The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04
THE TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
APPROPRIATIONS BUREAU
By FREDERIC J. HAsKIN, Director.
WashinSton, D. C.
MORE MUSIC FOR AMERICA.

musicians, or at least musical. it will
not be the fault of new and ambi-
tious society recently founded in New
York, known as the National Musical
Alliance.
This society wants bills passed in
state legislatures appropriating large
sums for public music; it wants a new
cabinet officer in the national govern
ment to be known as the minister of
fine arts, and it wants American chill
dren to be educated musically from
the bottle up.
The large idea back of this society
is to encourage the development, not
only of music, but of all art in Amer
lea by getting the government to rec
ogized the artist as a valuable ASSET
as have most other civilized govern
ments. 1t is believed that this lack
of a national artistic consciousness is
what has Prevented America from ac-
complishing as much in art as France,
Tor example, where the gifted youth
is made the special care of the gov
eminent. For there is no lack OF
ability among Americans.
They are, on the contrary, exception
ally gifted people. Many famous
painters have been Americans. Mark
Twain, Bret Harte and Henry James
were Americans; Mcdowell and Nevin
day, there is Anna Case, one of the
most charming and talented mezzo-
sopranos of the Metropolitan Opera
company-an American and the
daughter of a blacksmith. Geraldine
Farrar is an American. So was
Madame Nordica, who studied singing
while she worked in an American de-
partment store.
Material for Artists.
In the opinion of many psycholo-
gists, as well as artists, there are hum
dreds of children in America today,
who, if but given the necessary edu-
cation and opportunity, would become
great artists. Instead, young genius
is often smothered for lack of encour-
agement and opportunity.
1t is pointed out by members of
the society that nearly three million
persons in the United States are now
engaged in making music, teaching
music or working in the music in
dustries. The nation spends $780,
100000 year for music, one talking
machine company alone doing an an
nual business of 100000. A great
percentage of this, however, goes
to foreigners and hence contributes
nothing to the future of American
music.
Mr.. John C. Freund, the president
of the new society, declares it to be
his belief that this country will never
be musical in the true and best sense
until Iusic as an art is introduced
into the public schools. For the past
four years Mr.. Freund has worked
untiringly to make the American mu-
stefan appreciated in his own coun-
try. 1t is largely due to his efforts
that the public now accepts anything
but foreign names on the programs OF
its operas, but the struggle was i'm
menSe. 1t has taken years of persist
ent hammering to make Americans
believe that an American, trained in
America, could be an artist.
In its ambition q get music taught
in the public schools, the National
couragement from DR.. p. p. Claxton,
commissioner Of education. who states
that he has had such a plan in mind
for some time. Instruments would
have to be bought, of course, the same
as textbooks. They would have to be
good instruments so that they could
be easily kept in tune. The National
Musical alliance believes that if chill
dren can be taught to make furniture
in the school carpenter shop, they
can be taught to play the violin or
some other musical instrument in a
school music room.
Music Vital Issue.
That music is a vital issue in our
national life is shown by the tremen-
idea all over the country. The al
lance believes that every municipal
ity should make an annual appropria-
ton for public music-in the parks,
on the piers or in the school audi
toriums-and it proposes to wage a
campaign towards that end. Mr..
Freund believes that the people OF
every municipality will vote for such
an appropriation. He points out that
in the recent New York elections
music played an important part. The
Mitchell administration chad cut down
the municipal appropriation for music
from $40, 900 to sic, 900, and the Tam
many faction made the most of it.
Above all. the Musical Alliance in
tends to work for the recognition OF
home talent. As one member very
aptly expresses it, they want to see
nationalism taken out of music, and
that put into music which was put
into our nstitution-namely, that
there shall be no prejudice on account
of race or religion" Everywhere
among musicians today you hear the
same questions: What is your ma
tionality? Where did you study? and
with whom ?" And in answering these
/ it is quite common for a person &c
admit reluctantly that he is an Amer
| lean, but quickly add that he has lived
quite a number of years abroad.
Now the Musical Alliance wants tc
change these questions to only one
What can you DOR
What would raise the standard OF
American music more than anything
else, in the opinion of the alliance, is
national conservatory of music, un-
der the direction of the ablest teach
ers and supervised by a minister OF
fine arts. THE United States,' say:
! Mr.. Freund, lis the only country Of
wealth, intelligence and large popula-
ton which has no ministry of fine
arts-the only country which does mo-
recognize the value of culture as Z
national asset"
No Musician in Congress.
! 1t is a fact to be regretted, in this
| opinion of the alliance, that the arts
has no representation in the American
government. Farmers, laborers ano
! business men all have their repre-
sentatives in congress, but no one ha:
ever run on an artists ticket. This i.
all the more to be regretted at the
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