Potter County Journal

              Cffunt^ l^ttrtial
ESTABLISHED 1848.
COUDERSPORT, PA., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29. 1897.
VOLUME 49, NUMBER 25
o
I
Sliang-tunt^  pro-
Tliat  place  is
Ja])an.   pendiiiir
Chinese   indom-
THE PARTITION OF CHINA.
Thai \\n'  \v(M'1(1  is   on   the   eve   of <,n'eat t'vents in Kastern Asia, events, too. the intluenee of   wliieh  may   be felt in  Euroi)e.   no  one  can   doubt. Thai llie reoeen])ation of Kiao   Chou Bay. in China, l)y (ku'inany   is  part olasclienie   in    which   France   and Kussia have a   sluire    is   lirnily   be¬ lieved    by   careful   observers",     al- lliou^di the   predictions    which   are made in certain quarters as  to  tlie method of the pai-tition of China may fail, Russia and Germany   now   hold the most  im])ortant  stratejjfical   po¬ sitions in i^orthern China, and they ust be reckoned u])on as vital   fac- rs in fvxture contests. While  the  German   Emperor,   al- ays bombastic and  grandiloquent. S ])ratin^ loudly as to  the   "mailed fist. ¦' the velvet glove of Russia has ready grasped   more   than   Japan lecured by force of   arms.      It  can e  said   that   the   great   Northern ower   has   a   virtual  protectorate ver China.   The Manchurian branch if the Trans-Siberian railroad is be¬ ing rapidly pushed   forward; large odies of troops liave been stationed ,t various points ostensibly to pro- ct the  work,   but   vcally to form ermanent garrisons, and a Russian fluadron now occui)ies.Port Arthur. ^he   Sungari   River,   which is  the immercial    and    strategic   key  of orthern      Manchuria,     is     to    be redged : a steamer service will   be stablished on it. and  at  the   point here tlie trunk   line   ci'osses   it  a city is to be built which, it is   said, will have fifty thousand inhabitants. Tlic Sungari   runs through  a rich agricultural district,   finally  enter¬ ing  the  Amoor,   and  flowing  with that river to the sea.      That Russia pi-oposes to secure all  the  trade of the   Manchurian     district    is    un¬ doubted, for   neither  she,   nor  any other nation, builds railroads, makes ivers navigable  and   founds  great ities only for a  temporary   occupa- ion.
What action Great Britain will ake, in vicnv of the pronounced ag¬ gression of Germany at Kiao Chou Bay. is not yet known, although thrre is a report that she will place a luival squadron at Wei-Hai-Wei on the coast of the vince this winter, still occupied by the payment of the nity. If such a report is true it >is an evidence that Great firitain is working with Japan. That power has reallv gained nothing but an empty triumph over China. The war with the latter country was in¬ tended primarily to settle the ques¬ tion of Japanese influence in Korea, and Russia is really the master there. By the action of Germany. Rnssia and France. Japan was de¬ barred from sei'uring permanent ac¬ quisition of any territory on the Chinese, mainland, and Great Brit¬ ain stood byand willingly acquiesced in all this. If it sliould be that she has now decided to help Japan it is because she sees that her own in¬ terests are being threatened, and that if she shall longer remain pas¬ sive slie will get only the crumbs that remain after a general distribu¬ tion.
At lii'st sight it is something to wonder at to And a nation like China, with its countless hordes, the little that was known of it investing it with a strange glamour, now help- k'ss and witliouta frituid to i-aise a helping hand for it. And yet all this is but part of the "good old rul(^ the simple plan, that they should take who have the power and they should kee]> who can." That was the motto of the robber barons of (lermany and of freeboot¬ ers like Rob Roy. of the Scottish Highlands, when "the eagle he was lord above and Rob was lord below:'" and it is the moltto today of the powers who veil their real motives under the ostensible desire to spread the blessings of Christian¬ ity and civilization. The weak are no longer i)rotect(H] by the strong, and when the latter promise protec¬ tion it may be .said, in the words of Rolla. to be such "protection as vul¬ tures give to lambs, covering and devouring them. "
(irecce has been left to the tender mercies of Turke3'; the broad conti¬ nent of Africa is being parceled out; a German warshi]) brings Haiti to its knees; the integrity of Portugal is being threatened; when the time is ripe tlie future oif Spain will be onsidered, and Switzerland is left xem])t from consideration because o Euro])ean power needs it. Samoa, ''*"Cul)a. Haiti and Hawaii are each places to which longing eyes are .cast, and the connnercial greed and amlntion of Europe has no bounds. Before the twentieth century opens there will have been marvelous changes in the world, and we, as a nation, must be ready to meet them. -—JiKiitin r.
