SHE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, ;DKO. S, 1009.
THE CITIZEN
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SUBSCRIPTION
J1.60
K. B.1IARDENBEKOH. - PRESIDENT
rr. w. wood. - - manager and secy
dibkctoes:
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W. W. WOOD.
WEDNESDAY, DEO. 29, 1000.
Dr. Cook Is a man after P.
Barnum's own heart.
The scientists ot Copenhagen are
to be congratulated that they had the
necessary courage to admit they had
been fooled. We hope the members
of our National Geographical Society
will commence to develop their re
opective bumps of courage, for it Is
possible they will need a larger stock
than they, now have, sooner or later
There 'la one whlto mark to tho
credit of Dr. Cook, for reporting to
the Esquimaux that he had discov
ered the Pole. For it was this report
which started Peary on his last Jour
ney towards the place, which we have
faith to believe, existed mainly, that
a number of rich philanthropists
could be scientifically milked to sup
port an Arctic Explorer's Club and
Us Poo-bah.
ENUMERATORS TEST EASY.
If Cook, with his limited Arctic
experience, could fool so many peo
pie, Is there any reason why Peary
with his long and well-seasoned ex
perience, could not go him one bet
ter, and with the passive aid of scien
tific friends, together with his super
ior knowledge of what Is necessary,
keep up the delusion regarding his
reputed discovery.
Honesdale's best Christmas gift
was the big illuminated clock which
the Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank
placed where every one can see it
whether afoot or on horseback. It is
a substantial evidence of progressive-
ness, good judgment and thought-
fulness on the part of the Bank
which the people do and will con
tlnue to appreciate.
The days, weeks and years slip
away like water in a running stream
Time's great clock never loses a mo
ment. Relentlessly, surely the mo
ments pass, and our eager nands are
not able to detain them. We cannot
keep back the flying years, but we
can and should keep the blessings
they bring. Hold fast to the lessons
they have taught. Keep the memory
of their Joys. Enrich every day of
life with the garnered wealth of the
days behind. The years pass, but
they leave their treasure with us, if
our hands and heart are open to
receive them, so as with one hand we
shake farewell to 1909 let us stretch
out the other hand to warmly greet
and welcome 1910.
THE CliOSE OF THE YEAR.
The close of the year is always a
time for serious thought and reflec
tlon. The past crowds upon us at
such a time with far more than
uusal intensity and especially forces
upon our attention our faults, fail
ures and mistakes. Let us look them
squarely in the face and profit by
them. The wise man always does
this, but the fool never. The latter
goes on committing the same follies
and making the same mistakes, nev
er profiting by his experience, to say
nothing of the experience of others.
Every man makes mistakes. It may
not be his fault the first time, but it
is if he makes the same mistakes a
second time. We believe that the
aecret of success with those who
succeed, and the cause of failure with
those who fall, will be found largely
in the ability and disposition to study
the causes' of both success and fail
ure, not only In one's own experience
but In that of others. The farmer
jnow has leisure to review tho opera
tions of the year, and he should do
St candidly and critically. Make a
complete analysis of every Important
operation. Find the weak places in
it and trace them to their origin.
Nothing will prepare one so thor
oughly for the operations of the year
to come as this kind of searching in
vestigation. And while we are about this busi
ness we should look just as carefully
into our record of moral responsi
bility, We should be far more anxi
ous, to improve character, mind and
morals than to improve our farms.
Serious study of our weak points and
of means to strengthen them is a
very profitable business at any timo,
and if pursued assiduously will
strengthen and develop all that is
good and admirable in our natures,
and make us better, stronger, nobler
men and women as tho years go by.
And. the time will come in the life of
every one when such a record of hon
esty earnest, persistent effort to im
prove will afford far greater satisfac
tion than anything else in his ac
count with this world, Wo can wish
no better thing for all our readers
than that they begin the new year
animated by a. firm resolve to turn
all Its experience into profit for them
selves, mentally, morally, socially
and materially, and then to faithful
ly carry out the ruolutlon.
