The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-12-16
Editorial Mention.

THE State debt OF Pennsylvania was
reduced s9l5,l0i during tue fiscal year
ended November 80. nnd its total on that
date was $50, 225, os3.
The business section of Kingston,
Jamaica, was destroyed by fire on Mon
day. The loss Is es,im lted at $50. 000,-
00J. and hundr' DIS of people are home
less aud destitute.
The State Board of Acknowledgements
the following estimate of the crops of
Pennsylvania for 1882: Wheat, %, 425,-
000 bushels; corn. 39.S75, 900 bushels;
oats, 81 $50 900 bushels; rye, sos, coo
bushels; potatoes 13.7G0.O00 bushels,
tobacco, 28. $50, coo pou1ts
GENERAL iBUTLER, il is s'id. has made
the somewhat astonishing statement that
he is "a Republican Governor" of Mas
sAchusetts. The wife ofa prominent Re-
publican politician, meeting him in q
street car, said: "Y,u viii soon be in.
augurated Governor of Massachusetts,. I"
In reply General Eutler is reported 10
have said: "Yes, madam, and a Repub-
lcan Governor 1 was not elected by
Democratic votes, but by large boSy of
Republicans who are disgusted with the
men who have controlled the perry. The
Democrats have not gained victory in
my election. am Republican G,ver-
nor"
THE Commissioner of.Pensious, in is
annual report, says in relation to the
pension population of the country that
he has been unable to procure accurate
data upon the subject. The best ap-
proximation that can bs made shows that
of the 2,063, 39l soldiers who enlisted
during the war. pensions have been op-
piled for by or on account of, only &c per
ceut." He concludes by snying that,
''from the best available information, it
appears that there is a surviving soldier
population Of little over LOCO, 000 out
of which claims ior pensions in the fu-
ture may by made by those who incurred
pensionable disabilities"
WHEN the national debt statement for
December is made public it will be we'll
to remelnber3tha u considerable part of
the reduction it will show is due not to
the Republican administration but to
queer old Joseph Lewis. The patriotic
bequest of the Hoboken millionaire at
last has been devoted to the object for
which it was intended. Government
bonds to the amount of $780, 600, repre-
senting the gift, have been Cancelled by
the Treasury Department, and by that
much has the burden of the people been
lightened. AFR. Lewis gift has always
bean considered a strange freak of eccen-
tricity. Yet If all the men in the United
States who could afford it should give o
million apiece to their country the ma
tional debt would soon be wiped out.
The incoming Legislature has num-
bcr OF important and unimportant posi-
tions to fill, and in the disposal of its pat
ronage the majority should first be guild
ed by fitness and qualification and then
by party merit. 1t is of imperative i'm
portance that the Chief Clerk should not
be mere hack, but man who is we'll
versed in the "whys and wherefores" of
parliamentary rules and tactics. He
must he alert and always ready to furnish
any points that emNy bo essential to the
proper conducting of the business of the
House of Representatives. There are
mapy candidates for this position, some
fitted and others unified, hence it be-
hooves our Representatives to be wise in
choosing their man for this position.
One of these candidates who pre-eminent.
ly possesses all the necessary requisites
for the Chief Clerkship is P. Gray Meek,
of the "Dellefonte Watchman" and late
Editorial Secretary of the Democratic
State Committee. Hon. Michael Cassidy
is also fitted for the position, but if the
fates decree that he should unsuccessful
in his Aspiration, then it becomes the
bouaden duty OF the Carbon Representa-.
tives to throw their influence in favor oi
Meek, as the second best, most worthy
and best qualified. Of the remaining can.
didates.