Crawfordsville Review, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 19 February 1898 — Page 7

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ESTARUSHED i«+1

BEFORE

Court House.

»0c

25c 50c

No. 207

1st Market Street.

You make your Holiday purchases don't, fail to call and look through the beautiful line of

Silver pvalties

Rings, Stick Pins, Watches, Chain'., Charms, Pens and Holders, Ivoduks (that are good), best Silver Plated Knives and Forks at $3 50 dozen.

M. C. KLINE.-'I

Call and look through whether you wish to buy or not. See our priees, they are low.

FA,riERS WANTED -iK-

To Call and Inspect our Stock of

PURE WHISKEYS

Ju6t received for Medical use. We Guarantee every bottle to oe the height of perfection and Purity itself. The following old reliable brands always in stock:

Old Oscar Pepper Sour .Hash Old Silver Hill Rye

Old Craw Hoflmnn

IIOIINP

'Before going to the Are stop and get a glass of good Cold Beer

No. 126 North Greon Street.

Marlon Club

Roquet Old Kentucky Bourbon

Old Joel Jonen Muiir M«isli Kock and Rye Hookwood Rye Pride "I Nelson Sour Mash %J. Old Nberwood Rye

These goods are fully matured by age. If you want snakes go somewhere else. Resp., ".n

Old Oscar Pepper Mour Mash PositlTely Cnres the Grlp___aaaM*.

DRURY BROTHERS.

Case of Fire ling The Towel

Washington St.

"The New Idea."

RUBEN'S

iTES HOUSE CLOTHING PARLORS

£o West Washington St., Indianapolis, Ind.

^•$8.00 buys choice of 5^7 suits, consisting* of Scotch plaids, clay diagonals, fancy cassimeres, etc. Every suit carefully tailored ana elegantly trimmed.

$10 buys choice of

357

CANDY

CATHARTIC CJA rlAKi 1C

toftca)i£iQ CURE CONSTIPATION

VLATE TH'lAtVV^

it,'[Drink and Be Merry

Whtn you come to town and (eel like "taking something,? with a bite to eatjthrown in, don't forget

Paddock Overcoats,

made of fine all-wool Kersey cloth, raw edges, lapped seams, satin sleeve linings, Farmer satin body linings. These coats are an exceptional bargain s.

$12.50 buys choice of 479 extra fine suits, in plaid worsteds, silk mixtures, Scotch plaids, etc., many of them silk and satin lined, all French faced and finely tailored.

$15 buys choice of 569 extra fine unfinishWorsted Overcoats, box styles, welt seams, French facings, fancy wool body linings, Skinner satin yokes and sleeve linings. See them in our west window.

ALL

DRUGGISTS

"THEILODGE."

'•••'. .TV."

Is the World Growing Better? EDITOR RKVIUW:—

Persons may differ in their opinions as to what is meant by the term "better.' If we mcsin that the world has made more rapid progress in science, literature, art, invention, discovery, and in almost every thing that tends in the direction of battering the condition of the physical man in his manner of living, traveling, laboring, and of him knowing more of himself and his environments than in past age", then the world is growing better. But if we mean that the mass of the people is more honest, truthful, virtuous, temper ate and religious than they were a half century ago, then I say it is not true and in proof of my assertion, I will appeal to the memories of those now living, who have lived their three score years and ten. 1 was very much amused at an article written by T. J- CharltoD, superintendent of the reform school at Plaintield, Ind.

He seens to think that because we have poor houses, and blind asylums, and printing presses, and free schools, and many churches, that the world is certainly growing better.

He overlooks the fact, that in olden times, the churches that did their dutytook care of their own poor and unfortunate, while to-day that burthen is left for the State, to bear. He also overlooks the fact that while the inventions and discoveries that man has made, have added greatly to his comfort and convenience, yet, aa a rule, they have added nothiDg to his moral or better nature, for riches and prosperity enhance neither happii ess nor honesty, which is shown in the startling statistics that confront us from year to year.

During the year 1897 there were more than 10,000 murders committed in thiB country, which is a greater number of persona than were killed, except in two or three of the greatest battles, of the late war.

According to statistics just completsd it is shown that in the State of Indiana for the five years ending Dec. 31st last, that our population had increased 5.5 per cent, while during the same time criminals had increased 20.1 per cent, or nearly four times as fast as the increase of our population. We are also confronted with the fact that there are more than five times as many saloons as there are churches of all denominations ia this country at this time.

