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COLUMNS: BROOKLYN: About a hundred men are now engaged on the State road. The good wages paid and the chance for a steady job of some months has increased the problem of securing hired help during haying for the farmers of that vicinity, many being employed by the road contractors. ARARAT: A D & H engine was derailed here Wednesday, at the Dundaff crossing, because of a defective switch, which it was thought had been tampered with. There have been a number of unusual accidents of late and the company lay it to obstructions caused by striking trackmen. A small detachment pf the State Constabulary were called upon and remained at the scene while the repair work was being done by the men who have replaced the strikers. AUBURN TWP.: The postoffice at Retta has been discontinued as the remuneration was insufficient to pay a postmaster. Since the office was established Miss E. D. Stevens had been in charge until her removal to Montrose last spring. Mrs. M. A. Devine was appointed, but she resigned a few days ago. The office was located on the stage line between West Auburn and Rushboro, to which places the former patrons will now be obliged to go for their mail. FRIENDSVILLE: A former Friendsville man, George R. Sheldon, died on June 8, 1910, at his home in Barryton, Shawnee county, Kansas, aged 77 years. He was a veteran of the Civil War, enlisting August 1862 in Co. H, 143d Regiment, PA Volunteers and served until the close of the war. He lived in Kansas for the past 27 years and is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters. LAWSVILLE: The County Library in Montrose has placed one of its traveling libraries in E. D. Northrup’s store. The books are for the free use of the public, and all that is asked in return is good care of books taken. Come and get a book, keep it two weeks and return to library. ALSO Our enterprising townsman, B. L. Bailey, has added still another building to his farm improvements. KINGSLEY: Another shipment of books from the Montrose library, to our circulating library, has been received. They are open to the public at the home of S. J. Adams. SPRINGVILLE: D. D. Layton has received his auto and was taking a spin Tuesday for the first time. AND Last Saturday was the hottest day we have had. Mercury reached 92 at four p.m. RUSH: Jerome Kinney and son, Ray, of Port Crane, N.Y., were here last week erecting lightening rods on the buildings owned by S. D. Kintner, Uzal Kinney and the Odd Fellows. FOREST CITY: John McLaughlin has posted notices forbidding fishing at the ice pond. Following the reports of the big catches last week there were probably a hundred fishermen a day casting their lines in the little sheet of water. AND The hills off to the east toward Farview are yielding their usual generous supply of huckleberries and pickers are gathering them in large quantities. LANESBORO: We are still as much in the dark as ever regarding the disappearance of Cecil A. Pomeroy, a man of about 27, living on the Comfort farm near the State line, leaving a wife and three children. The first clue as to his whereabouts was received when a horse and buggy was found that was thought to be Pomeroy’s. He left home with several cans of milk which he was to deliver to W. O. Brown, milkman of Lanesboro, and when leaving he told his wife that he would not return until evening, as he had some work to do on the Taylor Farm. He arrived safely at Brown’s with the milk and received $5 and that was the last seen of him. When leaving home he took a long rope and fears are entertained that he might have hanged himself while temporarily insane, possibly from the excessive heat. Pomeroy was of good habits and bore an excellent reputation as a thrifty farmer. MONTROSE: The contract has been let by the Montrose Bible Conference to Harry M. Melhuish for the erection of a “Camp,” so called, on the Conference grounds containing 18 sleeping rooms, the building being 24 x 64 ft in size, and located on the orchard lot. It will be a pleasing design, the roof extending out over the porches and should be completed by about August 1st. AND Yesterday morning while Horace Welch was mowing grass with a team in the rear of Charles Knoll’s property on South Cherry street, an accident occurred which brought about the death of an animal belonging to J. B. Stephens. Mr. Welch was driving the team through the tall grass, when Mr. Stephens’ horse tumbled into a well about five feet in depth, the other horse owned by Mr. Welch falling on top of it. The Stephens horse had its neck broken and head crushed, and if these injuries had not proved fatal its cramped position in the well, partly full of water, would have drowned it. The other horse was pulled out. The well was dug last year and evidently had been left uncovered. SUSQUEHANNA: Leon McKrell, who has been working at the Dunn-McCarthy factory during the school vacation was struck by an engine on the Erie railroad Saturday morning. Dr. Goodwin, who attended him at his home, found that the injuries consisted of a contusion of the left elbow and a slight concussion of the brain, but he thinks that the boy will recover. Young McKrell regained consciousness shortly after he was taken to his home. He said he couldn’t understand how he was hurt. He thought that the train had passed him in safety. CORRECTION: The report of the marriage of Hazel Bailey and Charles Bloom, published in the Montrose Democrat last week, was whole untrue. We published this notice in good faith, it being furnished us in a regular way, and the communication appeared to be a regular news item, but we regret to say that some person had a poor idea of what a joke really is, and fabricated this entirely out of their imagination. We much regret that any one would lower themselves so much as to furnish such a falsified item for publication. NEWS BRIEF: Apropos of the horns that are in use on automobiles, a rhyme has the following: “Butcher Bigjoy,” of Packingtown fame, knew all of the tricks of the hog killing game. For using up scraps he had a keen taste and he’d not let an inch of the swine go to waste; but used every part, from backbone to bristle, and cans grunts and squeals for his motor car whistle.”
