The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-18
PRESS CRIIICISES
ARCTANDER FEST
NORWEGIAN EDITORS OBJECT TO
CHARACTER GIVEN IT.
Chicago Paper Terms It a Misuse Of the
National Day, Because of Public and
National Character Given to Celebra-
ton at Tabernacle Last Night.

Many criticisms have been directed
by the Scandinavian press against j. w.
Arctander for the form he gave to the
big festival held last evening at the
Swedish Tabernacle. It was a monster
success, many hundreds Of people being
denied admission on account of lack of
room, and it was made unusually nota
BILE by the presence Of Governor John
son and the personal messages to the
audience by President Roosevelt and
King Oscar. Nevertheless the Nor
wegian press has been criticising the
general character Of the festival for a
week past. =.:..
"Skandinaven" of Chicago in
column-long editorial headed misuse
of the Seventeenth of May" says:
cit is not Officially announced
but the purpose is to devote the pro-
ceeds toward the purchase of an organ
for the church to which the arranger
belongs. But the public should know
that the fest is a private enterprise and
not national matter. Mr.. Arctander
speaks and acts exclusively on his own
account and has no authority to appear
sary to call special attention to this be-
cause he seeks to give his entertainment
a high political character. In view of
the actual conditions this is a deplor-
able lack of tact, not to use stronger
expression, and it is certain that the
great majority OF our people deplore
this play.' The paper also says that
both President Roosevelt and King
Oscar have wholly misunderstood the
nature of the celebration, as they are
too tactful to ignore the numerous other
Seventeenth of May celebrations in
Minneapolis and elsewhere.
g AmerilSa ,, Ma6icon Vic of ,,b; III,
Rasmus B. Anderson is the editor, re-
prints Scandinavian g editorial and ap-
proves it in the most positive Ian
guage.
The Minneapolis Tidende, in &C.
knowledging the receipt of several con-
tributions both for and against the
nature Of the entertainment, says:
For our part we can say that we
are not particularly enthused over a
Swedlsh-Norwegian or Norwegian Swe-
dish Seventeenth of May festival Just
government, whose chief however has
since had to retire, recently has denied
| Norway's independence, which is cele.
brated on that day.
| "Politiken' has printed communica
| lions criticising the entertainment and
| its promoter, and all in all the whole
affair is furnishing food for great deal
of comment and discussion.
Mr.. Arctander said today that he hac
no. answer for the critics nor any
apologies to make for the entertain
ment.
HThe incident is closed one as fa1
as am concerned,' continued Mr.. Arc
lander. cat the Tabernacle last even
ing l called the attention of the audi
enee to the riticism of the Norwegian
press, and their assertion that I hac
] no mandate to arrange for such a festi
val. The magnificent attendance an6
the fact that from 700 to 1000 people
We're turned away, said, was sufficient
vindication Of what had done, if any
such vindication were necessary. II
was certainly convincing proof of the
proprlety OF such festival and the
sentiment among the people. I shall
ignore all the critics in this matter :