Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 9, Number 38, Decatur, Adams County, 14 February 1911 — Page 1

Volume IX.. Number 38.

A ROUSING MEETING Was the Caucus Held by Democrats at Indianapolis Last Night. NEW CONSTITUTION Many Changes Recommended —Bill Providing For it Will be Presented. Indianapolis, Ind.. Feb. 14 —Governor Marshall's special joint caucus of the legislature was held Monday night. It was a splendid meeting ini ■which all agreed that the proper thing to do was to act together and pass the platform measures. It was further decided that Governor Marshall's plan for a new constitution is a good one and a bill providing for same •will be presented in the house Wednesday. Stotsenberg. Veneman and Seidensticker will prepare it. The new constitution will contain the following changes: Article I, Section 2—Every man shall have remedy for due course of law, “but the general assembly may enact a workman’s compulsory compensation law.” Sec. 21 —Property shall not be taken from any man without just compensation first assessed and tendered “and then only in case of necessity.” As to Registration. Article 11, Section 2—Provides that a voter must be a citizen and that in addition to having lived in the state twelve months, the township sixty days and the ward or precinct thirty days "he shall be duly registered according to law’ as in this section provided and shall have paid his poll tax due and payable in the year of such election and the year previous thereto without delinquency.” The registration law is ordered to be provided by the general assembly of 1913. Art. IV, Sec. 2—The senate is to consist of fifty members, but the constitutional limit of the house of representatives is raised to 130 members, an increase of thirty.

Sec. 4 —Each county shall have at least one representative in the legislature elected for two years. “A representative quota shall be obtained by dividing the total population of the state at the last national census by ninety-two, and each county in excess of a quota shall have an additional representative for each full quota and fractional surplus of half a quota in excess of the first quota.” The senate remains the same. Longer Legislative Session. Sec 9—The time of holding the legislative session is the same as the present constitution, but after fortyfive days, in which the general assembly shall introduce, consider and amend bills, but not pass them except in emergency cases, it shall adjourn for sixty days, and on reconvening shall proceed to dispose of the bills introduced and shad not remain in session longer than sixty ■days. Sec. 22 —The general assembly may adopt special charters for the different cities of the state. Sec. 29—The salary of the general assemblyman is fixed at $lO a day in place of the $6 provided by law now. Art. V Sec. 14—A three-fifths majority shall be necessary to pass a bill over the veto of the governor instead of a simple majority, as now, and no bill shall be presented to the governor within three days next previous to adjournment. Article VI, Section I—All state officers shall be elected for four years and be ineligible for re-election. Sec. 2—All county officers have the same restrictions. More Supreme Judges. Article VII, Section 2—The supreme court shall consist of not less than five nor more than eleven judges in Place of the three to five restriction of the existing constitution. g ec JiThe office of prosecuting attorney is made to extend for four years without re-election. g ec 20The general assembly may adopt' recall, referendum and iniative laws, on petition of 25 per cent of tne voters of the state at the next preceding election, but no bill shall ever be

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passed for the recall of the judiciary. Sec. 21 —The general assembly may by law provide qualifications for persons admitted to the practice of laW. Article XV, Section I—United States Senators shall be. elected by the general assembly and no elective officer shall have his salary Increased during his term of office. Amending the Constitution. Art. XVI, Sec. I—The1 —The constitution may be amended if a resolution passed by one general assembly shall be adopted by a majority of voters at the next general election upon which It shall become a part of the constitution but if a majority shall not ratify the same it shall be defeated. A political party may act upon an amendment by convention and have the action printed with the ticket but no constitution shall be submitted to the people till after a majority of the legal voters of the state have petitioned for a constitutional convention. The eighth schedule is changed to provide that the first election to be held under the new constitution shall be held in the year 1913 at which time the state officers shall be voted upon also. Schedules thirteen, fourteen and fifteen are stricken out as there Is no occasion for them to remain in the constitution. TIME I IS NEARING District Spelling Contest Will be Held at Portland Saturday. THIS COUNTY THERE Prof. E. E. Rice -of City Schools Selected as One of the Judges.

