The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-06
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY E. HOUSE

The column congratulates its dis
tinguished coadjutor, the Hon. Will
liam Howard Taft, on the kind and
quality of his opposition. The man
who can win the opprobrium of john
son, Borah and La Toilette must nee
essarily have disclosed unusual and
goes as far to enshrine him in the
hearts and minds his fellow coun-
trymen as the faculty of enlisting the
opposition of that particular trio.
The thing, however, which we find
particularly irksome and annoying is
the classification of Borah, johnson
and La Toilette as, Republicans. How
did that story get started? If they
are Republicans, the column belongs
to the extreme left wing of the So
cialist party.
In Which the Secret Process Is
Revealed.
Sir-Will you tell me methods by
which editors, or, better still, by which
you are enabled to gauge public opin-
lion? Are not all of us essentially local
birds? Is the middle west interested
in the merchant marine? Is the east
interested in the California question?
When you were mayor of your town
did the local waterworks or Wall
street claim the attention of those
whom you served? You quoted NUM-
bers in matters pertaining to General
Wood, Dempsey and other people and
things. How do you reach your con-
illusions? Being Washingtonian, l
have been frequently asked If 1 knew
this or that congressman. Failure to
know some local parsonage who was
nationally obscure has subjected me to
much scorn. JAY c.
We always have fancied ability to
gauge the reactions of a massed public
as sort of seventh sense. Some are
born with it. One of these was Nor
ton Albaugh, God rest his soul. If
anything were coming off Mort could
feel it months in advance of the de-
movement. Others may acquire it in
greater or lessed degree by a serene.
causes and effects. The public never
carries the burden upon it's soul 1t
unloads it at the first opportunity and
to the most convenient place. If IL
isn't talking freely and excitedly it
isn't much interested. Those who be-
secluded pools of thought give them
very much the best of it. And when
| it comes to sizing up a situation, one
cross section of the citizenry reveals as
much as another. If Pennsylvania is
unperturbed California is. likely to be
unperturbed.
In the days when we were interested
| in politics in Kapioma county we never
went to headquarters for information.
We never asked the chairman of the
committee, the visiting statesmen or
the reporters. Instead, for such brief
time as served our purpose. we hung
about some obscure blacksmith shop,
some corner drug store or some paint
ed haunt of sin and vice. We never
asked a question nor obtruded an
opinion. We merely listened to the
rawlings of those assembled until our
fill for it was stated. And, nine times
| out of ten, when we went away we
knew in which direction the prole-
tariat and the country were headed.
= Giving us the privilege of listening
in at the barber shop, the locker room
at the country club, two or three OF
the common gathering places in our
neighborhood in West Philadelphia
and, maybe, a coup1a home-brew par
ties, and we can tell about what the
country thinks Of any given PROPOSE
ton. There is no trick about it. Any
| body who can for the moment be inn
personal can do it.
At Any Rate, He's a Good Sport.
Sir-You win. will be as good as
my word. You certainly will get the
hat If it takes my last cent
G. B. E.
| '.It gives me a feeling of dismay, al
most of hopelessness," writes a reader
to the editor of the Public Ledger in
reference to our spirited defense OF
| the Main Liners, "that the best news
paper in Philadelphia will keep a
man who will write such vicious stuff
as the marked passage inclose."
OF course, as the defendant in the
case, the decision should not be left
to US. But if it were left to US we'd
say the gentleman is much too easily
| dismayed and that his flair toward
hopelessness is unwarranted by the
proyocation. We can't think it is as
bad as he makes It out to be.
But, come what will, we purpose
standing by the Main Liners. The
rich and cultured have had very
much the worst of it. We dedicate
the column to the task OF seeing to
it that they get an even break
We maintain, however. that the
fact that Mr.. Harding blew" four
balls in a water hazard and remained
unperturbed is not the supreme test of
stoicism. The supreme test of stoi-
cism is a foursome OF women just
ahead.
The extra added supreme test Of
4 d
gent and his lady friend in the act of
exchanging condolences on the green.
Sam Blythe notes that, as In gov
eminent, Mr.. Harding's method of
tranquillizing a poker game is to deal
a round of stud The recipe doesn't
impress us. We have been among
those present when a number of
rounds of stud were dealt That in
variably, as we recall it, was when
the row started.