The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-04
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY z. HOUSE
(From Philadelphia Public Ledger.)

The Rev. Percy stiekney Grant is
quoted as saying editors don't write /
what they think but what they are
told to write. AS we understand it.
the Rev. Mr.. Grant has never been an
editor. He doesn't know anything
about 1t. As we have often pointed
out, not more than half of that which
is known to a certainty is true. The
sum total of human ignorance is
greatly augmented by the general ac-
ceptance of the oracular utterances of
those who have no accurate knowledge
Of their subjects.
We have been a sort or editor for \
good many years. Except that we oc-
casionally exaggerate a point for the
purpose of getting it across, we never
have written anything we did not be-
lieve to be true. Nobody has told us
what to say. We have never been
asked to write a line which conflicted
in any way with our own sense OF
truth and fairness. If editorial orders
exist 1t is reasonable to suppose we
would have run across a copy Of them
somewhere.
Our own notion as to the weakness
of the press Is that the iron hand with
which it is accredited is much too
flaccid. The Missionaries, the theorists
and the "fatheads" who cling to the
skirts of Journalism are given too
much latitude. Nearly every news
paper office is afflicted with pseudo
philosophers and economists who. in
the name of freedom of expression, are
accorded license to tf1still vicious fol-
de-rol into the minds of the public.
That's one reason the people are 30
often wrong
OF course, the press is capitalistic.
It would be a distinct reflection on its
judgment and good sense II it were
rot. A very great majority of the
people of this country are capitalists
either potentially or in fact. They
either own property or hope to do SO.
They are the bone and sinew, the heart
and mind Of the country. They ex-
press, in concrete terms, its unflag-
ging industry, its perseverance, its
thrift, its common honesty. its sense
of decency and its belief in law and
that overwhelming majority of Ameri-
cas- citizenry, who should it stand for?
Having thus settled. we fancy for all
time, another of the great questions.
we turn to other topics and proceed
in lighter vein.
The plan now is to bring about a
meeting between Babe" Ruth and
Judge Lands at a banquet in Chicago
We trust Judge Lands will consent
to attend. There is a rare treat in
store for him.
Mr.. Edison is quoted as saying he
prefers men with long memories. He
thinks they make the best executives.
We recall that the Indiana Society
of Kapioma county held its first and
only picnic in the woods in the river
bottom adjacent to Grigsby City on
August II, 1886. Warren Baldwin
ran a circle swing, the forerunner of
the merry-go.round, all day. and took
in $S6.15. In the baseball game
Grigsby City beat Chatham. II to 4.
In the winter of 'S4-S5 Charlie
Wells taught the Doane school. The
term was four months, the desidera-
tum $35 month. On the last day of
school Charlie wore his frock coat.
During the noon hour he engaged in a
game of prisoners base with the
larger boys, and one of them tore
the tell of 1t half off.
At the Fourth of July celebration in
Plymouth, Ill. in 1880 the Basco Sill
yer Cornet band furnished the music.
The marriage of Florence Hance
and Jim Bray occurred on November
3. 1890.
The big revival meeting at Ogeese
began on February %, 1888. A collec.
ton for the purpose of purchasing
coal and kerosene was taken. 1t
amounted to s2.15.
Late in June, 1895, Adam STAINS
berry, proprietor of the Schnell Hotel
in Harrisonville. Mo, went to Indiana
on a visit. While he was away the
Democrats nominated Bryan for presi-
dent and pretty nearly broke his
heart.
On June IA. 1903. William Allen
White, editor of the Emporia Gazette,
was horsewhipped by an indignant
subscriber.
On July s. 1907, we made the last
payment of the set of Dickens, which
we had purchased on the installment
plan some years previously.
All we ask Mr. Edison-all we want
to know from him-is, Do we get the
job?
Our idea OF a capable executive Is
one who can refuse to make a public
speech when he is invited to do so.