Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1903 — SOME CARNIVAL ITEMS. [ARTICLE]

SOME CARNIVAL ITEMS.

Oxford Tribune: The Women of Lafayette are against the fall aarnivAl. If they fail it will be a wonder. At Noblesville, an injuction has been gotten out against the streets of the city being used for holding * carnival. _ The business men of Lafayette (there are about 80 saloons there) want a street carnival again this year, and the better element of the citizens are protesting against it. Street carnivals will not be so numerous this fall as they were last. One experience with a big rip-snortin’ street carnival generally satisfies a town for a long time. —Morocco Courier. Indianapolis News: The Lafayette women who are protesting against the holding of a street fair in that city will have the sympathy of a good many people elsewhere who have undergone similar ordeals. The Democrat has taken pains to learn th 6 views of citizens generally regarding the proposed street carnival, and outside, a certain element the sentiment is most pronounced against it. There is also a strong sentiment among the the country people against holding a carnival, regardless of what the promotors say to the contrary. In spite of the strong fight made against a repetition of a Btreet carnival in Rensselaer the city council last week voted to grant the use of the streets again. The mayor and carnival promoters pledged themselves to exclude everything of an objectionable nature. We shall see. —White County Democrat.

A mass meeting of the Christian women of Lafayette was held Sunday afternoon and a vigorous protest was entered against the merchants’ street carnival, to be held during September. The resolution adopted reads: “We protest against the use of our streets for immoral exhibitions, which work suoh harm to our youDg, and that we submit the protest to the Merchants’ Association with a prayer that the carnival plans be abandoned.” “ENDORSED BY PULPIT AND PRESS.” Rensselaer, July 30 1903. Ed. Democrat: I see by the Rensselaer Republican that the carnival company that it is proposed to get here opens each day’s exhibition with prayer and closes with the singing of the doxology, and that they carry along a preacher to write testimonials as to its high moral character and the elevating influence it has on people in general and the young folks in particular. If my memory serves me correctly, the editor of the Republican put up about the same v speil” regarding the company that showed here last year, and after seeing the “hoochie-coochie” he publioly endorsed the same as a great moral educator and “good enough and clean enough for anyone to see.” There is no accounting for tastes. Citizen.

HOW IT ADVERTISES. Knox held a street carnival two years ago and the matter of holding another last year—which, by the way, was not held—prompted the Starke County Democrat to say: “There has been some talk recently, by a very limited number of people who favor it, of holding another Btreet fair in Knox this year. The proposition has met with a very chilly reception, however, from most business men, and will probably be abandoned, which is cause for rejoicing on the part of all who feel an interest in the moral and material welfare of the town. Every intelligent person who saw last year’s street fair knows that it was a period of unrestricted license to vice and immorality of every conceivable sort. For the week of the fair Knox was headquarters for all the sure thing gamblers, small-bore confidence men and low postitutee in this part of the country. It “advertis ed’ Knox, but much the same way that the murder of Ed Fetters and his burial under the carcass of a mule advertised Starke county. We believe the Democrat expresses the sentiment of every self respecting resident of Knox when it takes the position that we want no street fair this year, or any other year until the disgraceful features that marked the last one can be eliminated.”