davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
Kansas Comment
AN UNKNOWN POWER.

AN UNKNOWN POWER.
There, by the side of the road,
where the earth has been beaten down
until it is nearly as hard as a stone,
at 1t! Soft and delicate as the fronds
OF feather. Pluck it from the
ground and it has not the strength to
hold it's head upright You could not
hold it between the fingers and force
1T into the meat of an orange. Yet
1t mas Fought its way up through the
SOIL where you could hardly drive a
nail By what mysterious power
was the fiimsy thing able to make it's
way through the darkness of the
beaten ground to the light of day? 1t
grew, or course. But what does that
mean? Why did it now grow down
ward and lose itself in the night of the
Underworld? Because it was natural
Tor II TO grow toward the sun, you
say? Very well; but what is this nat
uralness of which you speak? What
IS Nature, anyway? And, besides how
did that bit of plant life know the
laws or Nature? Has it an intel
llgence? Did Nature whisper to it,
and encourage it, and did it answer
way toward the glowing light of the
sun? But it had not the power within
itself to part the earth, to rear its
mead under such difficulties, to bear
upon It's tender shoulders such a bur-
den 1t has no power within itself,
there IN your hand. When you plucked
1t from the earth did you destroy
something. did you rob it of power in
some way? How? And yet, puny
creatures of puny world in mighty
universe, discourse wisely upon the
ways of Nature? What do you know
ABOUT Nature, or the wonders thereof ?
acknowledgements
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
Globe Sights
BY THE ArCEISON GLOBE.

1t is never very difficult to convince
the busher that he belongs in the big
show.
A lot of men treat their wives as
though wives were to blame for the
weather.
Don't you often wonder, after siz-
ing them up, that the people do as
we'll as they do? -H-
What has become of the old-fash-
toned woman who had a grudge
against bakers bread?
Seemingly the most dangerous
thing in the world is a cross-eyed man
running an automobile.
1t doesn't take everyone to run the
government, and there will never be
enough soft snaps to go around.
Alb Adkins says his youngest boy
has so much nerve he can go broke
without being financially embar-
raised.
1t may be said for quitting smok-
joy of beginning again, which is not to
be sneezed at.
Admitting the ability of authors and
them select our summer drinks or
safety razors.
The headlines say a good deal in
few words; sometimes a good deal
that isn't true, as you may have dis
covered in your effort to learn one
thing every day.
If a newspaper should devote as
much space to your cause as you
thick it should devote, a lot of causes
equally as good would be neglected.
Brief references are the best.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
From Other Pens

ANOTHER TARIFF BLUNDER
Mr.. Underwood was responsible for
me clause In the new tariff law allow
ing a discount of per cent on i'm
ports brought to this country on ships
OF American registry. He quoted JEFF
1erson TO show that this was a fine
way to build up an American mer-
chant marine. The matter has been a
source of vexation ever since the tariff
Dill passed the house under Mr.. I'm
derWood's guidance. The senate fear
ruI OF complications with numerous
countries whose treaties with the
Onlted states entitled them to the
most favored nation treatment, added
the proviso that nothing in the section
should be construed so as to nullify
any treaty agreements. In that shape,
the per cent discount section went
through congress. The administration
was against the discrimination, hold
ing that treaties would be violated
ana refused to enforce the section.
The United States customs court now
holds that the discount must be al
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
I: !a!e91
|TC&aSa hesra54hd4scn SsssNEu
VClaSa aa@ra@Judson :,

this isn't birthday presently.
just plain present-a gift from the
moon to the EARTH
| Lets see what it isl said tho a.,
quisitive bee. "
u can't show it to you, 1 have to
give it to some flower. must start
ho W ana ha search for the right one"
started to search for the flower he
liked the best 0
All day long he hunted. through
parks and gardens and forests He
saw yellow flowers and blue Flowers
blossoms of white and pink and red
but they were all earthly" flowers
not single one reminded him of his
moon home. ans
So at last as the sun was setting he
wandered back to his first landing
place In the vines around che big
porch s
Did you bring back your eift7"
asked the bee.
Yes" replied the fairy sadly. flor
l could find no flower that looked
like the moon"
Just then there was a stir and bus-
tie in the vines overhead and a little
voice said, Careful, now are you al
What is that?" asked the fairy.
L have come down from the moon
That is one of the blossoms Of
evening, replied the bee. Come
out here and you can see it open"
They went out onto the grass and
looked up to the vines above
High above their heads "a long
stately bud shook herself slightly,
then slowly. oh, so slowly, she spread
open a great snowy white bloom.
That is my flower," shouted the
fairy excitedly, that is the very
flower dreamed of. up in my moon
home"
Unfolding his wings, he flew I'D IN
the snowy flower, kissed her and gave
her his gift, the fra GRANGE of the
night
And we call the flowers moon
flowers
So always, If you watch the rnoor
flowers unfold, you can scent a soFt
pure perfume-the gift of the moon
to earth.-(Copyright ingram
Judson.)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
JUSTICE FOR LEO FRANK.

