this and other important economic
changes the United States will be
able to produce sugar for two cents a
pound.
This thing of going fishing on the
first day of the trout season has be
came a fad with a large number oi
anglers. Thecal! of the stream is ir
resistable, and regardless of the state
of the weather the trouter hikes to
the wilds with as pleasant anticipa
tions as are felt by the woman with
a new bonnet on the eve of Raster
morn. What the premature trouter
says to himself when he stands on
the banks of the stream and finds
two-inch ice on the water and a cold
wind blowing through his whiskers
would not sound well if repeated by
phonograph at a social gather
ing. —Williamsport News.
The bill now before the state sen
ate providing for the levying of a
tax upon all soap clubs or organiza
tions of people doing business with
firms outside of the state. If exact
statistics were made public, the
amount of business done by associa
tions of people with firms from other
states would be seen to be surpris
ing. There are numerous clubs that
are called soap clubs, which trade
not only on soap, but in many other
branches of the grocery trade. While
the amount of business transacted by
any one club is not large, if a tax
were to be levied ii|>on it equal to
the regular state mercantile tax tin
payment of the same would undoubt
edly prove burdensome and destroy
the profits,
According to the state rating all
mercantile establishments must pay
an annual tax at the rate of $1 foi
business not exceeding $1,00(1; s."> for
a business not exceeding #.">,000, and
so on in the denominations of fives.
These clubs would Ijkely all be rated
under the minumum class, which
would mean a tax ol «l per year,but
with the additional tax of $2 for
every mercantile establishment do
ing business and their members
would be compelled to come back to
to the local trade with their business.
Harrisburg, April 18. For the
first time since they came together
the members of the House held three
sessions yesterday, inaugurating a
series of evening sessions preparatory
to adjournment May 16.
Despite the fact that they had put
in a hard day's work, the lawmakers
were in good spirits, and made mer
ry la*t night, when passing on second
reading the bill increasing the sala
ries of Representatives and Senators
to $ 1,500 a ye.tr. They are now get -
ting
Every institution which exists for
the purpose of taking in and reliev
ing the suffering and the afflicted,
making no discriminations for any
reasons whatever and asking no
remuneration from the poor and the
unfortunate, deserves the assistance
tif the State, but no other.
The newspapers of Williamsport
, have agreed unanimously that here
after they will not print free of charge
any cards of thanks or other notice
of a similar character which have
heretofore been published gratis.
This is a step which has been long
contemplated and a rigid adherence
to the rule adopted dy the publishers
will relieve the columns of the news,
papers of a large amount of matter of
no especial interest to the public.
Cards of thanks in the event of the
death of a person have gone out of
date. People who extend to bereaved
relatives such assistance as lies in
their power during sickness and after
the death of one of the family do not
perform thin friendly act for the pur
pose of having public thanks extend
ed to them. The card of thanks is
unnecessary and Is in bad taste, and
if people shall insist upon having
these cards printed they ,-hould be
willing to pay for them.
The fact is that the newspapers
have been imposed upon by the
puhlii in a manner which would not
be submitted to by a merchant or
manufacturer. A newspaper is the
means by which its owners strive to
make a living, just as a merchant
depends upon the goods in his store
to bring him profit enough to sustain
him and his family. It is just as fair
to ask the merchant to give some of
his goods free to the people as to ask
the newspapers to occupy part of
their space w itli free notices and
advertisments.
Harrisburg, April 22—Representa
tive Edgar K.Kiess, of Lycoming, is
looming up as a candidate for the Re
publican nomination for state treasur
er He is popular in the house and
has been acting as chairman of the
rail-road committee since Thomas V.
Cooper, of Deleware, abandoned
that position.
Mr. Kiess belongs to the younger
element in the legislature that is
practically in control of the lowe
branch. This element also includes
Representatives Beidleman, of
Dauphin; Mayer, of Lebanon, and
Dur.smore of Tioga. Practically no
bill gets through that they oppose.
There is a tremendous truth in
this gospel of laughter if more of us
only knew it. A laugh will do for
the health what bottles of medicine
never can do. For, atter all, cheer
fulness is just as contagious as dis
ease. Try growling once into a sun
ny face, and yon simply cannot do
it. You cannot discourage a woman
who, every time she opens a door,
greets you with a pleasant face and
expects something pleasant to turn
up. He as furiously mad as you
please, or as glum or morose as you
like, but let a baby smile at you,anil
can you help smiling back?
