Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-10

Il
that while the good shows could not be
better unless a new set of performers
was introduced, the bad shows could be
made sufficiently bad by the people who
show signs of legal restraints In the
strictly moral capital city of Iowa. but
it's midway just the same, ana It is
thronged.
p. I. aBrnum's famous saying about
the pleasure the American people get
out of being humbuggged comes to
mind in this connection. Iowa people
are like the average American. u is
true that the crowds which have come
to Des Moinea this year have been
small as compared with the crowds OF
other years. Perhaps it is because SO
many came ID other years that Few
come now. But the town people come
out and parade up and down Walnut
street half the night. The young folks
are most conspicuous. They go in
groups and parties. Some are sedate
and serious and seem to be wondering
what it is all about: but the larger por-
ton are engaged in doing all sorts OF
foolish and ridiculous things, such as
accosting unknown persons. 1ostins
each other rudely and throwing all
kinds of articles. There is great deal
of roughness and indecency. The wom-
an who goes thru the streets unaccom-
panied by a strong protector, or even
the group of women who thus run the
gauntlet, must expect to be insulted.
What is done and said Is in the category
of the forbidden. And the street Is pan
demonium itself. 1t is tin horn revel,
q contest of lungs ana Drawn, compe-
tition in discord. Young girls get a
taste of what they call the strenuous
life. 1t borders on the dangerous. Boys
go as far as they dare go in wickedness
and dieorder. To them the street carni-
val is license to do al. that they have
been taught not to do. They make the
most of the occasion. And some of the
boys have gray hairs. But 1t is street
carnival. and everything goes 1t Is
what the people want it to be. What
matters 1t il all is not patterned after
Sunday school stories-it is the fad.
The redeeming feature of the Des
Moines carnival is the horse show.
There the picture changes. All men adj
mire fine horsefiesh. Many women are
like-minded. The horse show people
have horses Of all kinds on exhibition
for big prizes are offered. The fancy
driving and riding animals are paraded
around in their best. They seem to feel
their own Importance. There is sharp
competition among the ladies' for a
chance to be driver of fine span In
the parade. 1t is show of fine horses
and fair women. Only the eletc are on
hand. One must put up a dollar for a
chance to sit in the grand stand and
watch the horses. This shuts out your
countryman who sells corn at 90 cents a
bushel and gets dollar and a qaurter
a busheI for potatoes. II you class your
self among the swell society folk Of the
capital city you will pay for several
seats, or buy box, and be exclusive. !"
for only few are willing to pay from
$50 to $35 box, and avoid rubbing up
against the common herd. But Des
Moines people do it. Hence the horse
show is the thing. It is superlatively
the fashionable fad of the week. And 1t
is all that redeems the carnival week.
What is the profit? One Des Molnes
daily newspaper early last week begun
to ask this question, and finally asked
who was going to pay the bills for ad-
yertising? The committee would do It,,
of course. But the committee didn't do
1t last year. "A coldness arose and the
advertising was cut out. The commit
tee has high hopes, but Its fears are
still visible. In fact. carnivals seldom
pay all they cost. And II to the debit
side be added the loss in moral standing
then it is greatly to be feared by a
number Of Thoughtful people that Des
sMoines will show a big deficit at the end
Of the carnival week. But the American
people like to be humbugged. said Bar
mum, and Iowa people flock to Des
Moines to see the flag end Of fad that
at its best was worth working only one
season.