Leo Frank is either guilty of the
murder of Mary Phagan or he is not
guilty. Except for the mob ury that
passed on his case, all men competent
to analyze the flimsy evidence on
which he was convicted are convinced
beyond any SHADOW of doubt that he
is innocent. 1t would be crime for
Georgia to execute this man under
all the circumstances of the case.
And it would be a sorry compromise
merely to commute the death penalty
against him to one of life imprison-
ment. Full justice to Frank would
seem to lie only in according him a
complete pardon
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

fines itself to nominally regulating
the effects of the relation" That this
last form of control is wholly illusory
IS evident from the fact that even
such rules for the conduct of war as
have been accepted and solemnly
agreed to cannot be enforced by a nom
belligerent co-signatory of the conven-
ton in which the agreement is made
without itself going to war in order to
execute that enforcement Let us,
then, frankly and honestly face the
situation as it actually exists. So far
as international law is concerned,
Right is completely PROSTATE before
the uplifted sword of Might.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
THE MOONS GIFT.

Once upon time a moon fairy slid
down ray of light-down to the
earth below.
Plump! and he struck the earth
right at the end of a big porch.
He found he was pretty tired after
his long sail-and he decided to take
a little nap. So he Struggled down
among the vines and grasses and
went to sleep.
When he walked up, the sun was
SHINING, the birds We're singing and
the whole earth was full OF the haDpy
stir of work.
Just as he was looking around, a
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

the greatest army in the world. 1t
was bigger than the French army,
more powerful than the Russian army,
superior to any other army. The
rulers of Germany knew this and they
seemed to believe also that their rights
were as wide as their army was effi-
cient When France realized the Ger
man position the Republic began re-
organizing it's army. When England
realized it it prepared it's fleet to meet
the situation. Nothing that Germany
could do could enable her to keep her
forces or those of Austria and Turkey
increasing as fast as the combined
forces of her neighborS.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
SWAT THE FLY NOW

A well known authority on the rela-
lions OF insects to disease said not long
ago a single fly killed now is worth
million killed in August He was
in a position to know the truth of the
very startling declaration, for he had
studied the breeding habits of the fly.
The expression is above all of value as
a warning and a guide to those who
hope this year to reduce the fly null
sance in country homes to its lowest
terms. This is the time to begin the
crusade against the pest by radical
cleaning measures and the removal of
all material that may serve as breed
ing places for insects of all kinds as
well as the fly. Every reduction in
their number now makes not only for
comfort but for health.-New York
Herald.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

TO MY COUNTRY.
One told me he had heard 1t whispered ::
10!
The hour has come when Europe
desperate
hate,
Rocks like a reed beneath the mighty
blow
Therefore shall we in this her time of Woe
Profit and prosper, since her ships of
state
Go down in darkness,
Kind, thrice kind is Fate,
Leaving our land secure, our grain to
grow
America. They blaspheme and they lie
Who say these the voices of your sons !!
In this foul night, when nations sink and
die,
No thought is here save for the fallen ones
Who, underneath the ruin of old thrones
Suffer and bleed, and tell the world good
by!
FRANK WARREN.
Topeka, Kan.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
INTERNATIONAL MORALITY"

We have grown accustomed to the
statement that international law, since
1t lacks an effective sanction, is in
reality not law in any true and proper
sense, but merely a code of ethics.
writes David Jayne Hill in the June
number of the North American Re-
view, and he continues: Both propo-
sitions might be easily controverted,
for on the one hand it is not essential
to the existence of law, taken in even
the strictest sense, that it be univer-
sally obeyed or capable of uniform en-
forcement; and on the other, nothing
is more certain than that international
law, at it's best estate, is far from be-
ing an embodiment of ethical concep-
lions. While international law has,
by agreement, laid down certain rules
regarding the conduct of war" it is
recognized that there exists no central
authority that is able to enforce COM
pllance with these agreements. But,
as regards the right of a nation to
declare war, for any reason, even for
openly alleged plumber and conquest,
there is no precept of restraint and
no recognized right of interference.
Although the right to invade, sub
due, and appropriate, without provo
cation, cannot be established as a right
inherent IN sovereign state by any
process of judicial reasoning, never
theless it is recognized prerogative
which International law does not, and
under existing conceptions of SOW
ereignty cannot, forbid. Interna-
tional law accepts war. Independently
of the justice of its origin, as a rela-
ton which the parties to it may set
up If they choose and which any ma
ton may, if it chooses, impose upon
another against its will. The law con-
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

lowed not only on imports carried in
American ships, but extended to inn
ports carried in ships Of all other
countries which have the Favored ma
ton agreement with the United
States. Thus the senate theory that
the treaties would nullify the discount
is upset, while the Underwood scheme
for discrimination in favor of Ameri-
can ships is knocked out. Worst of
all, in case the United States supreme
court sustains the customs court, the
treasury must refund S15,000,O00 or
more to importers at a time when the
tariff is failing to yield sufficient reve-
nue. to meet the expenses of the gov
eminent. A bond issue is brought the
nearer by this development, inasmuch
as the government must prepare for
the worst in it's financiering.-Sprin
field Republican.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
Uncle Ahner.

