The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-12
THE REUNION.
Today is the Last Day OF Grace for the Re-
union.

reunion of the department of that city.
While the claims of the comrades were
never disputed, the circumstances govern
ing the location of these great gatherings
OF the old soldiers of the state were not
such AS would permit the granting of the
request. At the Atchison encampment
matters looked more encouraging, and
when the Wichita delegation made their
plea 1t was granted unanimously, and the
council OF administration instructed to
complete the arrangements. Now comes
that startling information that Wichita
has suggested to the council that she will
be unable to provide the guarantee fund
necessary for the proper accommodation
OF the thousands who desire to attend such
meeting of the old comrades of the state
This is lamentable condition, and
when it is considered that the Windy
Wonder, the Princess of the Plains the
great get-tbere- Eli city of the famous Ar
kansas Valley has fell over a small matter
OF s.. 500 to provide for a crowd of people
who will spend that many thousand, the
natural conclusion is that something is
wrong There is something out of joint
The men who invited the department to
locate the annual reunion at Wichita GER
tainly had received authority for such
action. They are men who have ever aud
always been formosr in working for that
city. 1t was we'll understood that small
guarantee wOQlO De reQu1reQ.
Can it be that Wichita will allow so
small matter as g, 500 to take from her
what she has so long coveted? Will she
permit so desirable an event to go to some
neighboring city? What if the depart
ment commander should telegraph Ar
kansas City, Winfield. Newton, Hutchin-
son or one of half a dozen other towns,
that by putting up that small guarantee
they could secure the annual reunion. In
lac
that the cash was at that moment in the
bank, and for him to send along the re-
union. Wichita has always wanted it and
1t was sent there by unanimous vote.
VIII she accept it, or Will some smaller
but more enterprising city get it? The
matter Will be settled In very few DAYS
one way orthe other. The Veteran knows
OF several towns now anxiously waiting
to see Wichita fall down over it before
they grasp it.-Topeka Western Veteran.
At4 o'clock this afternoon it will be
definitely known whether Wichita will
have the reunion or not. That will be the
last hour of the grace which has been
so kindly and so generously given
by the council of administration. After
that hour the Western Veteran can be
answered with more safety than now. To-
morrow morning the EAGLE may be able
to proclaim to the state that the Peerless
Princess never fails in what it undertakes
but at the present writing the matter looks
rather gloomy. The various committees
on soication of funds met last night in the
Office Of the Southern Kansas Fair associa-
ton in the city building and compared
notes with the result that they found them
selves about $500 short of having enough
money to undertake to carry the reunion
through. All the committee, including
the citizens, looked blue and they felt
blue. Their local pride was undergoing
severe strain, and if they were any other
people on earth but Wichita people they
would throw up the sponge. When things
looked darkest w. J. Wilson, Oscar Smith
and others jumped to their feet and de-
clared by the ballowed named of the Peer
less Princess that il never shall be charged
up against Wichita that she failed to APP
preciate The compliment an organiza-
ton representing 100000 of as brave
and true men as ever fought
beneath national banner extended by
rendering her the G. A. r. state reunion,
an semblage that is seen only once
year for no organization can initiate it in
pOlub VI Tue III dOJ0HuHuCS. " H0u
these gentlemen had finished their rafting
speeches the committee took heart again
and concluded that they would make a
desperate effort to raise the funds on the
last day of grace which will expire at 4
O'Clock this afternoon.
Accordingly several sub committees
were appointed and they will throw off
their coats in a final effort to
raise the funds. When they call
on the people they should not be trified
with. Only eight hours remain to settle a
matter that is worth quarter of million
dollars to Wichita Everybody should
who can and it is to he hoped
that the amount which they are shy will
be made up before the last hour so as the
committee can Immediately telegraph to
Topeka, for at O'Clock sharp Wichita will
be considered out of the race and negotia-
lions will be entered into with Topeka.
This is a much more serious matter than
the average man contemplates. If
the COMMITTEES fails it will
be the death knell of Wichita's aspira-
lions to be considered the convention
town of Kansas and that would mean
loss of at leasl 81, 0OO, 900 year. How can
Wichita ever again go before an organiza-
ton and ask them to hold a convention
here if they are on record as failing to
keep the Grand Army reunion when they
were offered it. Then again they should
bear in mind that this $500 will not be
lost to the town. Every dollar of it will
spent here and in time it will go back into
the pockets from which it issued.
Tomorrow morning the EAGLE will
either chronicle the pleasant Intelligence
that the reunion is 70 be held here or the
fact that it will not be held
here; which will it nes Wichita never
failed to respond in a matter of this kind
before, and it is not to be thought of now,
w ben the biggest convention ever held in
{ he Arkansas valley is knocking at the
very gates of the city. While it may be
unsafe, nevertheless it is not too radical TO
say that tomorrow morning will bring
better news
The meeting last night was strictly
for every body realized that the
affair WAS in a critical stage. To still
further strengthen the permanent conl-
mIttee by extending the list of members
TO forty-four including the twenty five
from the post. The additions made
last night were W. J. Wilson, .
z. Smith, Johnny Ashan. David
d. Leahy, A L. Mckenzie, Benton
Maret, c. g. Cohn and Charles
II the amount needed Is
collected the balance of the committee
will be appointed this afternoon and the
committe will be chartered in due form
The financial committee will be c. II.
Cohn of the Boston Store, Oscal f. Smith,
w. J. Wilson of the Arcade store, Coun-
Gilman Henry Schad and John Martin.
The committee hope that il anybody