The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-20
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE.
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.D

If YOU had intended to write a book
about Col. Theodore Roosevelt, this is
the psychological moment. Nearly
everybody else either has such manu-
script in course of preparation or has
delivered it to a publishing house.
The book business is not what it
was, however. The literati attract 49,
attention than ever before. We know
a community, remote from the scene
of the disaster. in which 400 copies OF
THE story of the Johnstown Flood
were sold within one month OF its pub
LEGATION. A literary guy was looked
up to- in those days.
1t so happens that we carry union
card" 1t is true. that during the
period of its inactivity some dust has
, gathered upon it. But it never has
been disfigured by the STAN OF iiIegiu.
macy While it Is not fostered by the
labor unions. the general plan seems
to be to rob the rich. If the plan
goes thru, we announce our intention.
as a workingman in good standing, to
demand ourNshare of the loot.
Endow a man with the gift for pub
lie speaking and the possibility that
he will talk nonsense becomes prob
ability.
So far as we are concerned the New
York man who bases his claim to
fame on the assertion that he wrote
all the editorials hitherto credited to
Arthur Brisbane need have no fear
that his title to distinction will he as
sailed. We quit claim to him without
further pother.
Nor should we wish, no matter what
measure of glory it brought us. to be
considered in any way responsible for
the writings of Thomas Dixon or
Robert w. Chambers.
The news seems to travel slowly to
Connecticut municipalities. At any
rate, we get such reaction from the
fact that eleven Connecticut towns
have just voted on the question as to
whether saloons shall be licensed.
| The situation. we may add. no long
| er hinges on the electors. 1t cannot
F., be Modified at the polls. 1t DEPENDS
wholly upon the potency of the Vari-
Gus recipes for elderberry wine.
If IT is true. as Announced. that the
president ''ioked with his family the
attending physicians should see to it
that 1t doesn't happen again There
| is no effort so futile. none so likely to
! discourage a sick man. as that of at
| tempting to generate laughter in the
! family circle.
The president knows a number of
excellent jokes. We suggest as sup
| Elemental treatment II hi4 case that
some employe. of the government, or
some mental functioning in and about
the White House, be called in to hear
| them. To one able to inspire it.
laughter is the most stimulating o.
natures tonics. Nothing is so funny
to the average man as the jokes of his
| boss. Let one of the hired men be
| brought in to laugh his head off at the
| presidents quips.
/ All OF which recalls a curious fact
1 to mind, Those who laugh themselves
| to death are not uncommon subjects
for the news columns. But somehow
the fatal joke never gets into print
| When a married man attempts to
make love to his wife she says: What
is that old fool trying to do now?"
When man of means has a private
quarrel of long standing on his mind
he is pretty certain to write a book
about it.
Some of the outrages fail to move
us. We absolutely refuse to become
| indignant over the recently published
! and well-authenticated fact that the
governor of Nebraska gets only $4,000
a year.