The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-06
ON SECOND THOUGHT
BY JAY u. HOUSE.
(From Philadelphia Public Ledsss.)


.tSlush and gush.'' screams S. w.
in referring to recent paragraph
about Theodore Roosevelt printed
herein. Typical Midwest propa-
ganda based on the writer's ignorancei
T. r. announced one summer that
he was going to tell Congress what
should be done about the tariff, and
the Republican leaders shut him up.
See the daily papers. What bit of
constructive work outside of the de-
cision about the Panama Canal was
done by T. r. ?''
| We were not discussing T. RS
achievements, y understand There
are differences of opinion as to their
importance and their character. But
it is all deep water, and the swimming
season for this department officially
is over for the year. What we said
was that Theodore Roosevelt knew
more that was worth knowing about
the tariff than any other American,
living or dead.
What we meant was that he knew
enough to let it alone.
The Lady Quits Cold.
Sir-Being a woman, I must have
| the last woodland I feel sure this
| will be the last, for you will not take
further notice of my advice in your
| column. 1t is as I feared-hopeless
From the glimmerings OF intelligence
and humor that appeared at intervals
in your column I had hope of you,
but such an attitude as that displayed
in your fourth paragraph today shows
you are beyond all help. Tt is another
example of the truth of the saying,
| "Conceit is a sign of mediocrity." In
such cases commentator (indiscrim-
inate) sometimes works better than
! constructive criticism.
I rejoice in your appreciation of
| t'EneaS Africans" 1t lis a little late,
| as it had become a classic of its kind
| some time since, but it's an encour-
aging sign. Have you read marie
| Chapdelaine" and reviewed it in your
column? I humbly recommend it.
Yours still in the interest of high class
| journalism. w.
| We take little stock in the old saws
We doubt the truth of the one to the
| effect that "Conceit is a sign OF
mediocrity." w. doesn't impress us
as being mediocre. She seems to have
the intellectual attainmcnts, the cul-
ture and poise common to other Bryn
Mawr folk. But here is a column
which has been running along with g
fair degree of success for more thar
itNenty-one years. 1t has hoed its owr
row. It did not make the editoria
page until 1908, nor achieve the dis.
tinction of by line until 1907. AND
W., who never wrote a column, who
probably never devoted an hour to 6
study of the reactions of the human
mind to the printed word and who
doubtless, has led an existence 81
sheltered that she has never been II
contact with life outside the harbor
wants to tell US how to run it. Bu
we don't believe she is at all a medic
ere sort of person
marie Chapdelaine" attracted the
attention of the column nearly a veal
ago. The reaction expressed hereiI
was favorable, altko had it been nee
essary to sit up all night to finish the
book we probably should have gone
to bed at the usual hour. We have
also read David Harum," ''Tempes
and Sunshine" and 1.-THE Opening of {
Chestnut Burr"
There was a book! They don't writ,
'em any more. We refer, of course, t,
Tempest and Sunshine" 1t has re
manned enshrined in memory thru al
the weary years. The incident of it
, reading and the attendant occurrence
still are as fresh in mind as they wer
at the close of the never-to-be-for
gotten day. 1t was in the late summe
of 1889 and we had been blowing TO
, wheat on the north eighty. We wer
using the black mules, and that wa
one turbulent team. In the matter o
3 fierceness and petulance, the well
, known Nubian lion is a rabbit by com
. parison. Following tradition, the lad
, mule had been named Jimmy" tn
gentleman mufe Jack" Since W
, were expected to work them into sub
> mission, We had stuck out for NOR
t fanciful patronymics, but tradition
prevailed