The Topeka state journal., 1908-07-17

have paid fine compliments to the
capital city and in each and every
case they were obliged to stop the
thread of their discourse and say:
Now, cheer that before we clapped
our hands, and so modest are we that
1t is likely that we would not have
been applauded at all except out of
Difference and courtesy to the speak
ers who were so kind in their mention
of the city
1T has been reported frequently by
| unkind competitors that Topeka is
self1sh- We have tried to show our
visitors today that we have some
generosity and hope we have sue
ceeded In exploding an old idea that
we are not hospitable.
We have been told that you cannot
get something for nothing, and yet
here this evening Governor Hoch has
given us two hundred dollar speech
which has not cost any of us a cent
The governor will leave tomorrow
evening to make an address at a chau-
tauqua assembly and 1 understand in
what he has said tonight. he was mere
~ practicing upon US with the idea
that If 1T took all right here, he would
charge the lyceum bureau 5000 for II
at the chautauqua. Well his speech
was worth it and he ought to charge
the lecture bureau the full price.
we have been told that there is al
''N~y AOOAi O. tliC tOp, Dul lACTc
so many top-notchers among the retail
merchants of Kansas that 1t has re-
mained for Topeka to comfortably
crowd this roof garden at the top of
our new hotel.
But these old sayings and aphor-
isms are man-made sayings. There is
a beautitude which was uttered from
beautitude which was uttered from
the great Teacher, who said: 1T Is
more blessed to give, than to receive
and that saying, made 1900 years ago,
is as true today as 1t was then. We
have not exploded that idea; we have
confirmed 1T. If We of Topeka have
given you our visitors a good time and
good entertainment, we have given
ourselves equal enjoyment and equal
pleasure. No visitors could be happier
tonight than Charles P. Adams and
Samuel E. Lux, the two who have
borne the burden of the preparations
for today's crowning event None
could be happier than the two gentle-
men and their associates on the var
ious committees and working forces
to make this a great occasion. All of
this simply shows that the happiest
people are those who best serve their
neighbors and their customers. 1 do
not believe that the bright and smiling
faces of the retail merchants of Kan
sas here in such numbers tonight are
due altogether to the profits they have
always make money, but they do have
their work day by day serving their
people with things they need, things
they want or merchandise they must
have. They are happy really because
they are serving others to the best of
their ability and circumstances.
To-day is a lesson for us and we as
sure you that the pleasure given to
jobberS and merchants of Topeka in
trying to make things pleasant for
you today tells us of a still greater
pleasure next year and the years after
that in our efforts to gather a larger
number Of you here annually and give
you greater pleasure than even you
seem to have so thoroughly enjoyed
today
'1t has been a great day for us of
Topeka and we hope 1t has been one
for you of the state and that you will
long remember it as we will long re-
call the present occasion" ---
Theodore Osselbourn of Fort Riley
was next called upon as the oldest
Kansas merchant, and he responded
as follows: "I came here in 1867 and
am still on deck, handle up. carried
a six-shooter and a bowie knife when
1 came through Topeka in those days
on my way to Kansas City to buy
goods. | buy in Topeka now and am
unarmed."
Frank NJ. Cope on Come again"
"All my hundred has been taken by
the speakers who preceded me, but I
want to say that If you have enjoyed
your visit here and after you go .Sme
still have a desire to come again, we
VIII Did you welcome next year and
will be prepared for twice as many |
instead of half as many guests that
entered our gates. I hope you will all
stay over until Friday. so we have
time to talk with you. We have all
been too busy today