davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
go SLOW

| A placard ought to be printed in big
black letters and suspended over the
mayors chair in the city council
chamber. 1t should contain but two
words-GO SLOW.
If this is done it is possible that the
members of the city council, when they
are about to vote away a valuable
franchise which belongs to the citi-
zens of Topeka, may notice the placard
and think twice before they act
Topeka is too easy" About the
only thing that is necessary in order
to secure a franchise in Topeka is to
ask for it. If a man should appear
before the council some evening and
ask for a franchise to bottle moon
shine. there is little doubt that he
would get what he wanted, especially
if he were persistent. The members
of the council are kind-hearted men;
they do not want to hurt the feelings
of anyone. Perhaps that is why they
vote away the franchises of the mu-
nicipality with such alacrity.
Other cities have at last come to the
point where they recognize fran
chises as valuable property and they
make the people who secure the con-
cessions pay for them. In the past
has awarded more than one franchise,
but in no instance has any provision
been made by which the people are to
receive any direct emoluments.
The city council may be proceeding
on the general theory that a franchise
is not thing of any especial value to
the city, the only object being to give
it away as quickly as possible. The
city council does not seem to realize
that a franchise is piece of property
which the owners can sell on the mar
ket for a large sum of money. The
city is paying $500, 600 for the water
works, and it is practically admitted
that 100000 of this is for a franchise
which the city gave the seller! If a de-
funct waterworks franchise is worth
100000, a thirty-year electric light
franchise ought to be worth some
thing.
John Wanamaker offered the city
of Philadelphia 100000 for GER
tain franchises which the city was
about to give away, and the offer was
rejected. Perhaps the city council of
Topeka would look with similar scorn
upon an offer of good hard cash for the
proposed electric light franchise, but
nevertheless the city could no doubt
sell this franchise for a big price or in
of a stipulated revenue
on gross receipts. Even Kansas City is
getting a big annual revenue from its
public utilities
go Slow gentlemen.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
THE BURGLAR AND TOPEKA.

The burglar we read about, the one
who goes into a house with mask
valise full of jimmies, screw drivers
glass cutters, skeleton keys and so on,
is not the kind of burglar who operates
in Topeka. The burglar with trim
mings is usually a dead game sport
and confines his operations to some
city where there is an efficient police
force to contend against. The Topeka
burglar has no particular system or
regalia. The persons who opened up
shop and started a midnight collection
agency in Topeka are in all probability
local loafers who never had any par
ticular experience in that line, but re-
alize that all they have to do to get
possession of other peoples property,
is just to beat them staying awake A
long string of burglaries committed
last year were finally traced to a not
very intelligent negro, who is now min
ing state coal.
The police have a poor chance at
catching a burglar in the act. If he
is in uniform, the glare of his star
and buttons gives the night-worker a
good chance to evade him. If he is in
plain clothes and sneaking around the
alleys where he is most liable to find
a burglar, ne SLdnQS du cACSlASIlL
chance of being used as a target by
some excitable citizen. When a house
holder calls the police to tell them that
a burglar is in the house, he usually
makes noise enough in SO doing to
scare the marauder away before the
officers arrive. All this is true enough,
but a burglar would not take chances
if he thought a policeman was within
two or three blocks of the house he
intended to crack. There are not
enough policemen in the residence dis
trict, where robberies are most fire.
quent. Two men cannot be expected
to patrol every street and alley north
of the fair grounds and west of Kan
sas avenue. AS 1t is now burglar can
crawl into house, paw over the con-
tents, take whatever he finds of value,
and go away with a feeling of absolute
safety, which is one of the things an
amateur burglar cares more for than
silver or gold.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
LITTLE MEN as FIGHTERS.

