davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
GOOD ROADS AND FARMING.

In these times when Back to the
Farm" is the slogan that is being
sounded nationwide by discerning
economists who see in such action the
| one solution of reducing the price
of foodstuffs by increasing their yields
materially, there is one proposition
which is going to play an important
factor. It is nothing other than good
roads.
The relation these things bear to
each other was pointed out the other
day before congressional committee
by Mr.. Knox, secretary of state, when
he was seeking an appropriation to
permit this country tc participate in
a permanent association of. road con-
crosses. an international affair. Mr..
Knox believes that the congestion in
great cities is caused in large part in
this land by the lack of good roads.
He pointed out that the reason that
France was the best agricultural
country in the world was because she
had had good roads so long. And
there can be little doubt that this
point was we'll made by Mr.. Knox.
France leads the world agricultur-
ally, not in the aggregate size of its
land that is available for farming pur-
poses, but in the great yield that is
secured in vegetables, fruit and also
grain from small acreages. Intensive
and scientific farming has reached it's
highest level in France. Within the
vicinity of the great city of Paris are
plots of ground, called farms, which
the western farmer in this country
would look upon as something like a
back yard. But on these small pieces
of land, with a constant and incessant
rotation of crops, keeping the land in
live and active condition through
the use of manure and other fertilizer
and keeping it under cultivation dur
ing the greater period of each year,
incomes are derived that would COM
pare more than favorably with the
many incomes produced by a Kansas
farm of 80 acres and even larger.
Such farms are scattered all over
France and not the least reason for
their remunerative productiveness is
the fact that the French farmers are
able to get their products to market
at minimum of expense, because of
the excellent roads that they have
the advantage of using.
With, equally good roads in the ag-
ricultural sections of the United
States similarly excellent conditions
might be developed. Certainly good
roads that would make access be-
tween farms and their neighboring
cities easy during all seasons of the
years, would make farm life more at
tractive in a variety of ways as we'll as
making it more remunerative. And
there would seem to have been al
most enough talk on this good roads
propositions Everybody appears con-
WINGED of the crying need for them.
Action in this particular is the thing
that is needed now.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
SHOULD GIVE UP OFFICES.

A question has been raised in some
quarters as to the right of the COM
mission form of government, which it
is proposed to install here in the
spring. to supplant the present mayor
and other city officials whose tenure of
office would have another year to run
under ordinary circumstances. 1t is
commended by some of the legal lights,
for example, that if Mayor Green
should fail in his candidacy for the
mayoralty at the election necessary to
start the commission system of gov
eminent, he would have a perfect
right to continue on in office as mayor
of Topeka until the term for which he
was elected expired. The same con-
tentions are made for other city Off
Gals including six of the councilmen
whose terms of Office still have a year
to run. This is a question for the
courts to decide, of course, but as a
general proposition no retroactive leg
islation can be enacted or enforced,
and the curtailing of the term of office
of any elected official would come
within that scope.
1t is scarcely possible that Mayor
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
QUAKER MEDrrAT1oNs.

TFrom the Philadelphia Recordl
One good bluff deserves another
Woman's cause is usually because.
Fortunate is the man who is right
at least half the time.
The income of the plumber demon
strates that cold expands.
Some people are never so happy as
when they have bad news to tell.
Eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty, and it is constantly going up
If half of our good intentions are
carried out we are doing pretty well.
Some of US have more confidence in
each other than we have in ourselves.
The inventor has never been born
who could patent scheme for making
both ends meet.
Some men are kept so busy boasting
of what they are going to do that they
have no time to do anything.
Doctor-You want to take a drink
before each meal. Patient-That's
where you're dead wrong, Doc I
want to take six. but daren't''
Blobbs-This musicale is a charity
affair for the benefit of the poor.
Slobbs- I don't see just where the
poor come in. Blobbs-Well, they
don't have to be present.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
FORTUNES AND TAXES.

There is nothing farther from the
mark than attempting to show up a
mans wealth by his tax assessment
list. If we only had the rule which
prevails regarding real estate that a
man must list whatever he possesses,
there might be some sense in the con-
illusions that come from studies of the
lists. But as things are such deduc-
lions are simply curiosities. A man
may own several millions of property
and still not have enough taxable per-
sonal property to signify-his watch
and clothes and similar belongings. If
SO be that the property he holds does
itself pay the taxes, then he is not as
sessed on it. He is no tax-dodger. His
account with society is squared accord
ing to law, but the sensationalists get
hold of the two facts, his great wealth
and his small list, and begin to howl
about evasion and the wicked ways of
the tax-dodgers. It is to be noted that.
if we had an income tax, there would
be no ground for this sort of talk. The
citizen would make out his income list
and deduct from this whatever was
exempted, such as the revenue from
government bonds, and pay his tax on
the balance. Meanwhile the demagog-
ish talk about big fortunes and little
tax lists will continue. It takes
Hartford Courant.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
Iron the Chicago News

