Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 180, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1918 — REMINGTON THE WHOLE SHOW. [ARTICLE]

REMINGTON THE WHOLE SHOW.

Monday was supposed to be a sort of “patriotic” day over the state. In this county the “big show” was staged in a sweltering tent at Rensselaer, instead of the cool shade of Fountain Park, where it should have been held, especially as Remington had to furnish the whole show anyway. People who attended, and the crowd was said to have been made up mostly of Remington people, stated that had it, not ibeen for Remington’s part in . the performance, there would have been an awful “frost” even with the mercury at 102 in the shade. Our people were there in numbers and the part staged by Mrs. Lough, “American History in Pantomime,” was certainly good. The little folks did mighty well in spite of the sweltering heat. Several “property articles” ’ really necessary to the success of her show were not obtainable and the part wherein the Liberty Guards were to appear was cut out entirely because the guards were required to go some place else in town to register or some other thing. ... , The speech by M. E. Foley, of Indianapolis, was said to be good. Rensselaer’s part in the program was practically nil. The business houses here were all required to close for the event, but we understand that very few of those in Rensselaer were so required. A good joke on the town was in evidence here that afternoon. A citizen of Rensselaer asked why all the business houses were closed, and on being told that there was some “big” doings going on at the hulb said: “Well, I’ll be darned if I know what, and I just came direct from there.” Rensselaer better advertise at home. In Mrs. Lough’s part in the entertainment, the. children were dressed in their hot raiment to go on at the proper time, but were kept waiting in line in the Meat for an hour while Rensselaer people tried to enveigle l enough dollars out of the crowd, mostly Remington, to pay for the the Liberty Guard suits and to buy chances on an automobile. A draft member who was required to be present told us that all they told them overe there couid easily have been transmitted by mail and saved taking the men from their work. In this locality one threshing outfit at least, and perhaps more, was compelled to lay off for the d*v- because the men had to go to Rensselaer to register again. Later: We lean that eight threshing rigs were idle over the county for the same reason —good judgment again. * The above is from the Remington Press of August 9. We thought we had Bro. Bartoo fixed up here in the hospital so that he would not have these spells of “excessive .bile secretion?’

We believe the spirit of this article is that of narrow pin head rather than the spirit of the splendid people of Remington. It most shamefully misrepresents them. Mrs. Lough and the young people of Remington did splendidly and they deserve and have the praise and thanks of the people who were present at the excellent production of “American History of Pantomime.” This was one of the delightful and interesting features of the day’s program, but it was not the whole thing. The whole day was an important one, the address of Mrs. Hanley, and of Rev. J.* C. Parrett and the splendid solos were important features of the presentation of the service flag by the “War Mothers.” The presentation of the flag itself with a star dedicated to the sacred memory of the five hundred and twenty-two men who have gone forth in defense ’of their country’s honor and flag was the important event of the day. Shame of the man who would belittle such an .event. i The meeting of the selectmen was one of the most important ever held in this county. It came as a direct order from officers of the government and its great importance in the preparing of the future soldiers that are to leave this county cannot be estimated. Of course, some of the boys left threshing machines, but five hundred and twenty-two have not only left tl/eshing machines, but they have left homes, father, mother, sister, brother and sweethearts and many of them are three thousand five hundred fighting in defense of these loved ones and their country’s honor. They are offering their all, even their life blood, in the most righteous cause for which human blood has ever been sacrificed. No pantomime, however, well produced, can in any way compare with the real drama staged at the Gayety theatre Monday'afternoon when the registrants of the county organized into four companies for the purpose of speeding up their preparation for the war service, many of them will be called upon to enter in the very near future. Had Mr. Bartoo been at that meeting and have seen and felt the patriotic 3 spirit of these virile men and heard the address of Rev. Fleming, he would have written a much different account of Monday’s meeting. The criticism of these essential