The civilized world has been watching
with interest the contest between Russia
the great and Japan the small. The
unbroken list of victories of the Japa-
nese have been a cause for wonder
and admiration. This apparent master
of the small over the large moves a
Chicago paper to discuss the relative
merits of small men and large men as
fighters.
Lately much has been said as to the
comparative merits of small men and
big men as fighters and in other pur-
suits wherein physical qualifications
are of prime Importance. says this
authority. Many facts have been cited
in support of the theory that small
ness of stature is conducive to high
physical efficiency. The successes won
by the little brown men of Japan
against the burly Russians are in
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
QUICK TRIAL WANTED.

| IFrom the Ottawa Herald
The answer filed by the Topeka State
Journal in the libel actions brought
| against 1t by J. r. Burrow, 1. L. Day
hoff and c. c. Coleman for the pub
| LEGATION of disclosures in reference to
the Comanche county bond purchase
| by the state school fund commission
contains a complete reiteration of the
| charges made in the original article,
alleged to be libelous, the defense rest
ing upon the claim that the charges
are true and substantiated by the rec
ords, and that state officers and can
didateS for state Office are subject to
such criticism as was given. The
publisher of the State Journal says he
is willing to waive all rights for a de-
lay of the case, and that he hopes to
| see the matter set for trial before
election.
This is a wish in which the public
and particularly the voters of the
Republican party-will join. 1t is i'm
pOrtant that the truth of these charges
be known before the voters are called
upon to express themselves on the
candidacy of Messrs. Burrow, Day
hoff and Coleman, and the manner in
which the defense is outlined makes
it possible to have a full review by
the court of the charges made in this
connection, with respect to their
truthfulness. The State Journal reit-
crates its claim that the bonds were
secretly bought and secretly recorded,
and 1t cites the records on file in the
state house to show that the original
issue Of the bonds was accomplished
by one of the most glazing and brazen
frauds known in the history of the
state.
In view of the recorded evidence in
the case and the facts which are not
controverted, it is not probable that
the members of the school fund COM
mission will ever be able to justify
their transaction as a reasonable bust
ness investment. However, as a means
Of clearing up the imputation of actual
fraud. the immediate trial of the case
is both important and necessary, and
it will be expected that both plaintiffs
and defendant will do all in their power
to bring this about
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
MIR. sAPP AND MIR. BURRow.

The Kansas City Journal prints the
following under a Topeka date line:
Chairman SapD of the Democratic
state committee is getting out what he
calls a tract" denouncinS the state
board of equalization for its method
of eQualizing the tax assessment by
counties He declares that the mem
berS of the board lowered the assess
ment in their counties for political
purposes. SaDD was at the state house
today He called upon Secretary of
State Burrow. a member of the equal
ization board. The tax question came
up in the discussion.
ct haven't looked at the records, -
said Burrow, but I'll bet you the
cigars for the crowd here that Smith
county returned its horses. cattle,
hogs, mules, sheep, money and mort
cages at a higher figure than your
county-Cherokee."
"I'll just take that bet said Sapp.
The records were examined. This
Oh,
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
JAYHAWKER JOTs.

Herington has been overrun with
tramps the past week.
The Emporia 'Town Row" is aug
mented by prowling chickens.
Lyon county officials are after the
delinquent poll tax with club.
A White City pastor predicts the end
of the world prior to the year 1000.
A dwarf pear at Horton weighed eigh-
teen ounces. What must full grown
one weigh.
Cottonwood Falls has a ladies' bowl
ing club, and, stranger still. they go
to the alleys. s.-7.-
A saw mill is to be erected at
Hutchinson. The Reno county corn
crop must be pretty rank this fall.
Straw hats have been discarded in
Topeka but the straw vote is begin
ming to appear along Kansas avenue.
Junction City's most popular dancing
club is known as THE Owls These
wise old birds are only active at night
The Abilene curfew sounds at $50
hereafter and the children really
ants.
Cottonwood Falls is elated over the
fact that one of their street cars got
a rapid enough move on itself to run
down a boy on horseback.
Four dentists are to be in Muscotah
next week. They will undoubtedly
have a greater pull with the public than
some expected politicians.
For the first time since 1885 a Smith
county farmer is taking a vacation.
Oats going AZ bushels per acre and corn
some 60 bushels is responsible.
Just as Great Bend was getting in
shape to declare itself prohibition
town along came a resident with a
tale about capturing ten-foot snake.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

