davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
SAFEGUARDING MINERS.

Measures before the Legislature
which seek to protect the lives of the
miners in Kansas are worthy OF the
most careful consideration. Leg1sla-
ton to this end is undoubtedly needed
in view of the alarming frequency with
which mine disasters are occurring
throughout the country. In fact this
Is a subject which should have been
attended to before but that makes it
all the more pressing now.
It is a difficult subject to deal with
for the causes of many of the most
serious explosions and fires in mines
are good deal of mystery just as
many of them are the result of care
lessness on the part of miners and
their employers Investigations have
already been undertaken by the fed
eraI government on an extensive scale
to ascertain the causes of variety of
disaster bearing accidents in mines
and also for discovering means to
make mines as safe as possible. 1t
would be most desirable to have the
results of these Investigations at hand
before legislation is INDUCED in on the
subject But that is hardly feasible
at the present time, as it is problemat-
ical just when these Investigations
will be concluded. When they are,
and if they bring forth the fruit that
is expected of them, state legislatures
can take the matter in a most intel
ligent fashion and pass legislation that
will be adequate.
In the meantime, however, it is
probably most desirable for the Kan
saS legislature to enact such leg1sla-
ton as will better the conditions un-
der which the miners now have to
work. There are many ways in which
this can be done and the steps taken
in this direction will be in the nature
of throwing certain safeguards around
the miners in their work. In the bills
already presented to the legislature on
the subject there is much which is
good and a proper consideration of
their many features ought to result
in the framing of a law that will be
as effectua1 as one could be under the
present circumstances. 1t can be made
stronger and better in the future when
the government experts have reported
on their Investigations of mine disas-
tiers and have made their suggestions
for the prevention of them.
In drafting this legislation, though,
care should be taken that it is not
made so drastic in certain particulars
that it will work hardship on the OPP
orators of mines. Their interests
must be looked after, but subordinat-
ed of course to such legislation as is
really needed to benefit the conditions
under which the miners are forced to
work
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Usually, there is too much talk on
both sides of a question.
Among the unfortunate folks are
those whose laughs have a hollow
sound to them.
It's the wise doctor who waits until
his patient is strong enough to stand a
shock before sending in his bill.
X X
There's a good deal of talk about
marriage being a game of chance but
as matter of fact married life is just
what a couple make it.
X X
Some girls are probably quite right
in saying they don't use rats in their
hair. Such a designation of the things
they do use would not convey a proper
idea of their size.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
IFrorn the Chicago News.l

[F'rom the Chicago News.1
The handsome show girl naturally has
the best show.
A matchless cigar may be lighted in
some other manner.
A woman is surprised when the I'M
expected fails to happen.
OF course, people wear eyeglasses for
the looks of the thing.
Most of the things people tell you
are of no earthly benefit.
If a man doesn't enjoy his work the
job won't please the boss.
The back yard of many a brown
stone front looks like junk shop.
Even a married man may be happy
if he let's his wife have her own way.
And some people seem to derive lot
of satisfaction from being misunder-
stood
It's awfully hard for woman to
manage her house to the satisfaction
of the hired girl.
A mans wife is never as proud of
him as his mother was the day he wore
his first short dress
If a good makeup was the only thing
necessary to success. nearly every wo-
man would be great actress.
A magazine writer says that poverty
is blessing in disguise Well, the dis
guise is so perfect that but few Of US
are able to see through 1t.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

mitted that states have the right of
regulating railroad rates and the only
question is as to whether they go to
such point that the rates they declare
for are confiscatory. This was also
pointed out emphatica11y and clearly
by Mr.. Hadley And his reference, to
the railroad officials as efficient wit
nesses'' is a point well taken.
The great trouble over the question
of the equity of a two cent fare law
is the fact that the railroad officials
lie, their legislatures and their courts
with different arrays of figures on the
same subject for different occasions.
Attention has been called in these col
umns before to the fact that when
two cent fare laws were Under dis
cussion before the legislatures in this
section of the country within the past
two years, the railroads presented one
argument that such laws were really
unnecessary because as a matter of
fact, counting in special and excur-
sion rates. the actual average passen-
ger rate was approximately two cents
mile. They presented figures to this
effect. And the railroads made no
wall at that time that they were losing
money on, their passenger business at
those figures. But now in this specific
case before the Missouri courts promi-
nent railroad officials took the stand
and declared that passenger rate in
this section of the country should be
2.99 cents per mile, at least, on local
business. if it was to be remunerative.
1t is this disparity in the testimony of
railroad officials when they become
witnesses that befogs the situation.
70 1oa
every exigency that arises, even if the
figures on the same proposition have
to be different to suit different occa-
sions.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
QUAKER MEDITATToNs.

