Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1908 — Page 2

AN ECHO OF THE PAST

Present Day Methods of Indiana Democrats Serve to Recall Un* pleasant Memories. KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Operation of Oath-Bound Organization at Auburn Revives Recollections of the Practices of Above Treasonable Society in This State During the War (Special Correspondence.] Auburn; Methods ot the politicians who have control of the Democratic organization in Dekalb county remind the war-daV citizens of the practices of the Knights of the Golden Circle, the treasonable, oath-bound organize* tion that gave the loyal men of Indic ana so much concern in the early si* ties, and the less treasonable but cret and oath-bound societies like the Sons of Liberty, which had for their jpurpose the control of politics through the operation of hidden cabals, where passwords, grips and signs were used for the identification of individual members. The Auburn Mystery. Late last spring, when the preliminaries of politics began to take on shape. and the formation of county? -tickets were being discussed, the curl Osity of the people of Auburn was greatly excited because of the appearance at intervals of a mysterious sign on the sidewalks and dead walls of the town. The peculiar sign was made with blue chalk, the formation of it being a triangle, within which were certain figures. At each recurring appearance of the mysterious triangles the figures would be changed. Otherwise the sign remained the same, something after this fashion:

Carried a Cryptic Message. At first the queer demonstration was regarded as a boyish prank or the work of some practical joker, but final ly someone figured out that the chain ed design in dark blue really carried a cryptic message, intelligible only tc the initiated, and that this was the means adopted to call together in session some sort of secret society. At first it was thought that it was a re vival of some one of the political religious organizations that existed many years ago and which were pestiferous annoyances to the politicians everywhere. Interest aroused in the public brought an Investigation which disclosed that the authorship of the - strange signs rested in a secret politisociety organized to control the nomination of the Democratic county ■ticket, and that the high-sounding title of this cabal was “The Honest Voter-’ League." The membership of it cast iome suspicion on the integrity of the name, however, for it was made up of saloon keepers and the hangers-on of saloons, brewery agents and the’r friends, and a lot of designing politicians who were in it to serve their selfish interests. Put the Ticket Through.

This “Honest Voters’ League” made up a slate for the Democratic county ticket, and what is more, put the ticket through before the rank and file of the Democrats of Dekalb county four ’ out what was going on. The league had secret signs and passwords, and only members under oath were adrritted to the league’s deliberations. One' old-time Democrat, Joe Link, of Auburn, succeeded in getting into ope cd the meetings one night, but his presence immediately was challenged. “What are you doing in here?” one of the leaders inquired of Link. "Why, I thought this was a Democratic meeting,” was the response, “and I am a Democrat.” But he was coolly informed that he was not among the eleot, and he was fired bodily. He had learned, however, that it was true what everybot'y suspected, that the figures in the triangle referred to the day of the called meeting. For instance, the 5-24 meaaf that a meeting was to be held on the 24th of May. Brewers Worked the Triok. “The Honest Voters’ League” eno oeeded tn naming the entire Democrat 1c county ticket in Dekalb, but the particular exploit upon which tne league especially plumes Itself was its success in defeating C. E. Galletln of Garrett for the nomination for representative in the legislature. Gallettn, who is a Democrat of pronounced temperance sympathies, was distasteful to the brewers and the saloon men. His nomination was conceded, however, except by the members of the league, who knew a thing or two and kept their own counsel. But about tea days before the primaries, when GaUetin and his friends were resting secure in the belief that they had nc opposition, the league suddenly placed K. M. MoKenan of Garrett In the running. MeKenan made satisfactory terms with the brewers. It is charged, the league worked for him tooth and toenail, and When the votes were counted, to the great astonishment of

| Honest Fork Indignant. Much indignation followed. Dekalb is Democratic on a close party vote, but there is a big independent vote and the temperance sentiment Is widespread. The Democratic organisation is counting on the. support of the Republican voters in the towns of Dekalb ccunty that are under the Influence of the saloons to carry through the ticket constructed by “The Honest Voters’ League,” but well-informed politicians tn Dekalb county are of the opinion that for every vote the saloon ticket gains from the Republicans there will be a loss of at least three Democrats who are opposed to the brewery domination of politics, which will give the county to the Republk cans by a safe majority.