For the first time in the history of Kentucky the body of a colored man has lain in State at Lexington. It was that of Lewis G. Clark, the original of "George Harris"' in Uncle Tom's Cabin and his body lay in State in the Auditorium on Main street from 9 o'clock Sunday morn¬ ing until 2 in the afternoon.
A ROMANCE OF THE WAR.
Senator  Penrose   Introduces  a   Bill
That   Unveils   a   Story   Kept
Secret flany Years.
A bill reccntl}' inti'oduced in the Senate by Senator Penrose unveils a romance of the war. A brother's desire to save the honor of the fam¬ ily name has forced him to keep si¬ lence for years. Death has opened his lips at last and the story is told.
The bill is a simple one. It di¬ rects that the military record of Harnian Francis shall be changed so that the name shall read George Francis and that an honorable dis¬ charge shall be gri).nted to George Francis.
Harman and George Francis were brothers. When the war broke out. Harman enli.sted in company K, Ninety-seventh Regiment, Pennsyl¬ vania Volunteers. His experiences the first few months were so severe that he surprised his family by walking into the  home  and  tellincr
WASHINGTON LETTER.
FROM OUR REGULAK COKKK8PONDENT.
Washington, Dec. 28, 1897.
I'resident McKinley believes that the existing critical condition of artairs in the far east, owing to the grabbing of Chinese territory by Germany and the contemplated grab¬ bing of other European nations, makes it imperative that the annex- tion of Hawaii should be speedily consummated, and he has lost no opportunity since Congress ad¬ journed for the recess to impress his view of the matter upon such Senators as have called on him. He may send a special message to the Senate, urging immediate disposition of the annexation treaty, but that has not yet been definitely determ¬ ined upon, and will probably de¬ pend upon whether the senate shows a disposition to speedily bring the treaty to a vote or merely starts in to kill time in a windy discussion of The President shares
why the ridiculous stories of defec- j tions among Republican members of \ the legislature have found no cred- \ ence in W^ashington. either among: Senator Hanua's enemies or his friends. '      j
JUSTIFYING A BOLT.
LAW COLUMN.
i Application For Charter For the "First Church of Christ Scientist".
(Common Pleas of Philadelphia.) I     Opinion   by   Judge  Penuypacker Dec. 6, 1897.
The report of the  learned  master
to whom the above application  was
' referred presents the facts  with  so
! inuch  care   and  clearness  that the
court is relieved  from the greater
Among the specious plans for ex¬ citing opposition to the Republican party and justifying in advance a | part of the difficulty  in  reaching a
..•^^^^i^"^.; the subject, tji'e^  oM tlie belief of
Senator Davis, Chair¬ man of the Committee on Foreign Relations,    that   sufficient   votes   to!
them that he   had   grown fighting and was not going  back to his conqDany.       In   vain    the   home
folks argued with him, and  pointed j j.^t:^^ ^h^, treaty can be obtained out the late ot a   deserter,   Harman i ^j^^ Senate, was determined.    At home he   was'
that I
going to remain. It was then George made up his mind to save the family name from dishonor. The resemblance between the two broth¬ ers was great and George went to the front as Harman.
George served all through the war. In the battles of the Wilder¬ ness he was wounded. The wound was a serious one and the name of Harman Francis was placed on the pension list. Since the war the pension has been regularly drawn by arrangement between the two brothers. This worked all right until lately. A few mouths ago Harmon died. The pension is still being paid, but George wants to ap¬ pear right before his neighbors, He thinks the honorof knowing that their father fought in the rebellion is due to his children. Harman left no family and George feels that he has kept quiet long enough. So he asks that the record may be changed.
OLMSTED FOR GOVERNOR.
