The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-01
FRON OTHER PENS
FLEET IN THE PACIFIC.

FLEET IN THE PACIFIC.
A conference of Pacific coast repre-
sentatives has been called by Governor
Gillett of California to unite. upon a
can fleet in Pacific waters.
The greater much the greater, force
of our navy is on the Atlantic coast,
though there is little more danger of
collision with any European power
than there is of an armed conflict be-
tween Ohio and Indiana or Kentucky
and Tennessee In the quarrel between
Kentucky and West Virginia when
Proctor Knott was governor of one
state and a Mr.. Wilson governor of the
other, there was an actual clash of
arms between the Hatf1elds and the
McCoys and blood was shed. Indeed,
both state governments took action
that amounted to hostility, but the
quarrel was appealed to the federal
judiciary, and both commemorative
abided the adjudication.
There was friction between the
United States and japan. and that oc-
casioned the cruise of our battleship
fleet around the globe. Since that I'M
precedented exploit the friction has
been assuaged, and the way to keep it
warships to the Pacific. That is big
stick" policy-a fighting fleet and a
soft voice.-Washingto Post.
WHAT TO DO WITH TOWARDS:
| The case of the young tough VINO
when shot at held a boy before him
as a human shield against his foes
| bullets has both a curious legal and
ethical interest. That he was morally
responsible for the lads death is OBJ
vious. But what is the degree or MS
| guilt under the law?
1t was by another hand that the act
ual homicide was committed. Berg was
thus not a principal in the crime, and
| to what extent he was an accessory IS
! a problem for the courts. There is ap-
parently no lack of precedent for Sc
curing his indictment for manslaughter.
But should not his wanton sacrifice OF
| a life to save his own in circumstances
| of peculiar heartlessness constitute
murder in effect and deserve the same
penalty? That is understood to be the
line of prosecution the district attor-
ney's office will adopt, and the search
for precedents to support 1t will give the
case a unique judicial prominence.
Whatever it's outcome, the novel 1e-
| gal points involved will embalm Berg S
name in the law books along with
! Burke's and Boycott's. He will have
been the means of bringing new kind
| of crime to the attention of the courts
and no doubt of occasioning new leg
islation to cover it if the existing penal
code is found inadequate.-NeW York
World.
/ AMtf(lOA AMI 1IhIl10<A I'm
! Ours is the foremost country in the
world in the reclamation of its arid
land. To the untraveled fastener the
extent of the irrigation of western
lands under direct government super
vision is unknown. The work OF IN
dividual and corporate concerns raises
| the actual reclamation of arid land in
| the west to an enormous total acreage.
Most of this work has been accomplish
ed within the past decade, while each
year the plans for still further push
| ing the conquests of artificial irrigation
are extended. That the prestige in this
important department of home build
| ing belongs to the United States is
| further demonstrated by request re-
Gently submitted to the state depart
ment by the Austrian government.
! Australia has several wide extended
| are as of arid land. The reclamation
! of much of this has been undertaken,
but the first difficulty that confronted
/ the government was a lack OF expert
knowledge of the actual work to be
4 done and of the means used to secure
/ the largest and surest returns on the
/ money invested. In this dilemma Aus
! tralia turned, to the United States
! where irrigation on the broadest lines
| has been ably demonstrated under gov
| eminent control.-Pittsburg Gazette
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