Census Director Dorand Sets Fob. 5t!t
as tho Date.
Washington, D. C, Dec. 27, 1909
Any person of good Judgment, who
has received an ordinary common
school education, can readily and
easily pass the test to be given appll
cants for Census Enumerators' places
on Saturday, Feb. 5th, the date final
ly set by U. S. Census Director Dur-
and, according to an announcement
from the Census Bureau to-day. This
will be a comforting assurance to the
several hundred thousand who are
believed to be contemplating applica
tion for the places.
It was emphatically stated at the
bureau that the test will be an emi
nently reasonable and practical one
similar to that applied to applicants
at the Twelfth Census. It will con
slst of filling-out a sample schedule
of populaton from a description, In
narrative form, of typical families;
and, in the case of enumerators whose
work will be In the rural districts,
they will be called upon to fill out
an additional sample schedule of ag
riculture, from information furnish
ed by the Census Bureau.
All persons, whether women or
men, who may desire to become cen
sus emumerators must be citizens of
the United States; residents of the
supervisor's district for which they
wish to be appointed; must be not
less than 18 nor more than 70 years
of age; must be physically able to do
the work; must be trustworthy, hon
est and of good habits; must have at
least an ordinary education and must
be able to write plainly and with
reasonable rapidity.
Those who can comply with these
requirements are invited to put in
their applications, as there will be
at least 68,000 enumerators' places
to be filled by the middle of March
in preparation fo,r the enumeration
Deginning April 15th.
Application forms, with full in
structlons for fllllng-ln, and complete
information concerning the test and
the method of appointment, can be
secured by writing to the supervisor
of census for the supervisor's district
in which the applicant lives. All ap
plications, properly filled in must be
filed with the supervisors not later
than January 26th as any received
after that date cannot be considered.
SUIT AGAINST PIKE COUNTY.
Suit has been brought in the Unit
ed States District Court against the
county of Pike to recover $4,660 on
an alleged contract for installing a
safe in the County Treasurer's office,
new vault doors in the Prothonotary's
and County Commissioners' offices
and steel files in the latter office.
A summons was served on the
Commissioners on Monday by a U. S.
marshal from Scranton, being re
turnable at Wllllamsport, Pa., on the
second Monday of January next. Ap
pearance will be entered for the
county and the case will likely be
tried in Scranton in the spring.
The suit is brought by a Mr.
Spencer, who is agent for a safe com
pany and secured the alleged con
tract.
Late in 1908 Messrs. Clune and
Albright made a contract with Mr.
Spencer for installing the safe, doors
and flies. Mr. Albright went out of
office this year and was succeeded by
Philip C. Klnkel. The new board of
commissioners repudiated the con
tract on account of various irregu
larities, some of the allegations be
ing that the contract was let after
the meeting adjourned, without no
tice to Mr. Hatton; that the contract
was signed by Messrs. Clune and Al
bright as individuals and not as coun
ty commissioners; that the contract
is not attested by tho commission
ers' clerk and does not contain the
seal of the county; and that the price
is outrageously extravagant.
The repudiation of the contract,
notice of which was served on Mr.
Spencer by the Sheriff, did not deter
him from fulfilling the contract, for
tho goods were Bhipped to Port Jer
vls and part of them brought here.
Of course they were refused admit
tance to the court house and are "now
stored in the barn of Joseph G. Sny
der. The large safe is still at the
freight depot in Port Jervls, where
it has been since last summer.
A Scranton firm of lawyers repre
sents the plaintiff and It is under
stood that the Commissioners will
engage eminent counsel to assist the
county solicitor in looking after the
Interests of the county.
REASON WHY LIVING IS HIGH.
Tho State Sealer of Weights and
Measures of New York, recently
made a statement that 120,000,000
was stolen annually in that state by
the use of short weights and meas
ures, and what is true in New York
is true of Pennsylvania. This meth
od of stealing is not new; Deuteron
omy 26:16 reads: "But thou shalt
have a perfect and Just weight, a,per
fect and just measure shalt thou
have: that thy days may be lengthen
ed In the land which the Lord thy
God glveth thee."
