The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1909-09-18
Some Comment About
Matters In Lincoln

AV1O
Did the fact that Lincoln Is a dry
town" tend to lesser the attendance
at the state fair The answer to
this question will depend upon the
point of view. Ttbse opposed to a
dry town" will assert that it did
Those who favor a dry town" will
point to the fact that despite three
horribly rainy days the total attend
ance of the week was only about TO-
900 short of last year. which was a
record breaker both as to weather
and attendance And so the discus
sion will rage-the anti-drys contend
ing that despite the bad weather the
attendance would have been much
larger if visitors had been assured of
plenty of opportunities to quench
their thirst, and the anti-wets insist
ing that a lot of people came because
they were assured they would not be
annoyed by drunks and undue exhi-
bitions- But all of us will agree that
it was the biggest and best state fair
ever pulled on in Nebraska-or any
where else.
Lincoln is pitifully lacking in pub
lie comfort stations. A few months
ago a society presented a handsome
fountain to the city, and for weeks
there was an exhibition of opposition
to having it placed where 1t would
be of service That a city the size
of Lincoln, with its pretensions of
civic pride and enterprise, should
have found it necessary to set a lot
of unsanitary barrels and tin cans
around the street corners to supply
drinking water. is burning disgrace
The city OWNS its own water works
system, and it ought to have a dozen
or more watering troughs and drink
ing fountains distributed around the
central part of the city And as for
public comfort stations-weII, as long
as the city is lacking in this respect
no one should enter serious protest
If public decency is offended with
great regularity
Until the Christian people of this
community assist in securing a half
holiday for the toiIers. they have no
right. to seriously object to Sunday
| amusements"
So said Miss Mary Mcdowell from
the pulpit of the FIRST Baptist church
the Sunday morning before Labor
Day And The wageworker is yioIat
ing NO confidence when it informs the
good church people of this city thai
they are going up against good
game in the very near future Unless
they get busy and provide the half
holiday, or cease their opposition te
Sunday base ball, there may be some
retaliation at the polls when mex
Lincoln is called upon to vote on tbs
question of saloon or no saloon a
lot of workingmen who never frequent
saloons, and who would vote against
license under ordinary conditions
may make up their minds to make
Lincoln wet" next spring as a sori
of rebuke to those who refuse to give
/ the workers a chance to see bal
games without losing a half-day's
wages As for this humble little labor
paper, it cannot see the difference
between Witnessing ball game OF
Sunday and hitching up the family
horse and taking a Sunday afternoon
ride before going to church
! The editor OF The Wageworker has
been around the country some in his
time and he is willing to confess
that when it comes to decorating fol
big occasions Lincoln is in the never
was class Fair week saw a few
flags flung out. but otherwise thers
was nothing in the way OF an at
tempt at decorating Say what yos
will about Omaha, that burg has u.
If you want to see something fine II
the way of decorating go up Their
and see what they've done to max
things look good to the Eagles o
get up there during the Ak-Sar-Bel
! festivities Wen venture the sssel
ton that the Paxton hotel, or the cit
hall. win have more decorations tina
Lincoln had the entire length Of
r street last week
; Last Saturday the street commi
9 sioner's department attempted som
: thing in the way of dragging the u