New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-08
THE DOCK DEPARTMENT MUSIC.
IT ATTRACTS WITH A POWERFUL FORCE
OF NEGATIVE GRAVITY

OF NEGATIVE GRAVITY.
Music will be the ruin o Tammany before the
next municipal election. The city government is
expected 70 provide the people with three ring
circus and II does It faithfully. Riding a high
horse and ground and lofty tumbliug are in Tam
many's line but music is not. In the old one ring
days-the Tweed days-the old fashioned circus
band was good enough for anybody but the ring
masters OF the three rings ought to recognize that
advance has been made In musical art, as well as
In the circus business.
This they have failed 10 recognize. and 50 voters
and the wives and sons and daughters Of voters
are driven away from the places where the Tam
many bands play for their especial delight. and In
the great dav Of reckoning, the Tuesday follow
ing tho first Monday in November. 1901. there VIII
be popular cry OF Reform and Wagner" and
Tammany will find Itself swept of all the band
stands II Tammany would only let musicians at
tend 10 the business Of music and not persist
IN p1ttirg its oiscial and offcious oar It might
get on SO easily But no; the Park Department
must regulate music, and the Department or Cnar-
files must set itself 70 Judge musicians ana
now the Dock Department insists on making UP
r,usioaI nroRrarmes What wonder II there Is
confusionT
In The old ouA-rinE TWeei-riug days the bands
plaved The Wearing Of the Green and ZIP In
BALLOON Bows" and Captain Jtnks' and IMAM
magma Charlie" and everybody was na'u'd4'!
happy and 90 the Dock Department THINKS that
banpiness ought 20 be just as cheap now. Even
the Dock Department does not expect people 70
- io,, IN .Cbampagne Charlie" any more but
g. does not realize that popular taste has advanced
I'm the proportion OF three rings 10 one ana - II
insists that the bands the recreation piers must
NAV only what the taste OF the DOCK DeparIlne''
regards as popular airs Therefore the piers oe-
,or,a gradually deserted and the people who ought
"a enjoy them and profit by them 20 10 lheI
homes and shut the windows 10 keep out the noises
y, tive hands and try 20 be thankful that the sum
NOR has been thus far n reasonably cool one ana
that they are not obliged TO open their WINDOWS f'r
the air and let IN the music and the mosquitoes at
the same time.
II has always been the worlds experience that
the worst governments have been the most sensi-
tive and nervous on the point OF amusing the
populace but even the effort to catch stray votes
Win burdv-gurdy may overreach itself When
tho Dock Department orders the bands on the
recreation piers to play nothing but Keep Away
from Emellne" and Il Guess III Have TO Iele-
graph My Baby and Take Those Pr S.-,, ms
who are longing 10 hear The Evening star and
siegfrieds funeral march and medley rom rom
asres because they really want 10 near THESE
selections and it wounds them in their proc,
because they do not relish the !nslnuaton tAat
tTeT can care only for music that is commonly
made and sold s5 f 3ns tent ten dollar dinner when all
Tammauy went 10 the Metropolitan opera tiousT
and hUqght That b ga' Of ths cas that
we're going 20 turn out musical experts would not
have rnattered but what did the damage was thelr
after belief that they had turned out muslcal ex-
perts 1t was after that that they told me
In the parks that they were paid 70 play ana
NOT no rest. IL was after that they told the DOC
tors in the hospitals that they we're PAID 70 Jaw
OF legs and not 20 play at all AND now tney
te. the bandmasters on the recreation piers tnat
the people must have only the worst music pro.
1ammany will only devote itself TO giving the
o,rnrs "a Iet the bandmasters select the music
the sbou viii 20 on better and there will be more
chance OF an encore two years hence