lFrom the Chicago News.1
No man is free who lacks self con-
troll.
Even the temperate compositor fire.
uuently sets 'em up.
The disgrace of poverty lies in the
inconvenience thereof.
A man seldom compares himself
with others to his own disadvantage.
He who throws money away gives
other people employment picking II up.
mans wife should be his partner
but occasionally she's the whole
firm.
All girls are pretty during court
ship, but the story often ends with
their marriage.
A child may get everything he
wants, but the average man is lucky
If he gets anything he wants.
After a man has paid out Sc for
music lessons. he thinks his daughter
is competent to play for company.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
GLOBE SIGHTS.
rFrom the Atchison Globe.l

From the Atch1Son GiODel
There are the makings in every wom-
an of pretty good Nemesis
/ There goes a smart man. man
said recently. HE never offers his
opinion"
If the women had to be paid for their
work every church social would result
in at least 500 loss.
A terrible lot Of the affection worn-
an shows for her husband consists in
looking for hairs on his coat.
Women ought to amount to more
than men. Think Of the time men lose
in having their hair cut and getting
shaved.
No woman likes her husband well
enough to die for him, as long as she
refers to her Homework as "s-la-v-
cry"
There is always something wrong: II
a man ate as little as the health au-
thorities say he should. his wife would
worry herself to death.
Don't wander around expecting to
find place as nice as the real estate
man tells you about; just being good Is
your only hope for that.
A man may lightly dodge some re-
sponsibility on the ground that he II
not his brothers keeper but he has to
deal more seriously with his wife's kin.
A mans kiss shortly after marriage
is good deal like the peck q hen
gives a grain Of corn, and 1t Is only q
few months when it is more like q
hens peck at a pebble.
Some men have such an exaggerated
notion of their own Importance they
think they should be promoted fast
enough for their salary to keep up with
the increased cost of living.
"Of course we intend to give up
meat" said Mrs. Lysander John APP
p1eton addressing the Uplift and Look
Out club; 1--WE like the gravy better any
way, and hereafter will have that In
stead"
An Atchison girl, who recently re-
turned from the east, says she got as
near heaven while there as she ever
expects to get. She was given money
to buy three shirtwaists at once, and
was turned into a room three blocks
long, full of them.
In every crowd there is always some
one who is red-headed, lazy, has been
Tilted, who owes money, who has been
divorced. or who has peculiar religious
views, or who has arts. This is so true
that a man can't abuse any vice with
out hurting some one. If a man should
begin now and write until Christmas,
he could not exhaust the reasons why
he should keep his mouth shut
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
HUM0R OF THE Day

Il have always been able to paddle my
automobile to piecese"-PittsbuTg Post.
Couple of fine. girls. amt. they? One
OF OF EN- mis- Is q fine singer. and the other one
tragedy in your home. The one who sings
thinks she can cook and the one who
cooks thinks she can sing."-CIeveland
Leader.
"stopi I am an agent for the. Society
and see you are driving q horse which
dentially) -Hist! Tn boss is all right
passenger wot pays by the hour.-Tit-
Mr.. Figg-Gasser says he kept perfect
" cool last night when r, that burglar get
toiG e me- She found him tying to i hide i In
the Observation-Disclosures Transcript.
forget all he learned at college? Park-I
hope so. don't see how he can earn q
living playing games.-Lippincotts
DO you always keep a7s;m mil ABOUT
Washington Herald.
Mother-Johnny, if you don't behave I
think it would be more womanly to use
indirect influence?-New York Sun.
81 wished to keep my engagement secret:
That's ali right. Nobody believes what he
says -Fliegende Blaetter.
ooh, she's awful Whenever she tries
to sing a song she simply murders it"
But that's not the worst of It; IL she'd
only murder it outright. I wouldn't mind.
but she fortunes 1t so long.
Standard and Times.
1--WE don't hear any more about the
Balkan States scrapping." II understand
the Balkan States have been officially
notified that they will have to put up a
forfeit before getting any more free adj
vertising. Washington Herald.
but did fortune never knock at your
door?" probably "Aha And you
didn't answer it?'' me? OF course not
What do you think the servants are for?"
Cleveland Leader.
Bender says his wife is a fragrant vio-
lator of the Constitution" Flow soy"
HE says she is continually depriving him
of the right of free speech and the pursuit
of life, liberty and happiness. Judge.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
JOURNAL ENTRIES

Charity not only frequently begins at
home but /. ends there.
X x y
None but the brave may deserve the
fair but others get many Of them.
It is safe to say that there are as
many different cures for colds float
ing around as there are colds.
*
A woman who is changeable in doing
her hair another way every month or so
really hasn't much force of character.
X x y
Fish is said to be an excellent brain
food, and there is also no doubt about
the finny tribe developing the imagina-
tive faculty greatly.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
THE HIGH COST OF LIVING.

