davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP.

One Of the stand-pat Republican
newspapers of st. Louis has material
lied the ghost OF government owner
ship of railroads, telephones and tele-
graphs. and is greatly disturbed.
1t is not improbable that, some
time, the national government will
control all utilities having to do with
interstate commerce. It may be in
the next generation. possibly in this
one.
For the present, the stand -patters
may dismiss their dread of govern
ment ownership. and the reason is
TAXES.
In 1912 the railroads. telegraph and
telephone companies con, oop paid in taxes
ures are taken from statistics gath.
cred by the United States govern
ment. With the income tax law in
effect. these public service utilities
should pay not less than $125,OOO, 900
a year in taxes.
Uncle Sam pays no taxes, and so,
under government ownership the in
dfvidual states would lose not less
than hundred million dollars in
come. 1t is unlikely that the ghost
will become a reality until some
loss to the states can be offset.-St.
Louis Star.
GREAT THINKERS INEFFICIENT.
Until now it has always been sup
posed that the reason great thinkers
are SO often absent-minded was be-
cause they are SO engrossed with their
scientific pursuits
The real reason, however. seems to
be an entirely different one. DR.. Gus
tav Fisher Of Jena invites attention to
the fact that the worlds greatest
poor or Indifferent pupils in their school
days. The reason for this is that great
thinkers usually have poor memories.
It Is extremely difficult for them to
memorize.
This difficulty is so pronounced that
mental arithmetic, aptitude at which
depends largely on ability to memorize
the multiplication tables and the re-
suits of various additions and subtrac-
tions, Is an art in which no great
astronomer has ever been proficient.
Conversely. prodigies at mental arith-
metfc are rarely able to do any inde-
pendent thinking, even upon common
place subjects.
Upon the ability to memorize depends
what science terms associative MEM
ory. This is the power to bring two
subjects quickly into relation with
each other. making for all those quail
tiles which are now usually summar-
lied under the popular term "efri-
ciency.''
Judged by these standards, the great
thinker is woefully inefficient" He
cannot remember isolated facts quick
ly. nor can he remember superficiaIly
correlated facts very quickly. The Joke
which the average man and woman will
understand very quickly the great
thinker will understand very slowly.
not because his attention is wander
ing but because 1t is laborious work
Tor him TO let his associative memory
recall Just why the thing which is so
obviously funny to the average minded
Is out Of perspective, or out of proper
proportion. or fncongruous. For. ac-
cording to Bergson. laughter il occa-
stoned only by things which are not in
proper relation to each other.-New
York American
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
CHILDREN OR CoTrON7

"Cotton is q curse to Texas chill
dren." remarked the superintendent
| of one of the Texas schools to Lewis
W. Hine. special investigator for the
National Child Labor committee.
And why is 1t a curse? This ques-
ton is the theme of an article by Mr.
Hine on children or Cotton" in the
Survey" of Feb. Z.
"Come out with me at sun-up.
says Mr.. Hine, land watch the chill
dren trooping into the fields. some OF
them kiddies four or five years old.
to begin the pick -pick-p drop into
the bag, step forward; pick-pick.
drop into the bag, step forward. SIX
days in the week, five months in the
year, under a relentless sun. Tne
mere sight Of their monotonous rep
etition will tire you out long before
they stop. Their working day follows
the sun, and not until sundown will
they leave the fields. Ruby. aged
seven, stopped working long enough
to say, as stood by her. I works
from sun-up to sun-down, an picks
thirty-five pounds a day. Imagine
the number of feathery bolls that
must go into the bag hanging about
her neck to tip the scale at thirty
five pounds!
THE result Of a few years OF this
incessant grind, long hours. physical
strain, lack Of proper food and care,
and lack of mental stimulus? What
can it be but physical degeneration
and moral atrophy? We have long
assailed (and JUSTIFY the cotton in
dustry as the Herod of the mills. The
sunshine in the cotton fields mas
blinded our eyes to the fact that the
cotton picker suffers quite as much
as the mill hand from the monotony,
overwork and hopelessness OF his
life. 1t is high time for US to face the
truth and add to our indictment Of
King Cotton a new charge-the Her
cd Of the fields.
zone of the most pitiful things
about the situation Is the Indifferent
acceptance of conditions by people
generally. I heard very little anxious
comment except from school teachers.
Ruby's father, who said. They git
five months schoolin' and it amt
'nuff,' stood out among all the parents
1 interviewed as a rare exception. 1t
is quite possible that the Texas farm
ers are not so Indifferent to the ex-
ploitation of their children as ap-
pears, for they are literally up
against it. They are transient rent
ers, weighed down by debt. illiterate.
and dependent upon the crops.
"But 1 place first and foremost in
any program of change the restric-
ton Of child labor. Children must be
left free to go to school. At a recent
conference of the Texas State Board
of Charities and Corrections. all were
agreed that compulsory education is
the greatest need of Texas today. Pa
triotism demands that we save the
children. We must begin at once
lay the foundation for the farmer Of
tomorrow by a longer period of child
hood today, with better preparation
for work and better training for life"
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
Journal Entries