These words expose the lack of
originality on the part of the modern
"grafter" and the low-standard of
civic Intelligence which he is called
upon to combat. The "grafter" con
tinues to use this, ancient method of
cheating, and the public permits him
to do It. Possibly both might read
the Scriptures to advantage.
Perhaps It is unfair to say that the
"honest grafter" has no inventive
ability, for at last, after these many
ages, he has exhibited a little clever
ness. The following quotation from
a circular which a manufacturing
firm had the effrontery some time ago
to distribute among retail merchants
indicates that not only has a machine
been Invented that literally makes the
scales honest in combination with a
"graft" feature, but also solves the
problem of the ages, of making one
of two things that are equal to each
other show a surplus at the same
time:
ON
NO HOPE FOR SATOLLL
Doctors 8 ay the Cardinal Cannot Live
More Than Twenty-four Hour.
Rome, Dec. 28. There is no hope for
the recovery of Cardinal Satolll. His
eminence had another relapse this
forenoon, and the physicians In attend
ance say that the cardinal's death may
be looked for within the next twenty
four hours.
Ho has a few conscious moments,
bnt tbeso are few and far between.
Baby's Stomach, Hands and Feet
Mothers have a tendency to over
clothe baby In summer.. If its stom
ach and bowels are properly protect
ed by a flannel binder, then the less
it is hampered the better. So Ions
as the baby's hands and feet are
warn tad dry It la all right.
CAN YOU DO THIS
YOUR SCALE?
Buy twenty pounds pork
loins at 9 cents a pound, retail
them to your trade at the same
price, and get your money
back?
WE CAN
on our Bcale, and make you
THREE PER CENT. PROF
IT BESIDES.
If your business amounts to
$10 a day sales we can earn you
30 cents in fractions you don't
get now. Thirty cents a day
means you buy this scale every
180 days. How long have you
been In business? How many
have you bought in that time?
Think of it one scale lost every
six months. Let our man prove
this.
This scale weighs honestly, at least
as honestly as the average scale can
be made to weigh. It would be seal
ed by a sealer of weights and meas
ures as an honest machine. Yet it
is an "honest" grafter," for while if
does not violate the law It "grafts."
It does what is claimed for it in the
circular. It is called a computing
scale. Its beautiful nickel finish
gives a shop an appearance of pros
perity and a desire to secure the best
that money will buy In order to give'
the customer a "square deal." In
Massachusetts the courts have con
demned it, but there being no law
under which It may be condemned n
this state, many are still In use,
The great advantage of the com-.
puting macnine is mai it automati
cally calculates the amount of the
bill as ft weighs the purchase. On'
a"busy -Saturday night it Is a valu
able adjunct to the grocery man, or
the meat man. If some one comes
in and orders six ounces of coffee it
would, In the process of weighing the
coffee, automatically determine the
sum to be paid. The way in which
it "grafts" is this: Assuming that the
coffee is valued at 30 cents a pound,
according to commercial usage an.
ounce would be sold for two cents.
It is on this basis that the machine
works, but only the even ounces are
registered. If a person ordered three
ounces of the coffee, the amount
would be, according to the machine,
not six cents, but eight cents. In
commercial usage the buyer Is sup
posed to share evenly with the seller
In a case where the exact value can
not be paid. If an article is sold at
four cents a pound it is obvious that
four ounces or less would be one cent
and eight ounces two cents. Should
the weight be less than six ounces
the ,buyer would pay only one cent.
If it is over that number of ounces,
but under eight, the seller reaps the
advantage and two cents Is charged.
According to the computing scales, if
an article weighs the slightest frac
tion over the unit it charges up the
price for two units.