The question naturally arises, Why this condition of things? or why is it that people do not grow better as they become more educated and enlightened? or more honest, temperate, truthful, and virtuous as we advance in education and christian civilization?

There are many and contradictory answers given to these questions. We claim that some of the principal caus grew out of the late war in this country, one of which is the concentration of capital in the hands of a few men, by means of which they can make themselves richer, and the poor poorer. It also gave an impetus to intemperance and debauchery, that are aiding in breaking tip and demoralizing the dependent elements in society, because the thievery, licentiousness and debauchery, that grew up with the war, are cutting and festering in society to this day, and will for some time yet to come.

The war had a tendency" to cheapen human life on account of the frequensy of violence and bloodshed that grew and flourished at that time. It fostered a spirit of envy and hatred that still rankles and burns in the mtmory of those who lived through those dark Bnd bloody times.

Class legislation has helped to widen the chasm between the rich aud the poor that will continue growing worse from year to year because our children are taught from infancy that the great aim in life is to make money and become rich, because the world panders to Wealth and caterB to the power and influence that money will ouy.

The corruptions that are in our bodypolitic have grown up since the war, and go to prove that wnat we have said is true for men who claim to be honeBt, and appear to be truthful, and upright in their oidinary dealings with their fellow men will scheme, and lie, and plot, and cheat, and steal, and will resort to briber and will even commit perjury to gain their point in a political contest. Such things were not

in the days of the early recollections of the writer. Even the churches are indirectly pon-

CRAWFORPSVTLLR, INDIANA. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19. 1898.

I have hpon reading number of letters in the Indianapolis Sentinel on the subject of whether the world is growing better or not. And while there have bo»ii some very good ones written on both sides of the question, yet I do not believe -he subject has been exhausted by any means. In fact it would take many articles, iud better one?, too, than any I have yet read to convince me that the -vorld of mankind,is growing better.

tributing to this retrograde movement in public morals, by their half hearted and semi-idolatrous preaching and formal church services, for every shade of religious opinions and beliefs, trom those of the most stoical predestinarian to those of the mo9t liberal universalis are being preached and fought over by the pretentious religious world for thr- purpose, as they c.'aini, of making the world better. If they would cease frittering awav their time and influence fighting among themselves, and would unite thair forces against evil and wrong doing of every kind, and ask the world to accept the Bible instead of some creed and to come to Christ, instead of to so'-i.e church or man, they would accomplish a great deal more grod in the world than what they are now doing. But as long as the preachers are so inconsistent and contradictory in their preaching and practices, and so idolatrous and covetous in their modes of worship and manner of life, the people will continue to grow worse, for it appears to make no difference to what church a man belongs or whether to any or not, nor what his manner of private life may have been, he is usually preached off to heaven, especially if he has been a soldier, or ir he is a rich man and the preachei who officiates at his funeral is expecting a big fee for his services. And out of such a condition of things there is an idea growing up in society that one church is as good as another, which will eventually end in the breaking np of all churches, because a majority of the thinking world will eome to the conclusion that no religion is as good as any.

We see this thing of covetousness, greed, and idolatrous worship manifesting itself in fashionable churches, where the rich pretend to worship in a costly and elaborately furnished church house. But such pretentious worship is like gi ded sin in a palace. The for mer counts on his aioney to give him standing in his churcc while the latter relies on her brass,'and the richness of her toilet to give her social standing and respectability in society. It is getting to be so now that you cannot tell by his dealings, or hia daily walk ana cocv9 rsation a professor of religion from one whom the world calls "a good man," unless you happen to see him go through some of the ceremonials required of the members of bis particuchurch and it is getting to be proverbial in the world of trade and traffic that, "if you do not want to jet cheated, watch a church member, and be very careful, especially when you trade horses with a preacher." «r

We believe that the extremes between good and evil are further apart now than in olden times, because of man's ability to judge between right and wrong, and that there are more professors of religion now than in former years. But all available statistics, and every phase of eociety, both within and without the churches, go to prove to us that there are not' near so many good pious professors of religion now as there were fifty yers ago. Then the churches were poor, honest, and charitable. Now they are rich, dishonest, ane covetous. Than the people ware told that "salvation was free," and the poor had the gospel preached to them. But now they are denied that privilege, becau*e the poor are not wanted in the churches, for the reason that it takes money to keep up with the style and fashions of the times.