IMAGINARY SPEECHES

By R. S. Taylor.

THE FIRST ONE.—TAFT. Siiaviter in rnodo; fortiter in re. I foreswore the vice of political speechmaking at the end of the last campaign. But I am not ajs good at keeping resolutions as Theodore Roosevelt; and since Taft’s nomination I have been so Impatient to get to work that I could hardly wait for the campaign to open I made this remark to a Republican editor of the state the other -day, when he said: “You needn’t wait; write out your thoughts and give them to us.” “Only,” he added, “make ’em short." The condition was a cruel one, but I accepted the offer, and this is the beginning. I might put what I want to say in the forn. of letters or essays, but not so well. The natural vehicle of political \discussion is the stump speech. is a ’reedom of utterance in the spoken address not enjoyed in written composition. A stump speaker can say “I” as often as he pleases, as I am doing now. This freedom of speech is not altogether the incident of extemp raneous address. A man feels it when he is writing something which he intends to speak. He sees his audience with his mind’s eye and unconsciously adapts his expressions to that situation. And so, as nobody wants to hear stump speeches yet the fancy struck me to make some little talks to imaginary audiences; and here is the first one. What shall follow depends. I will be’in it with a reminiscence. The first time I ever saw Mr. Taft on the bench was in the United States Circuit Court at Cincinnati some time in the middle nineties. I had seen him before at Washington when he was solicitor general under President Harrison, but this was my first observation of l.im as a judge. He came into the courtroom a short time before the hour for opening and sat down with the lawyers like an Indiana coun ty court judge. I cannot tell you how agreeable he was. He was as jovial as a schoolboy—not funny, but so open, frank and companionable. I remember wondering whether he could have Jn him the stern stuff of an able, forcible j”dge—a judge fit for the United States Circuit Court Presently he took his place on the bench. He was another man in an instant; still considerate and kind, but with the judicial mien all over. After a bit a case came up in which a receiver had been guilty of some misconduct. The reprimand which he and his lawyer got was a thing to remember —for them to remember, at least. The lawyer begged like a dog when Judge Taft told him that such conduct was not to be tolerated in that court, and that if he was’ guilty of it again he would practice there no more. That fine combination of qualities fa characteristic of the man in higher degree than in any other man I have •ver known. The old Latin epigram fits him perfectly: Suaviter in modo —pleasant In manner; fortiter in re—flrm in action; a velvet glove on a band of steel.

Of course, the man is less important tn such a case as this than the principles which he represents;, but it is a glorious thing to have a splendid leader. And what an one we have in our candidate! There is not a thing in him, or his life, that we need to deny or explain or apologise for. No other man was ever proposed for the presidency who had been so well trained in advance for Its duties. As a member of President Harrison’s administration in the office of solicitor general; as a judge of the United States Circuit Court and Court of Appeals; as Governor of the Philippine Islands; as envoy to Rome successfully negotiating for the church lands in those islands; as secretary of war; as pacificator'of Cuba; and as director of work on the Panama canal he has in evsry situation demonstrated his possession of that rarest of all high qualities among men, and most important of all high qualities in a president—executive ability in great affairs. Do you wonder that I can hardly wait for the campaign to open? Mr. Taft needs no endorsement from anyone for me. But ft did please me to read what President Roosevelt said when the news of Taft's nomination reached Washington. It was this: "I fool that the country is indeed to be congratulated upon the nomination of Mr. Taft. I have known him intimately for many years, and I have a peculiar footing for him, because throughout that time we worked for tbo same object with the same purposes and ideals. I <to not believe