In a press dispatch from Harris- burg giving a number of possible candidates for governor on the Re¬ publican ticket next year we find the following concerning our pres¬ ent congressman, Hon. M. E. Olms¬ ted :
"While he will not talk about it, nor exploit it in any manner, yet there is a small boom in Dauphin county for Congressman Marlin E. Olmsted for governor, which could readily be extended into Lebanon and Perry counties and down the Cumberland Valley. Olmsted is young and modest, an exceedingly able man. of considerable means and very liberal when it comes to politi¬ cal donations. He has already made a mark in Congress, although serv¬ ing his first term."
Congi'essman Olmsted is the unan¬ imous choice of this district for re¬ election to Congress, but if there is a chance of him becoming the next governor why oi'course we are all for him. There is not one among all the candidates named who would grace the gubernatorial chair with so much true worth and dignity as our   distinguished    congressman.—
Lclxinoii    Dd'ilji    Nt'irn.
TWICE ITS   LEGITIMATE SIZE.
The Port Allegany Reporter<iQ\\\\\:% half the pensions fraudulent as the following clipped from that JDerao- cratic organ will show. Every other one of the veterans is regar¬ ded as a fraud by the Democratic press of this country.
"While every soldier should re¬ ceive a pension fi'om the govern¬ ment who can show clearly his title to one and every dependent widow and all minor children ; with a sim¬ ilar bona fide claim, should likewise be recognized and admitted to share the sum set aside to fill the place of a father that gave his life, or health, or limb upon the battle field in de¬ fence of the Union—while all of this should be cheerfully pertormed the thousands of fraudulent pensioners should be dropped from the pay roll, and the stupendous burden, of twice its legitimate size, lifted in part fi-om the shoulders of the taxpayers.
Hon. H. Clay Evans, Commissiou- i er of Pensions, says on a much dis¬ cussed subject: •"The cry of pension frauds has become so common of late that the people do not regard it seriously. It was for the purpose of proving the fallacy of this charge that I recommended to Congress, and will urge in a bill, after the holidays, the publication of a complete list showing each pensioner, his address, disability and amount of pension re¬ ceived, which would do moi'etostop this idle clatter than anything this department can say. The possibil¬ ities of disabilities are great, and everyone knows a man apparently in the best of health, attending to his daily duties, may have a disa¬ bility which entitles him to a i^en- sion. This is hard for some people to see. Perhaps, if they had an X-ray apparatus with them, there would be no difficulty. This list would show what was the matter with such men and why the^'^ re¬ ceived pensions. But best of all. it would bring to light the frauds which do exist, and we all know there are some. But I say without fear of contradiction that in no other business enterprise where so large an amount of money is disbursed, are there so few mistakes. "
Had Senator Wilson, of the State of AVashington, who is one of the most accommodating and obliging men in Congress, known that one of the yellow journals of New York— the yellowest of them all—intended to make him have a personal en¬ counter with a member of the House, in the private office of Attorney General McKenna, he might not have left Washington in advance of the alleged occasion, but as the yel¬ low fellow didn't inform him, he went away from Washington before he was made to engage in the scrap, and has not yet returned.
There was no surprise in Wash¬ ington at the verdict of the British American Commission, chosen to assess the damages for seizures of British ships in Behring Sea by the U. S. The total amount of damages claimed was about $1,500,000, and during the last administration, Sec¬ retary Gresham and agents of Great Britain agreed upon the sum of §425,000, and Mr. Cleveland asked Congress to appropriate the money, but Congress refused. Then a Com¬ mission to settle the matter was provided for. With the official record of a President and a Secre¬ tary of State having said that $425,- 000 ought to be paid, there was no possibility of our representative on the Commission getting a lesser amount named. The award is84G4,- 000. President McKinley will for¬ ward this finding to Congress in order that the money may be appro¬ priated and paid.
Mr. C. D. Stapleton, of Iowa, who spent Christmas in Washington, is proud of the Republican party of his state, of w^hich he says: "The Republican party in Iowa is better organized, better managed and has better discipline than in any other state m the Union. The Iowa Re¬ publicans number in their ranks, a goodly list of able men, but for years they have with unanimous accord agreed to abide by the leader
Big Lumber Sale.
reliably   informed.
