Omaha daily bee., 1881-06-13
THE GREAT FESTIVAL.

Inc Stengertest mas closed, ana Jne
visiting members of the Sangerbund
have left for their various homes,
taking with them, no doubt, most
pleasing recollections of the hospital
/ ity of Omaha and her German-Ameri-
can citizens, and of the festival which
they assisted in making such a social
and artistic success. 1t must be ex-
trcmely gratifying to the energetic
management of the Spngerfest to
know that their efforts resulted in the
accomplishment of their highest ex.
pectations. From beginning to close,
not a single failure marked the course
of the weeks entertainment, and the
enjoyment of the occasion was shared
equally by guests and participants.
Omaha, too, may congratulate itself
upon having been selected as the place
i'll which the musical festival was held.
| Apart from the fact that thousands of
dollars were put in circulation in the
city, and that hundreds of strangers
who had never before known Of our
commercial importance became ac-
quainted with the and de-
velopment of our growing city, the
influence of the saengerfcst upon mus
ical culture in our city has been
marked and will continue to make
itself felt for n long time to
come. 1t brought to Omaha the
finest orchestra which has ever
performed in this section of the coun-
try. 1t introduced to our people a
class of music which was entirely new
to most of our citizens and gave us a
chorus which was the largest that
was ever gathered in Omaha.
But aside from its musical
merit the Saengerfest has done
much to tear down q prejudice
which has existed in some minds
concerning foreign social Gus.
toms. 1t has shown that well breo
people are we'll bred whatever their
surroundings and that a man can be
as much of a gentleman and as good q
citizen while singing songs and slipping
his beer, as when chanting hymns
or informing gospel songs within
the walls of n church.
1t must be exceedingly gratifying
to our German-American citizens and
their friends who assisted in securing
the SHngerfest for Omaha to know
that during its entire progress not O
single act of disorder or breach of the
peace occurred to mar its success OF
cast discrodit on those who took part
in it. 1t has become quite the custom
for a certain class of social reformers
to take the measure of the entire Ger.
man nationality from the lunch fiends,
bummers and hoodlums, who frequent
low groggeries, and they have
virtually charged that no one car
take n social glass of beer or wine
without at once descending to the
level Of drunken bummers and row
dies. The S~mngerfest has dispcllet
that delusion from tho minds of al
candid people, and this has been by
no can the least important of it,
many advantages.
One thing more. During this fes
tive week Omaha has shown to ever,
visitor that she is not disposed to tax,
advantage of tho necessities o
strangers whether they are thrown
here by accident or com,
here for pleasure. Over tn,
never the complaint among visiting
firemen was that they were mercilessl,
gouged by everybody who had any
thing to sell, and a great many wen
home with a grudge that they vii
not soon get over. Here, hotels, res
taurants and store keepers made II
advance in prices and all We'd wit
1 each other in offering every accommc
t dation at reasonable rates to tn
stranger visitors.