Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1898 — More About Our Celebration. [ARTICLE]

More About Our Celebration.

In another place we publish the statement of the Fourth of July finance committee, showing what every dollar which was raised for the celebration was used for. This statement will put a stop to all questions as to what was done with the money. It was all carefully and honestly expended for the purpose for which it was raised, except a few dollars still in the hands of the committee, as shown by their statement. Now, inasmuch as The Republican took a leading part in promising the people a good celebration here, we feel that some further explanation, apology if you wish to call it so, is due to our readers. In the first place, what we said before the celebration, we said iu good faith. We believed that every promise tnade would be substantially carried out. Rensselaer has been making a good record for many years past, in carrying out its promises in matters of this kind and we believed this affair would be no exception to the rule. That it was so was partly due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances, partly to mistakes iu judgment, partly to failure of some to do what they were depended upon to do, but not at all to any deliberate intention to deceive the people. A few particulars «*vill explain what we mean. Take the case of the balloon, the greatest disappointnent of all. The oontract that was made for this feature, was made, after careful investigation, by one of our most reliable and representative business men, Mr. James H. S. Ellis. It wus made with n party in- -Chicago, who makes a specialty of furnishing such attractions, and whose reliability there was no reason to doubt. Yet the Chicago man failed to keep his agreement, and what is more, sent no notice of his intended failure, so that there was no opportunity given to secure another balloon, or to replace it with some other attraction.

The rough riders exhibition was to a large extent a disappoint ment. This was duo largely to the fact that about one fourth of those who had promised to take part, were at the last moment induced to go to another town, and another fourth were kept away by an absurd rumor in that neighborhood, that those who participated W’ould be compelled to go to war as soldiers in the cavalry company. Further, an unfortunate controversy between the captain of the rough riders and our city marshal, caused the captnin to abandon the exhibition drill he had prepared to give. The bicycle parade fell through, almost? at the lust moment, because of an unexpected pressure of business matters upon the particular party who had charge of organizing it. The sports were given mostly hh advertised. Thut more people did not see them was due, wo admit, to bad management, ns the time and place of their occurrence should have been announced. That no prominent speaker was secured was due to the lateness of the attempt. Nearly all good speakers were engaged before our Fourth was started at all, and consequently, after two or three applications had been made and! declined, there was no time to make any others. That there was no organized exhibition of fireworks, was the least excusable failure of all; and the one which reflects most seriously on the liberality of our citizens. They were not procured simply because enough money was not raised. Lastly, and greatest mistake of

nil, was trying to get up a big celebration without having time enough to get it fully organized, and thus avoiding the risk of such a humiliating failure. In coriclusion we will say again what we have said, in substance, before. It is that many of our citizens worked hard and contributed generously in trying to make the celebration a success, and criticism whioh does not recognize this fact is entirely wrong and unjust.