Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-08
Daily geuuebtt Sp,,sual.
SYMPATHY WITH AeRamoxre.
Rev. Thomas Dixon, IRIS, Chorus Refuses 10
Sing at the Sunday Service.

New York, Nov. About 40 singers,
constituting the chorus choir of the
Peoples church, Of which the Rev,
Tnomas Dixon, Jr., is pastor, today, re-
fused to sing out of sympathy with
Prof. Agramonte, their leader, because
the pastor advocated the election of
Seth Low for mayor, last Sunday.
Prof. Agramonte is a Cuban and a.
son has been in a Spanish prison on the
island of Cuba for two years. The Gu
bans say that Seth Low opposed any
intervention of this country in Cuban
affairs and stood against the cause of
Cuban liberty since the outbreak of the
last war.
Mr.. Dixon said. today, in his sermon
that he sympathized with Prof. Agra
monte, and had advocated voting for
Low, last Sunday. only because he
stood the best chance for election
against Tammany. He had personally
been opposed to Mr.. Low.
In the course of his sermon, the Rev.
Thomas Dixon said: Il told you, a few
sundays ago, of a friend of Mr.. Lows
VINO WI, had been contributing largely to this
church who refused to give any more
money to us because l did not like the
Citizens Union candidate and preached
against him.
Il was surprised to learn. today. that
we dissatisfied others by advocating Mr.
Lows election. Prof. Agramont has re-
fused. on account of what l said about
Mr.. Low, to lead our choir. and the
choir has out of sympathy for him refused
to sing. So We have not any choir, today.
have been told why Prof. Agramonte
takes umbrage at my speech of last Sum-
day. l am not surprised and / do not
criticize him for thinking as he does.
He is Cuban. l am told that a son
of his has for two years been languishing
in a Spanish prison. l do not know
whether it is true or not. but the Cubans
of the Junta here, of which Prof. Agra
monte is a member. say that Seth Low
las done all he could against the Cuban
cause. So l am not surprised that the
professor. with his impulsive blood, has
refused to sing in a church where Mr.
Lows election was advocated.
Il can only say that 1 did not advoc tie
my congregation voting for Mr.. Low with
any enthusiasm. / considered it my duty
to do so because | saw that he was the
strongest candidate against Tammany,
and even he was preferable to Tammany.
l cast my own vote for Low but l cast
it early in the morning and took a train
and got away from the city as fast rs
could and went shooting. l did not care
to be at the funeral. l cast my vote fcr
Low. but l had felt for some days a pre-
| monition of the inevitable.
Il hope that Prof. Agramonte will think
better of what he has done. He has been
| of great service to this church and l nm
| thankful to him for that even if he does
not come back to us. He volunteered 10
| make us a choir and he did it well.
This shows what a thorny path a
preacher has who insists on saying what
| he thinks. 1 hope that Prof. Agramonte
| will come back to us with his choir.
don't say a word against him. for. feeling
| as he did about Mr.. Low. in fact l rather
sympathize with him. But if all our sup
porters leave us, if there are only three.
| two or one of our friends left. we will
still be found doing business in the best
way we know how in the old stanl."