lFrom the Philadelphia Record1
Money also helps the man who helms
himself.
Many a fellow who is crooked takes
his whisky straight
When a mans toes turn in. Is bis foo.
apt to go asleep?
Don't wait for opportunity to knock
Have the door open.
Would you consider a man polished
just because he casts reflections?
woman with a large foot can al
ways wear small shoe when If Gomez
to a pinch.
The coal dealer can make things
warm for you, especially IL You don't
pay your bills.
A man can read a woman's face and
if she is wrinkled he can read between
the lines.
When a girl thinks she has a swan
like neck she is apt to make a goose of
herself over it.
Blobbs-''BloobIood says trade is vul-
gar" Slobbs-'I suppose that's the
reason he never pays his bills"
When a fellow and a girl are photo
graphed together it is reasonable to
suppose that they are quite taken with
each other.
Mrs. Brown-''Does your husband aver
use profane language?" Mrs. Black
mo, but he's going to buy an automo-
bile next month"
Wigg-"Biggins' wife insists upon
buying his cigars for him." Wagg-
''HorribleY' Wigg-'Yes, she BUYS
them to match his stockings and neck
ties.''
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
WooING.

When the grasshopper went to the ant
He adopted a lachrymose tone,
And requested the latter to grant
A small loan,
And the ant, with a welcoming smile,
Said: You haven't been round here for
ages.
I imagined you had quite a pile
Pray, where are your last summers
wageS?
Then the grasshopper promised the ant:
I will surely repay you next spring.
ana the ant sadly murmured: Il can't
Do a thing.
am struggling myself: for my coal
All the surplus I've boarded engages.
Still, l thought that you'd saved up a
roll.
Pray. where are your last summers
wages?'
Said the grasshopper then to the ant:
ASK the tceman, who called every day.
For his chunks, that were awfully scant,
I'd to pay
This is not quite the fable, It's true,
That We read in the story-book's pages,
But it shows what the most of US do
With the money that's paid US for
! wages.
Chicago News.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
JAYHAWKER JOTS

Every man." says Governor
Stubs, fought to read his Bible, his
ballot and his newspaper without as
sistance." To this sentiment the
Is one thing more which every man
should read, 1.-The fine print in the
agents contract"
A society spree at Emporia: A
crowd of Normal people went to Nor
NAL field last night and played a
moonlight game of fox and geese. The
park has been closed and there was
not track in the whole field so it
was in excellent condition. The boys
and girls stayed out until their feet
went to the home of one of their num-
Der and spent the remainder of the
evening in eating candy.
H. d. Lee, the Salina merchant and
banker, was once in the oil business
with John D. Rockefeller. and. says
that the head of the Standard Oil is
one of the best and fairest men he has
ever met AS everyone in Kansas has
great admiration for Mr.. Lee, this
statement may tend to head off any
legislation which might be introduced
in the Kansas legislature calculated to
hurt Mr.. Rockefeller's business or his
feelings, says the Wichita Eagle.
The foolish pilgrim feels despair
and rends his clothes and tears his
hair, when earthly things seem on the
| bum; the wise man sheds no useless
tears; it's all the same in fifty years;
and so he takes things as they come
The foolish pilgrim meets reverse and
then sits up all night to curse, and
make the English language hum; the
wise man sees the clouds today but
knows that they will blow away, and
SO he takes things as they come. The
foolish pilgrim seldom sings, but to
his home discomfort brings, and sits
around morose and glum; the wise
man sits beside the hearth and yeIls
as though he owned the earth, and
| always takes things as they come
Walt Mason in the Emporia Gazette.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

islative halls of lobbyists and an equal
ly verbose discussion on the part OF
the members of the house concerning
the purchase of new desks, chairs and
furnishings. This reads like the be-
ginning of every story of legislature
Lots of valuable time is lost at the
start and then when the finish comes
measures are damned through with
out the consideration that is due them.
But the prospects are that things Will
be a little different this year, even
though something of a bad start has
been made.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
GLOBE SIGHTS.
[From the Atchison Globe

