The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-06
LADIES ARE ALL HAPPY
The Floral Parade Committee
Are All Smiles.
And the Committee VIII Doubt
less Be Made Permanent.
A Talk With Mrs Milliken, Head Of
the Committee, Who Worked So
Many Months for Success
And Won It.

There is no happier set of ladies in
Topeka at present than those of the
big general committee who had
charge of the Fan Festival floral pa
rade. All feel justly proud of the
splendid success made of their first at
tempt in the direction Of a flower pa
rade and almost every lady believes in
making the parade a permanent yearly
feature.
Mrs. n. AIiIliken. chairman of the
general committee on whom devoIved
all of the executive work believes that
although the floral parade of the FAN
Festival surpassed all anticipations.
that greater success can be achieved
with the next one given Mrs Mill
ken said
From the fact that many more Of
the ladies OF Topeka viii take part in
the work of arranging the next floral
parade, / think it can be made even
finer than our first one. The society
ladies' OF this city great many of
whom held back this year because they
could not be certain the parade would
be a success Will take part in the next
one. and these are the ladies who are
able TO devote their time to such work.
Almost all of the ladies who worked in
the general committee this year We're
ladies who necessarily had to neglect
their home duties in attending to the
work of the committee
When the general committee first
decided upon this feature of the Fall
Festival. not one of the ladies had any
idea that the floral parade would be
the success 1t was At several meet
ings held in July and August matters
looked very discOuraging, and I know
many of the ladies We're in favor of
giving the feature up. 1t was just al
TINS time that Mrs. sutton took hold of
the work. and she seemed to give new
energy to the entire committee I think
she deserves great deal of credit for
the part she took.
Il really think there was q general
impression among the people of this
city when the parade was first talked
of that it would prove failure. After
we decided to arrange a floral parade
L was speaking with a prominent lady
Of this city who formerly resided in Col
orado Springs, and she advised me to
give up the work, saying it would never
result in q success. Why she said.
it isn't reasonable to suppose that To-
peka can make a success Of anything in
the line Of a floral parade
"a day or two after the parade met
the same lady on the street, and her
views We're entirely different i never
saw anything as lovely as your floral
parade. she said. Il have witnessed
number Of flower parades in Colorado
Springs. but your parade was better
than all. I think every lady Of the
committee deserves a present.
II think the floral parade should be
made a permanent feature every year,
ana i Inlnk the Work OF the next pa
rade can be so planned as to make it
much easier There are many of the
flowers. too that with little care can
be preserved and used in next years
decorations.
AS far as finances are concerned, Il
am confident that the committee viii
have funds on hand to meet all indebt-
edness. If the majority of the ladies
are in favor of the plan. the general
committee viii not be disbanded at the
meeting Thursday afternoon, but Will
simply be adjourned until next year
Mrs w. H. Wilson. chairman of the
committee on the Topeka and Kansas
Float" also thinks the floral parade
should be made a permanent feature
each year. Mrs. Wilson said
Il think that by continuing the floral
parade each year it would serve to ad-
vertise Topeka and in this way help
our city. I understand that some OF
the merchants say they are willing to
contribute twice as much to the next
parade as they did to this one, because
they believe that such features will in
the end increase the prosperity of To-
peka.
81 think our floral parade was beau
tiful, and believe that all the ladies
should feel proud, because they worked
hard for its success"