Frequently it's the case that the
fool has no money from which to be
parted.
. . .
The man who really has something
to say can usually present it in a few
words.
1t is also true that many who are
called fail to get up until they are
good and ready.
=
Everybody is inclined to be most
generous in the amount Of sympathy
he gives to the poor.
= =
Not a few Of the political leaders
march SO proudly and SO far in ad-
vance Of their procession that they
don't know what's going on behind
them in their own ranks.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
Euening Chat
A Hint for Married Folks.
BY RUTH CAMERON.


A woman who had been married
but year or two was bemoaning the
fact that she could not persuade her
husband to take her point Of view ON
q certain topic
She wanted him to accept an invita-
ton to spend q forthcoming holiday
with q party Of friends. She was an
OF her own pleasure. but because q
man whom it would be desirable in
a business way for her husband to
meet. was to be one Of the party. Her
husband was unwilling to go because
he didn't like big parties and because
he had planned a weekend fishing
trip for that holiday.
The young wife was confiding her
difficulty to an older woman who had
been married for many years.
The older woman listened sympa-
thetically and then she inquired:
When did the invitation come? ?'
Last night
The older woman smiled. Did you
say much to your husband about it -
Say much?" echoed the younger
did. talked of nothing else the whole
evening. It's perfectly absurd. He
has been wanting to meet that man
for months and he has no right to
throw away this chance and he knows
it. And yet the more I talked the
more obstinate he became"
The older woman smiled again. Its
a way they have" she conceded. MY
DEAR" she added. will you permit me
to give you bit of advice-a page
from my own boOk?"
Now, the older woman is a thor
oughly successful wife. She manages
a very difficult man with a skill that
would make any animal tanner world
famous. Her home Is q model of har-
mony and peace, and yet these boons
D~> p1vy
women pay for them-a slavish sub
mission.
So, naturally, the younger woman
was delighted to hear one of her Sc
crets.
my dear" she said, 1T have found
do is to drop the seed in mans mind
and then let it alone.
When I want to persuade my hus-
band to do anything I don't try to do
all the persuading at one time. In
stead, I put my idea into his head (if
possible 1 make him suggest it him
self. say a few words about it and
then drop the subject. Later I take 1t
up again on some auspicious occasion
and say q few words more, always
him obstinate. Almost invariably he
/ comes around to my point OF view ana
does what I want him to sooner or
later. Sometimes the seed even bears
fruit without my saying anotner WOro.
II wanted a larger diK-ing table
once. I told him SO and he said 1t
wasn't at all necessary. I didn't say
much, but the table happened Oots
of things happen when they should
if you have your wits about YOU'D to
be rather crowded several times after
that, and when Christmas came he
gave me a beautiful new table.
Yes, my dear. plant the seed
water and take care of it If necessary.
! but don't try to do the whole thing
yourself. Give it fair chance to
grow. That's one of my rules. You
can take 1t or leave as you think best.
The young wife thought best to
take it and found it of inestimable
value.
The same privilege is accorded to
my reader friends.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

More evidence that circumstances
alter cases. In the matter of Panama
canal tolls, President Wilson has
reached the conclusion that an or
ganic pronouncement of his party is
neither always proper nor binding.
His neat little sidestep to the suf-
fragists will boomerang a lot to
plague him before his term of office
shall have expired.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

If that gentleman who has paid
$4,000 for pair of George Washing
toms pistols is as cautious as he
should be. he will carefully examine
them for loads. Else there may he
an expensive funeral or two in his
family before long.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

There are a lot of Americans who
don't know much about the Declara-
tion of Independence and the consti-
tuition that can tell on the instant
what Ty Cobb's batting average is.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
On the Spur
of the Moment
Ambition,
BY ROY K. MOULTON.