When the subject of dishonest com
puting scales was brought up in
Massachusetts the State Treasurer's
department made a test of one of the
computing scales charged with being
an "honest grafter." The machine
was set to compute on articles valued
at 30 cents a pound. Three ounces
of beans were placed on It. The in
dicator read eight cents. Then five
ounces were laid on. The price chart
showed that this quantity was worth
11 cents. Nine ounces were given a
value of 19 cents, thirteen ounces 26
cents and one pound nine ounces 49
cents. This gave a total for the five
small transactions of $1.13. When
the total weight, fifty-five ounces,
was placed on the scales, the amount
registered was $1.05. The eight
cents difference was the profit on
"small sales" which the dealer ob
tained by the use of these scales.
It was shown also that when seven
teen ounces, or one ounce more than
a pound, was placed on tho scales
they registered 34 cents. The appar
atus was found to be perfectly hon
est in its capacity of weighing ma
chine. It was therefore de6ided that
It could not b'e Interfered 'with umu
the law regarding Just scales was
changed. Like every other "honest
grafter," it kept within the law.
Massachusetts now has a statute,
adopted in 1907, which applies to
this Improvement over scales of the
period of Moses. It has been estimat
ed that there are sixty tnousand of
these disreputable scales in use in
the United States, and that through
their use sixty thousand merchants
reap a profit of 120,000,000 a year.
Unfortunately, the poor, 'who can
least afford It, aro the ones who con
tribute this amount. The. manufac
turers are now producing a fairer
scale, having learned their lesson in
Massachusetts.
END OF THE WORLD.
The Bible In numerous places fore
tells tho destruction of the earth by
fire, but we are not told the time nor
manner. Certain religious fanatics
so-called have set the date, place
and time, but so far have proved
false prophets, and held up to rldl
culo.
However, It is the accepted theory.
tnat it our world is destroyed by fire
It will be coming in contact with some
other body moving In space, such as a
comet, the sun or some planet much
larger and powerful than the earth,
The coming of Halley's comet, ap
proaching the earth at the rate of a
million miles or more a day, and
which science has demonstrated can
do us no possible harm, as it will
swing away toward the sun before it
reaches within danger zone of the
earth, makes the subject of comets,
and the possibility of the earth strlk
ing a wanderer of the sky of interest
Some day this earth will come to an
end and If there are people in other
plants they will see Its finish through
their telescopes.
Prof. Lowell and other astrono
mers, on or about May 18 next will
look through the refractor of the big
telescope at Flagstaff, Arizona, and
see Halley's comet do Just what the
world will do the day before It comes
to an end. Halley's comet then will
cross the face of the sun. Accord
ing to Prof. Lowell's startling theo
ries, the earth will cross the face of
the sun, sometime, and not only will
cross It, but will dive, like a base
ball from a bat, right Into the sun
itself. Somewhere back of the feeble
little space we call our universe there
are the ghosts of worlds like our own
moving about as ghosts do, with no
fixed time of appearance. Every
once In a while one of our big plan
ets will start suddenly from its path,
tremble a little, and then start on
again. During the time it trembled
one of these ghost-like worlds was
passing it, far out of the range of the
strongest telescope. Nobody knows
how fast these big worlds move and
noooay Knows whither they are
bound. They are black and cold
tremendous cold and dead.
Some day one of these dead worlds
will wander Into the light of the sun,
and with an ever-increasing speed
will hurl itself Into the sun's mass.
The earth, like Halley's comet will
soon feel the attraction of this dead
planet hurling through the air with
such terrific speed. Slowly at first,
but surely under the Inflexible law of
gravity, our globe will turn from its
own path in the great universe, and
swinging In behind the stranger, will
dart straight for the sun. But unlike
the case of the comet we all will be
shot like a giant's cannon ball into
the molten mass, and perhaps clear
through it. If the latter, we will
come out on the other side, black
and dead, like the other ghosts of
worlds that once teemed with life
and now threaten us.
This, in brief, is Prof. Lowell's the
ory on the end of life. He is not a
"yellow" astronomer, and he has sci
ence to back him in this new and
startling view. We cannot tell the
time of our planet's end, he de
clares, but we have an Idea of what
will happen just before the earth
hurtles Into the sun. It will come,
as the Bible foretells, "in a moment;
in the twinkling of an eye." But if
our planet-ghost, which finally en
tices us to our death Is as large as
the ghosts make other planets trem
ble, men like Lowell will be able to
see it 27 years away!
