New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-11
PRICE THREE CENTS.
WARD MCALLISFER TALKS
HIS STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC ABoUT
THE BALL TROUBLE.
EXPLAINING THE DIssENsIoNs IN THE ENTEE-
TAINMENT COMMITTEE E-CoRREsPoNDEEoE
- BETWEEN IT'S CORNER SECRETARY
AND OTHERS.

TAIEMENT COMMITTEE EE-CORREsPoNDEEoE
- BETWEEN IT'S CORNER SECRETARY /
AND OTHERS.
For several weeks the newspapers have COM
tained almost daily nports Of the disSensions In
the Entertainment Committee Of the centennial
celebration having in charge the arrangements for
the centennial inaugural ball and supper. During
the last week it has been said also that Ward Mo
Alister, who was popularly supposed TO be tbs
ruling spirit in the committee, had been deprived
Of his different powers as secretary of the COM
mittec and manager of the ball. and some Of his
fellow committeeman have more or less openly
charged that it necessary for them to suppress
him because of various offences that he had COM
mitted, among the chief Of which was insubor-
dnation. For three days the Entertainment Com-
mittce, through q guarly authorized representa-
tive has given to reporters various statements re-
Gecting upon Mr.. McAlister's Judgment, compe-
tency and temper.
Mr.. McAllister has invariably refused to discuss
the internal affairs of the Entertainment Commit
tee with reporters but having become convinced
as he says, that an organized attack is being mado
upon him, he has prepared for publication formal
statement of his relations with the committee. In
his statement Mr.. McAllister says:
One oG the recording angels Of the prcss was good
enough send worI yesterday that with Con!
tcnnisl funds literary bureau had been organized
and that at meeting Of some members OF the Enter.
tainpent Commtee held at the Illinois Central
Railroad ciice yesterday, of which was not notified,
a Plan Of campaign against me had been matured, he
first movement OF which would appear in this morn
ings newspapers. / at loss TO know why
am % be selected FOR assault / interfere with no
ones schones to make the ball ladder for social
or political ambitions. have been relieved Of all
control IN the execution 0 even my own plan am
not IN anybodys way. The complaints OF mo given
10 the newspapeTs YESTERDAY by the Centennial Lt-
or authority: that asked the Plan and scope COM
mttG" to define my powers as man9Eer; tnat Ie-
but offered 10 resign II the Entertainment Committee
requested my resignation; that refused 10 make an
accounting Of Opera House boxes sold; that was IN
subordinate and generally enlarged my own functions
These are the facts: On December o1. 1898, the
Committee OF Plan and scope appointed me tho
mcnd5tlon Of the Entertainment COMMITTEES Tho
resolution adopted by the Plan ard Scope Committee,
shoniG have control Of all detasS Tho appoint
mcnt was made without my solicitation, bur, having
hcnslvr, 7 prepared and laid before the chairman
plan Of Tho banquet and bals which, with inmat"ral
tanment Corimittoc and adopted After consultation
with architect, plans and estimates wero made for
Opera House, and with great difficulty those had been
found by me VINO couil or would iuttsn me DaInmGe @
passing any before attempted in this city. All my
mlttce
The chief significance Of Mr.. McAlster's refer
ence 10 a meeting Of some of the members Of tbs
Entertainment Committee whose object was to
mature a plan of attack upon him, is the state
meut that it was held in the office Of the Illinois
Central Railroad, OF which St2yyesant Fish is
President. Mr. Fish is chairman of the Enter
tainment Committee, and between him and Mr..
McAllster there have been strained relations for
several weeks
As an evidence that Mr.. Fish did not always
consider Mr. McAllister incompetent 10 perform ths
Il i'm n
the latter furnishes the following letter, dated
November I, 1888
My Dear Mr.. McAlliser: In thanking you for all tho
trouble you have taken and the Sklll you have
polltan opera nouse I have only to say
that my business will take of town tomorrow
and south should The lease be completed in than
Tine please sign 1t for the SSmWs EoEy fish 1
Mr.. McAllistcr goes on in his statement as
follows;
Il seemed to mo an Interesting and appropriate
feature the Dall would bo an opening quadrLa
danced by men and women the descenGapts OF those
this city on the occasion OF the first inaugulatoni
the women well the men, 10 represent as lar
d, practical those who were present hundred SeAs
ago. presented to the committee
plan Of such quadIllie with inc llat ot names @ Oi
ur essay and useless resistance by the chalrnaA,
has finally Ue3n accepted with a few notifications.
The LIST ol names OF women submitted ~ me had Deea
pre- pared tie theory thai thOs; 50 named should
tL
hlgtUus Inauguration Bah IN l7Vo and not on thS
English and aniEhMercan theory Of primoSenture,
the eldest son. or in any son il there Be daughters
Ny thought that in our country If a woman
in the celebration Of Washlnron's great work wifi,
could, in social way, have consideration by her own
the position Of her husband: 1t was put about by
the newspapers on Friday last that my disclosure
Of those statements the newspapers which pnolshed
them have the means OF aScertainins Inc names Oi
the ladies selected for the quairlo were not IFcn
to tho newspapers by me, bat by the cofhmltte9'
Referring to the charge made several days agoI
that extracts from rather spirited private cor
respondancc between StuvvcSant Fish and Mr.. Nc
Allister had been furnished for publication by the
latter, Mr. McAllster calls attention 10 the fact
that there WAS published few days ago the pro-
grammc of the bali adopted by the committecl
which must have been surrcptitously procured,
and he denies having furnished either the cor
rcspondencc referred to or the programme to the
paper that published them. lie suggests that tho
discovery of the prSon who did furnish the official
programme Of the ball for publication might reveal
thc one who made public the other secrets OF the
committee. Referring to his endeavors TO make
the ball and supper successful, Mr McAlhstcr
says:
for tbs public Manifestation TO honor the nainc and
fame Of ashIngton by the c.ty and state in which
in MIND hat the city and state had by liberal ctt:
OF public money made the celebration possible, but
have bad no control over invitations 10 guests IN
NeW-NOrk or escWher', arrangements 10 enabla
the public 10 the parade At time when tha
success OF the ball not assured ] was requested
BY the chairman 10 make sale Of The Opera House
boxes 10 proper persons who could DO found 10
sol!citatoT. at a time when buyers were not so
abundant and ger as now since the announcement
OF the opening Quaar.ilr.
After the plans Of The bah and banquet had been
perfected by me IN outline, and adopted by the COM
u tire. a, = "a
,rht Of the ball The manager should have fun con-
troll "a carry out said programme far tho music
police. military and dancing are concerned A com
mttCe consisting OF MrSSIS Fish. Oun and Jay ap
pointed for certain details OF the banquet was on
last Tuesday week enlarged and It's powers thus de-,
Scribcd: This committee shall have charge
and be charged with tho carrying ouj