Ambition.
When he made Just three plunks q
week
He thought II he made five
He'd surely be the happfest
Young business man alive.
He finally got five a week,
But wasn't happy then,
He never would be satisfied
Until he pulled down ten.
When he got ten a week he thought
His compensation mean;
He knew he'd reach his hearts desire
II he could get fifteen.
He got his fifteen. then he knew.
A person could not thrive.
In this expensive day and age
On less than twenty-five.
He finally got twenty-five,
The sum he'd thought so nifty,
But found he couldn't be content
And live on less than fifty.
He got his fifty one fine day.
And then he found out that
He never could be happy quite.
Without one hundred flat.
He made some wise deals after that
And gathered in a million.
But was he happy? No. indeed,
He had to have billion.
And it is safe to say that il
He really got his billion,
Old age could find him fighting to
Accumulate trillion.
Uncle Abner.
When you hear any feller say that
he never had the slightest desire to
raise chickens you kin make up your
mind-but what's the use? There
amt any such feller.
1t is surprising to know how many
Of them genuine Russian court dane
ers was never outside of this country.
Bud Hicks Of our town has been
accused of every crime on the calen-
dar, but there must be some good in
him, for he has never been caught
wearin' a red necktie.
The old sojer who never brags is
Grandpa Bibbins says he kin re-
member back to the time when any
buddy that used a firelesS cooker was
accused of witchcraft.
Elmer Sphinx is laid up and unable
to attend to his duties down at the
feed mill. Last Sunday he hired three
fellers to peel a mustard plaster off'n
his back which he put on last fall
and they had to use dynamite.
Oh, Grief; Oh, Sadness.
I used to be hero.
They pinned their junk on me.
My breast adorned with medals
Was glorious to see.
They thought that it was winter
Whene'er 1 walked around,
Ny medals ratified gaily;
Like sleighbells did they sound.
was the only pebble
Upon the sandy beach.
And 1 was the headliner
A yell, a scream, a Screach.
I used to be a hero.
Twas pleasant. I'll allow.
But the sheriff took my auto,
I'm q down aud outer now.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

AS far as these parts are con-
cerned, Old Sol has succeeded in put
ting at least temporary puncture in
the six weeks winter weather prog
nostication of Mr.. Groundhog.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Old Man Winter has been holding
gentle Spring in his lap so much this
season that the prospects of a per-
manent alliance between them are
excellent
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

President Wilson cannot be accused
of not giving fair warning IL the
American merchant marine should
now insist on coming into existence
and paying Panama canal tolls.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
Kansas Comment
THE DREAMER's DREAM.

