The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-21
MEETING OF GUARANTORS
MAY MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE NOT To
BE ABONDONED IN THIS CITY,.
Change in the Board of DirectOrs-C
L. Coffin and Arba Il. Perry
the New Ones.

a meeting of the guarantorS held at the
Denison Hotel last night. There was en-
tire unanimity of opinion on the question.
Every one of the score of guarantors who
spoke saw nothing so discouraging in the
financial failure of the last festival as to
cause the abandonment of the great under
taking, which all were agreed had done
more than any one thing else to advertise
Indianapolis For this reason if for no
other-not taking into consideration the edu-
cationa and artistic phases of the subject
the business men present urged that the
festivals should continue. Beside the twenty
who were gathered, Major Taylor, chair
man of the finance committee, read num-
Der of letters he had received from guar
antcrs who had sent checks to cover the
assessments them. All urged that the
festivals continue Not one dissented.
A. ]. Beveridge, president of the board of
directors, presided. o. r. Johnson, the secre-
tary, sent a report, which was read AT the
beginning of the meeting but few were
present and Larz A. Whitcomb suggested
that it might be well to postpone the meet
ing until later date, when the guaran-
tors might be given personal notice to be
present. While waiting for others to come
there was an informal discussion of the
subject whether the festivals should con-
tinue. Among those who spoke favorably on
this were Solomon Hays, Fred Ayers, J. X.
Lilly, Arba T. Perry, Larz A. Whitcomb. c.
T.. Whitsett, Merrill Moores, c. N. Lodge.
Enrique Miller, and a number of others.
The utmost confidence was expressed in
the directors. 1t was pointed out that they
were in no wise responsible for the deficit.
But for%tht war coming few days be-
fore the festival the spell of bad weather
and the difficulty in obtaining great artists
all agreed the failure would not have oc-
Cured. Several expressed the hope that the
directors would not insist on retiring, as
they had said they expected to do in a cir
cuar letter. Mr. Taylor explained the drec-
tors did not want to shirk, but desired to
leave the guarantors free to act as they
saw fit. Mr.. Whitcomb put motion thank
ing the directors for the very excellent man.
agement of the festival and complimenting
them on the brave way in which difficulties
had been met which no one foresaw year
ago. On behalf of the directors Mr.. Bever-
idge expressed gratitude for the confidence
expressed in them. Solomon Hays and Arba
I. Perry opposed the idea of postponing
the guarantors' meeting to a later date,
Mr.. Hays saying that in ten years ex-
perience he had not seen a larger meeting
of guarantors save at one time when there
was contest over an election. He thought
it was best to decide the question of the
associations future at once. Mr.. Whitcomb
withdrew his motion TO postpone the meet
ing until a later date, Mr.. Beveridge ex-
planning that the only wish of the directors
was to have their statements made to as
large number of guarantors as possible.
He said the directors simply wanted to leave
the guarantors free to decide the questions.
SECRETARY JOHNSON'S LETTER.
Mr.. Beveridge read Mr.. Johnsons state
ment, explaining that the secretary of the
board had to be out of the city. 1t was as
follows:
''Gentlemen--As the meeting tonight is
called for the purpose of hearing the views
OF those who have sustained the burdens
financial and otherwise, of the music festi-
val for several years and probably formu-
late plans for the continuation of the enter
prise, l take this method of expressing some
opinions, based upon an experience of five
years in the festival work, as | shall not be
able to attend the meeting on account of
absence from the city.
IF the festivals are to be continued and
heavy and long chorus works are to be
given it is absolutely certain, in my judg-
ment, that there will be deficit every year.
The experience of the past few years has
demonstrated this beyond doubt, but the
musical people and the critics have insisted
upon this policy. The festival has three
fold purpose as / understand it, first, the
advertisement of the city as a musical CEN
ter; second, affording opportunities, which
they would not otherwise have, to the peo-
pie of the city and State of hearing great
artists and fine works adequately pre-
scented, and third, the musical education of
the people 1t seems to me that it will not
be subversive of any of these purposes to
give shorter works and more varied pro-
grammes than we have been giving, pro-
vided that these works are of the highest
order in a musical sense. Good works do
not necessarily mean long works. and it is
easily susceptible of proof that long works.
no matter how high class they are or how
artistically presented, keep more people
away from the festival than they attract
to it. 1t seems to me that the directors,
keeping steadfastly in view the educational
purposes of the festival, should give the
people who support it programmes that they
will appreciate and enjoy. l do not mean
by this to cheaper the festival in any way
or lower the standard of its work. but to
make the concerts more varied and at
tractiye, with more artists in each. If the
festival has proven any one thing conclu-
SVey it is that artists and not works draw
the .e, Peo IpdSgesttons 70 the future Of the
festival and the method of its management,
which are given for what they are worth,
are as follows:
Il The abolition of the guarantee fund
absolutely In its place let a thorough and
systematic canvass be made as early as
next fall for subscriptions to season tickets.
Business men who benefit in financial way
by the festival should be asked to subscribe
for number to give to their out-of-town
customers. If subscriptions for at least
1,HO season IlcKeIS at an average VI 4l
each are obtained then let the directors go
ahead and make contracts and arrange
ments for the festival next year. If 1t is
not found possible to secure such suhscrip-
tions then the enterprise, in my judgment,
should be dropped.
~ The election of number of new di
rectors in the places of those whose terms
have expired or who desire to retire.
80 The appointment of committees from
among the subscribers to actively CO.
operate with the committees or the board
in the festival work.
50 The presentation of more varied pro-
grammes by such high-class artists as can
be obtained and of short choral works only,
none to run longer than twenty minutes.
IS A determined effort to compel the
railroads TO give a half-fare rate for the
Indianapolis festival, such as they do for
the Louisville and Cincinnati festivals, and,
following that. thorough advertisement of
the festival within a radius OF one hundred
miles of the city.
Sc With the limited seating capacity of
Tomlinson Hall and the fact that so many
practicable materially to reduce the prices
of seats for the festival expenses are neces-
sarily heavy on account of the high prices
we are compelled to pay for artists and the
cost of bringing an orchestra here.
1.-The festival association cannot, in my
opinion. afford to dispense with the services
of Mr.. Van der Stucken as musical director
expensive they may be. Since the death
of Anton Seidl Mr.. Van der Stucken is con-
ceded to be the greatest choral and orches-
trail director in America. His connection
with the indianapolis festival gives it a
standing throughout the country that it