The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-08-18
FROM OTHER PENS
MURDER AND ARSON AT SPRING
FIELD

MURDER AND ARSON AT SPRING
FIELD.
Nobody should be deceived into
thinking for an instant that there
was justification for the furious out
break of the Springfield mob, which
went about killing and burning last
night like a pack of savages or mani
acs. Investigation will show that its
leading spirits were saloon loafers and
other worthless and dangerous charac-
tiers. The useful citizen respects law
and demands that all members of his
community be protected from outrage
through the enforcement of law. 1t
is the enemy Of good order who takes
advantage of popular indignation over
some shocking crime to get up a riot
and kill and burn to crafty his grudge
against society In general.
Two recent crimes committed by me-
groes in Springfield were of a nature
to indicate that evil men Of the col
ored race were growing extraordinarily
bold in performing acts of lawlessness.
Clearly. therefore, it was in order for
the citizens to make an irresistible de-
mand that vile resorts be closed and
bad characters either arrested and i'm
prisoned or driven out of town. The
mob, however, chose to make bad
matter worse by preparing to lynch
the two negroes, who were in Jail
awaiting trial for their crimes. The
sheriff having escaped from the city
with the prisoners. by a ruse, the mob
proceeded to wreak vengeance upon a
citizen who had aided in depriving it
of it's prey. Having thus secured a
taste of the criminality for which it
hungered, it began wildly destroying
the property of negroes and taking ne
gro lives.
Gov. Deneen has acted promptly in
calling a large force of militia to
Springfield, the local police and mill
tiamen having shown themselves al
most powerless in the grip of the mob.
Energetic measures should be adopted
now to secure the punishment OF the
mob leaders. Any plea to the effect
that they acted for the public good
would be ridiculous on its face.
The moral of the murderous out
break should not escape the attention
of the authorities of any city. EVIL
resorts where bad characters. white
or black, are harbored provide rally
ing places and schools of instruction
for criminals and rioters. Springfield
notorious dives and disorderly houses
have bred the crime which now causes
the city to cover, frightened and
ashamed. behind the guns of the mill
tiamen.
r. is an old lesson which other mobs
have taught in other cities In times
past Any public administrator
which temporizes with vice IN the
form of open and notorious disorder
1y resorts is breeding criminals and
training murderous mobs which only
wait their opportunity to preak OUT
and defy the law with loren ana Duh
Iet.-Chicago News.
NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING BEST.
Arather striking demonstration OF the
supreme value of newspaper aoverts-
ing over all other kinds IS gwen oy tne
bureau of navigation, which spent last
year $4,000 in advertising Tor re-
cruits for the navy. 1t was determined
to spend a similar sum this year, put
before letting the contracts the Du.
ream thought 1t advisable to hnd out
where it had received the best returns
for it's money. An Investigation show.
ed that all magazine and periodical
advertising produced from one-fourtn
to one-sixteenth the return in enlisted
men the daily newspaper a a;rH ~ dd
vertising was that under help want
ed" BY using the daily newspapers
the bureau of navigation got recruits
at an advertising cost Of $3.50 each, as
against SIS to SIS each through the
medium OF certain magazines ano
There is in this investigation by the
bureau of navigation and its results
most striking lesson for commerce and
profits on being known OF the people
It is obvious why the newspaper offers
SO much more profitable field than
any other medium. Part OF the people
may read this magazine, part may
read that. but in this day and age
practically the entire population Of the
country reads the daily newspaper,
and goes to it for advice ana neip.
We merely cite this case OF the bu-
reau of navigation, which hereafter
will advertise in the daily newspapers
for the sailors it needs. as modern
instance pointing anew the old and
tried moral: ut pay to adveytise--
Washington Herald.