The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-22
KANSAS COAAENT
THE HAPPrEsT MAN

The HAPPlES1 MAN
]. w. Gossard, of Chicago, claims to
be the happiest man in the world.
He is wealthy manufacturer. In
his younger days he was travelling
salesman, and came into contact with
all sorts and conditions of men, and
his experience convinced him that
the good predominated in human ma
ture. He holds that there Is no man
so low down that he hasn't his re-
deeming qualities
Mr.. Gossard doesn't confine his ac-
tlvltles to preaching. moralizing'
and giving advice however; he car
ries with him at all times and seasons
a liberal supply of money, and when
he hndS member of the Down and
Out club, he gives his substance free
ly. He doesn't wait for the Down
and Cutters to hunt him up and tell
sickening tale of hard luck. He hunts
them out, and buys them meals and
raiment, and gives them money, and
sees that they get job, If they want
one. A few days ago he rounded up
and ran them through a bath house,
and gave them some small change.
He often lends money to hoboes.
and takes their promissory notes;
and he says that the majority of
them pay him back: he has had thou
them.
He claims that hundreds of ex-
hoboes are now good industrious
citizens, because he enabled them to
get start in the right direction.
And so Mr.. Gossard claims to be
fully, but as one who really enjoys
doing good. His claim rs probably
too strong, for be is not the only
man who finds, happiness in helping
others. But the thought underlying
his claim is just; for there is no
hanninaSa n hot
pares with the happiness of the kind
ly man, who has faith in his fellow
men, and is willing at all times to
help some worn and weary brother,
pulling hard against the stream. -
Emporia Gazette.
TIME TO START RIGHT.
The efforts made in Kansas on the
line of tree planting have never been
scientific or well designed. They have
been the response to the call of the
heart for green and growth and shade.
They have been followed by hard work
which was not lessened by knowledge
of conditions, and they have won in
scattering way simply because of the
energy of the planters and the natural
productiveness of the soil Most of the
trees were set out by the rules of
back east" and most of them died
because there were certain ground
rules for the game necessary in Kan
sas. The national government and the
state have recognized the propriety of
help with advice and experiment, but
the efforts have usually f1zzled out with
an appropriation to be spent and no
record made public Of the results.
In spite of this blind advance the
prairies of central Kansas are dotted
with groves and rows of trees, suffic-
lent to show what could be done if the
government took a strong hand in the
work as is done in other counties
IT
milton as a tree country. The same
trees, planted the same way, will not
grow in the short grass region as in
central or eastern Kansas, and that
fact had to be learned by experience.
Now by experiment and investigation
trees are being, found in other lands
with like conditions. or are being de-
veleped themselves by a process of ac-
climation that are a surprise to the
settler himself. There is not county
in Kansas where trees viii not grow,
where timber groves cannot be accrued,
provided only that the right kind of
trees are planted and are given rea-
sonable care.
Mr.. Pinchot and his national depart
ment of forestry are doing a great
work in other states. They are now
taking notice of Kansas. The state
should give the cooperation that is
due every effort of the nation to help
the resources of that state. The peo-
pie who want trees and that takes in
all of us, should demand careful and
scientific instruction as to trees and
methods and then vigorous and effec-
tive efforts for results. The way to
make Kansas a forest state is neither
a hard nor an unpleasant one to tread.
The only trouble has been to get point
ed in the right direction and now is
the time to make the start with the
second wind that has come from years
of Observation-Disclosures News.
III -NAAn nzrrrn nrarr III