The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-07
FROM OTHER PENS
AIRsHIps FOR THE ARMY.

The war department has decided to
! ask congress for-an, appropriation OF
| 100000 to purchase airships suitable
| for the use of the. army and navy. 1t
| will be urged in support of the appro-
| priation that the original appropria-
| ton made to aid the Wright brothers
| in their experim erts made it possible
| for this government in case the
demonstrations were satisfactory, to
have an option on the first really
practicable aeropfane which has yet
been constructed. If the proposed
appropriation is made the signal corps
of the United States may be better
equipped than is the case with any
other army in the world, and the
largest advance in aviation, may be
expected. to be made in this country.
While the navigation of the air is
still in the experimental stage, the
measurable success of the Wrights
appears to establish the fact that the
proper principle has been adopted for
the final triumph, and the army
authorities are naturally anxious to
airships The extent to which air.
ships and balloons may prove of
tested value in military affairs is
problematical. but there can be no
good reason why the United States
should not have the benefit of the first
improvements in this science Of
navigating the air.-Omaha Bee.
STOPPING THE DIVORCE MILLS.
Returns on the referendum relating
to the divorce laws of South Dakota
are highly complimentary to the moral
sense of the state. They show that the
people, by a decisive majority, have
voted to put the divorce mills, which
have made the name of the state by
word out of business.
The amendment to the constitution,
which was aimed at easy divorces,
requires a residence of one year in
the state, instead of six months, as
formerly, and also provides that all
divorce cases shall be heard at a regu-
lar term of court. This provision
wipes out the practice of hearing di-
vorce cases ''in chambers" and de-
stroys the secrecy which enabled APP
plicants to secure divorces without
publicity. The law does not add any
thing to the rights ,of the bonafide
residents of the state. 1t merely takes
the state out of the list of those in.
which colonists could make use of the
local courts to accomplish something
they could not so easily accomplish at
home. Where both parties are resi-
dents the right to sue for 4 divorce
after six months remains.
A report from Chicago shows plans
for urging the legislature of that state
to pass an unusually stringent divorce
law which contains many provisions
that will appeal.-Omaha Bee.
woRKINGMEN AND PROTECTION
Labor in the United states is intelli-
gent, and understands the tariff ques-
tion pretty well. 1t has reason to, for
the working of the protective tariff
idea and the working of Democratic
ariff-for-revenue-on idea have both
been exemplified in practice in COM
paratively recent years.
There was a time when it was easy
to get the laborer into line for tariff re-
duction by addressing him as a con-
sumner and telling him he was paying
too much for every tariff-protected
article he mightp ind it necessary to
buy. The notion that he could cut
down greatly on his living expenses II
there were no tariff caught him in 1892,
and the experience through which he
went between then and 1897 he has not
forgotten.
Cheap commodities are out of reach |
to the man who is without money and
cannot procure employment. Heretofore |
in the history Of the United States |
nearly. every period and all times of I'M |
usual activity in business and Industry /
have been times of protective tariff
Observation-Disclosures wisconsin.