could be found in all th. country a man ao well fitted to be president. He Is not only absolutely fearless, absolutely disinterested and upright but he has the widest acquaintance with the nation’s needs, without and within, and the broadest sympathies with all our citizens. He would be as emphatically a president of the plain people as Lincoln, yet not Lincoln himself would be freer from the least taint of. demagogy, the least tendency to arouse or appeal to class hatred of any kind. He has a peculiar and intimate knowledge of and sympathy with the needs of all our people—of the farmer, of the wage-worker, of the business, man, of the property owner. “No matter what a man’s occupation pr social position, no matter what his creed, his color, or the section of the country from which he comes, if he is an honest, hard-working man who tries to do his duty toward his neighbor and toward the country, he can rest assured that he will have In Mr. Taft the most upright of repre- j sentatlves and the most fearless of champions. Mr. Taft stands against privilege and he stands pre-eminently for the broad principles of American citizenship which He at the foundation of our national well being.” „ That means a great deal more than anything I can say. There are millions of people In this country who believe in Roosevelt. He Certainly knows Taft through and through. They have been close friends since they were brought together In Washington eighteen years ago—he as solicitor general and Roosevelt as president of the Civil Service Commission. And he knows a little better than anyone else in the world what manner of man is needed to take up and carry on the great work of reform begun under his administration. It seems to me that every man who voted for Roosevelt in 1904 and is glad of It, and who would vote for him this year If he were the candidate, owes it to him now to vote for Taft.

No More Weddings at The Soldiers’ Home.

Cupid lias received a knock-out blow at the State Soldiers’ home, the board of trustees having issued an order forbidding the marriage of members of the home, either to widows at the institution or to women outside the home. The question has been discussed by the trustees for several months. Finally an order was drafted in which the provisions of the new marriage law were quoted. It was a great surprise to the veterans’ widows, when the order was read to them putting a stop to marriages there. The trustees take the ground that the marriage of an old soldier who is a member of a chari’able institution is Illegal because the law prohibits the marriage of persons not able to maintain a family. One of the marraige license questions is whether the applicant has been a member of a charitable institution within five years from the date of application. This, the trustees hold, actually prevents the marriage of the members of the home unless perjury is committed to obtain a license. The trustees say that a marriage of such persons is illegal and that they do not want persons at the institution who are illegally married, which is equivalent to being unmarried.

She Got Her Pan.

Says the Logansport Pharos: Granite dish pans at 10 cents per was the drawing card, for several hundred women at the 10 cent store Friday morning. One girl about 16 years old had. been downed several times between the front door and the pan counter, but came up before the counter and was at it when she suddenly fainted dead away. Several of the strongest in the crowd picked her up and carried her behind a counter, where the cool breezes from an electric fan and a little dash of cold water soon revived her. “Gimme a pan," she said as she came around to consciousness. “Where’s my pan?” she demanded as she was assised to her feet and she got one which was brought to her, otherwise she would have again gotten Into the push. Women came out of there with the back of their dresses around in front. Hats were turned in all directions, some down over one eye like the bowery girls wear > them after a night eat. Somebody tramped on the rear of one woman’s skirt and tore off a strip clear around about a foot high. She was then dressed for wet weather and dldu’t seem to care as she got her pan.

WILL HULL CLOVER. Persons having clover to hull can secure the services of A. T. Ropp. Drop card or leave word at his farm near Aix, stating number of acres. — - Thp owner of a swollen fortune never seems to want to get tie swelling: out. - - ■’ - - " .- r j.. An old maid never gets too old to lose Interest in anybody’s love letters. Some people can draw their checks as easily as they can their breath, but my bank has always been sort of short breathed.

DOLL AVERTED WAR.

Child’. Plaything Had « Soothing Effect Upon Apache Tribe. A strange story is told of how a child's plaything once had a soothing Influence upoh a warlike Apache tribe, and was the means of avoiding a serious war. It hapened when a Mr. Bourke was In Arizona with Ge.. Crooke. The general was trying to put a band of Apache back on the reserve, but could not catch them without killing them, and that he did not want to do. One day his men captured a-little Indian girl and took her to the fort. She was quiet all day, saying not a word, but her black beads of eyes watched everything. When night came, however, she broke down and sobbed just as any white child would have done. They tried in vain to comfort her, and then Mr. Bourke had an Idea. From the adjutant’s wife he borrowed a pretty dol? that belonged to her little daughter, and when the young Apache was made to understand that it was hers to keep, her sobs ceased and she fell asleep. When morning came, the doll was still clasped In her arms. She played with it all day, and apparently all thought of ever getting back to her tribe had left her. Several days passed, and as no overtures about the return of the papoose had been made by the tribe, they sent her, with the doll still In her possession, back to her people. Mr. Bourke had no Idea of the effect his benevolent, act would have upon the Indians. When the child reached them, with the pretty doll ,ln Its chubby hands, It made a great sensation among them, and later on Its mother came back to the post with It. , She was kindly received, and hospitably treated, and through her the tribe was soon afterward persuaded to move back to the reserve.

