The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-12
WORLDS FAIR MUSIC RACKET.
The Committee Recommend That Thomas
Services Be Dispensed With.

The Committee Recommend That Thomas
Services BE Dispensed With.
CHICAGO, May 11.-After much hard
work the committee investigating the
misunderstanding in the bureau OF music.
late this evening made report to the ma
tional commission The report stated in
effect that Mr.. Thomas usefulness as
musical director of the fair had ended,
and that harmony in that department re-
quired that his services be dispensed
with. The report of the committee re-
viewed the whole situation from the in
ception of the disagreement. The first
action taken by the commission today
was the adoption of resolutions of con-
dolence with Chauncey NJ. DepeW on the
loss of his wife.
The recommendations OF the committee
on live stock were then adopted to the eff
feet that director Gent should appoint a
chief for that department relieving Chief
Burnham of the agricultural department
from duties in the live stock department.
Hon L. A. Goshorn director general OF
the Philadelphia centennial exposition
addressed the commission by request on
the subject of awards. He SAID 1t was
demonstrated at the centennial that
single judgers examiner system was the
best that could have been brought for
ward. He urged the management to ap-
point judges at the earliest possible date.
John Thacker of New York read long
paper on the operation of the award sys-
tenn as recently adopted by this commits
sion. In this connection foreign exhibit
ors addressed letter to the chief of the
foreign department in which they protest
against the individual or single Judge
system. They propose jury system for
each exhibit the decision of the jury be-
ing subject to revision by a Jury in each
department. The award matter prom
lses to create considerable trouble.
Commissioner Forsyth presented q
communication from the wine growers of
California. He charged that restaurant
keepers at the fair placed such high prices
on California wines that no one will call
for them, as they can obtain foreign
wines at almost the same price. The Cal
ifornians assert that the restaurants at
the grounds will not place any
wine upon their lists unless
bonus OF $1,000 to 5000 is paid
them. The Caiifornians say this would
exclude their wines as they cannot afford
TO pay any such sums. They propose,
therefore, to establish q cafe at the Cali
fornia building, in which all wines of
California exhibitors will be listed. New
York, Ohio and other domestic VINE
makers will also be given show on the
same cards. The council of administra-
ton is asked to reduce the usual % per
cent. turned in to them as their share of
| sales, to 10 per cent, to enable wine to be
sold at reduced prices.
The report of the music investigating
committee is most severe arrangement
of Theodore Thomas and his methods of
conducting bureau of music. 1t gives a
fearful rasping to Chief Harpist Schnecke,
who proposed to local firm of musical
instrument manufacturers that he would
play their harps for a bonus of 81 900
year. Schnecke, in his testimony,
it appears, admitted having made
proposition before the committee.
Thomas denied being in anyway con-
nected with any house engaged in selling
or manufacturing musical instruments.
Thomas declared the authority of Director
General Davis over him was merely
nominal.
The committee concludes by an express
sion of opinion that no piano not with
exhibits for award should be used for
performances. That the usefulness of
Prof. Thomas at the head OF the bureau of
music of the Worlds Columbian exposi-
ton is so impaired, in our Judgment, that
his services should be further dispensed
with, and we recommend that the direc-
tor general be instructed to request his
resignation.