The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-29

bolts knocking rods and roofs galley
west.
There is always a great deal q talk
in the public press about the freedom
Of the ballot in this country. T Is
true that most men can 90 and vote
as they please, but they find their can
didates already selected for them. You
must accept those candidates or 60
home without voting. Don't write LETT
ters to the newspapers or make any
doorstep speeches. The primaries, as
we all know, are cut and dried affairs.
The candidates are selected thirty days
in advance.
You only have to travel around the
nearest corner to find men to agree
with you that almost every office
holder in the land Is under suspicious
and that rottenness prevails eyery-
where. Malfeasance and bribery have
become as common as drunkenness
and petty larceny, and ntnety-nins
men out Of every hundred cant talk
about 1t without boiling over. Don't
draw a long breath and raise yell OF
4 "ReforD1i" Electors have become
more suspicious Of "Reformers' than
of the old thieves. You may think
that nursing g. new party into promi-
hence Will cure the evil. but you'll dis
cover that you've got TO change hui
man nature FIRST.
It costs millions and millions Of doll
lars per year to build and support the
county jails IN the United STATES. Most
OF the prisoners are thirty and sixty
day men, sent for wife beating and
! petty larceny They are also asyIuu1a
] for tramps who have become sore
1 footed. You may have the idea that
\ the whipping-post would cure most of
these evils and give that class OF men
a higher respect for the majesty OF the
law, but don't start out 20 preach that
doctrine You'll be cried down az a
barbarian inside OF q week. a naau
may black his wffe'a eyeH, break hzr
nose and kick her IN the ribs. but Il
\ the lash is laid across his shoulders
humanity shudders.
II you borrow money OF q man ard
agree to repay It at certain data and
don't keep your promise, that Is false
pretenses and can be punished under
the law. If you are in the dry goods,
| groceries, hardware, clothing OF shoe
trade you can lie to custonsxs ali day
long and that Is simply conaidered
see the differses bsf ~ e az e
and tWesdledun, but Let s. alone.
Should you be q clerk On salary %
$40 per week and SO far korgsk ez3e
principles instilled into you from boy
hood as to gobble on to S. e31as Is enc
bezzIement and you may go to the pm
itentiary for It. Should you however.
be at the head Of some great coTpoxa.
ton and coolly n1ch from hundred
thousand to half a million you are han
died with gloves all around, and your
eminent and smiling counsel has no
trouble In convincing judge and Sa1y
that the rats ate up the zlaiHsialgs
money and that an affect apology Is
due the defendant for calling him aa,ns
from his dinnef. You may shout from
the housetops, my son, but you can {
change It. The only thing you can q
Is to rise to the came height in tha
world and steal q Ike aznoaht.
The doctor who attends you IN efck-
ness expects you to pay him 100 ceH&t
on the dollar when he sends IA as
BILL and yet there are plaftts- IN fhe
. " ri
scriptions to the druggist who Il
WhackiDg up with them on tbs profzta
The butcher wants his zoe ceats ca
) the dollar, and yet he shovss IN al
the bone he can and makes you pay
the same price as for steak. The gro
= Ger won't pick your pocket. but ms
} wrapping paper that costs him gapen
r cents a pound is weighed Out 70 yoe
at twice and three times the price.
4 Why, my son, one could sit down
with you on a Monday morning and
= talk all the week on the wrongs that
/ ought to be righted, but IL would onls
! ! be a waste Of breath. In tlrnS sorne
r OF them viii be righted, and no one
s can tell just how nor when the move.
= ment began. Others wid last t1rousxn
e the next ten generations. You havs
{ got to take this world just as the ras
! | Of US have had to-not exactly Of
t trust, but for what II Isl Don't 1ooh
for gratitude, and don't expect mucf
i sympathy.
( HAHEET I1S a rev honest men scat
t tered a{ound. but you may never mae
a / with any of them For every one ma
who win give you a fair deal N a horz.
4 trade you'll ind nineteen others WIS
| viii sell you shoes with pasteboax.
y shanks- No one Is soing cut OF 81
j way to speak too well cf you. and &
you can't tell fast co1ors when vou Sc,
( them. you must expect to get cheafet
= more or less
h It's a world IN which ne a-s a.
r plugging along after cur own 1ashiou
e caring little for our neighhor. and q.
t caring less for uzs ana ron must s1r1
t ply take your chances with me orszyt
g and do the best you can CouYxz<sst
I ans Es..-..sl-.