From the Desk of the D.A. A few months ago, I had the privilege to speak about the Constitution at the Tea Party that was held at the Green in Montrose. In the course of the presentation, I discussed “natural rights” and how the Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to ensure that the federal government did not infringe upon those “natural rights.” It is a strange dichotomy - Government is created to secure our rights but must also be restrained at the same time from violating those rights. What are “natural rights?” In the words of the Declaration of Independence, they would be the “unalienable rights” that mankind had been granted by the Creator including the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” For further definition, the Bill of Rights specifically outlined some of these natural rights including the right to assemble, to worship, to speak freely, to have a free press, to own a firearm, to have privacy in your home, to have due process prior to having your life or property taken by the government, as well as many others. The Ninth Amendment itself provides a clear example of the Founders view on natural rights: “The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.” In other words, the Founders recognized the existence of “natural rights” outside the context of the Constitution, i.e., the Constitution did not create those rights, but it did provide a mechanism to secure them. I argued in that speech that the true meaning of “natural rights” should be contrasted with how we use the term “right” today. During the health care debate, numerous politicians indicated that there was a right to health care and, as such, it was the duty of the federal government to provide health care to every American. Certainly, the Founders would have agreed that there is a right to health care to the extent that you had a right to seek out health care and to make health care decisions free from government intrusion. Obviously, the fact that a right exist does not mean that the government has the affirmative obligation to provide it to you. While you have the fundamental right to worship, the government does not have to buy you a Bible. While you have the right to own a firearm, the government does not have to buy you a gun. While you have the right to own property, the government does not have to buy you land and build your house for you. The point I tried to make in the Tea Party speech was that our modern political leadership has become confused about the difference between “rights” and “entitlements.” The health care debate was not really about the right to health care - it was about the extent to which people were entitled to have the government provide health care to them at little or no cost to them. The proponents of the health care reform would argue that the right to seek health care is meaningless if you lack the ability to pay for it. Thus, the government must step in and create a program to provide affordable health care. Of course, this argument could be applied to any natural right with equal force as a justification for creating a government entitlement program. After the speech, a young man approached me to ask me a question about the “natural” things I was talking about - and whether that included social security. I immediately knew that I had missed the mark with the speech if this young fellow was thinking that social security was a natural right. He seemed astounded when I told him that social security was not a natural right, but it was a government-created entitlement program. He then demanded to know whether I thought we had a moral obligation to support those less fortunate - and I responded that I did believe that we had a personal moral obligation to help our struggling neighbors, but that a moral obligation is different from a natural right. He seemed confused and angry with me as he left our discussion, and I was equally bewildered at how the concept of natural rights seemed so alien to him. Several months later, I was astounded when I read the testimony of Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan in her confirmation hearing concerning her view on natural rights. In an exchange with Senator Colburn over whether the right to own a firearm for self-defense was a natural and fundamental right, Kagan responded as follows: “Senator Colburn, to be honest with you, I don’t have a view of what are natural rights, independent of the Constitution. And my job as a justice will be to enforce and defend the Constitution and the laws of the United States.” On the one hand, I am comforted that Kagan was acknowledging that, if confirmed, she would be bound by the Constitution and the laws - not her personal view on natural rights. On the other hand, there is something ominous about her candid statement that she has no views on natural rights. It reminded me too much of that young fellow at the Tea Party who seemed befuddled by the entire concept of natural rights - and his inability to understand the difference between rights and entitlements. Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 or at our website www.SusquehannaCounty-DA.org or discuss this and all articles at http://dadesk.blogspot.com/.
