The New York herald., 1879-11-02
MAPLESON'S TERROR.
SOME ACCOUNT OF THE MUSICAL UNION AND
WHAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE MUSICAL UNION AND
WHAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS DONE.
The recent difficulty between the gallant COM
mander-in-chief of the Academy Of Music and his
troops or so many OF thom compose
the orchestra. has brought prominently
into notice q fact not very well known
hitherto to the general .publc--viz.. the
existence OF the Musical Mutual Protective Union.
an organization nearly possible the plan Of
the trades unions that have long been terror to
capitalists. The union is a strong one in influence
and in numbers. and. while it Is said to have in
Cured the hostility OF operate and theatrical
ayers before Colonel Maplesons difficulty. there
has been eectua stand made against It, and it is
said tn be stronger than ever to-day.
While 1t is claimed in general terms that this
Musical Union has nothing to do with the quarrel
between Mr.. Mapleson and his orchestra. yet it is
certain, from conversation had with prominent
officer of the union by HERALD reporter,
that this is not strictly correct On
the contrary. . letter from the union or
officers representing 1t the original cause Of the
strike. Mr.. Mapleson claims that he is in corre-
spondence with theatre managers and represents
tives of the Philharmonic societies OF Brooklyn
and New York who propose to refuse en-
ployment hereafter to the musicians who
have broken their contracts. aud he proposes.
it he has further trouble after the settling
of the test case between himself and his "aute." to
furnish the list OF his orchestra to other managers.
and he has reason to believe that they will combine
against these men aud III that way against the de-
mands of tho union. Ho says. moreover that ho
has learned that there are hrty good musicians in
New York who do not belong to the union.
THE UNION STRONG oNK.
This latter statement Is doubted by tho members
of the union. with several of whom the writer con-
versed last evening" and their opinion seems to be
upheld by the fact that hitherto tho union has been
ao!e 10 aic,ae IT'S own seprs acrssons
complaint made against them. so far us could be-
learned. As has been stated ia tho HERALD the terms
dem anded for orchestra performers Is S35 week
for first class performers and $50 q week tor second
class. These two classes the only distinctions
made by the unicn.
The union Itself is l.4co strong and it's men,
bers say comprise all. almost all, the good
musicians OF the $500 professionals in the cry. 1t
was started some sixteen years ago and originally
consisted of torty-ive members "For long tiinc."
sad of tho forty-tvc. I'VE were laughed al by the
more tinid mon. who stayed away. But at length
they came to that while they worked for less pay
than would and thereby got more work than we
ao we oy SaheG tna 20 gar scale Oh Pr'os made
came In, aud We now have tho cream Of tho
profession. so that man who wants a
coming to us. We are q benevolent association,
aud by paying hfty cents n quarter a musician be-
comes entitled to the benefits OF the union, which
considerable. Ii mau tails aud breaks his leg
his arm. we give him S25 or $780, moro, accord
ns to n hs dies .nS Ts pay 500 for
writes to us that she Is IN need. she gets $40. or
S20 or $50. according to the report OF the
nittee. The largest sum have paid to dis
abled member was $500 to ono schmidt, who lost
his eyesight. Then we sent $500 to the sufferers
from the Avandoc disaster and $1,000 to tho sani-
tary Commission during the war and $4,000 to tho
sufferers from the Chicago rc anu we gave $500 to
the Taors' Union when they were on strike"
HOW THE UNION UNDERSTANDS THE MATTER.
$50 far as know" said an officer OF tho union
'and think should know IL there any truth
in the storyt is not true that the musicians In Mr..
Maplesons = orchestra signed any contracts with any
agent for their services to him. They signed,
l understand, personal contracts with Mr..
Mapleson. According to these contracts,
made in April, they receive. by working
only four nights in the week. less than the union
rates. This fact leaked out and letter sent to
them by the union requiring them to demand the
regular rates of pay They did so, and since then
they have received IL. That's all the union knows
about it.. II any complaint should be made
to the union they would DO required to show
why they had worked for less than tho rates. and
the union would take action according to crcum-
stances. II might do nothing; IL might expol
them. II could do nothing more than expel.
There Is another way In which union ia pro-
tectve," continued the officer; "1f l. a member Of
the union, nave ball and hire q musician who is
not a member am hnod for the hrst offence 80. for
the second S10 and for the third ain expelled. OF
course all such action is after tho offence s proved
He further stated that there had been meeting of
the Board Of Managers of the union Friday after
noon but that not word had bean suoksn Of tha