stanced as evidence that lack Of inches.
so far from being a detriment, is a
positive advantage.
Undoubtedly the small man has GER
tain things in his favor. He is likely
to be quicker of movement. He has
less weight to carry. He makes a less
conspicuous target and is less of bur-
den to his horse. Admitting all these
things, there are indications that the
theory IS being overworked and that
from an exaggerated appreciation of
mere size as an element In prowess
theorists will go to the extreme of con-
sidering lack of size a characteristic ell
ement of physical efficiency. President
Powell of the Chicago civil service
board, for instance, sees in the Japa-
nese victories a proof that little men
are better fighters than big men and a
reason for modifying the police and fire
department. regulations as to height
and weight. Undoubtedly there are
police who are too big and bulky for
quick work. But it would be difficult to
prove that, other things being equal a
policeman of medium height and
weight is not a more efficient protec
tor of the public than one of small
stature.
dS II1OQeTn firearms nave 0Oi1O
to wipe out disparities in inches and
strength the fact remains that the
worlds most efficient armies are made
up of fairly good sized men. The r.
ish and Scotch regiments of Great Brit
ain average 5 feet 8 inches in length.
The average Spanish soldier is short,
but n Spanish regiment sent against
an equal force of Scotch and Irish in
all probability would be badly defeat
ed. The short Filipinos were driven
back by small bodies of the much tall
er American in nearly every engage
ment. The Japanese themselves put
their tallest men into their crack reg
iments. Their smaller men are organ
lied into the reserves or are set to
driving commissary wagons and per-
forming camp duties.
1t is not size alone but pluck. brains
and athletic condition that count.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

the Omaha, st. Joseph, Des MONIES
and Sioux City teams hope to keep
George Tebeau, the most unpopular
baseball man in the history of the
sport, out of the Western league.
Tebeau plans to add Pueblo and
Victor, Colo, to the four cities men
toned, and in that way have a six
club league in which he will have one
third of the "say-so.''
Rourke, the Omaha magnate, is
fight Tebeau, most givorous1y. So
he called Sioux City. st. Joseph and
day night, and a plan to gather in
Topeka and Joplin from the Valley
league was formulated. Naturally
they supposed that these two Valley
towns would nibble away at the bait
without hesitation, glad of the chance.
But neither Topeka nor Joplin has
been seen wearing out its sole leather
in getting to Omaha and onto
Rourke's coat-tails. The only thing to
do is to let the proposition come in the
regular orthodox way from President
Sexton after the New York meeting
of the National Association of Base
ball leagues, at which time definite
'.belts" will be marked out. Sexton
has given President Shiveley of the
Valley his word that the Western
would keep off Valley territory until
after the New York meeting. That
ought to settle any attempt of Te-
beau, Rorke or Burns to get a West
ern franchise into Topeka, with a
$4,000 price label attached and
marked c. o. d.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
Taking am Advantarn.

One day when all the animals were at
peace the wolf challenged the kangaroo
to a jumping match. The wolf was told
on every hand that he would be defeated,
but he was confident Of victory and in
sisted on going ahead. When the match
came on the kangaroo covered three
times the distance the wolf did. and the
latter was deridsd for his conceit. He
skunk away for time but later he called
a public meeting and said:
Ladies and gentlemen, I don't deny
that was defeated in the jumping match
the otehr day, but what I want to call
your attention to Is the fact that my op-
ponent meanly took advantage of his long
legs to do it.
Moral: Few Of US get a square deal in
this world.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

There is clearly a case of too much
fathsr-in-1aw in West Virginia Sena-
tor Elkins has decided to take no ac-
tive part in the campaign, it is said,
and next Monday a special train will
start out with an all-star cast to cap
ture the electoral vote of West Vir-
ginia. Candidate Davis will be present
at each place and make a few re-
marks The bulk of the oratory and
argument will be furnished by Senator
David B. Hill. Senator Arthur P. Cor
man, Senator John w. Daniels, aided
by local talent. The combination can
be depended upon to draw crowds,
and il hopes to draw votes enough to
carry the state
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

