The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-12

Reasons for Welcoming the Trouble
Over the Big Tent

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Stranger things have happened than the
probable upshot Of the little teapot tempest
now blubbering as If the world was at stake
In the having or not having of a big tent
In the Statehouse yard for the international
convention of the Epworth League. wheth-
er the offer of the grounds by the Legisla-
ture for that purpose was wise or not has
nothing to do with the question at this
stage, least of all can we now force a con-
struction upon the language of the resolu-
ton evidently not intended by the Legisla-
ture. or pettifog over the failure of the
proper officers to sign the resolution, If
they did fail. There is only one thing pos
sible now, and that is TO go ahead with the
tent and make the occasion one Of the
grandest affairs ever known in America.
We can do that. and will without any re-
sort to courts. and we ought TO do 1t with
manner.
Personally, l am on record as against
the whole business. In its incipiency / men
toned II was too big a thing for a little
inland town like indianapolis. but when
the Governor. in behalf of the State. the
meygsI, n HlD osha ana OF th the R Slay y and nc f the Com n
behalf of the business interests. and the
Ministerial Association. in behalf of all the
and each pledged all possible aid. / Joined
the procession and determined to do my
level best to make 1t a success, not even
In case Of failure. There will be no failure.
The zeal already manifested by the
churches of all denominations to furnish the
$1,000 homes is a pledge that every depart
ment will do its proper work. He is a
great coward who first predicts a failure
and then tries TO prevent success. You see
that. though the guests will be Methodists,
the affair Is not only interoenominational.
but the city. the State and the business of
the ,hev c, wyu are pet the he p hosts In this Ins CASE e. and
Lasby threatened political prescription by
the Methodists In case of any serious OPP
position he was indiscreet, even If he said
1t by Implication to a reporter who never
lets anything escape that can be worked
into a sensation. Methodists are not thin
skinned in such matters: besides, they are
preoccupied just now with the relation their
Brother Mckinley s~ustains to "A much more
important question. the army canteen.
But great good will come of the discus
sion. / am rather glad Ii has come up.
OF course, I assume IL can end only one
~way-the tent will be put up according to
thorities will be called to the folly of at
tempting to make two fronts TO the State
house. The early fathers built a Govern
or's house where the monument now is, but
no Governor would ever live in IL because
X had no backyard for utility purposes: no
place to hang out clothes or maintain a
woodpile. IL fronted east. west, north and
south. and a backward is as essential to
Domestic comfort as n front yard. But we
80 - lily III to&R laAa 01 " w
the front yard nor think any the less of IL
because we keep IL In a style best adapted
TO Its uses. The ground on the Ohio-street
front OF the Statehouse can never be other
than the back yard TO the Statehouse. We
use 1t as such already and always must.
would think of putting on the Washington
street front. and any mar who would pro-
pose 10 put up a statue to any distinguished
man In that back yard would be laughed at.
"A place for the thousand and one homely
appliances OF a well-equipped home Is as
structed 10 meet the inevitable wants of the
family as any other place, and we would
laugh at the parvenu who his
dining room and kitchen as he does his par
Tor or who would maintain the same style
IN his back yard as in his front ward.
The simple truth Is. just such a tent as
the one proposed is an absolute necessity
occasionally in Indianapolis, and IL is every
way important that il be near the center
OF the city. Such q tent for the Knights
Of Pythias or the G.. A. r. or the coming
convention OF the Christian Endeavorers or
the international Y. NJ. c. A.. not to mem
ton our own state conventions and an oc-
cdsional meeting OF the national conyen-
tons. Is n necessity.
Let US be sensible. We do not want our
kitchens furnished like our parlors nor our
back yards ornamented like our front yards.
Keep them clean and nice as back yards
and use them as back yards for back yard
purposes and We viii meet the wants of
home much. better than III we put on too
much style and provide too little for COM
fort. Broad Ripple would be a good place
for the tent: 50 would Garfield Park II there
was q place for II. but they are incon-
venient. Let me predict not only that the
hack yard OF the Statehouse will be used
by the ieaguers. but its success will be
such that II will be kept for all time to come