Twenty-seven years of terror will
ensue between its discovery and the
end of time. Children will be born
Into the maddened world who will
be grown men and women with the
day of their fate sealed to the hour,
tho minute, and almost to the sec
ond! Divine promise will be man
kind's only consolation. This end
may not come in this cycle, or In
100,000 years from now, but it's com
ing some time. Prof. Lowell and
many other star students are sure of
this. Death will be painless, though
there will be a sight in the sky like
that of a hundred suns at midnight.
The moon will fade away, and this
great light, the treacherous, burning
ghost-planet, will lead tho earth on,
by means of gravity, into the sun
with it.
So far .there is no direct disturb
ance in the realm of space to cause
men like Prof. Lowell to believe our
end is coming soon, but the knowl
edge of how it is going to come will
prove an unusual and picturesque
revelation.
ARE RETAILER'S PBOFEfS EX
ORBANT AND WHY.
Secretary James Wilson, of the De
partment of Agriculture, has caused
an investigation to be made in the
matter of retail 'prices of moats all
over tho country, with intent'of de
termining to what extent the high
prices are due- to tho exorbitant
charges of retailers. Tho informa
tion collected has been collated Into
a bulletin. By this it appears that
In tho North Atlantic States the re
tall prices of beef is 31.4 per cent,
higher than the wholesale price, and
tho porcentage Is usually lower In
the larger cities than in the smaller
ones. The dealers In Allentown, Pa.,
seem to be selling the dearest meat,
as they receive a gross profit of 50
per cent, over the wholesale price.
There is a remarkable discrepancy In
this profit In places near together, as
while the profit is 47 per cent, at
Holyoke, Mass., and Harrlsburg, Pa.,
It is only 23 per cent, at Olcan, N,
Y., and 19 per cent, nt Springfield,
Mass., which is most remarkable, as
Holyoke and Springfield are close
neighbors. The average profit in
New York City is 20 per cent., 20
per cent, in Philadelphia, 28 per cent
in Buffalo, and 36 per cent, in Bos
ton. As a rule the cheaper the grade
of beef the higher the profit.
In the South Atlantic States, Balti
more stood at the foot, with her re
tailers demanding only 17 per cent.
profit, while at Washington the deal
ers exact 42 per cent., Tho highest
was at Augusta, Ga., of 61 per cent.
In the North Central States, Chi
cago, In spite of her being a meat
center, gets 46 per cent, profit, main
ly on the cheaper qualities of oeef,
while the retail profit in Cincinnati
Is only 25 per cent, and 23 per cent,
In Omaha. There is a singular dis
crepancy in the Twin Cities of Minn
eapolis and St. Paul. The dealers in
Minneapolis make 27 per cent, while
those in St. Paul receive 35 per cent
with 40 per cent, for Detroit and
Milwaukee. In the smaller cities the
profits are higher, with 62 per cent,
for Alton, 111., and 63 per cent, for
Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
In the South the profit seemed to
be enormous and unexpected. For
example, at Fort Smith, Ark., which
Is a center of the cattle industry, the
profit is 67 per cent; with Mobile,
Ala., 64 per cent.; Nashville 63 per
cent.; Shreveport, La., 68 per cent.
and Louisville 52 per cent.
In the Western States the highest
rate is 62 per cent, at Lewiston,
Idaho, and 58 per cent, for Spokane,
while people in San Francisco get
their meat at a profit of 39 per cent,
and only 24 in Seattle.
The chief reason for the increase
in the price of all groceries Is that
the customers desire costly accom
modations. They want delivery of
goods, perhaps by special trip, which
requires at least one man, horse and
wagon. They also want the market
man to send some one to their dwell
ing to take orders. The multiplica
tion of shops is also given as a cause.
