The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-11
FROA OTHER PENS
BREACH OF PROMISE.

Suits for breach of promise to
marry will lose their popularity in this
neighborhood If many more Of them
end-as many more of them well
might-in the summary indictment OF
the plaintiff for perjury and her swift
transportation from the witness STAND
to a cell in the Tombs-
OF course, not all of these suits are
brought without legal excuse. and
rarely, indeed, even in those where
conspiracy to extort money Is most
obvious, need any sympathy be wasted
on the defendant, but in the very best
and decentest of them, when the &C
cusers can make a real showing OF in
nocence beguiled and commence De-
trayed such litigation is In every way
obnoxious and disgusting. and the wo-
man who sues invariably conv1ctS her
self of lacking the elements of self re-
spect There are some wrongs that
can not be confessed without what for
a woman should be an intoelrable hu-
initiation, and to demand damages
for them indicates an astounding cal
lousness.
That women apparently of some In
telligence and of spotless lives have
occasionally brought suits of this
character can only be explained in one
of two ways-either the consuming
rage of "a woman scorned" has oblit-
Grated every though except that OF
revenge. or the curious indifference to
creating scenes" in public which al
most all women show in some degree
has prevented realization of the
mingled derision and contempt with
which such litigants are invariably re-
garded by all, whatever may be the
theoretical merits of the case" IN
some instances. The second explana-
ton probably Is oftener the true one.
Men are at least as frequently as
women victims of breach of promise
to marry; but, with exceptions so in
numerous as to be negligible, they DO
not sue for damages when thus wrong
ed but are only too glad to go quietly
about their business, and, by saying
nothing about their discontinue, to
escape the inevitable laughter of their
friends and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES York
Times.
OUR EVERYDAY PESTS.
The experience of New Jersey in its
effort to rid itself of mosquitoes is in
structive. First, the state under the
direction of it's entomologist spent
100000 in a three-year invasion OF
the birthplaces of the mosquitoes to
such good effect that localities former
~ plagued by them found themselves
relieved of the pest. But it Is now
heard that the mosquitoes have re-
turned in their former numbers, and
some people claim that the measures
against them were a failure. The
state authorities, however, explain that
local governments permitted bitches
that had been dug to fill up. The
breeding places of the mosquitoes are
no longer drained and the fishes that
feed on the larvae can no longer swim
up and devour their prey.
In other words. eternal vigilance is
the price of liberty from mosquitoes.
and municipalities which will not
keep up the work to prevent their
breeding must accept the bites and the
consequential ailments from them.
The way to get rid of flies is not so
plainly indicated; since the only rem
edy recommended in the literature
preaching a sanitary war on the flies
is to screen the houses The people
have been doing that for many years
without discouraging the activities OF
the flies, which circumvent the
screens. And for the determination of
the rat, so warmly recommended and
so universally desired, the means OF
doing it are longed and hoped for.
Which causes a suggestion to the
producers of pamphlets on these vital
subjects. While the portrayals Of the
dangers to humanity from the preva-
lence of rats, flies and mosquitoes
arouse wonder that the human race
survives no one is Directing to their
determination. That will be carried
by unanimous consent The need.
therefore, is not literature informing
the public that these familiar forms
of life are pests. What is wanted Is to
teach the public how to wipe them
off the face of the earth.-Ptttsburg
DISPATCH.