New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-02
TtFS At SAENCERFEST
welcomed by 6,coe Singers, Who
Render "Star Spanqled Banner"
PRESIDENT L!hUDS GERMANS
Tells the Singers Their Art
Widens the Means of Max
ing Happiness.

philadelphia. July IA grand festival
.o,carr. participated IN b. the thousands
:, members OF societies constituting the
,.,rtheastern Sangerbund, with President
80 Mrs. Taft as the guests Of honor, was
,,s GROWING event tonight on to-days
,,orraum4 Of the went third annual
sangerfesr.
when the President ar Mrs Taft
..ached Broad street station at 6 o'clock
,o.r,pbt they were greeted b. a German
.ong Of welcome. sung by large chorus.
nisregard!ng his usual custom. the Presi-
ssrt walked through the crowd Of singers
and spectators down tsS main entrance 10
the automobile H. which. accompanied by
,tsvor BlaukenburC, ne was taken to the
r-rion League for dinner. The lst City
re- Tom IN full dress uniform and detail
~ mounted police acted as an escort.
,s the President and his wife entered the
,es, auditorium, erected expressly for the
occasion. the chorus Of six thousand trained
male voices. the pick Of the leading Ger
man singing societies I'm the East sang
The star Spangled Banner" while the i'm.
rcerse audience remained standing.
IN an address to the sangerbund Presi-
dent Taft said:
On behalf Of Mrs. Taft and myself
beg 10 assure you Of our grateful appre-
cistion of this cordial welcome. We are
here because W. recognize the truly ma
tional character of this association and
this meeting.
lion Of our noble patriotic anthem. The
scar Srargled Banner" and We rejoice IN
ths LOYALTY and love Of country that mani
resi- themselves ion this beauuful volume
- sor-tas II comes from the thousands Of
,-srtised and cultivated Threats Of those
Who pride themselves on German descent
or origin but who are equally proud OF
their american citizenship.
This meeting is for the promotion OF
that art which perhaps contributes more
10 the happiness and enjoyment or ne
than any other-that is, the art Of, music.
The public taste which YOU nave cult
rstsd IN such assocla tons as this, and IN
vour presentation OF the compositions ana
songs Of the great masters, have educated
the public at large and. what Is even
more important, have Nidened the means
~ making happiness But while the edu-
cstioual and artistic influences OF such
musical fests az OF the highest lmpor-
. lance there is another taCt in respect 10
spch national society and such gather
ings as this that forces itself on the IN.
teIligent observer. The great number or
-r51orIa that first settled this country were
English. anl many OF the popular charac.
teristics due 10 that original settlement
have continued Among them IS one
which the American people are fast los
ing hut which remains still true Of our
English COUsins-that OF taking their
pleasures sadly.
The German people have for centuries had
ar advantage over the English people IN
this regard. and in no way have they SHOWN
n 50 racn as through the instrumentallty
a. their singing societies. The spirit ana
motive Of these societies constitute ihdt
which IS difficult 70 translate into English
"GemuthliChkeiL' Tha pursuit q art bY
the MANY with the unit Of the family, I'M
der conditions in which good comradesh'D
Is made the chief incident, IS custom that
we have borrowed. and this llberalzng, and
Broadening OF or family and social pleas
re are due 70 the influence Of these 81
our citizens VINO continue and MAINTAIN IN
this country the delightful customs NJ their
Fatherland -,
lightly the practice Of many arts with Wmcn
thew are not familiar but they are blind,
and do not realize that the cultivation or
each branch Of art only Wldens the 9ppso5I-
TURTLES for the enjoyment Of life. and adds
an additional resource for the pronotieu q
individual happiness.
I therefore. thank our fellow either
who Rave lsbored harg ana successl1!, "
preserve these valuable German customs,
and wish 10 eXnress our gratitude as
Americans for The debt on this account Que
70 German civilization
Al OF the visiting singers have now ar
rived Among these are two thou2and
members OF the United Singers Of New
York ard Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Anon
Society the Liederkrarz, OF Jersey city. and
others from New York and vicinity More
than one thousand arrived from New AorH
yesrerdav and the rest arrived Just IT
tine 70 compete for the special prizes in the
METROPOLITAN Opera House this afternoon
During IN. afternoon also chorus OF slA
thousand school children gave a concert IT
the new municipal hall, where the sanger
feet &c