The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-05

To whom IL May Concern.
According to telegram from our special
correspondent there has been great deal OF
excitement and indignation among the people
Of Chicago because an Indifferent operate
manager from New York, without notice or
apology, unceremoniousiy broke an engage
ment to play in that sensational city. We do
not think our Western friends should take the
disappointment so much to heart They have
the recollection Of the enjoyment afforded them
last season by really good opera to console
them, and they should let that suffice them
until Grau or Strakosch, or some other spirited
and enterprising manager brings awell selected
troupe to their city, with Patti as the prima
donna.
The fact Is, as operas and theatres are now
managed, the masses of the people pay very
little attention to them and care very little
about them In this city, after hard struggle,
the HERALD managed to build up the opera
into success but it has gradually been de-
Ginning under Indifferent management, until
1t needs reconstruction" Is badly as the
Southern States or the municipal government
Of New York. The Bohemians Of the press
strive to puff 1t into public favor; but the Bo-
hemian is now understood and has lost his
power. The subscribers attend the perform
ances a. much to show their dresses and their
Jewels and to criticise the fashions of their
neighbors as to listen to the music. All this
does not make success. It is the people that
can alone be relied upon to give real vitality
to all enterprises, whether operas, theatres,
newspapers, hotels, dry goods establishments
or any other description of business or amuse-
ment.
There is q moral in this which no person en-
gagged in any public enterprise, whether in
New York or Chicago or anywhere else, should
overlook We have operas and theatres and
newspapers in this city which are run on the
mutual admiration and selflaudation plan, and
whose business it is to glorify themselves and
one another. A stranger might be cajoled into
the belief that they are all great successes,
but the truth is they are very poor concerns,
because they have not got the substance Of the
people behind them. An enterprise that COM
mands by its own merits the support of the
public can alone stand the test of time and
achieve substantial success. The HERALD, for
instance, published as it Is for the masses and
watchful Of their interests, is built on foun-
dalton that no storms can shake. So Of the
theatres. When great artist like Ristori ap.
pears among us she commands grand sue.
cess. Jealous managers may sneer and scribble
criticisms upon her acting, but the people stand
solidly behind her and push her on to fortune
We remember an incident related to us some
years since which bears directly upon this sub.
ject, A servant girl went to leading dry
goods house in this city to purchase cloak
The clerk who waited upon her. after dis
playing one or two patterns, rudely refused
to show her any more, and she left the
store. The facts came to the knowledge
Of her employer, who communicated them to
the proprietor Of the establishment This led
to an interview between the parties, and the
offending clerk was pointed out by the CIR
and instantly dismissed by his employer. 81
want you and all in my employ to understand,
said the dry goods millionaire. "that servant
girl who comes into my store to purchase
goods is of as much importance to me as the
richest lady in the city. The people are my
customers, and it is to their support that owe
my business success"
We commend the moral Of these remarks Ia
all business men, and especially to the man.
ayers OF onr theatres and operas here and else.
where. We have handsome and commodious
places Of public amusement in this city, and
we believe Chicago owns good opera house
All that is needed to ensure them substantial
success is to put them into the hands Of good
managers, who will take care to put good
artists on the stage. Then the people will
stand at their backs and enable them to bid
defiance to unreliable managers, hungry Bohe-
mians and all the other evils and annoyances
to which theatrical life is heir.
Tho CITY Comptroller, the Public Markets
and the Board Of Aldermen.
The condition of the public markets of New
York has long been scandal to the city.
With every facility for enjoying the most varied
and best supply Of every article of consump.
ton, meats poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, and
all the necessaries and luxuries Of life, our
public markets have been insufficient, dirty
unhealthy and dear. There has been but one
underlying cause for all these evils. The man.
agement of the markets has been corrupt They
have been in the hands of "ring" politicians who
have made fortunes ont Of them, neglected their
cleanliness and Improvement and SO heavily
taxed the dealers a. to compel them, in their
turn, to impose upon their customers. The
Legislature failed to make any change in the
public market system, because set of specu-
lators, jobbers and lobbymen, taking advan-
tage of the present Encouragement, only en-
deavored,. under the false cry of reform, to
transfer the placer from one set Of plunderers
to another.
Comptroller Connolly has, we are glad to
see, now taken the matter into his own hands,
and has resolved to set to work in earnest to