We are reliably iniormeci, says the Mt. Jewett ILrdld, that during the past week B. F. Hazelton, of Bradford, has disposed of his entire holding of hemlock lumber at Hazel Hurst, both mani^actured and in the tree, to Tholoas Whitton, of Olean. According to the terms of transaction, Mr. Hazelton will man¬ ufacture and place on the cars for the purchaser at the rate of 10,000,- 000 feet per year. It is expected that at the above rate of manufac¬ ture three years will mark the fall of the last hemlock tree on the Haz¬ elton holding on the Marvin creek waters. My. Whitton has also pur¬ chased the output of the shingle mills opperated by M Hazel Hurst.
possible bolt of the regular ticket next year is the following from the Philadelphia Press. A caieful read¬ ing of it reveals its purpose and such utterances will place the blame just where it belongs if a Democrat¬ ic Governor be elected in this state. It is a remarkable development in Pennsylvania politics when United States Senator Penrose. State Sena¬ tor Durham, State Senator Andrews Postmaster Hicks and other Repub¬ lican politicians who are working together for a common political pur¬ pose invite and encourage Republi¬ cans to bolt the Republican nomin¬ ation for Governor.
Their friends thi'oughoutthe State will be rather startled at this pi'o- I position. They will be somewhat surprised that even the fervor of a heated factional contest should carry these trained political regulars to that extent. They will be especially astonished that at a time when there is a great deal of restiveness and discontent, and when there is at the best imminent danger of a popular outbreak at the next State election, the scarred veterans of regularity should salute the  banner of I'evolt.
The recent State election sounded the warning signal. When the Re¬ publican candidate for State Treas¬ urer received less than a majority and when 118,000 votes were silently and unexpectedly cast for an inde pendent candidate, it revealed a state of public feeling whose signifi¬ cance could not be mistaken. The element of unrest did not know its own strength. It was itself sur¬ prised when it came to a showing of hands. The demonstration of its force encourages a better organized and more determined effort unless grounds of dissatisfaction are re¬ moved. It will be the part of wkser leaders to allay this discontent, and it is U5i:1t,^e more extraordin":i,ry that when it needs so little to fan the smouldering embers into a consum¬ ing fire such party managers as we have named should actually add fuel to the flames.
The attitude they hold and the course they are pursuing constitute a direct provication and invitation to bolt the nomination for Governor. They refused to abide by the action of the regularly constituted conven¬ tion for Sherifi" and ran a bolting candidate who was elected by Dem¬ ocratic votes. It is well understood that the,y are planning a bolt fx'ora the forthcoming Convention to nom¬ inate a Receiver of Taxes. Some of them will openly appear in the bolt and .some will conceal themselves behind it; but all of them are en¬ gaged in a movement which has such a repudiation of the regular Convention and ticket as its only practical purpose.
Of course the independent Repub¬ licans who left Mr. Beacom without a majority and who ai'e already in a state of mind will not be blind to that example. Their deduction will be very obvious and direct. If Re¬ publican regulars can incite and support a bolt from regular Republi¬ canism in Philadelphia, why must Republicans in the State swallow a nomination for Governor that they may not like? Political logic is sometimes inexoi'able, and example is contagious. It is curious that the champions of regularity should be preparing the standard of revolt.
ship of one whom they all revere and | is believed to be the first suit of the admire—Hon. Wm. B. Allison. It {kind ever brought in the United is worth while belonging to a party j States, and if the State Supreme that acts in such a spirit of unison I Court, to which the case has been and displays so much sound sense j appealed, shall sustain the verdict in politics. The result of good ; of the lower court a precedent may leadership and loyal following in! be established which will enable Iowa is seen in the long continued j the people of Wisconsin, at least, to domination of the Republicans. If | have a supply of thoroughly pure the Republicans were as sensible : water.—Inquirer. and  free   from   internal   bickering!
elsewhere as in Iowa, their ascend-i ~^^ ~~
ency in the nation would be perma-1    a force of fourteen men has ^®^^- i employed   during    the   past
Most men who know  anything at! weeks  in   replacing   all   the all about the subject will admit that; work on  the Kinzua   viaduct there is no man  who knows Ohio' new Southern   pine politics better than President Mc
feet of lumber was consumed.    This Kinley.     Knowing  this,   and that: is the first time _     ^ President McKinley has not a single  the viaduct  has J.  Healy at ^ doubt  of  the  election  of  Senator' placed since its construction, nearly ] every   day  and   covering it with Hanna by the Ohio Legislature,  is twenty years ^go.—Bradford   ^Stor.! dirt:" page 411.
conclusion. The purpose of the proposed corporation, as appears from the suggested charter, is "to preach the Gospel according to the doctrines of Christ, as found in the Bible and stated in the tenets of Chi'istian Science."
