The Washington bee., 1888-10-27
KICKER KICKS.
A sTlNeING REBUKf.
The editor OF the BEE:
Dear Sir.

If / did not know better,
/ would have supposed Nv. r.
Davis" was a Woman, on the
principal that the interest of a
womau's letter is always found in
the postscript. as the interest of
his so called defense Off Prof.
Mando is found in the neat little
advertisement of his proposed re-
appearance as Richard LII, found
at the end of his letter. Mr..
Davis says 'fcriticism, while it
points out defects, also gives cred
it where credit is DUE" and in 80
saying gives away the whole
ground OF his pretended defense,
as by his own acknowledgement,
l wrote of many Trustworthy
points In the Mando concert, aud
expressed my real regret that
more persons did not hear this
really admirable programme,
taken as a aohole. since.my letter
was written, the press of tie coun-
try has taken up the same idea in
the case of Henry E. Abbey with
the New York Tribune, and, so
far, are unanimous in thesexpress-
ion that indiscriminate praise of
an entertainment is unfair alike
to the public and other entertain
ments really deserving. l found
much to praise in the Mando
concert, and said go frankly. |
saw some things in fault, and said
30 frankly. The Maudo concerts
were advertised with flourish of
trumpets as educators" Mr.,
Msndo as the Thomas of his
race" and inferentially the artists
as colored, the same as the Prof.
having assumed this high ground
upon which to be judged, they
cannot now come down into
court and plead the "baby act. !"
They were not educators" for
the reason that the masses foIIoa0-
ing the programme 10 get the lam
es of the pieces would have been
wrong all the way through after
the first number and would, there
fore, have been wrongly taught,
which is worse than no teaching
at all. As the Thomas of bis
race" MIR. Mando, undertook to
stand 1cith his back TO his orchestra
and lead ii, which The m never
attempted. The fact that the
orchestra did as well one way al
the other, justified my opinion
that they did not rely upon him
but upon the first violin as the
leader, and the criticisms made
thereupon cannot be ditputed no
''whisIled down the wind" The,
are facts, and "facts are stubbol
things" 1t is begging the ques
tion TO lay the blame upon tbs
location of the organ. No wei
conducted orchestra is dependen
upon, or has Its music arranged
especially for an organ accompani
ment. When the Professor touns
the organ unavailable be shoult
have discarded it and used th'
proper orchestral instrument, tn
piano. If there is anything from
which / am free, it is color prgat
dice, for or against white or co'ol
ed. Everyone was disappointe'
by the preponderence of whit
performers, and / mentioned th
fact. The length of the pro
gramme was an imposition. N
better evidence is possible tha
the fact that the audience a
one man and left before the en-
was reached. That no credit Wa
given Prof. Mando, for his gran
march, was his own fault, a
owing to the "skips," not fiv
people present knew when it Wa
played. 1t was an excellent CON
position, / am free and glad t
say, but it does not follow, as Nj
Davis seems to assume, that
good composer is necessarily
good conductor. [ look forwar
with pleasure to the propose
second appearance of Mr.. Davi
and the Mando orchestra, and
desire now to give notice to MI
Davis, that, if present, / sha
afterwards say frankly what
think of both performances, as i
this case, and matd then, I hav
nothing to add, upon any provo
cation. Accepting MIR. Davis
definition of criticism, thereo
shall he and they be fairly treate