The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-03-13
Division of Labor

IL was great disappointment 10
those who attended the Lyceum
theater on Friday night, when it was
announced that Bonci, the Italian
tenor, would not sing. owing to bust
ness complications, with which the
Memphis public had nothing to do.
| He Is a great singer, beyond doubt,
but Is not singing In the big opera
companies nowadays, as he used to.
Perhaps there ia reason.
Jan Kubelik. the Bohemian I'D
dler. stretched out his program by
adding extra numbers, and Kubelik
Is confessedly great. Those who
heard him were gratified. and got
their moneys worth, or thought they
did, which amounts to the same
thing. The failure Of Bonci to ap-
pear was. in manner. black eye
10 Memphis as a musical point
which it must outlive, and will out
live.
Aside from the conceded excellence
OF these artists, and considering the
matter from the standpoint Of the
division of labor, the outside bar.
bariaH may say his say.
Why should these two artists
charge SO and SO so for the privilege
of hearing them? They are much,
but not all OF it. In their own coun-
try they would be gratified and sat-
isfled If people would pay a tenth OF
the money demanded here. America
is rich. and Is always played for the
glittering sucker by these foreigners.
They want it all. People who would
really enjoy hearing a niger with
gourd fiddle playing "Old Black
Joe" on the boiler deck of steam
boat. pay fabulous prices to hear
them. They are hypnotized. 1t is a
foolish fad.
| The Memphis Symphony orchestra.
that is a home institution, gave n
performance here recently with the
top prices at So. This organization
is permanently educational. 1t is
also a great society event.
The Lambardi Opera Company
sings here this week, and there is
in that organization fiddlers as sat
styling as Kubelik, If people would
only admit it, and singers as satisfy
ing as Bonei. Ole Barnemann Bull,
the Norwegian, played in this coun-
try good many years, and, as in the
case OF Kubelik, his press agent told
us that he was the greatest fiddler
ever, and we believed him.
Eugene Ysaye, the Belgian fiddler
played here in 1894, 1898 and II
| 1904, and the press agent told us M
was the greatest ever; and we be.
lieved him, With us the power oil
suggestion seems to be irresistible
| We grab the bait and take the line
cork and good part of the rod un.
| der, so greedy are we, and 50 anx
ious to part with our money.
| We would rather see Mary Gar.
den. en- diahabille, in Salome, and
would pay more money for th2
privilege, than to see---and this is
written with perfect reyerence-Thc
Last Supper in the original cast.
This is economic folly. 1t is a
monstrous Inequality In the division
OF labor. Everyone serves, whether
he thinks so or not, and for the
service rendered an adequate, but
not an exorbitant, fee should be do
manded.
| The other day the story was told
In the columns of The News Sclml-
tar of woman who worked in a
factory for SIS week when she put
IN full time. When she put In less
than full time she received CORE.
spondingly less. She is supportins
consumptive husband, who is help.
less, and has little boy In the hos.
pital, whom she cannot see becaus,
she cannot spare the time. She Ii
81 more real value, to this world .,
ours than all the fiddlers from fidl {,