There amt nothing in this world
that sounds as cheap as a lot of talk.
The trouble with the life insurance
agents is that they always pounce
other things to do.
There amt much use in tying $4,000
up in a car when Teller can accom-
pllsh the same purpose in a jitney bus
for five cents.
We can't see what keeps the chaw-
in tobacker factories going. Nobody,
Will own up that he uses the stuff ex-
cept ball players and telegraph opera
tors.
EIhu Simms, our druggist, is hav-
ing bargain sale in crutches, and
Amos Pringle. our gentlemanly and
consen1al undertaken, expects to raf-
file off n casket next week. Business
is lookin' up.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
Journal Entries

Prosperity for one man might De
close to poverty for another.
4.
A bird in the hand is also likely to
be more bothersome than several in
bush.
+ + r
All fools are not easily parted from
money for the very good reason tnat
they haven't any.
4. + +
Isn't there an analogy between the
suggestions that silence is golden
and that money talks 2?
i + i
If people always looked before tney
leaped not so many of them would
make successful jumps.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Incidentally. the peopio IF Europe
are reaping only the whirlwind that
they have been sowing during the
past quarter of a century in pursuit
of peace through enormous prepara-
ton for war. And yet the loose think
ers and takers in this country would
have Uncle Sam go into militarism on
the same sized sale regardless of this
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Wisconsin has a deserved reputa-
ton for being a most progressive
state. But it is only in some things
Its senate recently killed a local OPP
ton measure. The virtues of local
option are not many when set along
side those of absolute prohibition, but
it is one of those half loaves that are
better than none. And yet the Wis
consin solons, who are so intelligent
in other matters, turned down their
thumbs on it
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

big yellow and black bee came sing
ing along.
Dear me- exclaimed the bee
when he saw the fairy, who are you
and where did you come from %
II am a moonbeam fairy" replied
the little stranger, "and I have come
down from the moon to bring a pres
ent to the EARTH
"a present." exclaimed the bee, lis
it anybody's birthday"
mo indeed answered the fairy
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

If climatic conditions continue as
they are for any length of time, the
city treasury won't be depleted to any
considerable extent through paying
for dead flies. even if the market price
is so cents a quart. Just now the fly
seems to be about as extinct in these
parts as is that other famous bird,
tho dadO
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

With the Germans driving a ring
around Przemysl, the probabilities are
that the big Russian force there will
be treated to dose of medicine SINH
lar to the one that they forced down
the threats of the Austrians who de-
Tended this place until starvation
made them surrender
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

There is such a severe shortage of
beef in Scotland that no less than 200
butcher shops in Glasgow alone have
been forced to close their doors. But
what boots this, if the supply of oat-
meal there is adequate?
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
WHERE HUGE ARMANIENrs FAIL.

The present war proves that great
ornaments are likely to beget enc
mics even faster than they develop
strength. says The Worlds Work 'for
June. Great ornaments need not nee
essarily beget enemies, but if they en-
courage a people to believe in force
alone, as they are very likely to do,
they become a source of weakness
rather than of strength, for they raise
up enough enemies to nullify all pre-
parations. This is what has happened
to Germany. No people could be bet
ter organized for war. Germany had
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

France has decided to follow the
lead of England and Germany by re-
warding her sons valorous in war with
a dinky little decoration. a cross that
will match the Iron one that Kaiser
Wilhelm bestows so lavishly and the
Military one that England passes out
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Prosperity must be in sight. The
railroads are getting into the market
for steel rails with both feet. Four
of them recently placed orders with
the United States steel corporation for
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
FULL LEASED WIRE REPORT
OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEMBER:
Associated Press.
Audit Bureau OF CerculadonS.
American Newspaper Publishers
Association.

