The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-20
FROM OTHER PENS
THE FIFTH WHEEL.

Senator Beveridge thinks that the
vice president is ''the fifth wheel in
our government This implies that he
is useless except and until the emer
gency happens by which he ceases to
be vice president and becomes president
of the United States. This Is happily in
frequent and the vice president remains
an office of dignity without Importance.
If unimpo1ta nt men are made vice
president, that office does not make
them important nor make their names
long remembered after they are out of
office. John Adams. the first vice
president. despised the office and most
of the stronger men who have filed
this Office have shared this feeling. Mr..
Sherman finds that his high Office does
not serve always to identify him, and
his satisfaction in the place is marred
when introduced as the vice president
he finds himself addressed by some
forgetful citizen as Mr.. Fairbanks.
Congress has imposed few duties
on the vice president. in addition to
those prescribed by the constitution.
He is regent of the Smithsonian In
stitution and is empowered to make a
few appointments. His duty Of pre-
siding in the senate without voting
excepting in case of a tie is very
light and Senator Beverage thinks it
would add to his Importance and dig
nifty If he were empowered to appoint
the committees of the senate. There
is no doubt of this. Such a power
would make him the real president of
the senate and a man of power
Philadelphia Press.
NICARAGUA AND JAPAN.
The t-r-ruth at last. Zelaya is go
ing to 'sic" Japan on the United
States. The Japanese are to be given
concession for the construction of
the Nicaragua canal. Not only that,
but Don Jose is going to destroy the
~ wants him
Looks as if we should have to fight
this thing out alone. England is
watching Germany. and may not be
diverted. Frances navy has just
been declared to be in deplorable
condition Of inefficiency and unpre-
paredness. Austria and Spain have
just begun to law down their Dread
thoughts and might look coldly on us
in the hour of our need, while
Mexico is much stronger on chile con
Just what Montenegro is doing we
don't recollect. but we see no help
there. We stand in splendid isolation.
No-hardly that. We shall have a
good strong ally In Panama. Panama
has no navy. but she is long. on moral
There is much in this. as Wilkins
Micawber, Esq, long ago observed
And we may remark. if only to keep
up our courage, that Japan is at a
QlSdQFdHtdS6 COIIlpdT Gu with
in this respect.-St Louis Republican.
THE VALUE OF GENIALITY.
The preacher said there is no place in
heaven for sour people; nor is there
really any place on earth; but there are
some people who too often insist upon
occupying such a place. They wouldn't
if they knew how little they were liked
A person may show sorrow and feel the
pressure Of a gloom upon his heart; but
to be sour, Grabbed, III natured. is to
express a phase of disposition that is
extremely distasteful, if not disgusting
To be sour is to find fault with every
body except oneself It is the worst side
Of egotism. 1t is being mad at the
world. Nobody enjoys being that way
1t is Furnishing oneself in order to evoke
/ sympathy but it never works Nobody
cares for a sour person. One feels
| more like kicking him If it were Lawful
| to do so.
The opposite of this spleenful condi-
| ton of soul is sweetness of disposition
"a kindly temper turned toward the
world. Such a disposition is worth .
/ ton of gold. man can do more bust
| ness with it, make more friends, create
more happiness and insure happier
homes than he can with almost any
other grace. The genial man is always
welcome He is like a flower, streal
| Of sunshine, the song Of bird-he il
l in harmony with the beauty and JOY O.
all things.-Ohio State Journal