The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-06-14
Topeka 7. n. C. A. Has Good
Start for Building.
Plans Are Talked Over at Big
Banquet.
100 MEN PRESENT
Judge Spencer Tells of Y. NJ. c.
A. Advantages.
Three People Have Already
Given S., 900 Apiece.

4. -. "A.
quet to the business men of Topeka
last night that $40 500 is now subscrib-
ed towards the new $4,000 home which
the association has determined to build
within the next two years. Two sub
scriptions of $1,000 were announced, but
the names of the donors were withheld.
Several years ago Judge Clark gave the
Y. M. c. A. a piece of property on Kan
sas. avenue between Ninth and Tenth
streets. This will be sold for s., 000
Tuesday night $1,000 was given by peo-
pie whose identity was not disclosed.
On Sunday subscriptions from assocfl-
6 ton members Melted slightly over So
SOO, making total of SIS, 900, or almost
one-fourth the entire amount which it
is being planned to raise. The cam
paign for subscriptions has only been
| IN progress for about four days.
The banquet was a success. About
100 of the representative business men
OF the city were present That they are
interested in the work, they demon
Strated by frequent hearty applause to
the sentiments expressed by the speak
ers, the principal of whom was Judge
Selden p. Spencer of St. Louis.
He took for his theme the value of
the 7. M. c. A. as a factor in the life
OF every community which it has enter
ed. While the speaker paid glowing
tribute to it in words, he made sub
stantial arguments with facts and quo
impress upon the listeners. "A Y NJ
c. A." said Judge Spencer, lis a mani
fold blessing. For young men it is a
nome, help and a heaven" Going
more deeply into the real causes for its
success he said: We speak a common
language in these great United States.
Nowhere else in the world is there d
place so large in which all men speak
the same tongue. Here the sympathies
OF men are one for good. A common
foe is foe to the country and vice
versa. Nothing effects the country, but
it affects all.
THE YIN. c. A is doing great thing
for the world politically, but l will not
go into that because I know Kansas
never mixes into politics. had an ex-
per1ence with Kansas politics once. I
was sent out into Missouri to just
sweep everything before me. They told
me that l would have no trouble that
there was an old man by the name of
Overmyer on the other side, but that
he would not be nard to beat. So
went in high hopes. OVermyer spoke
first and he had not continued fifteen
minutes, before I realized that I had
my hands full. 1t made me feel like
asking for deliveranee if Overnyer was
considered a poor specimen of Kansas
politics and oratory, for I wondered
what would become of me if a good one
came along.
THE Y. NJ. c. A stands for the home.
All of us know that, but some know it
better, namely they who come to a
great city to earn their livelihood They
know the struggles and work to keep
out of danger. Fer instance when the
night comes on with its shade and Sc
clusiOn, when the will power is weak
the body tired and the mind fatfgued=
then it is that the great ebb-tfde of
city life sweeps off thousands, because
they have not the comforts of home to
which to go. You treat the men who
work for you welfare considerate and
kind perhaps, but you cannot take them
int hot 1sN 81
of your family. That is impossible.
Then under those circumstances, it is
your duty to provide a substitute. That
is due the young men of your city. We
can put up great building and it's
doors shall always be open to the young
men and it snail constitute for them q
home. 1t is a surprising fact, when you
consider the statistics which have been
gathered on the subject, that So per
cent of the young men of the country
are boarding away from home. The city
which provides a home is wise from a
philanthropic side and a material side,
let alone all other reasons.
Taking up the educational factors of
the Y. M. G. A. Judge Spencer said:
Every state is a constituent part of
the sovereignty itself. The necessity
of the education of the people becomes
then apparent. I sometimes think, with
out Understanding the value of the
other features of the Y. NJ. G. A that
the educational department is one of
now enrolled in the night schools. It
was found in Philadelphia that in a
great commercial and manufacturing
institution that for every dollar put up
for M. c. A purposes that it was
returned twenty fold. Some interest
ing facts might be recited about young
men who were started in the night
schools and who have since become
strong men in their lines of work.
Il should like to repeat that the Y NJ .
G. A. stands for home, nelp and heaven.
It means the young mans idea of God
his familiarity with religion. Denom-
national and sectional lines fall out
of sight.
Let the young men touch the gaIvanic
current of its influence anywhere along
the line and they viii feel its force and
the community will also become cog
infant of it. Do this in the interest of
the young men of your city and they
will then not be able to say with David:
Il looked to the right and refuge failed
me; I looked to the left and there was
no help; I looked about and I was IN
done. My soul was cared for by no
man."
Immediately after the conclusion of
his address, Judge Spencer took the
Santa Fe train for st. Louis, business
demanding his presence there today.
International Secretary Ward made a
brief talk telling of the work in some
other places where similar campaign
was being carried on. He felt confident
that Topeka would succeed, and almost
spoke as though success had already been
won.
William ". Mills. president of the Com
mercia1 club stated that a committee
from the club would be appointed to CO.
| operate with the association in the work
of raising the necessary $4,000 He also
stated that his organization is in hearty
sympathy with the movement and would
aid wherever it would be possible.
Harold T. Chase, chairman of the build
ing committee. outlined in a. general way
the kind of building which 1t is planned
to build. we want a building said Mr..
Chase, IT'S by rs feet, of four stories.
In the basement 1t is planned to con-
struct a swimming pool. the bowling al
leys and the heating plant. The first
flOOr is to have IN PrfIarce Ike a lnhhN