J. Pierpont Morgan, who is reported
to be about to retire from business is
said to have amassed a fortune rang
ing between 800, 900, 900 and $3.50, 900, 900.
While he inherited wealth, he may be
called a self-made man, because the
greater part of his fortune was amass-
ed by himself. His first marked
achievement was when he created a
market for New York Central stock in
London for William H. Vanderbilt 1t
was because of this that Mr.. Wander
bilt presented to him silver plate
worth $4,000. Mr.. Morgan is a director
I'm the following companies: Aetna In
surance company, Carthage and Ad-
irondack railway, Central New England
Railway company, Clearwater and Ra-
quette Lake railroad, Cleveland, Gin
cinnati, Chicago and ST. Louis railroad,
First National bank of the city of New
York. Fulton Chain Railway company,
Fulton Navigation company, General
Electric company, Harlem River and
Portchester railroad, Hartford and Con-
necticut Wetsern Railroad company,
Jersey City and Bayonne Railroad
company, Lake Erie and Western rail-
road, Madison Square Garden company,
Metropolitan Opera and Real Estate
SOHipoAS' 1AOAe@Nh SAiU -dolOhc NAN
road company, National Bank of COM
merce, New England Railroad COM
pany, New Jersey Junction railroad,
New Jersey Shore Line Railroad COM
pany, New York and Harlem Railroad
company. New York and Putnam rail-
road, New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad company, New York
Chicago and ST. Louis Railroad COM
psny, New York, New Haven and
Hortford Railroad company, Niagara
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
LOA tSd6eS .--- -------'
Sapp set 'em up.

The figures given were for last year,
and it will be noticed that the average
assessed value of live stock in Smith
county was just a little advance of that
in Cherokee.
Now what did the state board of
equalization do? Secretary of State
Burrow, it will be remembered. is a
member of the state board of equali-
cation. 1t simply cut the Smith county
valuations in two on all personal
property. On the records Smith coun-
ty got a reduction of SO per cent on
personal property, while Cherokee's
valuation stood the same. Therefore
when the state board got through with
the valuations of the two counties on
the property given in the comparison
was as follows:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
GLOBE SIGHTS

Gold bricks are most common ir
the matrimonial market.
When a man is always "agin'' ev-
erything, everything is always "agin'
him.
Call woman along in years an en-
dearing name, and a warm spot will
be found in her heart long after she
is dead.
The country is pretty enough to
make us think some thoughts, were
we not afriad of initiating Ed. Hoch.
A man with a grievance and a wo-
man with a sympathetic voice make a
combination that often ends at the
altar.
Somehow, every year, when Labor
day comes around. every one wonders
why the housekeepers don't have one
when they can legally take a day off.
When a thief breaks into a cellar
and steals preserves and finds when
he gets home that he got a lot of
wild grape jelly, we claim it is a joke
on him.
E. E. Woods, the painter, recently
painted sign for a monument dealer.
The sign included picture of a monu-
ment, and on the monument Woods
painted his own name.
There is an injustice in it: Chill
dren's primers are printed in big let
ters, and when the children have
grown old, and their eyesight is failing,
they find all their reading in fine type.
The attention of a certain Atchison
woman is called to the Wilkesbarre
woman who was fined SO cents for
swearing in her own home. The Atch-
ison woman should know that gosh
is profane, and the people will not
tolerate it.
1t is related that when a mother in
Atchison died not long ago, her daugh-
ter that night for the first time in her
life, got the supper, and did up the
work. And the girl was seventeeni
Still the mothers last thought was
that she had always done what she
could for her children.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

One thing that was not mentioned
by Mr.. Burrow in making the COM
PARSONS was real estate. Cherokee
county returned its land at 1925 an
acre, while Smith county returned
land at $3.57 per acre. OF course
Cherokee county land is probably
worth more than that in Smith county
but it is not selling for nearly twice
as much, nor anywhere near it. The
Cherokee county valuation was high
er, considering the worth of the land,
than the Smith county valuation, yet
Mr.. Burrow had the state board of
equalization increase the valuation of
Cherokee county real estate per cent,
or to $6.55 an acre, while Smith coun-
ty real estate was not raised, of
course
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.