THE DREAAER'S DREAA.
Ten years ago and American work
men bore the expenses Of Industrial
accidents or divided their damages
with lawyers. It was q dreamers
dream to hope that one day all these
accidents would be paid for without
lawyers. az accidents to machinery are
paid for. In thirty American states
the workinemen's compensation ,sw ,sw
and the way It works: Wisconein's
Workmen's compensation act OF 1911
was held ''the greatest piece OF leB1s-
lation yet put forth In the state. t
followed two years legislative investi-
cation and was he last Of many ten.
tative drafts submitted to general
criticism. But 1t was improved by
amendment last summer. ana the
chairman of the state industrial COM
mission now reports 1t working better
than ever. Tho act IL optional. but ~
per cent Of the employers have accept
ed 1t, rather than take their chances
6,s3s cases were settled during 1913.
at an average Of seas each. or $417.--
374 as the total. Adding medical
charges. I'VE have $62s,0e1 a. the
probable cost OF compensation for SO
per cent of the Industrial accidents OF
Wisconsin in one year." The amount
paid injured workmen IL more than
three times what they received under
the ola law. Yet cost to capital 1S the
same. for through litigation 1.-The in
jured workmen did not receive Is per
cent OF the sum paid by employees"
Old line insurance rates have been
twice reduced during the year.-Em-
poria Gazette.
TOO MUCH Law.
The law. the law. What is "the law"
anyway? Talk with an ultra socialist he
will tell you the law 10 something invented
by q bunch OF graftero to make q rich
| man richer and q poor man poorer. or
course. any man with q bit OF reason in
his system knows that the above is alb
surd. The only trouble with the law is
| that there is too blamed much Of it. In
orde- to settle q two horse power PROPOSE
tion you have to use six hundred horse-
power OF law Where q gill of common
the wiseacres will soak it with fifteen or
twenty hogsheads of law and red tape and
1 both sides get the worst of the deal. Law
ought to be plain common sense. At
present the law, in many instances, con-
sists Of fees, court costs and several bales
Of red tape.-Osborne Farmer.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Neither is there likely to be any
criticism of the rules of reason for the
marking Of election ballots that have
been applied by the state supreme
court They are also further evidence
of the sound sense that permeates this
bench
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Farm products cost more than they
used to-" Yes" replied Mr.. Corntossel
"When a farmer is supposed to know the
botanical name Of what he's raisin an
the geological name of the insect that
eats 1t and the chemical name of what
win kill 1t. somebody's got to pay
Washington Star.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

st. Louis has an ordinance regulat-
ing the size of the whips the teamsters
use. Why doesn't it go step farther
and regulate the size of the language
they use?
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11
FULL LEASED WIRE REPORT
OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The State Journal IL q member Of the
Associated Press and receives the full day
telegraph report Of that great news NJ
ganization for the exclusive afternoon
publication In Topeka
The news Is received tn The State Jour-
nal building over wires for this sole pur-
pose.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

"You are hundreds Of jaw move
ments short" No, that isn't a mes
sage to John Lind, but a chewing gun
advertisement.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

President Wilson is said to be great
~ interested in the fall elections. And
in the many districts where the farm
er vote is predominant. the results
are likely to provide him with much
food for deep thought
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Egypt's khedive has just seen his
first baseball game. And probably
there are Americans who used to think
they would like to be the khedive.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Maybe the lady who is expected to
marry her SONS chum only wants to
make sure that her boy will continue
to have a suitable playmate.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Great commendation is due to the
Kansas City policemen who so sue
cessfully dispatched the wild wolf that
got in their midst without wounding
and killing a score or SO of innocent
bXstanderS.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Sex in suffrage may not be a nation.
nj question, but it will be recalled thai
"race, color or previous condition OF
servitude" was.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Neither will the consumers be of a
disposition to waste any of their SYM
pathy on the cold storage spectators
in butter who are suffering such
heavy losses these days.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

A Berlin judge has ruled that it is
not a crime for man to sneeze. But
it will be safer for him not to do it in
the presence of military officer.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

A pertinent query from the Wash
ington Post: When young society men
cannot tango would it be proper to
refer to them as wall nuts?
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Although the Mexican revolutfonists
declare that all they need is arms
they seem sometimes to be more ir
need Of legs.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

"Manana" has a new meaning IN
Mexico. 1t now signifies more shoot
ing and more running away.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

incidentally, the recent cold snap
was just what the coal men and the
plumbers needed to refill their purses.
The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-11

Rubber backing for the armor OF
battleships? And think what the cos
OF automobile tires is already?
The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-07-10
REPUBLICAN CONGRESS
is AGAIN PREDICTED.
New York Post Joins Ranks Of Proph
cts Of Republican Success.