lFrom the Atchison Globe.1
The LATEST people we ever knew had
the most faith and hope.
Every man is a sinner in his thoughts
when he thinks of love.
1t is said of every other married wo-
man that she has thrown herself
away" on man.
The bright men" who imagine they
must be always saying something cute,
weary US good deal
You seldom meet a Snowman who
doesn't act as superior as a church
member acts when among sinners.
The cold stormy nights are here,
when young men must wish they were
old, and married, and had no girls to
go and see.
At the sight of a young man of good
manners and means, large and lux
uriant crop of hope Springs up in ev-
cry girls heart.
So many people are having opera
one of the questions Saint Peter will
ask will be, Are you all here?"
| A sensible man thoroughly despises
| a compliment 1t always precedes a
request for favor. and is the old
hackneyed way of getting a man in
condition to work him.
Suppose a tree is going to fall: Will
some of the High foreheads explain
why in it's falling it always brushes
the man with small income and large
! family, the one most needed among the
number of men at its base?
/ There is a sort of a person who al
ways pretends to be more glad to see
you than he CASUALLY she) really is.
Such people please your vanity for a
moment, until you discover they are
not sincere: that they act particularly
glad to see every one, as means OF
becoming popular, or exerting inf1u-
ence.
| When a man dies. people usually say,
| What Was THAT all the money he
had2" A man is never worth as much
as people say he is. People like to say
a man is rich, and a miser, and that he
sneaks into his cellar digs up his
gold, and gloats over it. The people are
mighty mean to each other.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
RAILROAD RATES.

Illuminating, indeed, were the argu-
ments presented last week to the fed
eral court sitting in Missouri in the
railroad rate cases pending before it.
While these cases are local to that
state they are of general importance
because the decision in them, particu-
larly on the question as to the equity
of a two cents a mile passenger rate,
will establish something of a precedent
for the determination of similar
propositions in other neighboring
states where conditions of practically
the same character prevail.
Governor Hadley, who was attorney
general of Missouri when these cases
were instituted, made the chief argu-
ment for the state and the principal
arguments for the railroads were given
by Gardiner Lathrop, general solicitor
of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe
Railway company. Each of their eff
forts were brilliant achievements but
they hinged more on the theories of
the equity of the laws in question than
on the facts as to whether or not a
two cent fare might be classed as an
unremunerative rate. Mr.. Gardiner
attacked that feature of the Missouri
law which exempts railroad companies
having a mileage of less than 5 miles
from its provisions on the ground that
this was an arbitrary provision which
made the statute unconstitutional. He
asserted that the evidence which had
been previously taken in the case
showed that a two cent fare law was
confscatory as to all the roads in the
state. He insisted that Legislative
rates chiseled down to the point of
confiscation, in the face of higher
wages and increased cost of material,
and requiring the Intervention of the
courts to prevent their enforcement,
are not in the interest of the shipping
and travelling public. What the peo-
pie want and ought to have is safe and
efficient and constantly improving
service. Before the railroads can fur
nish this, they must be allowed to
charge remunerative rates.
No honest individual who has the
interest and the development of his
country at heart-and this means
prosperous and money making rail-
roads-can well disagree with this
| argument of the premises on which
Mr.. Lathrop made them are correct.
But are they? Mr.. Hadley expressed
an opinion and argument to the con-
trary. IF the railroads would stop
issuing passes" said Governor Had
| leNs anu against those
| who are best able to pay as against
| those who are least able to do so, they
could easily comply with the two cent
| law. If in ten years with an increase
o passenger traffic of approximately
| 100 per cent and an increase in equip
ment and mileage of but % per cent
| the railroads are not abundantly able
to comply with these laws, reducing
/ freight and passenger rates, then they
| have demonstrated that they are not
nearly so efficient as operators as they
are as Witnesses
But these arguments hardly touch
the real question at issue as to whether
or not a two cent a mile rate is q
reasonable one. AS Mr.. Hadley point
| ed out this is question of fact and
I not of the theory of law. It is adj
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

The fines of $3.50 each which were
assessed by Mr.. Urmy, the police
Judge. against two negroes who had
been found guilty of operating policy
game, are styled as being big ones. -
But no fine could be too big or pun
ishment too severe to impose on the
proprietors of policy shop. If there
is one form of gambling that is
more despicable and demoralizing than
another it is policy. It is a game that
draws the nickels and the dimes from
the pockets that can least afford to
lose them.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
A Pleasant Prison.

