The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-09
ON SECOND THOUGHT

1.-The avatistic streak which causes
hornets nests" writes N. J., will
doubtless itch at the following sugges-
ton. But the realization that you are
running a column on the editorial page
of a family newspaper Will remind you
might scrape and varnish into finished
columnese this raw material.
IAN elderly gent expertly skirting
the fringe of the thin ice surrounding
the efforts of the Rev. Mr.. Crafts to
persuade congress to join him in blot
ting the sun out of Sunday asks
have the record carry the statement
that the government of the United
States in no sense is founded on the
Christian religion. For in the making
of treaty with Turkey it was So as
serted, and one George Washington
signed the document"
We print N Us letter in part, be-
cause we wish to drape a few observa-
tions upon it. These observations have
nothing to do with the proposed
tight" Sunday. For the moment that
vein of comment and objurgation is
pretty we'll worked out. But we do
wish to wrestle for minute with N,
US implication that, because of fear of
the newspaper-reading public, there
are things we dassent do. Occasionally
we simulate a shrinking in the pres
ence of the public. 1t is a part of the
business of this act But we have
the same awe and dread OF the public
that we have for woolly sheep on a
Christmas counter. There are indi-
viduals who are dangerous. But the
public in mass is as harmless as q
throat loZenge.
We have been thirty years in news
paper work without being asked or re-
quired by the responsible head to but
ter our words. When it is necessary OF
| becomes necessary to humble our con-
| victions, or to spread the emollient Of
| fulsome praise. upon the naked truth
when we must sidestep and cut and
| cover-we shall quit the newspaper
| business and go back to shooting fish
and digging postholes, which were ouI
| original avoeations. We left the town
of Centerville with the reputation OF
being the best posthole digger that
ever slung a spade. We could easily
pick up where we left off,
| We have remarked that, while the
mass is harmless, occasionally there
| is an individual who is dangerous
Such one was Charlie Andrews
Thru the years he had built up {
reputation as a fighting, brawling scr
of gun, and he deserved it. Al
thirty he develope I a mad aversion tc
the obligations of the marriage tie Hs
| began drinking to excess; he fell tt
| beating his wife frequently an6
| thoroly, and there grew up between
him and blondined women an intimate
personal association. Now it may b,
that in private these things are al
right. We express no opinion as Il
that. But Charlie was much too public
about it, and We rebuked him thorol,
and ostentatiously in the columns o.
the newspaper which we then adorned
We were making haste to catch g
train when we came into the personal
contact with Charlie which we has
dreaded and which we fain would have
avoided. He barred the way at tht
corner across from the passenger sta
! ton and professed a desire to have
speech with us. His right hand wa
in the pocket of his neat gray coat
| We looked down into that gaping
orifice and saw that the partially con
| ceaied hand olutched a thing of blu'
steel. Our hurried guess was that
| was .3S. But it may have been a 80
1t was too small for a As. Nov
Cnarie conversation ever was laruet
| with many profane Intersections. But
reduced to its smallest dimensions, i
was to the effect that he was going Il
shoot us down as he would a dog. IL
the two minutes which followed-an6
| they seemed like seconds-we de,
/ livered what was probably the great
est speech ever made in behalf of 6
condemned man. We cautiond, we
counseled, we advised and we ap-
! pealed. We scared thru the heights
| of eloquence and we plumbed the
depths of heart interest. We interpo-
lated the plea that we just had to
| catch the train which, even then. was
whistling into the station. Charlie
gave the matter a moment of calm and
meditative thought. Then he said:
Go ahead and catch your train; I've