The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-19
FpOM OTHER PENS
THE ANNUAL MOBILIZATION.

Every year the British home fleet
devotes a month to nautical maneu-
vers and sham battles, and midsum-
mer is the period generally chosen
for the spectacle. This year the king,
himself a sailor, will be present to
witness the affair, and it is said that
there is now modified in the North
nation ever had, comprising $40 war
craft. commanded by the high ad-
miral of England, Lord May. Ten of
these vessels are the most powerful
dreadnoughts afloat, supplemented
with several battleship cruisers, pos
sibly even more formidable craft.
The event should have some inter
est for Americans, for England gath
cred together the home fleet in 1898
when we declare war against Spain,
and all continental Europe, from the
Neva to the Tagus, from the turbu
lent Baltic to the placid Mediter-
ranean, was hostile to our quarrel and
threatening in itszattitude. But after
the British feet was assembled and
the tone of British public opinion was
unmistakab1e, the Continent shut up
and allowed us to drive poor old Spain
out of the western hemisphere
Washington Post.
SAFEGUARDING THE BANKS.
1t is worthy of notice that one OF
the means proposed for safeguarding
against misappropriation of funds by
bank employees is a general advance in
salaries. and novel as this may strike
some, it has a practical aspect. OF
course, it would not do to urge this
proposition too generally, for that
might reflect on some bank clerks and
officers whom no amount of money
could tempt, but, just the same, good
men have doubtless gone wrong for no
other reason than that, trusted with
large sums of money, they fell when
impressed with the relative made
quacy of their own compensation.
But it is we'll, at least, that the
bankers have come to realize the
necessity of some definite action to
prevent populations from within. The
loss of S35,OOO,OOO in five years, an
tainly enough to bring them to this
awakening, and when one considers
the extreme measures OF precaution
they have taken, with such excellent
can but wonder that they should have
delayed this long directing their at
tention to the other side.-Omaha Bee.
-o-
NATIONAL FEELING IN SPAIN.
While the possibilities of the situa-
ton in Spain are still grave, it is yet
obvious that the Vatican is reckoning
strong national feeling of Spaniards
will not be aroused by its attitude to-
ward the government. An editorial
article in the impartial, a newspaper
hitherto unfriendly to Senior Gamma
lejas. is significant. I'VE are faithful
members of the Roman Catholic
church." the impartial says, "but we
have always regarded the issue not
as a religious one, but as national
problem. involving the independence
of the civil power. Not Spain, but the,
Vatican, has created the present sit
uation'' Nor should it be forgotten
that even in the days when the in
f1uence of the church in secular mat
tiers was much greater than it is now
the power of Rome was strictly cir
cumscribed by the Spanish monarchs.
Any attempt to assert 1t now, espe-
cially If coupled with q threat to
throw the country. into civil war, is
certain to provoke resentment and win
for the premier support in quarters
where once he was distrusted.-Prov-
idauco journal -se.s-f