The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-13
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE.
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)

The column, of course, know moth
ing as to the truth or -falsity of the
rumors concerning President Wilson's
condition. But we do know human ma
ture pretty well. If it develops the
people are going to be grievously dis
appointed.
The people are rm-hearted, kind
ly, charitable and quick to respond to
the cries of those in need of succor.
They hold the president in high es--
TEEN, But good news is just naturally
disappointing to them. What the peo-
pie wish to hear is not the best of it.
but the worst. ..
Meanwhile, with our usual spirit of
rashness, We hazard the guess that
there is some sort of bug under that
particular chip.
Here and there one hears light and
airy criticism of the alleged drastic
provisions of Mr.. Volstead's we'll
known act. But such criticism, We go
so far as to guarantee, is not voiced
by those who have come into contact
with the beneficent legislation which
made a number of states in the area
of repressed precipitation bone dry
Beside the ..bone-dry7 statutes,
which it happily renders null, the Vol
stead act is liberty leaning far toward
license.
DR.. Lightner Wilmer, it seems to us,
is unduly skeptical. He wants to see
the spirit photographs of Sir Conan
Doyle's son before committing himself
to their legitimacy.
Doctor winners attitude, however,
indicates no growing feeling of dis
trust. His Is an individual case. Most
of US will go right on believing every
thing we read.
But Who Is Ethel NJ. Dell?
Sir-I can't claim TO be one of the
"cognoscenti,"' but I-have the temerity
to be an Director. I was totally I'M
aware that as a Philadelphia, was
subjecting myself to having my liter
airy tastes nodded by one who ranks
Harold Bell Wright with Maurice
Maeterlinck. The anti-Wrights speak
for another molder. Had there ever
been column attack on Ethel NJ.
Dell. 1 shudder to think what Arabe1la
Replyer would have suffered.
I can only commend the column tor
not Answering back" You're a bet
ter man than am, Gunsa Din!
Z. 2. Z.
The case of William Grant Webster.
New York attorney, enlists our inter-
est. Mr.. Webster is one member of
the Republican party who is not at
this time ambitious to be the party
nominee for president. and who is not,
admittedly or tacitly, a candidate. Mr.
Webster merely wants to run for vice
president.
The lesson to be drawn from those
who have carried on the experiments
is that if it kills you it is wood alcohol.
! If it doesn't it is some other deleteri-
Gus liquid.
Inasmuch as Mr. Bryan probably
never can be president, it is fair to
admit that upon ene occasion he was
right. So far back as 1913 or 1914
Mr. Bryan predicted the country would
be "dry'' by 1920. As one who Choir
tied a merry roundeiay when he made
the prediction, we wish to do the right
thing by him.
We therefore take it upon ourselves
to bring his batting average up to
date. Mr.. Bryan has been up" since
1896. He has made one base hit for
grand average of 1-ss over pericd
of twenty-four years
We have come to be, in the few
/ months we have been privileged to be
| in touch with them. sincere admirer
of Philadelphia institutions But il
occurs to us that the jewelry-store
robbery is being overdone- The act.
always annoying to the jewelers.. is be-
coming monotonous to the bystanders.
The trouble, of course. is that the
people demand romance And there
| is, we take it nothing less romantic
/ than robbing jeweier.
| The case of ]. S. D., however. Is ex-
ceptionaL Unpleasant things happen
TO the average man oftener than once