Cigarette dealers and smokers
will be interested in a bill which has
been reported to the house providing
for the infliction of severe penalties
upon the person who in any way
aids the youths of the state to bring
on dry rot of the brain and suspension
of the body's growth by smoking
cigarettes. The introduction of this
tnearure in the legislature proves
that the people of the state are arous
ed to the danger of cigarette smok
ing by boys.
If this bill should become a law it
would effectually put a stop to the
manufacture and sale of cigarettes
and cigarette papers and tobacco for
cigarettes, |and prevent the giving
away of cigarette papers and tobacco
for the making of cigarettes by boys
who have not reached the age of
discretion. This law is demanded in
the iuterests of the boys, whose
health, mental and physical, is en
dangered by |the use of cigarettes
and to bring about a lessening of the
number of youths who find their
way to (insane asylums, almshouses
am! prisons.
The bird of peace is singing pretty
loudly in this country at the present
moment Let us hope its dulcet note
will soon win the allegiance of kings
and emperors and other rulers across
the great waters.
There are 28 prisoners in the Ly
coming county jail and Sheriff Rid
del! states that this number is not
, unusally large for this time of the
, year. Last week there were .11 pris
oners.
75C PER YEAP
BERNICE ITEMS.
John JMcLaughlin who has been
visiting .Sera 11 ton friends returned
home Monday.
The following Say re visitors was
attending the entertainment on
Wednesday; Mr. and Mr*. J. Craw
ley, Mr. and Mrs. William Fitzhar
ris, John Fit/.harris.
Frank Crowley and his brother
of Pittston are spending a few days
with their parents on Sugar Hilt.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones of Scranton
are visiting the latters parents Mr.
and Mrs. John Harney of Mildred.
Mr. Harry Jackson is visiting his
brother C. K. .Jackson of this place.
Sidney Osier of this place is a Car
boudale visitor.
The people of Mildred, Lope/., l>u
shore and vicinity witnessed one of
the best plays that has ever been
produced in this county on Monday
and Wednesday. The play was en
titled Sunshine and Shadows it was
held under the auspices of St. Frances
church. Rev. J. A. Knright is to be
congratulated upon his ability as a
dramatist.
A few friends of H. F. McLaugh
lin met with him on Saturday even
ing and gave him a surprise. The
evening was spent with games of all
kinds after which refreshments were
served and the party departed each
for their own home all reporting an
excellent time.
The Mildred Athletic Base Ball
Nine will have a dance in the K. of
L. Hall April, 30 also at the same
time and place the young ladies of
the Bernice high school will give a
boxjsocial. Don't forget the time
and place.
James Ramsay has bought out the
stock of boots and shoes of John Siek's
store and has taken possession of his
store where he will conduct the busi
ness as Mr. Sick has in years gone
by.
Rev. J. A. Enright is visiting
friends at Alleghany, X. Y.
Mr. Michael Murray of Duumore
and Miss Mary Cummisky of Mild
red, were married at Biughamton,
X. Y. last week.
Squire Lowery of Mildred was call
ing 011 Lopez friend* Sunday ami
Monday.
Mr. John Regan of Mildred won
the baby prize at the fair Wednes
day night.
We are glad to state that James J. ,
Connor of Mildred has recovered from 1
an attack of chills, but they seem to
be contagious as ('. E. Jackson and ,
H. I'. McLaughlin is under the I>IM-- .
tors care at the present writing for *
the same trouble.
The new postal law went into
effect March Ist whereby it is per
missible to send souvenir postal cards
through the mails, containing writ
ing on either side. Hitherto it has
been permissible to send cards with
writing 011 the reverse side only,
many of the handsome cards are
manufactured in Germany. The law
there permit writing on the left hand
half of the front of the card, with
the right half reserved for the ad
dress.
These cards are often very hand
some, and the reverse side is entire
ly occupied by the lithograph. To
vrite on the reverse side of these
cards is difficult because of the glaz
ing of the surface, and also because,
it mars the beauty of the cards. By
the new law people will be permitt
ed to write 011 the front of the cards,
in the space reserved for that pur
pose, as is permitted in foreign
countries where they are made.
Hitherto extra postrge has been
charged in cases where people have
written on the front of there souven
ir post cards. They are now forward
ed at the price of one cent each.
The new law does not refer to the
ordinary one cent postals issued by
the Government, which are without
ornamentation of any kind. These
cards, of course, have an entirely
blank rcv«rse side, for the sole pur
pose of the communication. No
writing will be permitted 011 the
address side of these cards. They
bear the words,"This Side For the
ad Iress only," as they have hither
to.