The New York Evening Post. indie.
pendent, prints the following in its
Washington correspondence:
AN ANALYSIS of the congressional
elections of 1912 and Of the byelec-
tons since then and study of the re.
districting done In various states have
persuaded some of the Progressive and
Republican leaders that there is an ex.
cellent chance to win the house in No.
vember and overcome in that body the
present Democratic majority Of 145.
Several political and psychological
elements enter into their calculations.
They point to the fact that in an of
year election the party in power al.
ways loses ground; that no party in
recent years has enacted tariff legisla-
ton without being "rebuked' for it at
the next congressional election. except.
ing only the Dingley law. which was
followed SO closely by the Spanish
American war and a revival Of pros
perity following a financial drought as
to force the tariff issue into the back.
ground; that the breach between the
Republicans and Progressives is not so
wide as il was in some states in 1912.
and the hope among the leaders that
the swing of the pendulum this year is
against rather than for the party in
power
Much remains to be done by the ad-
ministra ton and by this congress which
has direct bearing on the congress.
sional elections in November. The sat
isfactOry settlement Of number OF
veXing problems might materially
change the political aspect in various
sections of the country SO as to neces-
state a complete revision of the figures
now set down by some Of the so0th
sayers i'm the house as illustrative of
present conditions. The fact remains
however. that the Democrats in con
gress believe at this moment that they
are in for a slump ut the November
elections, the extent of which is mere
speculation mt this time"
The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-07-10
CALDER ASSAILS WILSON.
Candidate For United States Senate
Criticises Weak Administration.

Congressman William NJ. Calder OF
Brooklyn is the leading candidate to
succeed Elihu Root as United States
senator from New York state. He
has the support of most of the ReDub-
lican leaders.
In a recent address in Brooklyn Con.
gresham Calder took up the various
policies of the present Administration
and showed how they had failed. lie
said the day was dawning for the Re.
publicans; that the people had had
two years ofsDemOcratic rule In ma
tional matters and had found that the
Democratic party was utterly incom-
petent to manage them. In addition.
he said. the people of New York had
had four years OF Democratic rule.
which had disgraced the state.
Concerning the Clayton antitrust bill.
recently passed by the house. Mr. Cal
der said. that though intended to 90
good It was capable of the greatest
injustice. especially in the minor
clauses of the bill He pointed out
that the provision making price dis
elimination a crime. though directed
at the big corporations. would hit the
small man hard. Mr. Calder gave az
an example Jersey farmer bringing
his produce into New York market
for sale. This. he said. would he inter.
state commerce, and II, after selling
Off large part of his stock. Under the
competition of other dealers. ne was
forced to cut his price on what was
left. according 10 the Clayton bill he
could be prosecuted for discrimina zion.
Mr.. Calder also took up the stand OF
the administration on the Panama
canal tolls question. and said that this
alone showed the inability OF the
Democrats 10 undertake successfully
matters 0f national and International
scope. The situation IN Mexico ne
said. was disgracefui. ana he hated to
think how this fizzle was costing the
lives OF our people in that country. the
honor Of our women. and millions OF
dollars worth 0f property.
The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-07-10
BUSINESS EXECUTED
e-.s.,'" AT WILSON'S STAKE.
Representative Underwood One Demo.
crat Who Has Revoited.

To the ranks of those who believe
that the duty Of congress is to adjourn
and so permit business TO get little
rest after the strain and the stress Of
the past year has been added the Dem
Ocratic leader of the house OF repre-
sentatives. Mr. Underwood has even
dared TO cross the threshold of the
White House with his view Of the sit
uation. He has told the president plain
~ that early adjournment Is advisa BILE
and that the antitrust program should
wait: that the Wilson policy of jam.
ming through important legislation in
crude and undigested form IL some
thing that is disapproved and resented
BY bis own party In congress.
Mr.. Underwood knows whereof be
speaks. He is acquainted with the
wishes and the temper of congress. He
has had many years OF experience in
national legislation. He knows what
results must Of necessity follow certain
action. Moreover. he Is In touch with
the real sentiment Of the Democratic
party. He knows what Its leading
members really think. MIR Wilson
knows only what Is said TO him In the
fawDing atmosphere OF the White
House.
Besides, Mr.. Underwood has himself
suffered from presidential obstinacy
He knows by experience the unwis.
dom OF yielding to the dictation OF Mr.
Wilson. The new tariff law would have
been a far more popular measure and
a much better one for the country II
Mr.. Underwood had not meekly yielded
to the White House command. The
features of the law upon which Mr..
Wilson insisted are today the chief Of
the trouble makers and the objects of
greatest attack.