The San Francisco call., 1908-04-21
BAND MASTER REPLIES
TO JAMES ID. PHELAN
Adds Letter to Controversy
Over Concerts in Golden
Gate Park

George w. Hollister band master of
the Fifth regiment infantry band,
national guard of California, has sent
the following letter to James D. Phe-
engaging of a band for concerts in
Golden Gate park:
Hon. James d. PhelaD,
Dear Sir:
The injustice done to this organization by the
publication Of an alleged interview with you in
yesterdays Call cannot allow TO pass without
notice and l desire TO call your attention to eF-
rors therein with the hope that you are man
enough 10 acknowledge your errors when they are
called TO your attention, errors either through
lack Of information. easy 10 have been obtained
or errors intentional for which there can hardly
the cause or reason the following statements are
unqualfedly false.
The Fifth Regiment infantry band n G. c.
never offered to furnish A men for $50--their
offer made to Mr.. Metson and was "If the
park commissioners after the first four weeks
concerts, which should be free, satisfied of
their worth and wanted to engage them, they
the band, would raise sufficient money among
their friends on the outside to Justify them in
giving concerts for one year. and were sure they
could do So IL the park commissioners would do
their share by donating $50, the same they
men. not A. On the same basis as per your
article Cassasa is now receiving from the park
as SteIndorff actually played for months for 81 40
lower wages:
The application Of this band was not suz-
gested by the citizens alliance by any other
set Of men whatever, but was done by me per-
sonaily after several weeks had gone by and the
park commissioners could not raise sufficient
funds for concerts and stated In ffe press
and my FIRST communication totally ignored
by them, the same as my application TO you to
be recogpized in the neet reception was ignored
aud ct no time since we have the assistance OF
any organization until you reused the public by
your statement that ''were we to play it would
cause Industrial strife
You state, They play publicly about once a
year. to-wit; at encampments. Are you not
given public concerts in the park Ia Oakland.
which was paid for By the merchants of that city,
playing each week for six successive months in
each of the three summer seasons and for the
same months for two years last past once each
week In Aiameds, and for nine weeks at the
close of the season last summer in Berkeley 7
little inquiry on these matters would not
leave you in such ridiculous position one where
all informed persons know you are falsifying,
aud all Of which Information was in the posses
sion OF the chairman of your COMMITTEES Hon.
You say. ''The park band are professional must.
clans. earning their living as such, while we
are not Are you aware that members Of the
park band are on the regular police force of this
city. drawing salary from the city and playing
in the park on sundays; that others are in the
tax collectors office of this city; others IN the
employ Of the Pacific States telephone and tele-
graph company: others are book keepers. and one
clerks for cigar stands and tends bar? What
difference therefore is there? If you do not
menfs2
You say. The park band is composed of pro
fcssional musicians What Is your STANDARD Of
professionalism? Several OF the men from oar
band Joined the SO called musicians union In the
year last past and played in the park with the
park band the very Sunday following such afni-
alton. Did their joining this called union con-
sttute them professionals, and did It add any
thing TO their ability or musical qualities In any
manner? They were far from being our best
men and we considered them very little loss
I note with pleasure that you have at last de-
clared ycnr stand. so We may hereafter know
where 10 find you; also that you are able to
speak for his honor the mayor. But 1 take ex-
ceptions 70 your statement that the super
visors would not likely have donated $75 for any
other than union band.''
From where. please, WIS this information de-
rived. or are you in position to speak for
them rs we'll as the m8yori As this question
did not and could not have been considered by
them. as what they done was done before we
bad been heard Of In the matter. Can II be
possible that they well as the mayor are sub
5eet to dictatiou.. and are meme puppets to ACT
when the string is puled7 II 80. then we have
a second Schmitz- Ruef administration, which
might very properly be called a Taylor-Phelan
administration. ] do not believe such condi-
Ien exists. but from your open letter one would