The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-31
FRON OTHER PENS
A WISE DECISION.


Being an incurable paranoiac, it is
necessary for the public safety that
Thaw spend the remainder OF his lie
under close restraint. E1xperience VIII
similar cases teaches that. If released,
he would In all probability attempt TO
commit or actually fcommit. hoInfcidaI
acts. The known wealth of the prison
er's family will, If they choose to use II
enable them to make further il1-advised
attempts to secure his release. Law
yers may be found to aid them al
though after Judge N1ills's finding, ana
the incurable nature Of ThaW's menta!
n1aIady being we'll understood, 1T would
seem that reluctance to become an ac-
cessory before the fact of the mans
next homicide might damp professional
enthusiasm for fees in such an under
taking.
AS a wise safeguard against contin-
gencies of that nature, however, the
state should cause transcript or the
stenographfc record of the proceed
inc before Justice Mills to be deposited
at Matteawan as al part of the Thaw
casebook. In any future hearing this
record evidence could be introduced,
thus obviating the necessity of re-
stirring of the nauseous mess. rms
community would be very glad to know
that it had heard the last of the Thaw
case.-New York Times
A GREAT SOLDIER.
Lord Kitchener has been made field
marshal of the English army, and 1t Il
a title we'll earned by service IN the
field as we'll as on the staff. The career
Of this man associates the word
strength In the contemplation of his
character. We look on him as stern
and implacable, the incarnation or that
quality we call WILL and of all the great
captains of history he resembles
F'arnese most. AT the same time ne Is
something like Monk.
kitchener appears to be the fncarna-
ton of organization. He is OF the scnool
of Moltke. not OF Napole9n; OF OF M A,asIris
He could not have made the campaign
of Montrose in the Scotch Hlghlanos'
but he would have been better conf
mander than Cromwell at Marston
Moor or at Naseby. He Is something
like Give in that success appears 10
have him for favorite, and the Amerl-
can soldier with whom he can pc
easiest and best compared IS George II
Thomas. the one federal commander OF
our big war who never lost battle.
Thomas would not take orders from
Stanton at the war office in Washing.
ton, and hence he gained the DaItles oL
Franklin and Nashville. Kitchener
would not take orders from the war OF.
fee in London. and hence he conquered
in the Washington POST.
TO HELP MAI, soRTERs.
If the Belgian postal authorities base
their recommendation for the use OF
different colored envelopes to signify
given destination leIIeNS PuI
the Belgian mails, upon known Will
ingness on the part of the people to co
operate with the government in SIM
plifying the transmission OF postal mat
ter then a splendid spirit Of oneness OF
interest must exist in the little country.
For the United States to suggest any
such thing would be apt to be looked
Ipon by American citizens as an I'M
warranted interference with their
rights and liberties. And yet on the
practical side there IS good. common
sense in the Belgian suggestion. the
postal department would like to have
the people use for all letters intended
for Brussels red envelope; for those
Intended for other parts of Belgium
yellow envelopes; and for all foreign
mail green envelopes. From the aes-
thetic standpoint red, yellow and green
envelopes may seem an offense; but for
the sorting clerks in the postoft1ce they
would serve admirably in saving time
ard eyesiSht, procIaming on sight the
sort of attention they required. The
Belgian people would get the benefit in
the prompter distribution of the do
nestle mail and probably there could
be some saving in the employment of
postal assistance. To the outsider there
is something very pretty in the thought
or every letter writer doing his share
to facilitate the handling of the mail
New Bedford standard