The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-20
RELATIVES, A CALAMITY.
FROM OTHER PENS
! LIrroRAL DEFENSE CORPS.

thought that the time may have ar
rived for the creation of littoral de-
Tense corps as a. distinct branch of
the military establishment. The
strength of the movement TO exclude
the marines from naval vessels and
confine their function to the guarding
of navy yards and bases seems to have
become apparent even to the marines
themselves. The Tribune's Washing
ton bureau reports that the commits
stoned personnel of the marine corps
seriously contemplates asking con-
gress to transfer the entire corps to
the army, with the hope of finding
there more congenial surroundings.
General Murray, chief of artillery, af-
ter an extended inspection of the
coast defenses, announces the neces-
sity of an additional force to guard
1.-The back doors" of the modern for
tif1cations and those portions of the
coast beyond the reach of the fortified
ordnance.
The amalgamation of the marine
and coast defense corps in a 1ittoral
defense corps might solve all the diff
f1cuIties. The marines under such an
arrangement would retain sufficient
mobility to enable them to guard ma
val bases, the rear approaches to the
Notifications and unfortified portions
of the littoral, while practically the
entire supervision of that important
branch of defense could be confined
to single head of the newly created
corps, who in turn could be made re-
sponsible to either the secretary of
the navy or the secretary of war. as
circumstances might dictate.-New
York Tribune.
METCHNIKOFF"S MIRACLE.
Two years ago Professor Metchnikor.
the director of the Pasteur Institute in
Paris, promulgated his famous theory
that diet of sour milk would check
the ravages of old age. Since then he
has made additional researches result
ing, we are told. in additional discov-
cries Of intestimable value. In a word,
the professor is now satisfied that he
has discovered the cause Of death and
the means Of retarding it. thus solving
the problem of longevity. While his
specific is still a secret, it is known that
he proceeds on the principle that death
is due to the formation of putrefactive
bacteria in the large intestine and that
for this process a corrective is within
reach. The presumption Is that inocu-
lation is the method to be pursued.
When man reaches his prime, instead
of being permitted to take the down
grade, he will simply visit laboratory,
receive vitalizing injection and re-
main, to all intents and purposes, i'm
mortal. The promise so extended is so
delightful that scepticism seems inyidi-
Gus. Yet how many of US are there
who, even on such impeachable au-
thority as that of Professor Metchni-
koff, will nurse the golden dream Of
physical Immortality? Both Christian
teaching and the teachings of Nature
herself point the other way.-Pittsburg
Chronicle Telegraph.
OVERCOMING EVIL.
We often hear 1t said: You must
fight the devil with fire." He will peat
you at it every time. This is his imple-
ment. He is used to it: and it makes
him laugh when he finds a man COM
ing at him with his own favorite
weapon.
The last clause of that noble chapter,
the 18th of Romans, is Overcome evil
with good" That is the right doctrine.
If you want to see the devil flee Just
come at MIN with that. Don't look at
this as a little rosy sentiment, meant
for girls in white frocks IN the Sunday
school It Is a fact as stupendous as
an earthquake. 1t is a moral law that
reaches human life as gravitation
reaches the stars. -
The only way for e. true man to act is
to practice the virtues, the amenities,
the generosities Of life These are the
weapons that conquer In the very
nature of things, without them. every
victory is a defeat. If it were not SO.
the devil would reign instead of God;
and to the extent they are not, the
devil does reixu--047iO State Journal