The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-13
Where Ignorance is Bliss.
Secretary of State Bush has received
the following letter from AtchisOn:


Secretary of State Bush has received
the following letter from Atchison:
AtchiSOn, Kan, July II, 1898
From real authority have been told
that you have granted certificates to
sell liquor when signed by four or five
names of citizens. Now my dear sir
if true, is this fair? We now have a
mayor who is not only perfectly will
ing to close all drinking places on the
Sabbath but does do so. In the future
If you are urged to grant such certifi-
Gates will you please submit them first
to our council or at least to the mayor.
When these men sell six full days dur
ing the week can they not afford to let
up on the Sabbath? Very kindly,
J. LANDON COUNTERMINE
Secretary of State Bush replied to the
minister and quoted the law governing
the issuance of charters. He said that
nothing of the kind spoken of in the
letter had ever been issued from the
office and that a charter is no protec-
ton when the people who took out the
charter are violating law. Continuing
he said:
If five or more citizens of Atchison
form corporation it must be for legiti-
mate purposes or their charter will not
be filed in this office; If after securing
their charter they engage in liquor SELL
ing or any other iuegitimate business
their charter is no more protection to
them than a teachers certificate would
be to him should he engage in the same
business.
Your mayor, city attorney and coun-
ty attorney understand these facts
fully and if any joint or saloon is by
your officers allowed to run on the plea
that a charter or any other paper issued
by any department of this state, pro-
teCt such violations OF the law, then
said officers are knowingly attempting
to deceive you and the people.
I have written you thus fully that
you may not again be deceived by such
real good authority as that referred
to in your letter. w e. BUSH,
Secretary of State.
An Agreeable Surprise.
Miss Agnes Granger of Webb Nc
Nails office and Miss Alice Heartburg
of the treasurer's office planned a neat
little surprise on the office employees
which they cleverly executed. They
bought a quantity of lemons and sugar
and while the office employees were
busy they emptied the water filter and
refilIed it with excellent lemonade.
No one suspected what they were do
ing and they left the filter looking as
harmless as it did before they went in.
Charley Hogue of the treasurer office
was the first one whose thirst drove him
to the water filter. He drew a cup of
what he supposed was water, took a
sin and then exclaimed, some one has
been drin king lemonade with this cup"
and emptied it. A litter from behind
+ba door notified him that he was the
victim of a joke and he helped himself
To the lemonade after he had recovered
from his surprise. One by one the Of
fee employees drank from the magic
fountain and then the people from the
other offices began to flock in. The
drinking fountain was the most popular
Mace in the state house until the last
6r0n of lemonade had been drained.
Miss Granger and Miss Heartburg
were given a vote of thanks for their
generous missionary work.
A Fruit Pest.
q. c. Lavender. an Atchison fruit tree
dealer. came to Topeka Tuesday to
complain to Secretary Barnes of the
state horticultural society about an
insect that is damaging young fruit
trees. He brought a dozen young trees
with him Secretary Barnes found the
trees badly infected with root aphis, a