Among the tenets .so described is: "5. We acknowledge the way of salvation demonstrated by Jesus to be the power of truth over all error, sin, sickness and death; and the resurection of human faith and un¬ derstanding to seize the great pos¬ sibilities and liying energies of di¬ vine life."
Accompanying these tenets are certain rules, of which the first pre¬ scribes: "To become a member of the First Church of Christ Scientist in Philadelphia, Pa., the applicant must be a believer in the doctrines of Christian Science, according to the teaching contained in the book 'Sience and Health, with Key to the Scriptures, by Rev. Mary Baker G. Eddy.' The'Bible and the above named book, with other works by the same author, must be his only text-books for self-instruction in Christian Science, and for practis¬ ing metaphysical healing."
If the purpose of the proposed corpoi'ation were only to inculcate a creed or to promulgete a form of worship, no question could arise, because under the constitution of Pennsylvania private belief is be¬ yond public control, and there can be no interference with the right of conscience. But the most cursory examination of the report of the master upon the testimony, and of the tenets, and of the book of Mrs. Eddy, which is placed upon a level with the Bible in the teachings of this church, shows that there is a Christian faith and a science, not only a belief, but a purpose to ac¬ complish practical results ; not only an attempt to educate the communi¬ ty to the import?tnce 'f the •< \^'-. 1 tion of certain "ethical principles, but an effort to establish a pres¬ cribed method of pi-actising the art of healing the diseases of the body. Thus the rule to which rference has been made declares that the book shall be the only text to be used in "practising metaphysical healing." The master reports that the "main¬ tenance of health and the cure of disease" occupies a large space in the faith of the society. The stu¬ dents of the book have patients who are to be treated according to the method taught. Thus: '"fix truth steadfastly in your patients' thoughts explain Christian Science to them, but not too soon, not until your pa¬ tients are prepared for it:'' page 412. "Explain audibly to your pa¬ tients as soon as they can bear it, the utter control which mind holds over the body:" page 415.
The treatment extends to the most serious and fatal of diseases rheu¬ matism, scrofula, cancer, smallpox and consumption. "If the case to be mentally treated is consumption, take up the leading points included according to belief in that disease. Show that it is not inherited, that inflammation, tubercles, hemorrage and decomposition are beliefs.... Then theses ills will disappear. If the lungs are disappearing, this is but one of the beliefs of mortal mind:" page 422.
The treatment is declared to be efficacious in surgical cases as well as otiiers. "However, it is but just to say that the author has already in her possession well authenticated records of the cure by herself and her students, through mental surg¬ ery alone, of dislocated joints and spinal vertebrae:" page 400.
Nor is the treatment necessarily associated with conditions of faith or belief. That is, it is not confined in the application to those who are adults and who can determine for themselves whether or not they wish their diseases so treated, but it is extended to children and in¬ fants whose health or life may de¬ pend upon the accuracy of the judg¬ ment of those in whose charge they are placed. One witness testified before the master that she would re¬ gard it as her duty to withhold medicine from a child or other per¬ son to whom her will was law. The book says: "If the case is that of a young child or an infant, it needs to be met mainly through the pa¬ rents' thought... .Mind regulates the condition of the stomach, bowels food and temperature of children and men, and matter does not. The views of parents and other people on these subjects produce their good and bad results in the health of children. The daily ablutions of an infant are no more natural or the woodwork of necessary than would be the pro- been   entirely   re-1 cess of taking a  fish   out   of  water
The patients, young and old. are also to be treated for a compensa¬ tion, to be paid to those who work the beneficent results. To the question of the master whether the sy.stem permitted any person who was instrumental in making such a cure to receive compensation for the service, the answer was: "Yes, in the sense that Jesus said, "The la¬ borer is worthy of his hire' '" "Let us suppose, " says the book, page 420, "that a surgeon is employed in the one case and a Christian Scien¬ tist in the other."