The Adams county delegates to the district spelling contest at Portland next Saturday, February 18th, are looking forward to a royal battle for supremacy looking of course to the representation of the district at the istate contest will come off Friday, March 31st, in the house of representatives in Indianapolis. There will be in all thirty-nine contestants, three from each district. Five delegates from this county will complete with five each from Randolph, Wells and Jay, those from this county being Marion Michaels, Monroe township; Manola Bryan, Blue Creek; Samuel Fluckeger, Monroe; Clara Gilbert, Monroe; Minnie Tricker Blue Creek. fiThe contest, to be held in the Auditorium, will begin at 9:30 o’clock Saturday morning and continue until the number still on the floor is reduced to three, these to be the representatives of the district in the state match. The three spellers last retired will be the alternates, serving in case of disability from any cause of one of the regular contestants. The superintendents of the city schools of Decatur, Winchester, Bluff ton and Portland, will act as the judges, all having accepted. These men are Pdof. P. A. Allan of Bluffton, Prof. E. E. Rice of Decatur, Oscar R. Baker of Winchester and G. E. Derbyshire of Portland. The four will select one of their number as pronouncer, the remaining three acting as judges. That the work of the pronouncer may be less irksome, the superintendents will work in relays in this position. Superintendent Derbyshire of Portland and Baker of Winchester, will select words to be spelled from the Fourth reader, while Superintendents Alien of Bluffton and Rice of Decatur will make selections from the Fifth reader.

BUSINESS MEN’S LEAGUE MET. Talk Over Plane—May Land Good Industry From Cleveland, Ohio. The Business Men’s League held an important meeting Monday evening, at which time reports of various committees were heard and discussed, and plans for future work talked over. Duties were assigned to committees who will report later. One of the subjects taken up at this time was that of the locating here of a manufacturing plant now at Cleveland, Ohio. It is an established manufacturing concern, making cans and tanks, and was sighted by Andrew Mylott, who is a friend of the manager. They wish to locate in Decatur and the League will do what it can to aid them. Several sites are bing looked up and quick action is expected.

COUNTRY CHANGES Many People in Country Changing Homes While Others Remodel. WE MENTION BUT FEW Vai Snell Has New Home— Ed Rumschlag Moves— Erects New Barn. This is the time of the year when many changes take place throughout the country, many of the farmers changing their place of residence from one farm to another, while others are improving their farms in various ways. We mention but a few that came to our notice today, which will be of interest to many. J. C. Moses, who for some years has been living on Route 8, has just completed the moving of his household goods from his farm to the Frisinger farm on Route 1, north of the city. Vai Snell, of Route 5, living on the J. S. Colchin farm, has just recently moved into the new home completed by Mr. Colchin, which is one of the prettiest homes iu that part of the county. It is up-to-date in every respect, having all the modern improvements going with a country home, and the occupants of same are justly proud of their new abode. Ed Rumschlag, who has been making his home on Route 10, moved to the Voglewede farm on Route 5, the change being made Monday. Ed Kintz has been busy for several days, hauling timber to his place on Route 12, where he expects to erect a barn just as soon as he can complete arrangements and get things in working order. o —— IMPORTANT MEETING. Odd Fellows Held Important Meeting to Arrange For Friday’s Meet. The local order of Odd Fellows held an important meeting Mondaynight during which they gave the first degree. Several other applications were considered. Discussion was also given to the coming event of the twenty-fourth, at which time over twenty candidates will be given the encampment degree. Several out-of-town lodges have been invited and in all probability two hundred visiting Odd Fellows will be here next Friday. The meeting will begin in the afternoon and last until late in the evening. Geneva and Bluffton will send large delegations. Supper will be served to the visiting members and after the session in the evening a bountiful banquet, in five courses, will be served by the Rebekahs. The entire encampment work, of three degrees, will be given on this date. There is a possibility of Bluffton bringing their Canton, or uniformed rank, of fifty members, to give an exhibition drill on the streets. UNTIL MARCH TERM. Lammiman vs. Scheiman Case to be Continued. There was little or nothing done in the circuit court Monday, the case of Charles H. Lammiman against Fred Scheiman, demanding damages for failure to Keep an agreement to remain out of the meat business,in Decatur, which had been fixed for trial beginning that day, being by agreement continued until the March ttrm of court. Both Judge John M. Smith, one of the attorneys for Scheiman, and Clark Lutz, of Decatur, representing Lammiman? were ill. The case was venued to this county several , months ago.—Portland Commercial Review.