Fifty years ago there were strong and influential churches in this country that had no meeting houseB of their own in which to meet for worship.' Now there are wealthy churches with little or no influence with fine houses and smart preachers that are doing mere harm than good to "pure and undefiled religion."

Notwithstanding our boasted christian civilization and our churches of many kinds, frauds, crimes, thefts, murders, defalcations, embezzlements and malfeasance in office go on increasing from year to year. If such things were confined to the ignorant and uninformed, or to non-professors of religion only, then there might be some reason for claiming that the world was growing better. But some of most brutal crimes, the most gigantic frauds, and some of most terrible deeds that have ever been committed against innocence and virtue, and life and liberty, have been the smart, the educated, the enlightened and' many tim", too. by those who pretende to be bright lights in these churches. A^d on that account it is conceded that treason, sedition, rebellion and revolutions are not confined to the ignorant and uninformed, but mostly to those who are supposed to be more'intelligent and better than 1 he average mortal, wbich is indirectly putting a premium on deceit, treachery, dishonesty, hjpoc.'acy, and educated wickednrss.

This condition of thingB does not arise on account of ignorance, or because the people do not know any better. But it iB voluntary, and shows that the world

drifting away from the practice of the golden rule, which makes it eelf-evident that the world is not getting better in. christian morality, although it may be' growing wiser in woridy wisdom.

EARLY TENT EXHIBITIONS.

Shows That Visited Crawfordaville In An Early Day, and the Excitement Their Appearance Created.

Tented exhibitions of early times in this part of the country created a va6t deal more excitement than to-day. Whenever a circus or menagerie in the early htstory of the city was advertised to give exhibitions here, it was looked upon as a sort of a holiday event, work was suspended in the country for the day and everybody wended his way to the "show." The coming of the "show" was the talk at every fire side, town and country. The anxiety to see the procession, hear the music from the bund wagon, and watch the movement of the massive elephant, was ail pervading in that early day, and the contrast between the exhibitions and the people then and to-day is remarkable. To-day people seem to care loss about such exhibitions and never become so excited over them, and it requires much more tact, to interest them. In the early days there was not one-fourth the capital involved in the average circus and menageiie that there is to-day, yet the pioneer showmen realized generally better financial results than many of their co-laborers in the amusement field do to-day.

About the first tented exhibition that ever spread its tents in Crawfordsville wasjthe VanAmburg&Co. menagerie in 1843. It exhibited

011

the ground di

rectly north of the First Presbyterian church, and was attended by people for miles around in every direction, many of whom for the first time in their lives saw an elephant with hie trunk, big ears and feet, and gazed in awe at his enormous proportions. It was the elephant "Hannibal," an animal as well known over the country in early times as latterly was "Jumbo." The Van An. burg show was solely a menagerie, no circus was attached to it, and traversed during a period of forty years all parts of country from the Atlantic to the Mississippi river. It closed out business in 1872, its proprietors retiring on fortunes.

The late Hannibal Purcell, one of the most unique characters Crawfordsville ever had, came here in the capacity of a circus man with a small tented concern, known as "Bald Prairie Circus." He was a rider and also served as a clown with the show, the later characteristics of which he exhibited to the day of his death, which occurred at Logansport about a year ago.

One of the early shows was the E. F. fc J. Mabie exhibition which exhibited here on the ground where the Miller block now stands on north Washington street, about the year 1845. During the performance a high windjfarose, and prostrated the tent to the ground, and one of the cages, containing some animals. Panic reigned supreme. The audience fled in alarm. The noise made by the wind, anr'. and the yells of the terrorized crowd, was supassed by the growls of the animals, The audience fled in terror, many of them running for blocks before stopping. It was a scare, however, only, and the show people soon got things in order and quiet restored, but a number of the crowd lost many months' growth from the fright they received.

One of the well known shows that used to visit Crawfordsville regularly "Yankee Robinson's," was a vaudiville troupe with a few gymnastic acts thrown in to givo it variety. It came around generally every two years, and always received a good patronage.

Another well known circus of the early days was SpauldingA Roger's. Its feature outside to attract the multitude r. as a 40-horee team driven in the parade, and the driver who could gracefully turn the street corners with this long team was looked upon as a wonderful man indeed. The difference between the traveling exhibitions of the early days and now was very marked. The early shows always had to carry a number of men along to do the fighting, to beat and knock down the rowdies who were always on hand on show days to create trouble. Stakes, clubs, and stones were freely used, and the row ended generally in the retreat of those who attended especially for disturbance. There were many of these rows in the history of early circus days of Crawfordsville. Now-a-days the police are sufficient to attend to lawless characters, and rows, like those old timers, are very rare, and in consequence a much decenter class of people are attached to shows than formerly. They do not need men now especially to do the knocking down and dragging out acts.

