The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-12
LET US WAKE Up.
One Year From Now Let the
City of Topeka
Give a Big Festival and
Celebration
And Invite Everybody in Kan
saS Ito It.
A BIG FREE SHOW
With Thousands of Costumed
People In 1t.
Music, Games, Fireworks, Tab
leaux and So Forth.
TAKE A WHOLE YEAR
To Get Ready For the Proposed
Festivities
Music, Games, Fireworks, Tab
leaux and SO Forth.
TAKE A WHOLE YEAR
To Get Ready For the Proposed
Festivities
And Let Every Man, Woman
and Child Help.

OPSNe- AGCNAo q ACs5 CACA ehAAOls --NSS o.
many years ago it was the great gather
ing place for Kansans every fall. Thou
sands of people used to make their
annual pilgrimage 'down to Topeky." In
those days we used to have state fairs
and soldiers reunions that couldn't be
equalled anywhere in the United States.
Great men used to come to see US and
help to attract the enormous crowds that
poured in on the Santa Fe and Union Pa
'cifc. Among our visitors in the old days
were James G. Blaine and General Ben
Butler.
The people still want to come to To-
peka. It. is their state capital, the most
beautiful and metropolitan city in the
state. This week there have been thou
sands of visitors here, although we have
no special attractions to offer.
Topeka must wake up. The cities
around us have every autumn series OF
festivities to attract visitors and enter
tain them. Even A;chison has made a
glorious success of her corn carnival,
while Kansas City brings 800, 900 visitors
to her gates. Sioux City has her corn
palace and Omaha he- festival of Ak
sarben (Nebraska)
In no city in the country are the people
better repaired to give 4 grand festival
TO their country cousins than in Topeka
Not this year, for it is too late now, but it
is the nick of time to prepare for next
year 1t will take twelve months of
preparation.
Topeka is the originator of more anna
teur spectacular entertainments than any
city in Kansas. Why not untilize all this
talent in one grand spectacular festival
next September and invite our Kansas
f@rh hgrS n nd or
have a thousand ccstumed characters in
the procession and two dozen dilegorical
floats representing the glory or the his
tory of Kansas.
With the Modoc club, Marshall's band,
the Amphions and other organizations to
superintend the musical features of the
affair, the Topeka Athletic club and the
Turner's to look after the athletic fea-
lures, the Topeka club to take charge of
the social side of it, and a big new or
ganization composed of live business
men Ito be called the Commercial club
or any convenient name4 to see to the
display. we could give a show that even
Kansas City could not outshine.
We might call our festivities the "Fes-
tiv2l of Pomona and Ceres" or any bet
ter nGme which would catch the public
fancy. 1t ought to extend over four
days aad might be given about the mid
OIG u CSStCu1bSls 81 dS iOb " AAlSLl ltES
with the Kansas City and St.Louis festiv-
tiles.
One day might be devoted to not only
a flower parade but to fruits and flow
ers parade. Combinations of blossoms,
leaves. fruit and grain might be made
far more beautiful and showy than flow
ers alone and would more fully express
the abundance of Kansas.
An immense pavilion or a stage COW
q
constructed in the state house square.
where tableaux might be given for the
free entertainment of visitors. At night
a hsmbeau display or fireworks from
the dome of the capitol might be given.
Thousands of suggestions can doubtIes
be offered by our talented and original
citizens, many OF which can be incorpo-
rated into the plans.
All this would require some monay, but
not any fabulous sum, for each pArtici-
rant would be expected to contri butte his
or her own costume. aud with the ex-
ception of the aliegorical parade the ex-
pense would come out of individual
pockets
It is possible that the floats all ready
made might be obtained from the Kew
Orleans carnival makers at small ex-
penses also many of their costumes. The
entire outfit, painted canvas, ,papier mache
figures, decorations and all used by the
Priests of Pallas were one year offered
for $500. 1t is likely a similar figure
would obtain those of Memphis or New
O-leaus
The first step toward the giving of
such festival would be the organiza-
ton of a big club of business men and
others who will work for the city This
should NUN Der several hundred and in
clude every go ahead enterprising man
of influence in town regardless of pol
itics or religion.
We ought to all get together for the
good of Topeka. If there are any bick-
eringa and iealousies, this is the quick
est and surest way to get rid of them.
Topeka now has 81, 900 people. Let us
all unite to make it 10000 before 1900
Make a New Century start We have
money, and we have brains in this town:
now let US have organization, and give
out the news to Kansas and the world
that we are going to give the biggest
''tea party" and reception they ever saw
in Kansas. a years work on the project
will make it all it ought to be.