FARMERS’ INSTITUTE Will be Held at Berne Wednesday and Thursday of This Week. Many from the north part of the county, as well as from the south, will attend the Adams County Farmers’ institute to be held at Berne Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The good program for the two days’ session has previously been announced, and gives promises of a pleasant and profitable meeting.

Decatur, Ind.Tuesday Evening, February 14, 1911.

ALLEN COUNTY CONTEST. Spellers Consumed Another Day Saturday—The Winners. The Allen county spelling contest, which it was necessary to continue Saturday from the week before, was another all-day contest between the twelve that were left over from the first day, and not until 6 o'clock were the following declared the winners, the first three of which will be delegates to the district contest to be held Saturday of this week at Ft. Wayne: Edith McGonagle, school No. 2, Monroe township; Ella Hemrick, No. 1, Springfield township; Eulllie Martin, No. 8, Jackson township. The following alternates were selected to take the place of any of the above three scholars in case of inability to compete: Marguerite Costello, St. Joe township; Rupert Murphy, Jefferson township; Gerhardt! Wyss, Monroe township.

COURT HOUSE NEWS Harry Straub Acquitted on Charge of Robbing Laman & Lee Store. A NEW CASE FILED On Chage of Venue From Allen County-Two Marriage Licenses. The case of the State vs. Harry Straub, charged with burglarizing the Laman & Lee hardware store, went to the jury at about 11 o’clock this morning. The evidence concluded shortly after the opening of court. •An hour and a half was allowed for arguments. Prosecutor Parrish made a strong argument and proved his ability to serve as state's attorney, both in his trial and argument. If .found guilty Straub would have to serve from ten to twenty years in prison. At 1:30 o’clock this afternoon'the jury returned a verdict, fiinding the defendant not guilty and he was immediately released. A new case has been filed on change of venue from Allen county, Charles Nasser vs. Wabash Railroad Co., damages, $350. The suit is one to recover for a bill of dry goods which was either lost or stolen. I. A. Kalver vs. Decatur Furnace Co., notes and accounts, ordered sold at public auction after two weeks’ notice in Daily Democrat. Marriage Licenses: Paul McClain, 19, farmer, to Mary Kratzer, 18, seamstress, Berne; Rufus R. Huser, 23, farmer, to Nora G. McClain, 21. The former groom and latter bride are brother and sister.

THE “SLIPPER CURFEW.” Says Evangelist T. Martin, who is holding services at Grand Junction, Col.: “There is no need of going after the divorce evil of today. The trouble is before divorce; it is in the courtships. “If you had enough family slippers in the house you wouldn’t need a curfew law. “American lodge life is wrecking American home life. "The husband is the head of the family, even in Colorado, and God never to the secret societies and will sup“Give me the money that now goes Mary Heffner arrived home Sunday port every orphan and woman in America and be a multimillionaire In ten years. “Some one says,” he continued, “ 'my husband hasn’t sense enough to be the head of the family.’ Well, what did you marry the little simpleton for? She becomes president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of a little Keely institute. In five years the institute has gone to the wall and the only assets are a husband, dead and in hell, two or three little fatherless children and a wash-tub and scrubbing board.” o — TO MILLINER OPENINGS. Miss Maymo Delninger will leave tomorrow for Cleveland, Ohio, where she will attend the Reed Brothers' millinery opening, gleaning ideas for the ntv. spring hats. She will be gone two weeks.