When 20 'or more small shops divide'
the retail business that could be
served by one large shop, there must
be much needless expense for labor,
house rent and other things. Lastly,
there is a demand for meat having
respectable" names, so that one-
fifth of the carcass is bought at the
highest prices as porterhouse and sir
loin steaks and rib roasts.
about 2,000 feet, too far to onable
even .its precise shape.to bo seen. The
glaring rays of lb great 'searchlight,
however, were Bharply defined by re
flection against tho light snowfall
which was covering the .city at tho
time. The dark mass of the ship
could be dlmy seen "behind' tho ljght.
At tho tlmo of the airship's visit;
Wnllaco B. Tlllinghast, tho Worces
ter man who recently claimed to have
Invented a marvelous aeroplane in
which he said he had journeyed to
New York arid return by wny of Bos'
ton, was absent from his homo and
could not bo located.
Railway Hail Clerks Wanted.
Tho Government Pays Railway Mail
Clerks 9800 to 91,200, and other
employees up to 92,500 annually.
Uncle Sam will hold spring exami
nations throughout tho country for
Railway Mall Clerks, Custom Houso
Clerks, Stenographers, Bpokkeepers,
Departmental Clerks and other Gov
ernment Positions. Thousands of
appointments will be made. Any man
or woman over 18, in City or Coun
try can get Instruction and freo in
formation by writing at once to tho
Bureau of Instruction, 665 Hamlin
Building, Rochester, N. Y. 103eolly
A REAL FLYING MACHINE.
Worcester, Mass., Dec. 22. Flying
at a speed of from thirty to forty
miles an hour, a mysterious airship
to-night appeared over Worcester,
hovered over the city a few minutes,
disappeared for about two hours and
then returned to cut four circles
above the gaping city, meanwhile
using a searchlight of tremendous
power.
The airship remained over the city
for about fifteen minutes, all the time
at a height that most observers set at
rS
Thanking you
for the patron
age during 1909,
we endeavor to
retain your good
will "by keeping
up pur old motto
to sell the best
merchandise a t
the lowest price
possible.
Wishing you all
a Happy and
prosperous New
Year, we remain
Yours truly,
Katz Bros.
BEWARE OF OINTMENTS FOR CA
TARRH, THAT CONTAIN MER
CURY, as mercury will surely destroy the
Bense of smell and completely de
range the whole system when enter
ing It through the mucous surfaces.
Such articles should never be used
except on prescriptions from reput
able physicians, as the damage they
will do Is ten fold to the good you
can i possibly derive from them. .Hall's
Catarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J.
Cheney & Co., Toledo, O., contains no
mercury, and Is taken internally,
actng directly upon, the blood and
mucous surfaces of the system. In
buying Hall's Catarrh Cure be sure
you get the genuine. It Is taken in
ternally and made in Toledo, Ohio,
by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testimonials
free.
Sold by Druggists, Price 76c, per
bottle.
Take Hall's Family Pills 'fer constipation.
HENRY Z. RUSSELL,
PRESIDENT.
ANDREW THOMPSON
VICE rBE8IDENT.
EDWIN F.TORREY
CASHIER.
ALBERT C. LINDSAY
ASSISTANT CASHIER
HONESDALE NATIONAL BANK.
This Bank was Organized In December, 1836, and Nationalized
In December, 1864.
Since Its organization it has paid In .Dividends
to its Stock holders,
$1,905,800.00
The Comptroller of the Currency has placed It on the HONOR
ROLL, from the fact that Its Snrpius Fund more than,
equals Its capital stock.
What Class 9
are YOU in
The world has always been divided into two classes those who have
saved, those who have spent the thrifty and the extravagant.
It is the savers who have built Ihe houses, the mills, the bridges, the
railroads, the ships and all the other great works which stand for man's
advancement and happiness.
The spenders are slaves to the savers. It is the law of nature. We
want you to be a saver to open an account in our Savings Department
and be independent.
One Dollar will Start an Account.
This Bank will be pleased to receive all
or a portion df )',dUR banking business.