Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-06-16
Tariff on Fun and Music Right to do
Wrong considered Moral and Social
Questions


tainments in music, and the peopl,
/ every where turn cut 10 hear them
4 Their songs are Of Ii sentimental
kind and are calculated to inspire al
who hear them with good thought.
and principle. They lately annoar
ced concert at Boseobel, but At the
rise Of the curtain before ful house
a license fee was demanded which
they refused TO pay and they did no,
sing according to announcements
preierring TO return the money l.
those who had paid, and the assem-
blagc leaving the house indignant at
the action of the authorities for tax
ing their Jun.
There's fun IN the soul, and il must
often boil up and overflow. This
affords relief TO the head and heart
A proper sound sense treatment is
to supply escape valves and certain
| ly no tariff or tax ought ever.to be
LAID on such escape valves to prevent
their working. We are aware that
the bigotry and prejudice which
most OF us have inherited would cork
up this soul spirit by some means or
other-license taxation being very
common resort for such purpose
We speak now especially for the
young, but would include the middle
aged and old as well, because the
best people however old love fun and
are translated to q better sphere of
life by the melodies Of song. 1t is
only the worst persons who are I'M
moved by funny sports and the mel
ody and sentiment OF music.
We argue that this whole matter
of taxing travelling amusement
troupes, such as conoerters, Ministries
and philosophical, chemical and gyms
nastc lecturers, slight Of hand per
formers, and other exhibitors of in~
tellectual, mechanical aud scientific
odds aud ends, the same not lewd or
miachievous, is directly the opposite
Of duty to the people. and the oppo>
site of good policy Rather the corr
porate authorities and people Of eve.
~ village should appropriate liberal
~ in support of such fu2 making
and lively exhibitions. And free
halls should be supported at the pub,
lie charge, with free music and free
warmth and light, these whenever
the masses desire to come together
for intellectual or physical training
! and for fun and music.
Idle hours are surely better thus
spent than Mt the liquor dens 1t is
very true, IN most villages there are
Churches, and Good Templar, Odd
| Fellow, Masonic and other institu-
tons open to most persons but too
often cXpensive-not always adapt>
ed to the masses, and all together
not occupying the attention nor fl
/ ling the ideal of above half the PEG
pie. The saloon and other vile pla-
ces consume the evening hours of
very many whom it is the special
duty Of society to hold up in . high
er sphere Of life These fill not the
church, not the Good Templar lodge,
not even the school. They require
merriment and music, too often the
game and their ardent natures very
often mslead them to he intoxica-
ting cup. These may be enticed to
and generally feel agreeable at the
concert hall where there is music
and dancing, song and fun, and 9th,
or moral hilapities. But if such be
lost through our neglect to provide
lodges suitable to their natures, then
vast and unlimited is the resultant
damage to all branches Of society
The german idea of supporting at
the public charge places for mental
and physical amusement and recrea>
ton, such as reading rooms, music
halls and halls with fixtures for ath>
letic exercises, galleries with free
music for dancing and the like, adapt
ed especially for the young, is Ger
tainly the true one. The masses of
people, old as we'll as young, brought
up thus and SO hardly ever at all be-
come familiar with the liquor and
gaming places, add with the lewd
conduct belonging. to these vile dens
purely American, these the legiti-
mate otfshoots OF forced morality
peculiar to tho American people
Late times snowy churches with
theatric performances and operatic
music therein even with lottery gam.
bling, have been introduced to att
tract the young, but the heavy
tax lowed upon those who assemble
make such places the exclusive re-
sort for the rich Z; and the poor and
middle classes are unprovided with
social resorts except at low prices.
Equality should be the great Amcri-
can idea, but is Lot ; rather the pop
ular notion of the leading classes is
to separate the upper from the low
er-and thus insure depravity to
both. The social idea should be re,
versed and the masses put at the
head by single stroke of equalizing
practice, the public exchequor to
provide halls aud furnish free amuse>
ments and what shall freely enter
tam the intellectual and physical
man and woman
Questions and issues raised in the
minds of our readers, we are we'll a.
ware, show that we are at variance
with the modern religious world, in
this whole matter Of managing those
unafliliated with the church. The
practice is, to only supply Sabbath
Schools for the very young and use
this As an avenue to bring into the
church such as shall be saved. We
would exercise a watchfnl care over
such rs may not enter the fold o.
grace, yet be worthy of a moral and
social salvation. u would lit then
for sphere vastly above the oat
usually filled by them
EFM Mile. Anna Yoght is PLAYING