Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1911-07-06

IL uhb UoGu Win oOAuo uAbuuA0Suuo
that the Reflector has received
Secretary Coburn : Q
r. d. CObuER dictum that Kansas
on ''DrOuth" editors must not use
the word "drouth."
As we looked over Prof. Jewett'a
rain report and found It largely con-
sisting Of blanks IT. seemed some
what doubtful just what was to be
done. So a pilgrimage was made to
Topeka and the secretary Of the
State Board Of Agriculture was in
terviewed. He admitted that he
had spent part of Sunday in his
cellar to avoid the heat-beg par
don, the slight warmth. He had
Just been looking over some weather
reports from Western Kansas where
| 1t has not rained since the vista
tton of Halley's comet. But he did
not falter. II abhor the word drouth,
or drought If you please" said he,
because of the hateful and hurtful
way in which 1t is always unjustifia-
bly, interpreted in reference to Kan
sas. 1t ought to be tabooed in every
printing office and scissored from
the dictionary Of every loyal Kan
san. We are constantly speaking
and printing the word, and 1t seems
almost impossible for the press to
mention rain, light or heavy, with
out appending the statement that
this breaks the protracted drouth,'
thereby leading the stranger who
may know no better to believe drouth
is our normal condition and that
its cessation Is notable, exceptional
and extraordinary. Every good pur-
pose would be served and the news
be Just as complete If the item stated
that the all-night. rain which has
Just fallen over this part of Kansas
was a welcome supplement to the
one preceding putting emphasis on
rain instead Of 'drouth'-on hope
gather than despair.
"The word conveys to the unin-
formed an idea of aridity, barren
ness, desolation and
Too Much famine, and fdr that
reason, although proper
enough if used with
discrimination, is especially mis-
eading and mischievous as to Kan
'as. Nobody denies that in Kansas
here are periods when heavier
rainfall would increase our pleas
Ire and profit, but this is true of
very agricultural state, and there
s no reason why we should be con-
stan)ly using q word to describe
uch occurrences here that more /,
early than any other means poison
o the public mind Its inconsiderate
se has repealed millions of capital
nd thousands Of people who ex-
ept for its uncalled-for, parrot-like
epetition would be a part Of our
ssets today. Accurate statistics on :
his point If available would doubt !,
sss show that our state, taking the
ears together suffers greatest loss
rom too much rather than too little I.
but we only damn ourselves
hen dry, and seem to have but the
ne whitening word for the purpose.
here are instances when 1t would
OF express an untruth, yet 1t Is not
equisite that every harmful truth /
hall be told and reiterated, and !
nat too with brutal brevity. It
an evil bird that befouls its own v
est. q
"In nine instances out of ten, i
lere is no occasion for advertising 4
that for time there d
Dme Words has been little rain; b
re Better II 1t must be harped S
on why not use some 7
Ipression less devilish than q
routh? Why not gently intimate o
lat we are having a period of dry p
Gather, excessive sunshine, retard- \