[From the Chicago Daily News1
A woman would rather be inconsistent
than otherwise.
Relatives have money, but relations are
always poor.
A hustler makes things hum ana an
idler makes them humdrum
o liberty what a lot of divorces are
sought in thy name!
The kind of figures that won't lie are
seldom increased in a tailor-made gown.
A man can't be in two places at once
unless he is an officeholder.
The easy-going cab horse lands more
money than the average race horse.
There are more than 50 makes of type
writers, all of which are the worst-ex-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

The inquiry into the responsibility
for the SIocum disaster. which began
with a great flourish of trumpets, has
ended like nearly all such investiga-
lions do, in the embarrassing of every
body connected with it except a few
members of the crew, who probably
were without friends or influence. 1t
Is a rare case that anybody is pun
ished for criminal careIessne ss.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
LATEST BASEBALL MOVE.

If the effort to get Topeka into the
Western league were prompted by a
genuine spirit to take in the CITY for
the mutual good of all parties con-
cerned, it would be worth consfdera-
ton. But if the root of the matter
is dug up and laid bare, it will be
found that the suggestion that this city
be included in Sections circuit is
nothing more or less than one of the
weapons by which the managers of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

Falls Bra lch railroad, Columbus, Hope
and Greer burg Railroad company, Pa
cific Canle company, Poughkeepsie
Bridge Railroad company, Pullman
company, Raquette Lake Railroad
company, United States Steel corpora
ton. Waikiki Valley Railroad COM
pany West Shore railroad, Western
Union Telegraph company.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.l
Settling down from the honeymoon is
mighty like sooting the chutes.
A man ought to be as afraid of a
girls wink as of a prize fighters upper
cut.
It's astonishing how a white-haired
man always takes to a young blonde
thing.
A woman elects to believe lots of
things she calls anybody else fool for
believing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

The government will ship twenty
doctors to the isthmus of Panama, re-
gardless of the fact that the country
Is being doomed as a health resort by
the federal employees who have gone
down there
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

cept the one you are accustomed to using.
1t is easier to return some umbrellas
than 1t is to pay for recovering them.
Even a first class newspaper " sure to
occupy second place when it comes to en-
tering a postoffice.
An Irish philosopher says the trouble
with a mans best thoughts Is that they
usually remain unthunk
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

Republican papers in the east are
still rejoicing over the return of for
mer Senator PETER to the fold, re-
CARELESS of the fact that he announced
his change of heart more than four
wears ago
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01
Ar THE WORLDS FAIR

Subscribers to the State Jourhai
visiting the Worlds Fair may nave
the paper mailed regularly each oaS
10 any address i'm ST. Louis at the rate
OF thirty cents q month. The last
edition OF the State Journal reaches
ST. Louis the following morning The
paper can be sent care OF the Kansas
building if desired.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

Attention is being called to the
statement that Mississippi has but 20
cents in her treasury. Well, perhaps
she doesn't need any more than that.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

Perhaps it has been noticed that
Chairman Cortelyou is permitting
other people to monopoIize the election
forecasting business.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

That bunting which the Japanese
hung out in anticipation Of the fall of
Port Arthur must be looking faded by
this time.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

Dowie proposes to build an airship-
The first Elijah went up in chariot
of fire.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

So far as reported, the demand for
campaign textbooks has not been so
great as to necessitate the issue of a
second edition
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

The success of the state exposition
held in Topeka last month, probably
is due in some measure to the fact
that there was no spellbinding on the
programme.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-01

The Manchuria campaign has grown
almost as dull and undressing as the
presidential campaign here at home.