The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-10-29

we must have people with enough nat
ursl backbone 10 refuse cheap Jobs and
bum company The term bum company,
he must remember, l. susceptible OF 9
wide Interpretation. I have known men
musicians among them, who wore fine
linen and Jared sumptuously every dav
had any amount Of money a. well as g
superficial polish that passed for good
manners, and who were at the same time
a bum company a. one could desire. Il
an intelligent idea had ever crossed
their minds they had either forgotten il
or did not think It worth while enter
tanning. I made the acquaintance wears
ago Of more or less prominent musl-
clan who was politeness personifeL
Everything was I beg Of You. Kindly
do this. Please gentlemen, and 80 on
cd iHfEifuB5, G3 EGusegm. and ne might
have passed with my Hagerstown brother
a good company. But under this glossy
exterior he was a eur az Learr-no-
only a cur bur a crook. This profes-
sional urbaniry, this cordial handclasp
and pat on the hack and inquiries after
your health. all these things do not con
stitute good breeding or good company.
The rank i but the guine2's stamp.
The mans the gowd for a that"
Il i these rotten class distinctions.
this aping Of the lives OF those we con
slider above Us and contempt for others
whom We consider our interiors that in
large measure l. the cause OF present
day unrest here in America I have II
mind one upstart Of a musician / knew,
who dubbed any behavior he did not
ike as 'bolsheyik," when the poor fish
did not understand the first principles
OF the soviet form OF government or com
munism, either. Talk about American
ism There is nothing more un-Ameri-
can in the world than this snObbish,
self-oonceited spirit, and none is so
worthy OF eommiseration as the fool
who eheFishes it. He is the walking
advertisement OF his own ignorance.
Music is one OF the greatest forces IN
democracy because it Is the universal
language. But even music cannot make
silk purse out OF sow's ear. a gen
tleman out Of a snob. It has always been
true that many Of natures finest gentle
men have been found In the lowliest
walks In life. The greatest depths OF
feeling, the finest sensibilities of the
human heart have been found among
the poor, men who were poor, God help
Us, from no fault OF their own in worldly
possessions, but rich in the best quail
ties OF mind and heart. I esteemed
them very good company. Men viii
never be equal in natural gifts: nature
does not work that way. There viii
always be an aristocracy OF talent, and
happy Is he who is one Of them, but
the greatest and noblest among this
aristoeracy have always been the most
unass uming and unpretentious Of men.
Az the age OF 50 Newton said that what
he regretted most in life was that he
had accomplished so little in II This
and thousands other such instances OF
true humility that might be cited should
not BE lost upon Us. This Is a free eoun.
Try, in 80 far at least that il we do not
/ like certain people We do not have %
associate with them. But in esteeming
ourselves as better than they are. as
made OF finer clay. We are only giving
an unconscious exhibition OF our own
inferiority. That Is the part OF folly.
and as q great English poet said:
| What differs more you cry. than
crown and cowl!''
I'll tell you. friend, a wise man and a
fool
So again let me repeat that the term
hum company Is susceptible OF many
definitions. am glad that about the
best company I have found IN life have
found in the ranks OF the organized
musicians Of this country. and from my
activities in the A F. OF u. my aequaint
anee among them is a wide one. II
brains, energy, initiative, IN an optimis
tie idealism even, they compare favor
ably with many who presume 10 be their
l ha--1rS