The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-22
FAMILIAR FACES.
Continued from Page One.)


to be the Kansas way now. And yet,
/ had a misgiving that Mr.. White
would think the time had come for
ending the suspense; or, as one might
say, of putting all concerned out of
their misery. However, he instantly
grasped the situation, and dealt with
1t in most statesmanlike manner.
His advice was that 1 should dodge"
which was in exact accordance with
my own wishes and intention. Not
even waiting for the mails, he tele-
graphed: why not talk about the old
familiar faces?" Ali that was hint.
Indeed. why not? Cannot these hard
questions wait for few minutes? 1t
will be all the same in a hundred
years. And so, gentlemen, 1 shall not
assume the oracuIar habit which is
yours upon the editorial page. And
yet, 1t is so alluring that tremble
for fear 1 shall be tempted to point
out the same true solution of every
thing-as I could if would-thus
leaving Kansas newspapers without
any reasonable excuse for another is
sue. And, besides, if we are going to
be honest with each other, it is GER
tain that upon all really great SUBJ
jects one man knows about as much
as any other. And that is precisely
the present situation in Kansas-and
in some other places. Whatever may
come to this generation, it can not be
cdiO lHdt II Ildu any QOuDL OIL us own
knowledge, for, apparently 1t has a
greater supply of knowledge than of
anything else. knowledge is nimble
while wisdom is slow of foot. 1t is
the rapid, alert man-in other words,
the smart man-who is the winner of
races, If they be short ones. A
philosopher who had the gift of ut
tering profound aphorisms once said:
There are two kinds of wise men
wise and unwise." wonder whether
It Is fortunate or unfortunate that at
nrst glance they can not be dis
tinguished? AS we move along in the
journey of life, there is more or less
crowdfng, and some unpleasant jost-
ling between the elect and the un-
elect. but yet, in some way-probably
not arranged by conscious fore
knowledge-mosto Of us manage to get
better place in the road than we
used to have; that is to say, better
than we were born to, and perhaps
better than we deserve. And this is
true of rich and poor alike; true of
the learned and the unlearneG; true
of Kansas and true of all states 1
plant my faith, not with the optimist
that everything is going well; nor yet
with the pessimfst that everything is
going Ill; but I do count with implicit
confidence upon the great average
wisdom; that wisdom which works
almost automatically, and has always
builded better than 1t knew, and will
continue to build better than it
knows. The intrinsic forces of COM
munities, states and nations working
under impulsionS, not seen, but felt in
the very currents of their lives are
co-workers to the same great end. If
could give you any message worth
thinking about, it would be this:
Build on the average wisdom, which
IS the judgment that comes by the
process of natural selection. 1t is the
great law that takes note of every
thing, and clings to the fittest
These are the days when everybody
knows everything. We do not guess,
or surmise, or conjecture, but if we
would be in the fashion. declare that
we are absolutely certain. OF course,
that Is the end of discussion. for when
one knows, he knows-maybe.
1t was not to US, but to others, per-
haps not very different from US. that
people, and wisdom shall die with
you" And then, in a high and just
disdain, he added: But I have un-
derstanding as well as you; 1 am not
INFERIOR to you; yea who knoweth not
challenge of a great soul to the ever
lasting platitudes of the men who
know it all. And it is about as tire
some now as it was then. I believe it
Is generally conclusive. for Job had
been reversed and overruled a thous-
and times by the shallow prattle OF
this world, and so has everybody who
has ever spoken wisely. 1t is the last
verdict that counts, and what that will
be, nobody knows.
II dared be satirical, 1 might sug-
gest that when the ultimate truth
which was the wisdom of Job, is really
found, 1t will not be far from here and
not a great distance from the ever
lasting now. Editors are gifted above
other men. and Kansas editors above
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