River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-08-12
MADISON LETTER.
Religion, Profession and Politics.

| CoiiiintHudblo thlci Prise IHdJ even the
weather has succumbed, as topic in
conversation, Tie Assembly has been
the sensation of the week, and Tai.
madge the sensation of the day. The
throng of people who took possession
of the Lakeside grounds to-day exceed
ed in numbers anything ever exper.
fenced in the history of this Ascend.
ly. 1t is estimated that over seven
thousand people gathered in and about
the Tabernacle this afternoon to list
en- to Mr.. Talmadge's conception of
big Blunders. That he interested
and entertained his audience goes with
out saying. The reverend gentleman
is interesting as personal study. He
Is not handsome. lie might staad for
model OF ugliness without fear Of
successful competition. But he has a
great reputation, and lie has brains,
coupled with good pair of lungs, and
a good idea of the actors art, and he
makes the most of all of these al
Jnncts, and in natural sequence he
draws" a crowd, either to church or
platform, and also draws "A very
handsome stipend with and by his nat
ural and acquired gifts. His presence
cost the Assembly management thrice
as much as any other attraction, but
ne drew five times as many people as
any other speaker.
1t has been remarked by those who
have attended the Assembly every
year since its opening that the attend
ance has been less, up to to-day, than
ever before. This has been owing, in
great measure, to the prevailing hard
times, but also in part to what many
think has been an i'll Judged change in
the program, in cutting out the Choir
US practice, and devoting all the time
allowed to music to paid concert sing
| ers or players. One feature of the
musical program is especially grotes-
que--that of hiring couple of Italian
- A'4Aos ANNhAhS btiC IlllC / 4Ol.
to each of their names, and inviting a
thousand people to listen to a fiddle
and harp under the impression that
it is grand concert, while better
concert, with four instrumentalists
equally as good, could be heard on the
streets of Madison for nickle or
nothing. 1t was cheap music which
was probably the prime reason that
induced the management to secure il.
The Schubert Male Quartette was
good, and the Chicago Ladies' Quar-
tette was still better, but none of
these could makeu up for the absence
of the chorus. a great many people
have attended these meetings, taking
a season ticket and hiring a tent, for
the main purpose of taking part in
the chorus practice, and it has been a
great disappointment to them that the
directors have this year ommitted this
feature from the program.
The Sunday school work has been
better than ever, the best talent in
the country being present to direct
the studies, or to lecture upon topics
kindred to the work. The literary
features have also had great promi-
nence, and as whole the Assembly
will take rank with the best.
\ feature of the Assembly which
has been severely criticized, and
which has cost its managers something
in the way of loss of revenue, was its
capture on Temperance Day" by the
Prohibitionists. This political party
which held its convention for the
nomination of a state ticket on the
proceeding day, went over en- mdSSe
and used the occasion to propagate
their Temperance" principles from
the platform Of the association. The
candidate for governor, j. NJ. Olin, of
Madison, made himself especially con-
spicious and obnoxious by turning the
temperance topic into a political stump
speech. That he was not stopped at
once by the President of the associa-
ton was a source of wonder to many
until after the meeting of the stock
holders, in which resolution reciting
that the association was not political
or partisan in its aims was voted
down. 1t then became apparent that
a majority OF the stockholders present
considered that it was partisan or
ganizatiOn in the interests of the Pro-
hibition party of this state. 1t is
needless to say that this is not true, in
intent, but in practice it is for the
present fact. 1t has simply been
captured, temporarily. 1t will revert,
next fall to its original uses. Its sue
cess in the future will, however, be
seriously jeoporadized by this ill-timed
concession to party purposes.
Mr.. DIN, the Prohibition candidate
for governor, took occasion to tell the
religious people gathered at the
grounds that GOV. Rusk had outraged
their feelings 10y granting the Lo-
cOmotive Engineers the use of the
Assembly chambers for Sunday
meeting. 1t has since transpired that
Mr.. Olin, who is a lawyer, some years
ago asked the privilege, in writing, of
using the law library on Sundays in
the preparation of legal papers.
The letter is on llle now, and it is a
well known fact that having been
granted the privilege asked, Mr.. 0lin
has worked many Sundays in the Cap
itol building which he so feelingly re-
ferred'to as the property of the relig-
iOus people of the state and which had
been so desecrated by the Engineers
through the connivaIce of Gov. Rusk.
What an added burden of sin cold
Jerry" will have to bear when Mr..
DIN goes out on the stump this fall
aud tells the story of the granting of
the law library, as well as the Assemb-
" chamber, for ingodly Sunday lsbors.
Maybe he would give ''old derry"
away on this point, however. If he
does not his forbearance viii be praise