Statesmen, economists and thinkers
of every school are offering theories
to account for the increased cost of
living. A careful perusal of these var
ious and sundry theories leads the
reader to conclude that he has as good
guess coming as any of them.
One theory is that gold is more plen-
tiful and its purchasing power has
decreased.
Another is that the population is in
creasing faster than raw material is
produced and that demand exceeds
the supply.
One asserts that people are more
prosperous as a whole and that they
eat, dress and shelter themselves more
extravagantly than ever before, and
as each seeks the best. the second
best is sold for the best at best prices.
Another point to the waste that
takes place, declaring truthfully that
the average family wastes enough to
support poor family as it used to live.
The politicians point to the tarin, to
trusts, to extravagance on the part
of the other party, their own being
above reproach in this respect.
You can take your choice or have a
theory of your own. The one certain
thing is that food. fuel. clothing and
shelter are deer enough to justify all
these reason and then some.-Wichita
Beacon.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

and that conductors must refund fares
to men who give up their seats to wom-
en-. has been responsible for an cpl
denic of gallantry that was scarcely
dreamed of. stand up and save your
fare is the slogan of the men of Tren-
ton and hundreds of them who were
never known before to give up their
seats to women have suddenly develop
ed the Alphonse-G CASTOR trait to an I'M
usual degree. There's no denying it,
man is a peculiar creature.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR
[From the New York Press.l

[From the New York Press.]
The biggest bore is the man whom
everything bores.
We can have ideals in abundance till
we get chance to carry them out.
All you have to do to make foolish
words seem sensible Is to put them Ia
a song.
The only kind act one type of man
ever does to his wife is to let her he
come his widow.
An engaged couple get So excited
after they are married - -
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

ham, '.I shall marry Margaret. Maybe
we are q pair OF fools. but we are going
to try living for humanity shall
practice among the poor"
Dunhan stared. then dropped his
hands on the others shoulders "Old
fellow. he said. and his voice deepened
and broke, .'old fellow. last night you
said you We're a man who had failed,
but we would all court failure for q
future ike that-of love and service and
happiness with Margaret Dare
copyrighted. 1910 by Associated Lit
erary Press.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

The activity which is now being in
dulged in by explorers in planning ex-
petitions to the South Pole, and the
rumpuses that are likely to follow their
efforts If two of them should happen TO
be successful, suggests that the people
generally ought to be particularly we'll
pleased that there are no such things
as East and West Poles.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Another evidence of the general
prosperity among Kansans is to be
found in the fact that trips to Europe
are becoming popular with them and
are being INDUCED in quite extensively.
And such trips cost real money, and
take up lots Of time, another thing of
great value
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Fred S. Jackson, the states attorney
general, told a Nebraska audience the
other night that either President Taft
and the next congress must do the
peoples Will or Theodore Roosevelt
and another congress will accomplish
IL. Perhaps. But the great trouble is
in getting a congressional end of the
game that will work with any presi-
dent in doing the peoples will
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Presumably If the tail of the Derake
comet, which has been visible of late in
the western heavens, were a foot or two
longer than 100000 miles the astrono-
ners would not have failed to mention
that fact
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

It's about time that congress got busy
and fixed UP the public land laws of
this country and its territories, Alaska
in particular. Reports from Washing
ton are to the effect that coal lands
worth over $1O.OoO,oOo have been filched
from the public domain in the past
EIGHT wears
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

"Just a school," is the characterized
ton of the conference of governors
which seems to appeal to them. 1t
must be school of teachers, then, for
that Is what every governor considers
himself. If this statement is doubted,
ask the members of a legislature in
NM ufoko
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
KANSAS COMNENT
THE GOOD WoRKMAN.

An Emporia man is doing a job that
mas Kept him busy for several weeks,
and that will keep him busy for sew
eral weeks more. 1t is a job involving
manual Skill He learned his trade
in the old country and learned it
Wen. He begins work every day when
II Is light enough to see, and quits
Wnen It is too dark. During those
nouIs OF employment he never wastes
q minute; he is never in a hurry; as
steady as cIockwork he goes along, and
every motion counts.
ne accomplshes more in an hour
IMAM the fussy man would do in two
hours; he is remarkably methodical;
Wnen ne wants tool. he knows just
Wnere 10 lay his hand on it, while the
Iussy man is always hunting for things
ne mas mislaid. He is never puzzled
as te+What to do next; he has that all
planned out in advance; his work is
done according to a system that he
learned When he was a young man. He
lever argues or gosSips, and If he wants
10 tell how the government might be
improved he waits until after supper,
" men he Is smoking his evening pipe.
Many people drop in where he is
working during the course of week,
ana they all speak of his skill and
industry. Everything that he does is
wen done; nothing sloppy or botched
leaves his hands: if he is merely driv-
ing nail, he drives it the right way
AS consequence, people VINO want SIM
liar work done are trying to engage his
services. He has Profitable work at
hand for months to come. and will al
ways have profitable work, for every
thing that he does is an advertisement
for him, and every man who employs
him is his reference.
Such a man is an object lesson, and
should be an inspiration. There is
nothing better or more honorable in
this world than to do ones work well,
whether that work is digging bitches
or arguing to a jury.-Emporia Gazette.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

