The Topeka state journal., 1908-07-18
A GLORIOUS AFFAIR.

When the Topeka business men de-
termined to provide a round of en-
tertainment for their customers, the
merchants in the smaller localities in
the state, it was the happiest thought
OF their lives. For the occasion de-
veloped into one that can only properly
be styled by calling it glorious. There's
no room for the shadow of a doubt
that during the three days that the
out of town business men have been
the guests of the merchants of Topeka
they enjoyed the really fine series Of
entertainments that were provided for
them. But their pleasure was not ono
whit greater than that of their hosts.
1t was Just about the finest time that
the business men of this city have ever
experienced. Their talk about 1t soon
takes a turn to the recurrence of the
event next year and they must needs
show all their we'll known versatility
and ingenuity in arranging anything
finer in the way of delightful diver
sions than those provided this time
But aside from the enjoyment and
pleasure which both the guests and the
hosts obtained out of the affair. 1t was
of immeasurable benefit and value to
| them in almost untold ways. 1t was
a great boon in creating and cement
ing friendly feelings and intimate per-
! sonal relations between men who in
| many instances have only known each
other for years through the unaatis-
| factory medium of correspondence. Aud
it is not too much to say that it op-
| ened the eyes of the visitors to the real
| ly many and varied interests which
! ma ia hIyc of
peka. They were undoubtedly surpris-
ed in many ways at the extensiveness of
Topeka as a manufacturing center and
| at the magnitude of some of the man
ufacturing plants, including the larg-
| est creamery in the world, some of the
| largest and most UP to date Touring
mills in the country, mattress factor
les. tent factories, in fact all kinds of
factories. This will mean that the
business men all over the state will
purchase variety of things from To-
peka that they never did before for
the simple reason that they did not
know such articles were made here, ar
ticles that are as good, If not better,
as any of their kind made any place
! on the face of the earth.
| To the Topeka business men the oc-
| casion was most beneficent in other
| ways. 1t actually gave them the excel
| lent opportunity of becoming better ac-
| quainted with each other. Men in the
| same line of business endeavors in the
city fraternized with each other in
many instances for the first time and
| discovered that they were all bully
| good fellows. 1t was the means o.
bringing the merchants together on a
more friendly footing than they have
ever enjoyed before. They found that
| while each was working for himself
they all mad more or less latent de-
sires to work for the whole good of
| their home town and the booming of
Topeka will now be carried on by them
! with greater zest and with much
grander results than ever before. 1t
| was just the sort of an affair that the
business men of this city needed to
establish those cordial relations which
| are so necessary for furthering the
welfare of a community.
And speaking of the surprise of the
visitors at the multitude and variety
of the business interests of the city,
| there was actually just as much sur
prise among any number of the To-
pekans themselves. They had no idea