Would anything look better right
now than a glorious rainbow in the
sky? Two of them might.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Lucky for Italy there is nothing like
an interstate commerce commission on
the job in Europe. She would be
brought to sudden halt for taking
the passes she has obtained
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

In view of what Germany has done
to Belgium, it comes with mighty poor
grace for any high official of Germany
to charge Italy, or any other country
with treachery, regardless of what it
NAV do
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Did anybody imagine that a couple
of broken ribs would be sufficient to
keep Colonel Roosevelt from making
his usual rounds? Nix, indeed. He is
made of sterner stuff
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

News that the vitality of France
will be Slapped by the war to such an
extent it's regeneration to it's normal
strength and glory will be well nigh
impossible comes from German
sources, of course.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

AS DR.. Davenport of the faculty of
the University of Missouri, insists. os-
tentatious displays at funerals and
weddings smack of vulgarities. and
this is especially true in respect to
f1nara1s
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

A spell of good warm weather in
the immediate future, and the corn
will begin to shoot so vigorously that
it is likely to keep the farmers awake
at night
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

If Chicago's chief of police makes
good his word to drive all the crooks
out of his bailiwick, the next census
of the town will show an enormously
reduced population compared with the
present figures
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

One of the visiting brethren spoke or
the great Baptist army" notes the
Houston Post, and it adds: Our I'M
derstanding has always been that the
Baptists constituted the navy of mill
"a ChriSfianitV
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

Texas has a little luck once in a
while. A special session of its leg
islature adjourned the other day.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
On the Spur
of the Moment
BY ROY K. MOTION.

1 need thee once again,
But thy appearance nowadays
Cannot but cause me pain.
hung thee up last autumn in
My clothes press without fear.
counted on thee, good kind friend,
To help me out this year.
Alack. thou'rt now a peek-a-boo,
And that is not the worst;
Thy bosom and thy tails are gone,
The moths got to you first.
Uncle Abner.
Sometimes a Teller lives to be a
hundred years old who hasn't smoked
and chaWed tobacker and drunk
squirrel whiskey all his life.
A Teller with nothing but nerve kin
get by If he is a good advertiser and a
charming conversationalist.
There are a lot of fellers who kin
call every bartender in town by his
first name and who haven't had time
to learn anything else.
If it wasn't for the obituary poetry
there would be very little humor in
this country.
The derby hat has received several
severe setbacks, but is still worn by
a few o1d-fashioned fellers who were
dudes back in 1S47.
Keep On.
Oh, weary not of effort,
For sore will be the strain;
Though they be exterminated,
They always come again;
So vigilance eternal
Alone unties the knot
That angles up their nuisance
So swat, swat, swat.
Probably Not.
But can the Pullman company have
the heart to raise the wages of the
porters without raising the passenger
rates?
And Frequently Succeed.
Traveller says many Japanese still
believe that the devil exists. The Japs
really do often try to raise him.
But Not Often.
After all, Roosevelt and Barnes may
both be right in their estimates of
each other. Stranger things than that
have happened in this world.
Undoubtedly.
Although nobody has mentioned it
yet, there undoubtedly will be an ice
shortage this year.
Oscars Mishap.
Oscar Pratt cut his big toe quite
bad last week while cutting wood. He
says it is the first time he ever cut
time. No, he didn't think his toe was
a toad, like the darby who thought
when he was hoeing potatoes he saw
a toad in the earth and says, It'll fix
you," and brought the hoe down on
his toe, cutting it nearly off.-Olive
Hill correspondence to the Benzie
County Patriot.
Setting Mark for Col. Heeza.
Col. Heeza Liar has nothing on a
farmer at Pearl Bend, who noticed
while blowing a jack rabbit run
around to attract his attention.
Finally he decided to investigate and
followed bunny to ansold well. Look
ing down, he saw another jack rabbit
floating on a. bit of board, but unable
to get out. He got ladder and
rescued it and it Joined its mate and
hiked off for the timber.-Cass Coun-
ty Leader.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31
SIGH! A NEW MEXICAN POLICY.

News from Washington that Presl-
dent Wilson may change his Mexican
policy to one that might result IN
armed Intervention indicates that the
backbone which Uncle Sam USED TO
have is coming back" And whlle
armed Intervention would not be pala-
table to most Americans, because OF
their adherence of war, on any scale
with it's certain sacrifice of good
American lives, the time has long since
passed when this country should take
steps that will let the MeXicans I'M
derstand that they must put their
house in order or it will be done for
them. Surely the famous "Watchful
Waiting" policy has been given suf-
ficient trial to demonstrate that it is
little better than no policy at all.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-31

One reason perhaps, thinks the chi
cago Herald, that we hear more OF
British mistakes than of those OF
other nations is the fact that the Brit
ON lust can't keep quiet about them.
The Detroit times., 1915-06-15
AUTO ENGINEERS
PRINT PAPER
ABOARD BOAT

An a1'..'ea .0 s"..' '''.' Is ..' ..'--
features as vaudeville pr9-raH-s.
deck games and O lunch box picae
~ one @: TIE 'u.wa islands at Geor
giaa Pay. members ~ che society
OF Automobile En-.utst, Nar .e-t
to- a sy-Gay cr.l-s oG 'ts N1r Term
Navigation Co steamer Na-al.c,
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