The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-04


In attempting to prohibit the song and
dance schemes that under the name OF
sssacred" concerts have drawn Sunday
evening audiences to theaters and halls
in this town, Chief BAKER will be sup
ported by citizens, generally, outside an
well as within the churches. Nobody
cares TO have Providence a seven-night
theatrical town under any pretext what
soever. Although the essential evil of 1t,
generally speaking, may be a matter OF
undecided controversy, there is no ques-
ton that the majority sentiment of this
community is opposed to any such So
called 'liberality." For ourselves we
cannot conceive OF any such Sunday even
ing "concert" that could compare with
the enjoyment to be derived from attend
ing any one OF say a dozen churches in
this town where bright young ministers
talk to us in an engaging, as well as in an
informing, way, and while we would not
make OF our views laws for the conduct OF
our neighbors we are still disposed to feel
that until the town is ready to have its
theaters opened seven days in the week,
furnishing their regular legitimate enter
tainment on Sunday evening as they do
on the six other evenings, there is no
health in permitting any masquerade in
the disguise OF a so-called ''sacred" con-
cert. Whatever divergence OF view there
may be about the matter Of permitting
what may for convenience be called "secu-
lar'' entertainments Of Sundays there
ought to be no difference Of opinion at all
on a question Of hypocrisy and self-fool-
ing such "a Is implied when a city gov
eminent gives a license to a show because
IT Is called a "sacredo show that 1t would
not license under its ordinary and legiti-
mate name.
But 1t appears that the Chief of Police
may do real injustice and weaken his
otherwise excellent purpose IL he does not
wisely discriminate In the matter OF
licensing Sunday evening entertainments.
What appears to be a case in point Is that
OF the Wandering Bards, an organization
that had gone to considerable expense
and had sold tickets in good faith before
the Chief decided to prohibit Sunday con-
certs with such a flourish OF trumpets on
his own part. We doubt IL any great
harm would have been done the commu-
nifty IL the concert had been permitted,
although its suppression seems to have
given the Chief a great deal OF virtuous
satisfaction, and he seems to have been at
great pains to have the public know all
about 1t that his act might receive a
proper appreciation. and applause. In
deed, our new Chief seems to like to make
what, in sporting parlance, are called
''grand stand plays" When he took
office, or rather before no took Office,
Chief BAKER told us what a wicked city
we lived in and how he proposed to
make a lily white town of it., but in be-
ginning his publication process with
Sunday concerts and the Sunday concert
reform with making an example OF the
unfortunate Wandering Bards, the Chief
appears to have tackled the easier end OF
his job first and to have made rather
more fuss about it than the Importance
OF his act warrants.
The Wandering Bards, we believe, Is
an organization OF musicians, the most OF
whom play in the orchestras OF the sew
eral thoaters. Their professional duties
engage them six evenings in the week, and
il they are TO give any concert at all It
needs must be given Of Sunday evening.
Theirs Is a bonefcent organization and
the funds derived from the entertain
ments they furnish are devoted to the re-
lief Of sick and needy members OF their
ordcS and profession, and to the help OF
WfdCwa aud rruhapa ~ v,uutcsau. Thov