Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-03-01
Tan Supreme Court of Pennsylva-

upOh i,och u CioSSi sCl utiuy Dy thc
people, and the press than at any
other period of time The Pittsburg
Commercial Gazette Rep.) says: "The
most conspicuous question raised by
this decision is, whether it is pos
sible for the people in their pri-
mary capacity to frame an organic
law that cannot be SO disregarded
by the Legislative branch and so
misconstrued by the judicial de
partment as to defeat the very pur
poses they sought to accomplish.
! Was there q single member in the
last Constitutional Convention who
did not understand perfectly well
that the section in regard to legisla-
tive salary contemplated fixed sum,
and not compensation by the day
Had any one predicted that in less
than ten years the Supreme Court
would decide that under the section
then adopted the Legislature might
lawfully sit as many days as it cared
to remain in session at ten or twenty
dcilars day, who of all the mem
bers of the Convention would have
believed him! Yet this very thing
has come to pass. Other reforms
that the people fondly imagine they
have secured by modifying their or
ganic law may be defeated by the
same method of Interpretation, and
when the end is reached there will
hardly be enough substantial gains to
mark a single step forward in repre-
sentative government.
The Media .7merican OF last week
says: During Tuesday and Wednes-
day of last week Senator Wolverton,
a present Democratic candidate for
Governor; ex-senator Dill, the for
mer Democratic nominee for Cover
nor; Charles S. Wolfe, late Indepen-
dent candidate for State Treasurer,
and Mr.. Mapes, the original chairman
of his committee, met together In
Philadelphia, and unless sll signs fail
conclusion was reached at their
conference with which all who take
an interest in public affairs should be
made familiar at once. MIR. Wolfe
open statement to some whom he net
that he and his friends, regardless of
any action by the Republican State
Convention, would place in the field a
third and Independent ticket for all
State officers, and IN each Senatorial
district where Senators are to be
elected, and in each of the POI Rep
resentative districts will place third
and separate nominees in the field,
tells the whole story to those familiar
with the contemplated effect of this
action. The design of Mr. Wolfe, so
confessed, is to defeat the Republi
can candidate for Governor. Lieuten-
ant Governor, Secretary of Internal
Affairs, Supreme Judge, and to com
pletely change the political character
of the Senate and House from Re
publican to Democratic. The only
Independent who could possibly be
elected would be Mr.. Wolfe himself,
provided as many Democrats as voted
for him last fail in Union county do
so again-a doubtful provision, when
they have no popular home candidate
for Judge on which to trade. This
is big programme.
The Supreme Court decision, re-
versing Judge Pearson, of Dauphin,
and conceeding the fifty days per
diem pay to the members of the Leg
islature. must, of course, stand as the
law In the case, as there is no further
tribunal for appeal; but in any other
sense, it appears to be neither the
law nor the logic of the case Moth
ing can be more certain than that it
was the intention of the Constitution
of 1874 to limit the pay of members
of the Legislature to such fixed round
sum per session as should be pre-
scribed by law. This is an unfortu
nate decision. It costs the State
S125,00O now, and opens the door in
the widest way to the waste of a mil
lion in the near future.-Pu6lic Led.
ger, FEB. %.
Az important case is now claiming
the attention of the Fayette county
courts. The case is stated by dis
patch to city paper as follows: 1t
is the case of David Terrence against
Cochran, keister and Co. Terrence
is farmer whose land adioins the
coke furnace operated by the above
company and he has brought suit to
recover damages, which he SAYS his
property has sustained by the pres
ence of the coke works. He alleges
hat the smoke from the ovens has
so affected the surface of his land as
greatly u damage its productiveness
for asricultmal purposes. He states
that not only is lis grass crop made
lighter, but even that which does
grow is so vitiated that the ELECTS OF
the smoke and SCOT aye perceptIp,e IN
the milk and butter that come from
the COWS which Craze ON his farm.
He laws his damages at $1,000 The
case has been in progress two days,
and a verdict is expected tomorrow.
THIS is what st. Louis paper said
last week: For nearly month some
ST. Louis men had been in CORES
pondence with Marshal Henry of the
District of Columbia, in regard to the
proposed donation of a rope and cap
for Guiteau- The cap, which is of
the finest material. was made espe-
cially for Guiteau by Gumbert. The
rope, which is three quarters of an
inch in diameter and of the best
was made by Bob
Humphreys, having for its special
object the encircling of Guiteau's
neck. Bob has made all the ropes |
that have ushered out of existence all |
St. Louis murderers in the past de- |
,ade. He has been present at all |
executions and takes special pride in |