The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-04
CHANGE THE FESTIVAL.
Number of Days Should BE
Red ucted to Three.
Organization of Several Hun
dred Should Run 1t.
It Should Not be Made so Expensive
Some of the Expense Can be
Avoided by a Change ID
Methods

Topeka is beginning to pull herseH TO-
sether after her week of festivities and
to make up her mind about several
things by which the next FAN Festival
can be improved and in some cases rad
fcauv changed. It is the general con
census of opinion that the Festival
should be shortened to three days as
it is in Los Angeles and ColoraGo
Strings A whole week wears out tIe
visitors and the people of the town
as Well. Kansas City started OUT VIZ
a five days carnival and cut II Gov n -
four. With the FESTIVAL SloI le-l1'I -
three days the majority o. pSoPiS
could come and spend the enllfe lIlIeS
DAYS here without becoming "earleu-
Another thing upon Wnlch the Hle4 Ch
ants are almost unanimous Is Il!dt ~
fair grounds part of the festivities De
DISPENSED with. Business men want
the entire festival held in the city the
same as it is everywhere else. 1hey
cite the fact that the people are not
hauled out TO the parks in Kansas CITY
but are entertained down town II
anv entertainments are to be provided
they should be near the business cen
ter The fair ground is such ShaDby
old place that it is a disgrace TO give
ANYTHING there; and there IS not a
single good road leading to the grounds
Sill another feature" which Topeka
is positive it doesn't want again IS the
state militia. They cost the city a
large sum of money and their bad be
havior prevented the Committee of
Fifteen from coming out clear. the
BOYS need a great deal of drill and d-s
cfpIine before they are assembled IN
a state encampment anywhere.
One more matter to be considered IS
the management of the next Fall Festi-
val To put the work Of running the
whole affair on fifteen men is an i'm
position which only the finest kind OF
public spirit and self-sacrifice would
endure. The burden is altogether too
great. The Fail Festival should be in
the hands of an organization of 400 to
600 energetic men, so that the work can
be subdiVided and bear lightly upon all.
The Karnival Knights had not the
slightest difficulty in carrying out their
projects because there were so many OF
them. The president was able to name
separate committees for each detail,
A similar organization or perha ps
the KarnivaI knights themselves
should manage the next Festival. They
should have control of the flower pa
rade and every other feature. There
would then be no room for differences
or for the "seesawing'' of rival sets"
or bodies.
The next Festival may we'll be made
a part Of the dedication of the auditor
ium. Some SNOWY entertainment could
be given in the new building every af-
ternOOn and evening of the Festival at
% cents per head ana thus the larger
part of the expense of the affair paid
The expense of the Festival should
and must be scaled down considerably.
MOI more IiidA So.UUO SNCu4Q De asked
for in subscriptions. With an attend
ance of 5000 at each performance at
the auditorium some $1,000 or Sc geo
could be raised which would be ample
The old state fair used to charge an
admission fee of so cents and no kick
ing" was heard. Topeka certainly
ought to get up an entertainment for
half that admission price which would
satisfy all. All these things are worth
considering while we are resting. The
question of the next Fall Festival viii
need no active discussion for the next
six months at least We can afford
to talk about something else. but a lit
tie quiet thought viii DO no harm.