El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-25
John Philip Sousa, March
King, Writes a New Opera
Great American Bandmaster Is Guest Of Ell Paso-4s
Fond Of Horseback Riding, but Is Under Contract
Not to Rride or Shoot While on His Present
World Tour-HeO Once Led United
States Marine Band

A handsomely Uniformed man Of mill
itary carriage and appearance was
standing In the center of the lobby Of
the Hotel Alexandria, at Los Angeles,
one evening last week. Around him
hummed the preparations for the recep-
tiOn Of president Taft.
A well dressed stranger FASTENED into
the hotel lobby and approaching the
uniformed guest shook him heartily
by the hand.
All, my dear general" ne hurriedly
chartered.
The man in uniform appeared en-
barrassed. I'm afraid you're making
some mistake are YOU notZ'
mo, indeed, one can easily find Gen.
WankOWski," meaning the general in
the California national guard.
"- WankoWski," replied the 9TH
er, general ~, / never fought bat
tie in my life; I'm John Philip SOusa."
The California man is probably the
only one in the United States who
would fail to recognize the kindly, hap
py face of the American March King"
John Philips SOUsa's face is as familiar
as that Of William Howard Taft or VIII
liam Jennings Bryan and he has prOba-
bly, faced more people IN public than
either of these men. SOusa has written
more popularity successful march mu-
sic than any man in the world. He has
never made a single failure as a writer
of marches, nor Of comic operas. As an
AmeriCan-and he is native born ohm
Philip SOusa IS recognized as the typi-
cal American composer and his marches
are accepted as typicaly American
marches. Admiral Dewey went into
battle at Manila bay with his bands
playing a Sousa march and the battle OF
Santiago was fought to the tune of
Sousa march. The military bands at Las
Guasimas and FL Caney played compost
lions Of the great American composer
while the soldiers whipped the Span
iards.
seems Never to Get Any Older.
John Philip SOusa is a guest OF III
Paso today and no does not look day
here, nine years ago. He mas the same
smile, the same buOyant stride when ne
walks, the same enthusiasm Tor lie ana
for music; and he is the same kindly
conductor that he was then MY boys,
he says, when he speaks Of his band, I
and "my boys to man speak OF the !
old man" as affectiOnately as II he were I
a father. 1t is one Of his prides that I
most OF his men have been with him I
for years His payroll is over $4,000 4
week and some OF his men draw 500 1
each a week for their work; he believes I
in treating men right
do you enforce military discipline I
I'm your baud2" he was asked.
Not with such men. as these, ne /
quickly replied They don't need It. 4
Is a Great Worker.
John Philip SOusa loves his work and I
his men love 20 work with him. when /
appears to be one Of the secrets OF the /
success of this notable man. Like 4
Roosevelt and other men who accom- l
plish much, he is always busy. Wash
nRtOn Post was the first composition /
Of the March King TO strike the fan
cy Of the American people He wrote Il .
when he vas leader Of the Marine band
In Washington Manhattan beacA
March was another OF his successes J
and then he began turning out new
)nes at frequent intervals, and al OF
them have been successes. FL Captain /
was G success from the very IlrSI as
comic opera, and while he has written /
others Of which he thinks more, there /
has never been any that took better I
with the American people and MS Fl
Captain March has stood as classic
among the military march compositions
Of the world. As an author, Sousa the I
musician has also been a success In
fact, John Philip SOusa appears TO have
been born under lucky star as wen as
with genius in his makeup
BurlesQueinE sOusa.
Mr. SOusa has probably been bur
esQued more than any other man In
merica-because he Is so well known.
II Is always popular TO burlesque @ I
mar wen known, for II makes ready
hit. A few years ago IL was as pOpu
AR to burlesque the march king IN
ircus as it was recently to Caricatur6 !
Theodore Roosevelt en- the papers. Mr.. I
'Ousa cannot ride through the streets
IF any American city sightseeing, with
Tut the boys who are playing on the
street corner stopping their play to
shout the strains Of a Sousa march and
wave their arms in imitation OF a band
master. 1t must make a man feel good
o be so wei and popularity known, and
,Ir. Sousa always smiles, but he has
lever had the affliCtiOn known as "the
.Welled head" and is a living example
If the old statement that the truly
treat are never so conscious of IL that
{ makes them offensive. Mr.. SoUsa
avs the first time he ever saw the cir
us band burlesQue Of himself and his
Wn band, he laughed until he couldn't
lUgh any mOre-he enjoyed the joke as
veil as anybody. You know, he really
I'D a very clever imitation of some of
ny gestures" said Mr.. Sousa, which
means that the men must have been
moving some" for Mr.. Sousa is said
o be about as active q conductor az any
nan in the world when he becomes
thoroughly interested in Interpreting
is subject, which is always.
OF American Birth.
Mr.. SOusa laughs at the statement I
rinted from time to time that he is q /
and says IT is no trouble for I
I'm to prove his right to be called an
merican composer. He was born in the I
'nited States and brands as purely a l
ress agents yarn the story printed I
h. -. i