The Healthy Geezer Q. I find myself thinking one sad thought after another and it makes me depressed. Is there anything I can do to stop this? Everyone gets depressed occasionally, but gloom should not be persistent in your life. Go to your doctor for a checkup. You might need medication or therapy. The cause of your depression could be a physical illness, life events, personality problems, side effects from drugs or combinations of these elements. Your doctor’s choice of treatment - or no treatment - will be based upon symptom frequency and test results. A flow of sad thoughts through your mind can be frustrating because you can’t be sure if depression is making you think negatively or thinking negatively is making you depressed. A common cold, exhaustion, stress, hunger, sleep deprivation, even allergies can make you depressed, which leads to negative thoughts. In many cases, depression can be caused by negative thinking, itself. Our feelings follow what we are thinking, and dwelling upon negative thoughts can send us spiraling down into depression. This concept is the guiding principle behind Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) developed in the 1960s by Dr. Aaron T. Beck at the University of Pennsylvania. To combat negative thinking, it is important to understand it. The following are some cognitive distortions - ways that our mind convinces us of untruths. These distortions are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions. By repeatedly refuting distortions, negative thinking will diminish. Credit goes to David D. Burns, author of "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy," for coining common names for these distortions. Filtering. You dwell completely upon a dust speck you notice on a Van Gogh painting. Polarized Thinking. If you’re not perfect, you’re a failure. People are either wonderful or awful. Overgeneralization. You fell off the horse on your first try, therefore you will fall every time you get on a saddle. Jumping to Conclusions. Your friend hasn’t called for a while, therefore she hates you. Catastrophizing. Disaster is inevitable. You’re obsessed with “What if? What if? What if?” Personalization. Everything that happens is about you. Your best friend started playing tennis because he knows you don’t like the game. Control Fallacies. You feel like a helpless victim of external forces. Or, you feel personally responsible for everyone’s happiness. Fallacy of Fairness. You are the only one who knows what is fair, and you’re sure that you are being treated unfairly. Blaming. You blame others for your pain. Or, you blame yourself for everything. Shoulds. There are rules that must be obeyed by everyone. If you violate the rules, you feel guilty. If others break the rules, you feel angry. Emotional Reasoning. My emotions define the truth. I feel ugly, therefore I am ugly. Fallacy of Change. You think you can change people to make yourself happy. Global Labeling. An extreme form of generalizing with exaggerated and emotionally loaded labels for yourself and others. You fail a quiz and call yourself a “lifetime loser.” Always Being Right. Being wrong is not an option. You will do whatever it takes to win an argument. Heaven’s Reward Fallacy. If you work hard and sacrifice, you will always be rewarded. If that reward doesn’t come when you want it, you become angry and bitter. In our next column, we’ll provide some techniques for accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative. If you have a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com.
Library Chitchat Soon it will be time for one of the premier summer activities in Susquehanna County. The 31st Annual Blueberry Festival will be held on the Village Green in Montrose on Friday, August 6, and Saturday, August 7, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Come early and feast at the Festival’s pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. each day. Shop frequently at our huge book sale tent. There are children’s games, baked goods, basket raffles, many items featuring blueberries, and the annual quilt raffle. On Saturday there will be the massed band concert and a white elephant sale. A special treat this year will be horse-drawn wagon rides, on Friday only, on the side streets of Montrose, originating from the Frontier Communications parking lot on Maple Street. For those who enjoy dancing, there will be a Blueberry Barn Dance on Friday, August 6 starting at 6 p.m. at the Montrose VFW, featuring The Hickory Rose Country Band and a barbeque buffet. Reservations can be made by calling Martin Comey at (570) 278-7050. The Blueberry Festival is the signature summer activity of the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association. Monies raised from the Festival and the Barn Dance go to support the Historical Society and County Museum, Main Library and its three branches in Forest City, Hallstead/Great Bend and Susquehanna, and the Outreach Department. Community support is more important than ever in these tough economic times. Mark your calendar and join us in this community celebration.
Rock Doc
What’s Bugging You? No What's Bugging You This Week
Dear Dolly, I asked my Mom for a humming bird feeder as a birthday present this year. My mom helped me make the syrup and we put it up outside the living room window. It took a few days, but now I have a humming bird that comes to visit. My friend came over and said that if we make the syrup red, the humming birds will like it better. Is this true? The directions didn't say anything about red syrup. How do I make it red? -Kyle Dear Kyle, What a great birthday present! Isn't it fun to watch those tiny birds zoom in and get a drink? Years ago we use to think that adding a drop or two of red food coloring to the syrup was the way to attract humming birds. We have since learned that the red syrup is not necessary to attract the birds, and in fact is not as healthy for them. Usually the feeder itself is made of red plastic and this is enough to get the attention of a passing humming bird. You are doing great if you have a visitor after only a few days. Remember to clean the feeder and add fresh syrup every 4 to 5 days, especially when the weather is hot. The syrup spoils after a few days and can make the birds sick. The easy way to do this is to make a batch and keep it in the refrigerator. Only add a half-cup or so to the feeder at a time, after emptying and carefully washing all the feeder parts. All Transcript readers are welcome to submit their questions to Dear Dolly at deardolly570@yahoo.com.
EARTH TALK No Earth Talk This Week
Barnes-Kasson Corner No Barnes-Kasson Corner This Week
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