For the Butterfly Collector.

A writer in Recreation Magazine gives the following suggestion for a good butterfly net for boy collectors: Take a light but strong stick, a little over a yard long and saw a

notch about 1 % Inches deep in one end. For your hoop, take a strong piece- of hay-wire, or other stout wire, and twist the ends together, letting the two ends stick out on each side (Fig. 1.). Push this down

into the notch tn the stick and wind with twine or light wire. The hoop should be about 10 Inches across, and the net made of mosquito netting about 2 feet deep. A good setting-board can be made by cutting a notch about half an inch thick in an inch board. The body of the butterfly resU in this during the drying-out process.

Railroad Through Dead Sea.

Right through Great Salt Lake — the Dead Sea of the new world — runs a railroad! The actual length of this, the longest trestle in the world is, 12 miles. It contains 25,000 piles, the longest single pile being 90 feet, and the longest spliced pile 120 feet. The cost of constructing this wonderful piece of railroad was 15,000,000, and the time required to build ft was three years. At one place in the bed of the lake thousands of cars of rock were emptied without making the least impression in the way of foundation. - In riding over this road—right through the beautiful, sparkling Salt Lake —one notices the absence of boat: of any kind, although the lake it over 100 miles In length and 70 miles across at its widest place, and one would think It afforded great attractions for the sailor or oarsman. But the fact la, rowing or sailing is almost impossible on the waters of this Dead Sea, for It is so heavy with salt, that navigation—or even swimming—is slow and laborious, render- 1 Ing, therefore, little pleasure for the pains. If one dips up a pail of water from Great Salt Lake and lets it stand in the sun till the water evaporates there will be found one-third of a pail of salt ‘ . Hundreds of centuries ago the waters of this great body extended over the thousands of acres of land that surrounds it now in the form of dry desolate wastes on which nothing grows, for no animal, vegetable nor fowl life can exist on this one-time sea bed.

Elephants In the London zoologl cal gardens earn *4,000 a year bv carrying visitors about.

bagging A bear.

Grunt! grunt! grunt! That Wks nothing to alarm a boy of twelve, although A the half-wild 1 pigs that swarmed' the woods were dangerous enemies if one of their number happened to give out a signal of distress. They were all in good humor now, for the acorns were thick upon the ground. A plenteous crop of chestnuts caused equal rejoicing tn the boy’s heart. He had come a long way Into, the woods so that he might be beyond the reach of general competition, and gather his nuts unmolested. He was out for the profit and consequently he struck for the best

The bear and the bag.

grounds he knew of.. What did it matter that he had so mu«Ji farther to carry his load home? Chestnuts were $1.75 a bushel and Saturday came only once a week. But when the sun was leaving the tree-tops above him and getting tan- ' gled up among those to the west,, the boy began to realize that he had rather a large job on hand to take that two-bushel bag nearly full of nuts home before dark. In fact it seemed to be an actual Impossibility, for he could not even lift the load. Loath to leave his hard day’s work behind, he resorted in an absentminded sort of way to the boy’s remedy for all difficulties, his pockets He found there nothing more promising than a lot of stout linen cord, and, rather as a pastime than from any serious purpose, he began to knot this into a rude harness, one end of which he attached tothe ba” ■ of nuts. It was no use. Tug as he would at the other end, he could not draw the bag any distance. Grunt! grunt! grunt! It occurred to him that the pigs were disappearing pretty rapidly, as though afraid of something. No one was near him and the last of the herd as it disappeared from sight in the woods was scampering In unmistakable panic. What did it mean? Grunt! Grunt! Just-behind him; but this was one of quite another tone; it was not a pig. Turning hastily he saw a young bear, about twothirds grown, looking curiously at him through the bushes, . Some boys would have- been terribly frightened; but this sturdy little fellow had it from the lips of old hunters that black bears are seldom d. ngerous unless threatened or very hungry; while a cub Is about as good-natured, and playful as a peppy. Perhaps the bear had had similar instructions in regard to boysAt least neither undertook to retreat, though neither ventured any closer. The bear was between the boy and his home; very likely theboy was between the bear and his. But meetings of this sort become embarrassing and, to vary the situation, the boy finally did retreat a little way, although It took hinx fartherback into the woods. The bear at once advanced, and the boy retreated farther. This brought the bear to where the bag of chestnuts stood, and being of an Inquiring disposition, he sniffed over it a few minutes, and then cuffed it with his paw to see If It were alive It fell upon its side, and the bear re- . tired,somewhat startled at this unexpected movement; but he finally returned and began a rough and tumble fight with his dumb adversary, as a kitten would attack a bait of yarn. Then he bounded away again. Now, it so happened that in his antics he had got tangled In the string harness, so that when he

