The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-21
City Officials viii Give Up Sane
Fourth Idea.
Unless People of Topeka Take
More Interest.
ANY SUM WILL DO.
Commissioner Bone viii Receive
Any Donation.
Elaborate Plans for a Municipal
Celebration Are Complete.

Unless the people of Topeka take
more interest in the sane Fourth
movement, the city officials who orig1-
mated the idea, and the committees IN
charge of the celebration will give up
/ the entire plan and the people of To-
peka Will be left themselves to make
a celebration out of a day that Will
4 be polieed for quietness.
Roy I. Bone. city commissioner, in
charge of the financing of the scheme,
I is discouraged with the support re-
ceived. He says he will make one
more plea with the people. Then II
there is no response Topeka, like Kan
sas City viii have to put down her
The ordinance calling for a sane
Fourth in that no fireworks can be
sold in the city, has been passed The
matter now before the people is to
make the best out of a day that has
been set aside for a countrywide cele-
bratiOn.
It is argued that in the past every
family in Topeka has spent a certain
amount for fireworks. This year the
city ordinance prohibits the sale of
| fireworks and the people Will not he
able to purchase them unless they pat
rOnize mail order houses. Therefore,
the city asks that this money be do
mated to the cause of grand mu-
nicipal celebration.
Commissioner Bone will collect all
subscriptions no matter how small, If
.
cation of the donation.
L. w. Rankin, general chairman of
the sane Fourth movement, says elab-
crate preparations have been made for
the celebration in Topeka. Parades'
band concerts. auditorium exercises,
speeches and fireworks at the state
fair grounds at night. Mr.. Rankin
says the fireworks win be shown at a
cost of $1,000. t-.-...--
Bone Is Discouraged.
eli fC chairman nf
the finance committee of the Sane
Fourth Of July celebration and is dis
couraged over the lack of interest dis
played in the coming celebration
Speaking of the matter this afternoon.
he said;
A year ago. when I drew up the
Sane Fourth OF July ordinance, the
people in general insisted that it should
| be passed SO as to take effect before
| last Fourth, but on account of the fact
that some of the local dealers having
already purchased their supply of fire
works, we decided to give them an OPP
pOrtunity to dispose Of them and post
poned action on the ordinance until
after the Fourth.
The ordinance was passed just 9
4 few days after last Fourth of July. and
1 the sentiment was unanimous in favor
of the proposition. Now, when the city
wants the citizens to help raise a small
amount to give a public display, very
lew SnOW any lnl6IESL WndlSNSA III IAAG
matter.
1T is my idea after this year to pro-
vide for a small fund in the tax levy
and not ask for public subscriptions
but at this time the city is unable t.
take care of the whole expense and the
finance committee of the Sane Fourth
/ movement has asked for voluntary
I contributions and if all those who were
| so enthusiastic over the passage of the
Sane Fourth ordinance would help OUT
with small contributions of from one
up to five and ten dollars there would
De no difficulty in raising a thousand
dollars that amount would give us a
good celebration.
Only Small sum Realized.
I'VE have made no canvass up to this
time. in the hopes of being able to
avoid it, but at the present we have
only received about three hundred
dollars and that will not begin to pay
for fireworks alone. Up to the present
time our subscriptions arc as follows:
City of Topeka 10000