The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-07-12

Louis is working on show to be big
ger than Chicago's; but when these
are over a period of rest will set in.
| Milwaukee has been agitated over a
| row between the hotel men, who con-
/ tributed generously to the Elks' carni-
val, and the tent restaurants in the
street. The hotel men contend that
such competition is unfair and have
raised the point that it is not within
the powers of a common council to
close streets for such uses. Similar
contention was effective in prohibiting
another fair in Madison.
The Elks are an order of hale fell
lows well met, and devise fun of a
drOll order. There are to be parades
which, for splendor and novelty, will
| make the Yelled Prophets of st. Louis
and Comus and Menus and the Plum
{ ny PhellOws of New Orleans look very
pale. There will be more music by
! brass bands, probably, than has ever
agitated the air of the northwest.
Home for Destitute Masons.
! There are some 1000 Masons In
! Wisconsin and it is planned to tax
them SO cents each, by which $4,000 q
| year can be raised and in time a fund
| sufficient created to establish a Ma
sonic home for destitute members.
: The WOman's order started the idea a
| year ago, and the grand lodge at Mil
waukee in February approved it. 1t
Is hoped that donations, requests, ETC.,
may be added and if, as expected,
$4,000 can be got together a very re-
spectacle start can be made Masons
are of all degrees of enthusiasm, but
many OF them are good givers to the
cause They are very strong in many
OF the cities of the state, and while
many of their nOtables are not Per-
!sistent attendants, it is strong show
ing the order makes on special occa-
siOns. This order clings to the tenet
not to invite or urge men to join. The
growth of fraternals has not impaired
the older and more impressive broth
erhOOd, but rather strengthened it, as
joining orders is something that grows
on one.
Christians Who Sell Goods.
The "Gideons" held their big con-
vention here last week and a fine ap-
pearing body of men it was, with their
wives and children. Christian travel
ing men are new proposition; but as
is said of railroader: when you get
one converted, he's converted all over"
So it is apt to be true of drummers.
This organization is lifting the moral
tone ION the road" John Nicholson of
GAINESVILLE is the secretary--he repre-
SCENTS a Chicago paper house-and a
jOllier, more wholesome man of 40 one
never met. The order has a magazine
and over 1,6O0 members. You can Oft
en- ''spot" them on the trains wearing
a button representing a torch in an
urn-the story of Gideon of the Old
Testament. AS with the Y. Nj. C. A.
! these drummers are not satisfied with
formal Christian life, but are enthus-
iastically evangelistic and work to
''save souls" They believe in talking
their religion one with the other and
will tell you with whole-souled smile
that they travel for the Master and
sell groceries or hardware. as a side
line. They read the Bible and pray
daily.
Is July Fading Out?
July seems to have attracted less
attention this year. There are and al
ways will be a great many explosives
let off on that day, but it must be con-
fessed the significance of the occasion
the birth of liberty-is more and
more lost sight of. Not only is July
4, 1776, 125 years remote, but free
dom, at least in the common accept
arce of the term, is such an accepted
tact that it's achievement seems
cheap. Mr.. Bryan would not con-
cede that liberty is a universal fact,
and there are forms of slavery in
many countries and perhaps in our
own; nevertheless the brazen rule OF
mOnarchs, the taxation without rep
resentatiOn, the brutal force of might
which Jefferson and the men of his
time resisted are now rare and not
daily grievances. The oppression and
wrongs of today are conceded but
they are new forms and subtle and
not graphically related to the Declar-
alton of Independence.
Probably it is for these reasons that
our people do not draw long breaths
of gratitude and satisfaction as they
awake ON July 4 to the bang and
crash Of gunpowder. The blessings are
too cheap. And, as for the boys in the
streets, bless you, they have no idea
why they are celebrating. Ask one Of