The Ligonier, PA "Echo" issue of 31 May 1893

Old-time Recollections, No. LXXII

Mr. Editor. -- Your interesting paper claims to be independent on politics that is to discuss good or bad of either party and with your leave in my closing summary of history, will glance over politics from my earliest remembrance to the present time -- 1803 back to 1880. Early in thirties General Jackson being President very arbitrarily ruling was assumed that created destruction of the United States Bank that badly unsettled money matters for many years and now and for a few past years is money on a solid basis. During part of this time no gold or silver was handled as current change but note or paper issues by many counties from notes less than 35 down to 6 1/4 cents all being the bulk and the size of a $5 bill and as you traveled on the highway you had to put off small notes for the county. I have a large pocket book yet used in those days to have notes spread out full size and carried inside breast coat pocket.

There was great depression in general prosperity of the country when General Harrison was elected president in 1840 and from that day to the war opened 1861 the different parties had control and since then 33 years have only two terms fell into the hands and ruling of the Democrats. The present being totally in their power to rule and great fear of ruinous change of the tariff now existing affording such great prosperity of U.S. to branches of industry. On this subject, as well as slavery, now disposed, free whiskey etc., have been the distinctive doctrines all along between the Democrats and once Whig and now Republican parties. It seems plain surely if we wish our country to be prosperous, we should have a protective tariff to favor our laboring class, against starvation prices in foreign lands. It is delusive in political thought to say without a Tariff we can purchase manufacturies in foreign countries, cheaper than at home and thus close our immense industries in the iron, steel, coking and many other of our home manufacturies. This we might do and fail in having a home market for our immense population in consuming the wonderfully amount of home produce of all kinds. The discovery of Gold and silver in our recently obtained country on the shores of the Pacific ocean and the immense working of this base of all money enterprises was a great advantage to the political parties. However as we reflect back 63 years it is readily noticed the political wisdom honesty and sound discretion of the other than the Democratic party were the most prosperous in the political ruling of our great and happy country.

I must yet notice two noted families I was forgetting, the Knupp family that came from Somerset county and settled on a large farm once owned by a Parks on the Ross furnace road adjoining old gent John Ogden's land. The farm was completely gone to wreck concerning the buildings and fences, a tumbledown and grown up with all manner of bramble and scrub oak brush. They were fine working men and soon rid it out and finely improved it with fine new buildings and fences until it had first-class appearance. I don't remember the number of boys. I was only acquainted with John who bought a farm of Judge Young, of Greensburg, near my father's, and settled on it in the woods soon after being married and cleared it out and improved with outbuildings. Then sold to Jos. Menoher and moved down near his father's homestead and purchased and finely improved a farm there from a thick woods, where he is now living in good circumstances.

The Abraham Overholt's family of Mt. Pleasant country was once the center of an immense business and market for all produce of the prosperous farming around Mt. Pleasant, in running one of the largest distilleries of the country, at which quite a village of all brick houses sprang up, called Overton. When the old gent died over 30 years ago there was a very large estate to be divided among six or seven sons and two or three daughters, much of it not possessed now, and only two sons living. The place long since turned in the coking business by grandsons. The great coke operator H.C. Frick, also being a grandson, and who was so nearly being assassinated lately.

If you will bear with me I will yet take a flight over my medical career. First I will say I never refused or neglected a call in doing all necessary for rich or poor. I never charged a preacher a bill, nor got a present, nor expected one. I think this was the rule with all my brothers, as well as old gent Dr. E.P. Emerson and Dr. Steward, our preceptors. In many cases in my experience I have met with the following principles with any amount of those I did much for in medical practice:

SICK.

"Name, oh doctor, name your fee;

Ask, I'll pay whate'er it be.

Skill like yours, I know, comes high;

Only do not let me die.

Get me only out of this and I

Will cash it instantly."

CONVALESCENT.

"Cut it! oh doctor, cut that bill!

Cut it, or not a dime from me.

I am not a millionaire;

Cut it -- I'll do whate'er is square,

Only make a bill that's fair

And I will settle presently."

WELL.

"Book, oh doctor, book your fee!

Charge -- I'll pay it futurely

When the crops are all by laid,

When every other bill is paid,

Oh, when of death again afraid,

I'll pay it -- grudgingly."

ANOTHER.

"The devil got sick, the devil a saint would be;

The devil got well, and devil a saint was he."

A NEIGHBOR