A HEAVY BURDEN Carried by the Mail Men Today—The Heaviest Valentine Season FOR LOCAL OFFICE Ward Fence Company Also Sending Out Annual Advertising Matter. The local postoffice force is experiencing today the heaviest mail at this time of the year in the memory of the local force. The mail carriers were literally ‘‘pack-horse burdened” today. There are several reasons for this. One is that three holidays come in

one stretch. Sunday there was no mail delivery, neither was there Monday, because the postoffice force was given a holiday in celebration of Lincoln's birthday which came on Sunday. Then today was St. Valentine's day and of course an unusually large number of missives—love or otherwise—were added to the undelivered mail of the preceding days. Another reason for the heavy mail of the local office is that the Ward Fence company is now sending out its yearly advertising matter. From 2,000 to 2,5u0 envelopes and circulars are sent out from the local office each evening, and this will continue until about 50,000 or 60.000 are sent out. To add to the troubles of the office at this particularly busy time, is the fact that the force is short one man —Sam Shamp—who is laid up with a sprained right ankle. Mr. Shamp was walking across the icy board that spans the torn-up brick street just west of the postoffice, when his foot slipped into a hole, giving his ankle just the right twist to produce the sprain. Roy Wolford, one of the rural mail carriers, is also off duty and his substitute is working in his place. — »o 1 —* MAPLE GROVE PARK NO MORE. Today the last load of material was removed from the site formerly occupied by Maple Grove park and that popular place of amusement is no more. For several years past this has been the sole amusement resort near Decatur, but for some reason it did not pay the management to continue to operate it. Last season the ball games attracted large crowds, but the fact that only one day of the week could be used for the games made it hard for the management to meet expenses. The buildings were sold recently at public auction and their removal winds up our park, so the public will be forced to find a new place of amusement this coming summer. ■ — — OF UNUSUAL INTEREST. The Adams County Medical society’s meeting at Dr. Thomas’ office was one of unusual interest. Each member present reported one or more interesting cases which occurred in his practice. These cases were fully discussed and many good points were brought out which will be of great benefit in similar cases which may occur in the future. The members present were Drs. Boyers, Miller, Jones, Beavers, Costello, Thomas and Rayl. The society will meet at Dr. Boyers’ office March 10th and listen to a treatise on “Neurasthenia,” by Drs. Jones and Mattox. — I. O. O. F. VISITORS FRIDAY. Friday evening will be a great day for the Reiter Encampment, I. O. O. F. The lodges from Geneva and Bluffton will be guests in the afternoon and evening and the three degrees will be conferred upon a class of eighteen candidates. The Rebekahs will serve supper to the visitors. Arrangements are being made to make the event one of the greatest in the history of the local encampment. o—• - ABOUT THE SICK. ’Squire J. H. Stone has received word from his daughter, Miss Victoria Stone, a patient at the Lutheran hospital, Fort Wayne, for floating kidney, that she is getting better, though she is unable to get any sleep. She is at present under the care of two specialists, and it is their opinion that she will eventually be restored to good health, which is news received with great pleasure by her Decatur friends.

MERGER WOULDN’T MERGE. And Company Refuted to Return the Money as They Agreed to Do. The Daily Democrat has one desire concerning its advertising, and that is that nothing be advertised in our columns that is not strictly the truth. We have always insisted on this, and we wish at this time to make a statement concerning an advertisement, which has appeared in our columns once a week for some six or eight weeks past. It is beaded "Wonderful Invention,” and describes what is called a butter merger, a machine that Is supposed to convert a pint of milk into a pound of butter at cost of four cents and without chemicals of any kind. Seeing this advertisement a resident of Route 4, Geneva, answered and received a letter offering him one of the machines on trial, with the statement that the money could be returned if the machine was not as represented. He bought one and found that it would not deliver the goods and returned it. The Family Butter Merger Co. of Indianapolis refused to accept the machine from the express office. We certainly do not wish to advertise a fake concern and therefore make this statement.

