The Topeka state journal., 1898-02-28
CAN TOPEKA
RAISE $4,000?
If 1t Can, the Auditorium Can
Be Built Uptown.
IF Not, the Free City Park Site
is Next Best.
GIVING GENEROUSLY.
Topeka People Are COntribut-
ing NObly for the Hall.
They Want 1t, No Matter What
Site is Settled On.
THIS is RIGHT SPIRIT.
South Side Has Not Been SOlic-
tied For Subscriptions.
Expect Them to Roll in by
Thousands of Dollars.

The people of Topeka have dropped
the agitation of the question of site
for the auditorium and redoubled the
agitation for the auditorium itself. If
Topeka can raise $50, 600 the auditorium
can be built uptown; if we cannot raise
that sum, the best place is the free site
in the City park. All those who favor
an uptown site should bend every ener-
gyy to raise the necessary money to ac-
complish that end. Topeka can do
wonders whenever she gives her ener-
gieS to any certain project, and the
Journal would not be at all surprised
to see the auditorium fund pushed up TO
$50, 600, or $50 600 or even $4,000.
The money is here, and the people are
generous as has been grandly proven in
the last two or three years.
One thing the people are determined
on and that is that they will have a
hail big enough to assemble in ana
talk over matters of public interest
We have occasion to do this every few
weeks and when we have a hall large
enough to hold ourselves we shall have
these public conferences Oftener. Moth
ing accOmpHshes great public projects
so quickly as the calling together of the
citizens in mass meeting where every
man has right to talk and where pub
lie sentiment can shape and voice itself
This is what an auditorium IS Tor more
than the giving of dances, church fairs
and things of minor Importance.
Too many people have trivial con-
CeDJlOn OF an AUDITORIUM. II - d place
for cOnVOcations of the people, not for
social or society affairs. Should a war
with Spain or any foreign country
break out, we shall want a place where
practically all the men of the town can
assemble and discuss the matter;
should a mother congress- of the
United States meet as it did at Wash
ingtOn year or two ago, we want a
building that all the mothers of Topeka
can get into and hear what is said. If
we want to exhibit the horses of Kan
III IfT1cr h :
people can look at them when they are
led around an arena If we want to
hold a midsummer fair we want a
building big enough to hold it where it
won't get rained on as it may in Gar
field park.
Yet, some people seem to think that
this monster building will be patronized
for dances by two or three hundred Peo-
pie in evening dress, who will be as
much out of place as in the sSt. Louis
union depot. No such dance will ever
any way for that or for ordinary
theatrical entertainments, or anything
else that the present halls and opera
houses are used for.
We have realized during the past
week. that it is next to impossible to
entertain a convention here like the Ma
tional Buttermakers' without a hall.
As it was, the people of Topeka crowded
in so that the buttermakerS were un-
able to get in to their own convention.
If we had an auditorium there would
vention delegates and five thousand
spectators besides.
Now, it matters not to the Journal
whether the auditorium is built in the
City park or on Third, Fourth, Fifth.
Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth or Tenth
streets. The Journal wants to see it
built, but it can never agree with those
ObstructiOnistS who say they would
prefer not to see it built at all rather
than have it in the City park.
People who say they don't want it
built at all if it is in City park" do not
want it built at au-in City park or
anywhere else.
Beware of them.
All of the leading men, the men who
give the money for public enterprises
are in favor of the hall being built this
summer-if we can raise $50, 900, up
town; if we can't, then in City park.
With this understanding in view let all
contribute. If enough is given the up
town" people can realize their wish.
The Auditorium association viii meet
tomorrow evening at the Commercial
club rooms to compare notes and pre-
pare to push the work of securing sub
scriptiOnS.
There is now something over Sc 600
in sight besides the coal hole fund and it
will take that much more before the
work can be commenced The buttons
have found a ready sale and are rapidly
being disposed of but the work of so
Letting subscriptions has hardly been
commenced.
The preparation for the creamery con-
ventiOn interfered with the work of Sc
curing subscriptions but now that is
out of the way and nothing will inter-
fere with the raising of money. There