The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-11

day under the nom de plume of state
Journal Subscriber"
If he had taken the trouble to talk
with me half as long as the time he
consumed in composing his letter, he
would better understand some of the
conditions he discusses. There are no
PERSONS in Topeka who are more anxi-
F'ous to have the organ used heard and
enjoyed, by the whole people, than the
members of the association I am trying
to serve. This, however, involves fund
with which to pay a regular Organ1St.
AS it is now, 1t can be used at any
time, by any organization willing to
pay for the service. The rates fixed
by the committee are SIS an evening,
with liberal discount for church and
other charitable functions. dozen
times We tried the experiment of CIV
ing series of organ recitals at popu-
lar prices. The admission charged was
only ten cents. The largest number who
attended was about rs, and most of the
time the attendance was below SO. Ev-
cry time a recital is given the cost of
electric power to run the motor is about
81, including the necessary use in prac-
tlce- Those of us who have the bur-
den of managing this affair hope for
conditions when we can give free Sun
day afternoon organ recitals. We could
do this If we had the organ paid for.
This would involve putting an organist
on a salary We could probably raise
the money to pay a salary by the same
means we are adopting to raise money
to pay for the organ.
The scheme of raising money by con-
certs by local talent is a fine one to
talk about, and furnishes a theme for
criticism by those who have never tried
it or are prone to adversely criticise
public undertakings whatever may be
their merit BY actual experiment, like
other things We have tried this scheme
does not work Last Friday evening
Lincoln Post Drum corps gave a home
talent concert and furnished an excel
lent programme. Mr.. ROehr had a part
on this programme in the way of an or
gan solo or two. A large number of
men and women went about from per-
son to person selling tickets in advance.
We have no such force that we can use
The weather was fine. The audience
was about 200 in number and the net
profits were less than SO. A year ago
last July AIarshalPs band gave a con-
cert in the auditorium for the joint
purpose of raising money for the organ
fund and paying the balance due on the
new instruments of the band. Less
than $50 people attended although your
paper and the other daily papers donat-
ed one hundred dollars in advertising.
The MOdocs, which Subscriber praises
so highly and deservedly, sang, and this
fact was widely advertised. About
month ago, a splendid concert was Civ
en- in the auditorium by the faculty OF
Washburn college. I am of the opinion
that many professional concert compa-
MES are on the road receiving from 500
to $500 night who give no better pro-
syranlrae than they gave. The organ
was played very acceptably to the few
who heard it, The paid admissions
were less than $50 Were you there,
Mr. Subscriber"
The fact still remains true that the
only considerable money We have
made was out of the first two Nordica
concerts and the Melba concert Out
of the first Nordica concert we made
more than $1,000. On the Melba con-
cert about s375- I should mention,
however, that the concert of dedica-
ton which was under exceptional cir
cumstances that probably can not be
counted on again. was profitable
While Subscriber says many
things that are true. and with a style
and huencv that 1 would be proud to
be able equal. I can not agree with
him when he ltkens the songs Of
Melba and Nordica to the sounds of
the boiler shop of the Santa Fe plant.
1t has not been possible in all our
forty-nfne state to produce voices to
equal these in a generation. and it is
with no spirit of disparagement to the
excellence of local talent that 1 make I
this statement. People will go to hear
such. as they would to hear such
orators as Wendall Phillips. Edward /
Everett and Henry Ward Beecher, if |
they could today. would not blame
them even it they could hear a David |