WILL GET TO WORK Democrats Have Arranged to Push Important LegisI lation Through. I NO MORE LOAFING Each Man Has His Work to Do During the Closing Days of Session. Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 14 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Arrangements were made today for the carrying out of the democratic platform measures, following last night’s caucus and as a result the following program has been decided upon: Senators Beal, Shively and Clark, all of whom have introduced employers’ liability bills, will meet with the committee and agree on one measure; a senate caucus will be hald as soon as the child labor bill is reported, the sentiment being that the bill should , be changed but little; the Clark-Har-land registration bill will be passed; Senators Trayler and Hauck will agree on one corrupt practice act or draft a new bill; the party however, will not get behind the Clark bill for direct nominations by primaries of all candidates; Senator Stotsenberg will introduce Governor Marshall’s bill for a new constitution tomorrow and it will pass early next week; Senator Proctor will introduce a substitute option bill when bis amendment now standing, is called for third reading. The Askren bill to lower the qualification of teachers was killed in the house this morning, when an amendment to strike out the enacting clause carried by a vote of 65 to 29. — o ■■ SPEAKER’STENTH ANNIVERSARY House Celebrates the Occasion and Valentine Day in Appropriate Way. Indianapolis, Ind., Feb. 14 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —Valentine day was not overlooked by members of the house today and as it happened to be the tenth wedding day anniversary of Speaker Veneman, time was taken after roll call to celebrate. A resolution by Wells and Craven was read, extending the best wishes of the legislature, and that each member present Veneman with a piece of tinware. After calling for a five-minute recess each member passed the speaker’s desk and left there a piece of tinware. The speaker recited one of Riley’s poems and business was resumed. —' ' O ' BASKET BALL. Thursday evening the Bluffton high school girls will play the Decatur high school girls a game of basket ball. As a starter the eighth grade will play the freshmen. Two very fast games are assured. The game starts at 7:15. !—; o WILL HAVE OPERATION. Mrs. Cyrus Hammell was taken to Fort Wayne this afternoon, where she will enter a hospital to submit to an ' operation. She was accompanied by her husband and son, Will.

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A TIMBER TRUST Os Vast Proportions is Said to Exist--Railroads Own Big Per Cent. A SOURCE OF POWER Big Protest Made Against Increase of Postal Rates on Magazines. (Unitefl Press Service.) Washington, D. C. Feb. 14 —(Special to Daily Democrat) —The assertion that a timber trust, dwarfing the Standard Oil company by comparison, showing how the government has lost millions in disposing of its timber lands, are contained in a report sent to congress by Herbert Knox Smith, commissioner of corporations. Fourfifths of the standing timber in the country are owned by the Southern Pacific and Northern Pacific railway companies, including their subsidarles. The report says that the timber now standing will last only about fiftyfive years and declares that if the concentration of timber is allowed to continue will soon mean the central control of this industry. “The possession of such power hardly requires a discussion,” says the report. The danger is multiplied because a few of the largest land owners also occupy dominating positions in the railway transportation over great sections of the country. The Southern Pacific owns ten billion feet of timber says the report. Washington, D. C. Feb. 14 —(Special to Daily Democrat)—Members of congress are being deluged with letters and telegrams protesting against the increase in postal rates and the advertising section of the magazines to four cents a pound as provided in the postal appropriation bill. Senator Black said today: “In my ten years’ experience I have never encountered a measure that seemed to me so unjust and frought with the prospects of such destruction.” o - AN INQUEST HELD. Theodore Minnich Pronounced of Unsound Mind. I ' Frank Teeple, who was called to Hoagland yesterday owing to the illness of his brother-in-law, Theodore Minnich, stated today that he was nt> better and his condition was still serious. An inquest was held over him Monday dnd he was pronounced of unsond mind, and it was recommended that he placed in an institution where he could be properly cared for. He will no doubt be kept at the Fort Wayne hospital, where he will be treated in the hope that his mental faculties may be restored to him. ——o — AN IMPRESSIVE SERVICE. The quarterly services at the Methodist church Sunday were very impressive. The morning service was characterized by the large number of children present, the pastor, the Rev. Church, delivering a sermon especially for them, after which the holy communion took place. With the large number of adults who partook of the Lord’s supper were 75 children. The Rev. J. A. Beatty, presiding elder of Fort Wayne, was present in the evening and conducted the services, of which the sacramental service was also a part. - o MRS. NIBLICK IMPROVING. Mrs. Charles Niblick is steadily improving from day to day and is gaining strength fast, considering the seriousness of her condition. She is able to be up and feels quite well, and her family and friends are much encouraged. o MISS HEFFNER HOME. i Hary Heffner arrived home Sunday ' evening from Denver, Colo., where : she has been making her home for > several years. She will remain here ' about two weeks, visiting with C. S. ) Niblick and family and other friends. Y. P. C. E. U. TO MEET. The special meeting of the Y. P. C. > E. U. of the United Brethren church s has been called for this evening, the i same to be held at the church at 7:15 ’ o’clock. All are asked to be present ! Business of importance.