The prison at Cettinje, Montenegro,
has been described as surely the most
extraordinary one in existence. 1t pre-
sents little to indicate that it is place
of confinement, there being apparently
nothing between the prisoners and alb
solute liberty. There are no outer pris-
on walls, and in the cells the men
about eight or ten to each-are as con-
tentedly and comfortably housed as
their own personal domestic belongings
can make them. Moreover, they are
generously fed, and cigarettes without
stint, wine occasionally. and no work
at all combine to check any desire to
escape more effectually than would
strong walls, iron bars, and an army
of jailers. But it is said that, while
criminals are pampered, political prison
ers are treated a la Russo with excess
sive severity.-London Globe.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

The federal senate has voted to ma
terially increase the pay of the circuit
and district court judges. Most law
yers would be satisfied to earn a
yearly stipend that would equal what
the pay of these judges has BEEN
$1,000 and $4,000 respectively
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

A New York man committed suicide
recently for a no better reason than
that he believed in the DR.. Osler
theory that a mans usefulness is
ended when he attains the age of sixty
years. Any man who feels that way
is probably better out of the world
than in it, but the idea is such fool
ish one that it has not even been prac-
ticed by the famous physician who
rrniected it.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

The celebration of the Chinese New
Year was concluded on Saturday after
three days of festivities among these
celestiaIs wherever any number of
them is congregated in any portion of
the world. During this period these
''heathens'' pay up all their debts and
start the new year with a clean finan-
ciaI slate This is a custom which
might well be emulated by other peo-
pie who are accredited with being
more civilized
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

So Herman Billik the Chicagoan
who was convicted of an atroclous
murder, is not to be hanged after all.
The governor of Illinois has commut-
ed his sentence to that of life I'M
prisonment 1t will be in order soon
to ask for his absolute pardon. Sure
" is the path of the murderer of these
DAYS one of roses and sunshine.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

Mr.. Jeffries, prize fighter, will ap-
pear to be lacking in reason if he does
not accept one of the offers of a purse
of $4,000 or 100000 for fight be-
tween him and Johnson, the negro.
Many a man would be glad to take
beating to within a half-inch of his
life for the losers end of purse of
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

News of the pleasant sort is found
in the fact that the spring primaries
to be held for the nomination of can
didates for city offices will be quiet
because there will not be many con-
tests Too much in the way of excit-
ing politics is a great deal better than
not enough, and as a matter of fact it
does not take much of this sort of &C
tiyity to be enough.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

Rather incredible does it appear
that after all the agitation that has
been going on of late years concern
ing fraud in the transactions over pub
lie lands. the secretary of the in
terror has been able to unearth during
the last two years frauds in dealings
in public lands which are worth
$11O,0OO,00O. Congress is confronted
with the duty of appropriating the
money necessary to bring to justice
the land thieves. 1t is a stern public
necessity regardless of the expense in
VOWED
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
Probably the fiscal officials of Texas

Probably the fiscal officials of Texas
will not worry much because the
Waters-Pierce Oil company proposes
to pay its fine of $1,623,O0O, which
has been assessed against. it by the
courts of the Lone Star state, in silver
dollars. This may be piece of petty
spite on the part of the oil company
but the money will look just as good
to Texas if it should come along in
the shape of one cent pieces.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELoR
[From the New Work Press

IHroIn the New Work Press
Like money, people borrow courtesy
and seldom pay it back
There's nothing makes a man so
brave as to be facing a worse coward
The trouble with the money You give
people for charity is it brings them
right back for more.
The thing that makes every woman
believe in heredity is all the beauty the
children got from her.
The man who knows what a hand
some beard he could grow Is the one
who wears a smooth face
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25
ADJUSTMENTS.

he eagerly ran to her.
Eyes, Jim. I love you" and in the
embrace that followed disappeared the
artifcialities of troublesome philo-
sophies in the depth of an emotion
primitive and elementa1.-(Copy-
righted, 1909. by Associated Literary
Press.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

Tt is being suggested that when New
Mexico is admitted to the union of
states it take the name of Lincoln"
This is a good idea and would be a fit
ting memorial of one of the greatest
men in history
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

1t is hard to figure out how
Gompers, Mitchell and Morrison. the
labor leaders. who have been SEN
fenced to Jail for contempt of court
can gain anything by continuation
of their criticisms of the court Whlch
innnosed the sentences on them.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-25

Two weeks of the legislative session
have gone by so far and the net re-
suit has been the passage of bills ap-
propriating money to provide the
members and the employees of both
houses with pay, an endless amount
o4 talk on legislation to purge the leg