The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-02
KANSAS COAMENT
HE FOUND THE PoLE AND LOST
THE United STA mEc,

HE FOUND THE POLE AND LOST
TEE UNITED STATES.
Inc aIutude of the public toward
the rival explorers, Cook and Peary,
is easily understood and is nerfectiv
naturaI. Inc public is for Cook, and
COMMANDER Peary will receive very
little applause from the big audience.
Inns Is NOT because DR.. Cooks discov-
cry anteoated Peary's by a year of
time. Men. have been irving ITO dis
cover the pole since the seventeenth
century-so the years time is of no
0DJect. Inc public was ready to give
Peary lost the pubIic bv his mean
spirited attack on Cook. The Ameri-
can pubic has profound sense and a
PerIect understanding of what is good
taste. commander Peary deliberately
robbed himself of the pubIic's svn1-
pathy and interest by Violating the
rules or conduct which the public sets
up Tor pubic men. None of these rules
are prlnted nor have they ever been
ser Iortn IN words, but they exist in
violates them is eyerlastingIv Tnfor-
tunate. Peary may have found the
pole, but he lost the United States.
Wichita Beacon.
o
WESTERN DRESS.
Omaha newspapers are making fun
OF Omaha as a result of President
Taft's visit there last week It was a
very sweIl-elegant banquet, at $40 a
plate. But, as a full dress affair. it
didn't make much of a hit. one man
wore his Spike-tail coat white waist
coat, and all the rest of it pretty well,
except that he adorned his bosom with
large gold studs. Another full dress
costume was marred by a black tie
tnat should have been white Some
wore dinner Jackets, and even gray
broke into the sacred circle,
ana Omaha papers are sad or mad.
But they really shouldn't feel SO bad.
II the west isn't as careful Of its per-
sonal attire as Fifth avenue, or even
pennsylvania avenue, it Is a great
deal better dressed than 1t was when
some OF Its citizens got their first
dress suits as aid from the Eastern
discard. New countries as a rule, are
too busy to make fashions. that being
left for more effete lands. And even |
q fashion is broken occasionally, |
the West doesn't care, and neither |
does the president; it is votes he is |
interested in.-Atchison Globe.
INDIVIDUAL EXTRAvAGANCE.
The problem of 1.-The cost of living"
nently before the public just now, is |
generally considered merely as having |
to the greed Of the trusts |
and the oppression of those who have
.hings to sell. But as matter of fact,
n addition to the outside influences
If which we complain, we are in
1ivtdually open to the charge of
vastefulness and extravagance Mr..
.. s. Eakin, as quoted yesterday in
he Register, touched upon the
'wasteful' side of our habits. A wri-
er in the Technical World Magazine /
las compiled figures showing that we
annually. as nation, expend $685.
100000 for luxuries. These include
ravel, liquors yachts, theatres, to-
'acco. jewelry, etc. What right has
people to complain of the "cost of
living" that wastes tens of millions
from negligence or care
essness; wastes natural resources,
wastes human life; wastes food,
wastes property in fire losses. And
which at the same time spends 10
Millions a year for automobiles. 358
Millions for tobacco, $40 millions for
liquor, 100 millions for candy and 20
Millions for ammunition. Compared
With other nations we are about as
with our dollars as five [
children.-Io1a Register.