The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-04
FROM OTHER PENS
IRREGULAR STATE LINES.

II the skull Of the average American
were to be cracked open with a mallet
| 9 great big question mark would be
round decorating the cerebrum.
is perpetual inquiry concerning all
manner of things. One curious person
wants to know why the lines between
the states are SO jagged and notched,
when 1t would have been quite as easy
to have made them geometrically per-
feet. In some Of the western states
the counties and townships are laid of
in mathematical sections. Why were
not all of the states, counties and
townships laid OF in the same man
ner?
The reply is that when the country
was so new and ALL surveyors were
few and landowners and governors
were quite Jealous Of their rights and
perquisites. 1t has been asserted that
cows and sheep We're the engineers
that laid or a great many of the pub
lie highways in the older sections of
the country. The animals always, by
instinct, followed along the lines OF
least resistance from one place to an
opened roads where the animals had
made trail. The establishing OF
boundaries was determined on a prin-
ciple similarly simple. generally speak
ing. Where there was natural water
course, or a mountain range, or. a
lished as the dividing line.
Between practically all of the older
states it will be found that the divid-
| ing lines were placed there by nature:
shortest route between points. The
controversies that arose over the crook
ed state lines have become historical
and we still hear echoes of them from
time to time. But the fact seems to
| be that boundaries were first institu-
l xaH
| venient or some governor or land
| owner had stronger pull with the
powers than his neighbor. Meanwhile
at this late day, 1t must be admitted
| that the boundaries fit in quite suugly
together and make up a very decent
| country in which to hve.@Savannah
| News.
A RETURN TO RARRARISM-
| Some weeks ago when the negro
president of Hayti got rid Of num-
Der Of his enemies by summarily drag
| cling them from their homes In the
night and shooting them to death, the
| world at large was horrihed and the
| sentiment was unanimous that Hayt
| was fast relapsing into barbarism. Il
| was pointed out that in no modern
| country, not even in Russia, can people
be summarily executed without tht
forms Of law at least. Bad as was the
exhibition of barbarity by Hayti, thu
1 recent summary e4SCuCuA W 10 pSA
sons suspected of a revolutionary plo
against President Cabrera, OF Guate
mala, was even worse. Whether or no
there was an actual revolution or con
spiracy is an open question. but Presi
dent Cabrera was taking no chances
and accordingly caused the summar.
execution Of the alleged conspirators.
Cabrera, like most Of the Contra
American presidents. is averse to Civ
ing up power, and as the only way t
overthrow him Is, by revolution tn
temptation Is strong for ambitious mel
to foster uprisings- Knowing this. tn
Guatemalan president is taking Pre-
cautions, and wherever he captures
suspect he puts him out OF harms wa;
, Is about time that this barbarous dis
. regard for human life should cease Il
Central America. and that people sus
pected of conspiracy or crime be i'm
| partially tried and the proper punish
/, ment fixed by law should be mete
; out to the eulprits. Such acts as tina
which has recently disgraced Guate
mala should be Impossible In thi
: twsntieth csn&nry.-New Ofhens ssca