After the eyes have been strained
until they ache and finally a blur has
been located in the heavens in the ap-
proximate position in which the as
tronomers insist that a comet is frisk-
ing around, what has been accom-
pIished9
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Experts declare that the taxes in To-
peka are really lower than they are in
other cities, Of like size in various Sec
tions of the country. This calls for a
little sympathy for those other cities.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Pension officials have discovered rec
ords showing that one old soldier on
the rolls has died three times. Presum-
ably that will entitle his widow to three
different pensions
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Society in Baltimore, Nd, seems to
be getting on the same plane-high or
low, according to ones fancies-that
has been reached by the elite of New
port, r. I. A dinner was given in
Baltimore not long ago in honor of the
eleventh birthday of dog and the
animal was presented with a diamond
studded collar of the value of $4,000.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Eggs are to be 30 cents a dozen by
February 1. There is no prospect,
though, OF drop in the price of ham,
and eggs without ham OF bacon are
only good for angel-food.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Senator Bristow is indicated again
"a suit against him to recover $4,000
damages for alleged libel has been dis
missed because Of the death Of the
r,IaintifY
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Here's another big feather in the cap
of the Stubs administration The 1egis-
Ia&ive reference library created by 1t is
proving great success.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

President Taft's suggestion to that
august assemblage, known more IA
miliarly as the United States senate,
to get busy with some needed legisla-
ton and the redemption of the pledges
Of the Republican party is to the point.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Mayor Green suggests that the heat
TO be generated at the garbage disposal
plant should be conserved and utilized.
That's a good idea but the taking of
immediate steps for the erection of this
plant win be a better one.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

An ordinance passed recently by
the city council of Trenton, N. j., pro-
viding that all persons who cannot get
soats in trolley cars need not pay fares
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Secretary Ballinger's retort to his
critics, which he delivered the other
night at Williamstown, Mass, was a
warm one but it was made UP in the
main Of ''glittering generalities."
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Mr.. Anthony has called Mr.. McNeal
a "demagogue." Does that square up
the bathroom business?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
AN EARLY HERO OF 1910.

When the roll of American heroes
of 1910 is made up truth and justice,
require that place near the top shall
be awarded to the name of Frank g.
Gentes, of East Orange, N. ]. The
man himself is dead. but his name sur
wives and deserves to be perpetuated
as that of one who died hoping that
his experience might help to mitigate
the sufferings of humanity.
Mr.. GenteS was a victim of cancer,
and when told that his case was hope
less he expressed his willingness that
the authorities of the hospital where
he was under treatment should make
tests on his tissues to determine the
curative powers Of radium. He had
no decisions concerning himself, but
submitted to the tests merely with the
desire that the treatment might dis
close something to science that would
soften the agony and perhaps save the
lives of others. He died without know
ing whether that desire was realized
or defeated: but the manly sympathy
which inspired it must have soothed
his final hour with a sense of duty
completed quite beyond the compre-
hension of less heroic souls.-New
York Mail.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25
EROM OTHER PENS
THE SHORT BALLOT.

The short ballot reform has received
an impetus from the commentators
given it by Governor Hughes in his re-
cent message. A movement already in
dorsed by such men as Mr.. Eliot, form
er president of Harvard, and woodrow
Wilson, president of Princeton, is like
1y soon to assume national Importance.
For such is the power of suggestion
when made by a forceful man like New
York's governor.
In a word, the short ballot movement
is one for the minimizing of elective Of
fees. 1t is an attempt to establish in
state and municipality the principle
recognized for the nation in the consti-
tuition. Each citizen votes, directly or
indirectly, for president and vice
president, a congressman and a senator
We leave the president to choose the
heads of executive departments. So
much for national elections.
When one comes to elect state and
municipal officials, however, the multi
plicity of candidates sometimes be-
comes appalling. Ballots become long,
complex and confusing. Instead of
choosing the executive and permitting
him to pick other less important Of
ficials, we elect practically all of them
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-25

Il have always been able to paddle my
automobile to pieces?''-Pittsburg Post.