It is quite clear, therefore, that what is proposed is much more than a church, since there is besides to be established a system for the treatment of disease, to be carried into effect by persons trained for the purpose who may receive com¬ pensation for their services.
The Act of March 24, 1877. P. L. 42, provides: "It shall be unlawful after the passage of this Act for any person to announce himself or her¬ self as a practitioner of medicine, surgery or obstretrics, or to prac¬ tise the same, who has not re¬ ceived in a regular manner a diplo¬ ma from a chartered medical school duly authorized to confer upon its alumni the degree of doctor of medi¬ cine," and a violation of the Act is made punishable as a misdemeanor, with a fine from $200 to $400 for each ofTence. The object of this Act manifestly is to provide that, for the practice of an art so diffiicult and abstruse as the treatment of disease, the person .so employed must have had the benefit of the learning and experience of the past, so far as it can be given by teach¬ ing in the medical schools. It es¬ tablishes a policy for the Common¬ wealth which the courts must be careful not to thwart. To grant this charter would be to sanction a system of dealing with disease to¬ tally at a variance with any con¬ templated by the Act of 1877, and different from any taught in "a chartered medical s(^hool." It is possible that the method proposed is correct, but the most important of truths which run counter to long established and popular currents of thought must ever pass through a period of test and trial before they are accepted.
Reforms are proverbially slow. Tt may be, as we are told in Science :v ^^ uth. that to loot- a tiger in the eye w./jh fai(h is t,o se.^d !ji:a frightened into the jungle ; but ;r;er,, as they are at present informed, are more apt to rely, however mistaken¬ ly, upon rifles. For the treatment of the disease called trichinosis, which is caused by animalculae breeding in the body and feeding upon the muscles, they depend up¬ on something which "^ may destroy the creature rather tlian faith, hov.-cver sincere., that vages will do no iiarm. they in the lapse oi time convinced by the teachings of "Science and Health" that their course is erroneous, no doubt a fu¬ ture legislature will repeal the Act of 1877. but for the present its pol¬ icy mu.st bo enforced.
The learned master, while ex¬ pressing the thought, "that some people may lose their .lives through refusing to employ the means which are ordinarilj^ under Providence successful,"' reports. \y\t\\ evident reluctance, in favor of granting the charter. We cannot sustain this recommendation. For the reasons given the charter is refused.
An Interesting Decision.
A strange suit was recently brought in Ashland, Wis. A man had died from typhoid fever, caused according to the claim of his widow, by drinking water polluted with the bacillus of that disease. She accordingly brought suit for dama¬ ges against the Ashland Water Company and the court before which the case was tried has awar¬ ded her fifty thousand dollars. This
upon a
its rj- .Siiouid become
been
three
wood
with
Over 300,000
A recent statement by Brad- street's in which it compares prices of nearly one hundred ditTer; nt arti¬ cles with former rates shows an ad¬ vance in November in corn, oats, potatoes, milk, beans, peas, hemp, barrelled beef, mutton, sheep, hops, eggs, and wool, while other articles of farm produce retjiined the ad¬ vanced position which they had gained earlier in the year. That all these things have had their etfect upon the farmer and made his year a prosperous one is evidenced by reports coming from every part of the country showing enormous reduction in mortgage in¬ debtedness. Thousands upon thou¬ sands of mortgages, hundreds of thousaands in fact are being paid off with the result of a year's pros¬ perity under pi'Otection and sound money, and hundreds of thousands of homes will this year have for this reason as well as for many others a merrier Christmas and , happier New Year than they had known during the period, of free trade and its accompanying troubles^
LeCompt-Colcord.
Married, at the homeof the bride's parents at Inez, December 25, 1897, Miss Susan E. Colcord to Thomas LeCompt. The ceremony was per¬ formed by E. B. McLatchey, pas¬ tor of the Baptist church of Cou- dersport, in the presence of the members of the family. Mr. and Mrs. LeCompt will b'egin house¬ keeping at once, residing in Cou-, dersport on Borie street. That these worthy young people may en¬ joy a long life of wedded happiness is the sincere wish of the Journal and a host of other friends.