The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-02-09
To THE PIJRIIC
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1912.
An Unfortunate Affair.

1t is indeed unfortunate that the
concert given by the Nashville Choral
Society, Tuesday night, at the Audi
forum brought about the unpleasant
ness that it did, and, too, when it
was unnecessary. The pastor of the
Alex. Irwin Methodist Episcopal
Church (white) Rev. C. T. Carter,
made a great blunder when he prom
ised to do a thing that he could not
do. We have it direct from Prof
Work that he had promised him that
there would be no discrimination
whatever against colored people who
might attend the concert, and it was
only after such assurance had been
received from this minister that Prof.
Work consented to give the concert
for the white church.
Negroes of Nashville have long
since decided that they can entertain
themselves, and they show no dispo-
sition to attend such entertainments
given by or for white people. No
better proof of this need be cited than
the fact that the Lyceum, which Sc
cures some of the very best musical
talent in the world to appear at the
Auditorium every year, sends out
their invitations to the people gen.
orally. Such invitations, We are told,
are handled by an advertising agency.
They take the City Directory and
pick out the people who they think
will appreciate such invitations, and
send out their advertisements, offer
ing inducements to those who will
purchase season tickets. Any num-
Der of these circulars are sent to col
ored people, but never in single in
stance has one Negro applied to pur-
chase a season ticket to these enter
tainments. They take no thought of
it whatever, but simply pass the mat
ter on to the waste basket This is
the best evidence that they do not
desire to go where they are not want
ed Consequently, there is no rea-
son for the white people of Nashville
to worry about the colored people in
truding on them.
The Negroes of this city have mag
nifcent church auditoriums, spacious
halls, and now they have new up
to-date theatre. They have their
parks that they have bought and paid
for out of their meager means All
of this is done to satisfy the desires
of the pleasure-loving people of the
race
The case of Tuesday night was q
peculiar one. Here is a white minis
ter Of the Gospel pleading to the di
rector of a Negro Choral Society t
aid him in raising funds for his
church. He must have known OF The
petty preiudices that exist among hi
own people; on the other hand, h,
must have known that despite the eX
istence of these prejudices there pre-
walls among the white and black Cit
zens of Nashville the best of feeling
He should have put himself to tn
trouble to find out why this conditio
existed; but instead, he went Blind
on presumption and promised to
what he could not do. Prof Work
not to be blamed for this info
tunate affair The blame rests solel
on Rev. G. T, Carter, the pastor of tn
church for which the entertainer
was given So certain was Pro
Work that the gentleman who a
preached him knew what he Wa
talking about that he did not ask IL
written agreement; being a mini
ter, he felt that his word was SUI
cient.
Some are saying that the membe
of the Choral Society should ha1
walked out of the house and refuse
to sing. There are two sides to tn
question. Think of between five al
six thousand people assembled
hear a concert; they have paid the
money for the admission fee; tn,
have spent car fare coming to Il
building; they expect to hear Il
program rendered; they know not
ing of the arrangement; they are a
swering the appeal Of the pastor Of
struggling church The director
the Choral Society has promised
entertain these people. The questi'
is: Should the congregation be d