Barnum's show first exhibited in Crawfordsville in August 1852, and drew the largest crowd of people that bad ever before been seen here. They came from a distanoe of thirty miles or more, many starting for Crawfordsville from their homes the evening before, and Bleeping out in their wagons, de-

57TH YEAR.- NO 28.

termmed to see the show from the start to the finish. It was a hot, aultry day, but that did not deter the people for an instant, and vast throngs attended tho show afternoon and evening. It exhibited on the lots, then a commons, southwest of the central school building. J00

llT#ryman

fifty

heft then, bought

head of horses for the show that day, the stores sold vast quantities cf goods, and the saloons did a land office business, and fights were many. Altogether it was an eventful day for Crawfordsville. The driver of Tom Thumb's carriage, connected with the Barnum show, while here, had the flesh torn from his left leg, and had to be taken to a house, south of the city, and paced in bed. Fortunately for him hp was an Odd Fellow. The lodge at once assumed charge of him and waited upon him until the month of April of the following year when he was enabled to walk and was sent to his home at Baltimore.

Ihe circus is an ancient institution, dating its origin from the most prosperous days of the Roman Empire, over 2,000 years ago, yet old as it is, and considering the sameness of many of its features, it is still in this country the most popular form of amusement, and bids fair to remain so. We may see the same style of leaping, riding, and gymnastic entertainment that we did fifty years ago, still when the circus comes again, the people are ready to bestow upon it their patronage. The people will go to the

circuB,

although they

may see few things different from what it was about the show than when they were young. It has drawing powers that no other kind of amusement can ever equal.

LETTER FROM FLORIDA..

V. Q. Irwin Tells of Some flatters Down There.

OKAHUMPJKA,

FLA.,Feb.

15^*98.

ED. RF.VIEW: I write you thinking perhaps you might be interested in my success as a missionary, which I anr Borry to say has not been phecominal. In other respects, however, my trip has been more than delightful, owing perhaps largely to the fact that this the season when everybody and hie family puts it) the-time picnicing, boat ridings fishing and hunting, with a little orthodox card playing of evenings, which is much more amusing than village gossip, if not so interesting. However, gossip seems to be one of the last entertainments or amusements if you will, in Florida.

We were all in this neighborhood, (wbieh means within six miles) invited on the 27th day of January to join Captain and Mrs. Pharie in a picnic, at their beautiful home at Yolaba, on Lake Harris. The weather was perfect, and the drive of six miles and return by moon light, more than delightful. Captain and Mrs. Pharis received

inuBt

in that

hospitable manner peculiar to all southern people, that made us all feel at home. They left nothing undone to entertain their guests. The vocal and instrumental music, the gr&phophone and other entertainments were all highly appreciated and enjoyed by ail. The ruin wrought by the great freeze of 189D is still plainly visible as 1a also the fact that the country is rapidly recov-» ering. We had quite a severe frost on the 4th of January, with a cold snap on hands now which killed all the early vegetables, but little or no damage the orange treu. Before the big freeze the orange culture was the principle industry. That misfortune, if it was one, taught the farmers the necessity of planting a variety of crops, and the consequence is there will most likely never be another complete failure of crops in Floridj, for with the splendid climate and the constantly increasing variety of produts, there is no reason why there should be. Tobacco, sugar cane and cassava, the greatest starch producing vegetable that grows, will be more generally cultivated tlpan ever before, all of which'goes to jyrove that the great freeze instead of 9J misfortune was a blessing in disguis/&- We

admit, however, that the juisguise is so complete, that the averas^w citizen fails see the blessing w.hicb® like prosperity is slow getting around, but it will come in the near futu/e and make Florida one of the greatest tobacco producing States in the Unjfon.

Should you ever visi'"'Florida be sure to take in Okahumplr^ and do not fail to stop at tho Clarao-den (usually full of northern visitors atf this season of the year) where the hostess, Mr& Brewer will see that you 'have a very enjoyable' time and be p^ore than glad that you came to Okaht|f?pka.-. y, Q« IRWIN.

I-Hd You Notice It? penny

for one »aa two cent photos. n».. Dioke^JOQ Truitt'B. °Ter