sprung away the bag sprung after him. Here was a pretty kettle of fish! ' Bruin gave another leap forward, the*, fairly turned tail and ran as only a frightened bear can run, the bag in hot) pursuit, and the boy in the rear of both. Neither the boy nor the bear noticed in which direction they were going until they dashed out of the woods Into the meadow back of the boy’s home. Just as they reached the edge the bag eaught against a log, held back an instant, and then went with a bound that landed It' upon the bear. Bruin resented this; or, more likely, thinking that his time had come, he resolved to die fighting. For just one minute the air was full of bear, bag. growls and chestnuts; and then a black streak into the woods showed where the bear, at last freed from the strings, was making a hasty homeward trip. After ho was gone, the boy came up and began to-gather up the chestpubs that were spilled in the short conflict. By dark he bad them all carried to the house; while the bear was probably at home recounting his curious adventure to his friends.

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THEY TAKE THE INKS OUT. “1 Lave used Dr. King’s New Life Pills for many years, with increasing satisfaction. They take the kinks out of siomucL*. H er tnd towels, wLh.ut fuss or Diction,” says N. H. Brown, of Pi tsf eld, Vt. Guaranteed satisfactory at A. F. Longos drug store. The man who is down and out can always get a lift from the elevator man. That he may cover bis own shortcomings, the critic often makes a satire on another. FOR A SI RAINED ANKLE. A sprained inl le may Le cured in about onerthinl the time usually requned, by applying Cbambeilala’S Liniment freely, and g,v.ng it absolute rest. Sold by B. F. Fcndig. 'c_ Asking a girl by mail to marry you is much like kissing the same girl through a veil. ,- It is hard for some men to remember they are gentlemen, when they never have been. DeWitt’s Carbolized Witch Hazel i Salve is recommended as the> best thing to use for plies. It is, of Ccuse good for anything where a salve is needed. Beware of imitations. Sold by B. F. Fendig. An octopus ought to make a great reputation as a driver of an eighthorse tfam. The fellow who feels like a fish out of water knows Jiow it seems "to get the hook.” DeWitt’s Little Early Risers are small pills, easy to take, gentle and sure. Sold by B. F.'Fendig.

Wanted—To trade an automobile for a nice porterhouse steak, or what have you? ' . j Wood’s Liver Medicine in liquid form for malaria, chills and fever, regulates the liver, kidneys and bladder, brings quick relief to biliousness, slck-headache, constipation. Pleasant to take. The *I.OO bottle Contains 2% times quantity of the 50c size. First dose brings relief. Sold by B. F. Fen dig. nv We would never learn tbe truths about certain folks if they didn’t quarrel occasionally. v » • ** ’ ■. ■ " To those afflicted with kidney and bladder trouble, backache, rheumatism Pineules for the Kidneys brings ie~ llef in the first dose. Hundreds of people today testify to their remarkable healing and tonic properties. 30 days' tidal *I.OO. They purify the blood. Sold by B. F. Fendig. nv Too much love Is never given, and too many hearts are broken for a little love withheld. Bees Laxative Cough Syrup always brings quick relief to coughs, colds, hoarseness, whooping-cough end all bronchial and throat trouble Mothers especially recommend It for children. Pleasant to take, gently laxative. Sold by B. F. Fendig. nv There is always a grill room*in tbs house of a man whose wife wears tbe trousers., ■