The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-09-16
TOLD The STORY
Motor Cars at Fair Speak of
State Prosperity.
Came From Every Section OF
Great State.
OWNED BY FARMERS
Car Has Proven Practical In
vestment in Kansas.
News Of General Interest to
Motor Car Owners.

The growth Of the motor car craze
in Kansas was told at the state falr
in Topeka this week in plain, conV1nc-
ing language when from every sectloh
of the state the motor car was uSeo py
parties coming to the fair. Almost
every section of Kansas was represent
ed at the great fair by automobile par
ties and every garage in town mas
been crowded for space by the ARRIVAL
of scores of foreign machines
From the rural districts the automo-
bile supplanted the faithful horse ana
the farmer and his family came to the
fair in their big touring car FROM
the remote sections of the state, par
ties came to the fair In their prlvase
machines and the railways lost hund-
reds of dollars in car fare by TINS
method of travel. But the motor cars
were at the fair and their presence
told of the progress and prosperity OF
a great state.
enworth Ottawa, Chanute. Wichita,
hutchinson Emporia and as far dis
tant as Oklahoma City came autoIno-
bile loads of people anxious TO see the
races and witness the eXniplts a. e-.o o,-1
Kansas semi-centennial. Almost every
town of consequence and many smaIl
villages in q radius of 100 miles OF To-
peka seems to have been represented
by one or more automo plies. Ihae
many more cars would have been here
Sunday, there is no doubt
John Spencer, a wealthy farmer
from Sumner county, brought ms ram
| lily to Topeka in their 1911 mouel
touring car. Spencer arrived mere
Tuesday and will start home this even
| ing after the circus. From the ex-
| IRENE western section of the state are
half dozen machines
IT is remarkable to note that not
less than one-half of the foreign cars
| farm ers And the farmers who own
the automobiles and came to Topeka
/ to attend the big fair are the same men
whose land 20 years ago was plastereo
with mortgages for more tnan II was
worth who owed more money than
they could pay, hoped to pay, or be-
lieved that in justice they should pay
1 MANY of the same men who came TO
Topeka in the big touring cars TINS
week were the same who SOUNDED the
PCpulistic fire alarms IN hAt lIsss. eLle e
sat up nights discussing the crane OF
l'73. Some of these same men We're IN
Kansas when the grasshoppers came
and hauled their farm products TO
town with a yoke OF oxen,
| But times have changed in kansas.
Hand values have increased. Secretary
Wilson'S "Serni Arid Belt" has devel-
oped into a marvellous wheat belt and
the downtrOdden farmer of quarter
Of a century ago has money in the
bank wheat in the bin and cattle graz
ing on the native blue stem
With this change came the new ano
modern rural homes and then the adj
went of the motor car The motor cal
has proven practical in Kansas, too
and is no longer looked on as luxury
lin the better farming districts.
| Therefore, when Topeka celebrated
the 5Oth anniversary of the state ano
gave the people one of the greatest
fairs the west has ever seen, no one
lshowed surprise or asked embarrassing
questions when Mr.. Farmer came tc
town in his modern, high priced ma
chine and took a week off in which tc
show his family a good time. For the
big machines at the fair this week are
paid for and the Kansas farmer is en-
titled to the fun that is Of his owl
liking.