The log cabin Democrat., 1921-01-13
DEPLORES TENDENCY
 TO LOWERED TASItS
Rev. W. C. Hamil Comments Upon Recent Observations of a Mus
 ical Critic.
Editor Log Cabin Democrat:

Editor Log Cabin Democrat:
 In looking through late issue of Musical America" of New York City l note an article by Albert Spalding on Feeding Trash to Trusting Mus. lcal Public" thought such an article would not be out of place in a local paper. In asking you to publish the following extract from that article, am not insinuating that local musical taste is morbid, but rather offer it as warning or precaution from prom inent musician. As a country preach CT l have noted with much concern the tendency to leave the old songs of real merit that have stood the test of the centuries and to take up the cheap music peddled over the country by song book publishers that give more attention to "pyrotechnical dis portings," to use Spalding's phraseol- ogy, than to the deeper meanings; that play to the galleries for pecuni- ary profit rather than espouse the deeper needs of the soul. The extract follows:
 Crossing the ocean lately, l recall a conversation on this very subject with we'll known soprano. There's no use,' she declared, I used to give fine programs. l don't do it any more. The public does not want them. They only judge an artists merit by the number of encores he or she gives l ventured to differ from her on this point, but without success. Prima donnas are absolute and ultimate in their opinions. She presented the usual arguments in favor of her con- tention. They were frank and to the point. But the point aimed for cannot be judged as other than an exclusively material one. Art is one thing, pub lie popularity another. That all ar lists, including the most sincere, de- sire popularity and material success, there can be no question. And there can be no just quarrel with an artist for this, providing he does not allow his efforts in this direction to conflict with his artistic ideals in a way detri- mental to the latter.
 Public taste in art, like water, runs down hill, and if unchecked will end its course in muddy and chaotic stream. I know of no cure for it un- less artists and managers cooperate and by mental stimulation of each others efforts in the right direction institute system of good plumbing for the art of music. If you want your water pure and uncontaminated you don't pipe for it at it's lowest levels. It is best when obtained as near as possible to it's source. It is the same with music. And it's effect on the public is the same Drinking contaminated water is known to be poisonous to the body. Listening to bad music is no less poisonous to the mind. (So, bad pictures are poison- ous to morals.-H.) I have no inten- tion or desire to preach a pessimistic sermon. It is nevertheless fact that in the past few years the programs of many recitalists have been going from bad to worse. The responsi- bility for this deterioration rests alike with artists and managers. I refuse to admit, or believe, that the public is more than a passive contributor to it.. Public opinion is not an affirmative quality. It concurs or acquiesces in leadership. l. is, therefore, the pres ent leadership which is at fault"
 If the public taste is So vitiated, as some managers claim, and they cater to it, how much less criminal are such managers than the saloon man who said, "Well, somebody's goin' to sell Lit to 'em, so why not 2" or how much safer are the children in such a managers town than are the boys in "wide open" town?
 Whether they are conscious of it or not the managers, whether musi- cal, dramatic or what not, are custo- dians in part of the artistic taste and morals of the people And that is no small responsibility.
 W. C. Hamil
 Conway, Ark, Jan. 12, 1921.