The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-26
THEY FAVOR MUSIC
MAJORITY OF ALDERMEN FOR sun
DAY CONCERTS.
RESOLUTION MAY BE OFFERED.
WOULD GO THROUGH WITH LIT
TIE OPPOSITION.


Introduce the observation-disclosures
Jones. Fripp, Watson, Frank, HOl-
land and Canty for Concerts, Alder
man Dixon Opposed, Alderman
Thomas in Doubt and Alderman
Schroeder NOn-COmmittaI - Alder
men Bacon and HOrrigan Not Seen.
An ordinance for concerts in Forsyth
Park on Sunday afternoons during the
summer would go through Council with
a rush. Nearly all the Aldermen would
vote for it. This was made plain by in
terviews secured yesterday by the Morn
ing News.
This does not mean that an ordinance
will be introduced. None of the Aldermen
| expressed such an intention. When one
was asked specifically if he expected to
introduce an ordinance to follow up his
conviction that Sunday music would be
a wise measure ne answered in the neg
ative, saying, however that he would
gladly vote for such an ordinance. Its in
PRODUCTION will rest with the Mayor, who
may formulate it ana get some Alderman
| favorable to the project to father it.
As rule, the aldermen seemed not the
least hampered in the expression of their
views by the fact that they dissent from
those so forcibly expressed by some of
the leading ministers of the city. With
out regard for any possible criticism that
might be directed against them by some,
they spoke freely and frankly most of
them in downright sympathy for the
layers recommendation.
Alderman Jones said: IT approve the
plan most heartily. 1t would please me
| greatly to see it carried out. 1 am a
warm advocate of any innocent amuse-
ment that will afford people Of limited
means healthful enjoyment. Music of too
| light a character l should not favor, but
sacred and classical music should, by all
means, be played in the park on Sunday
| afternoons for the benefit of those who,
| otherwise, would get scant opportunity to
enjoy such treats. Thousands attend the
| Sunday afternoon concerts in New York
| CITY, and 1 see no reason why they should
! be prejudicial to the good morals of Sa-
vannah."
Alderman Fripp: II have not consd-
cred the matter deeply, but 1 will say that
l am in favor of it. Possibly under the
a different view 1 might be persuaded to
| change mine, but, as l now feel, l should
| certainly advocate Sunday music. / can
not say that l will introduce an ordinance,
| for l should first like to feel the public
pulse and ascertain just what the senti-
ment generally might be. Naturally l
should not desire 70 father a measure
that would be unpopular.
ITO my mind the most commendahla
feature of Sunday concerts in the park
would be the inability of any to buy whis
ky there. No drinking would be INDUCED
in, and surely that is something that
could be urged in favor of the concerts
They would draw from Tybee and THU
derbolt crowds on Sunday afternoons,
and none can question that it would be
well for young men to be removed from
the temptations that there assail then
At Tybee and at Thuuderbolt they can get
all they want to drink. At concerts in
! the park on Sunday afternoons young
| men would be content to sit and hear
the music and, incidentally, watch the
promenade of the girls Music is not de-
grading, it is elevating. Some religious
extremists rise up in protest against the
recommendation. They are shocked by
the very suggestion, but 1 am not. 1 most
heartily approve the idea
Alderman Schroeder: 81 do not care TO
express my opinion just now as to Sun
day concerts in the park but | will say
that the city is disposed to take too mar
row a view of such matters Ii should
be more liberal and broader in its atti-
tude."
Alderman Dixon: Il am opposed to the
recommendation. l do not believe chat the
wishes of the good citizens who have ex-
pressed themselves as convinced that the
concerts would be hurtful should be dis
regarded
Alderman Thomas: 81 am in doubt as
to the wisdom of the plan. 1 was at the
convention in Charleston, where Sunday
concerts were discussed, and 1 was i'm
pressed then by the fact that it was in
the Western cities. as a rule, that they
had been successfully given. That, I be-
lieve, was due to the foreign population
of these cities. I question the advisability
of such concerts in Savannah. When |
am in doubt do not feel justified in vot-
ing for an expenditure of public money.
If the wishes of the park residents are
against the concerts, they should be
given consideration. It is not unlikely
that the concerts would mean the con-
gregation of great crowds of negroes,
and that, certainly, would not be desira-
BILE. No, 1 know of no ordinance for such
concerts being contemplated"
Alderman Watson: Il believe in the
concerts. l think they would supply
l nGdllulul III the DuDlC
and can see no good reason why they
should not be given"
Alderman Frank: II approve of the con-
certs. When / was at school in the
North I attended such concerts on Sun
day afternoons and neveR did 1 observe
| anything that tended to show unwhole-
some influence or pernicious results"
Alderman Robert Holland believes that
| Sunday concerts in the Park would be
a great thing and indorses the idea. Il
/ can't see on what ground objection is
made to giving Sunday concerts. inz1the
! Park" said the Alderman, 'and / be-
| lieve that a majority Of citizens feel as
l do about the matter. l don't think that
the concerts should be frolics or that
rag time music should be played for the
crowd, but surely sober airs would have
a wholesome effect on the audiences. Such
music would be heard by persons who
never enter @ church and would no doubt
be the means of keeping them from places
that would, in reality, be harmful to
their morals. ] go to church., but / would
attend the concerts too. Let them be
given at a late hour in the afternoon
and 1t can In no way interfere with the
attendance at the Sunday-schools. The
concerts could take place after the devo-
tional exercises. and would be heard by
| those who attended services at the
| churches and at the same time by those
who did not and would not have gone
Z