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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
12
HOW H£ SAVED
A POINTS OF SUPERIORITY
TH£ BAND,
——
OF THE
<5\)e j-Lumorous
Speeel?
5l?at
(T\ad
jHarrisor;
memory of the late Carter Harrison
must always remain green in this city and
every time the strains of the Marine Band are
heard there should go up from every loyal heart
a prayer of thanks to him who has just been
stricken down by the bullet of an assassin. To
this unique man is due the existence of the
celebrated band, says the Washington (D. C.)
Evening Star, for at a time when the rigid
economists of Congress were about to prune
off this valuable branch of the naval service
Mr. Harrison stepped to the front and by means
of a patriotic and witty speech of about ten
minutes converted a majority in favor of cut-
ting off the band into a decided majority in
favor of its retention. The debate occurred on
the naval appropriation bill, which was pre-
sented on May 23, 1876, in the first session of
the Forty-fourth Congress.
Mr. Harrison, then a member of Congress
from Illinois, arose to oppose the amendment
omitting provision for the band. In the course
of his remarks he said :
" Mr. Chairman, for fifteen long, dreary years
at the other end of Pennsylvania avenue the
White House has been occupied by a republican
and during the winter months of evenings the
Marine Band has been up there to discourse
sweet music for the delectation of a republican
President and the delectation of his republican
friends. At every reception a republican Presi-
dent has stood in a certain room receiving his
guests and his pet republican friends in white
vests and white cravats have stood by him
enjoying the dulcet tones poured forth from the
silver throats of silvered instruments by twenty-
four gentlemen in scarlet coats. For long years,
of summer Saturday afternoons, twenty-four
gentlemen in scarlet coats have caused twenty-
four silvered instruments on the green in front
of the White House to belch forth martial
music for the delectation of a republican Presi-
dent and his republican friends.
"On the 4th of next March, sir, there will
be a democratic President in the White House.
Sir, is the democratic President to have no
music ? * * *
" But they wish to abolish the Marine Band.
Think of this being done, democrats, before a
democratic President goes into his position !
We have many men who, we feel, are fit to fill
that position. In my mind's eye I see them
now marching on from St. L,ouis to the White
House. Let me name them as they come in
sight. They come first from the east."
Mr. Harrison then described in a humorous
way, without giving names, the various demo-
crats then looming up as democratic candidates.
Continuing, he said :
"Then, sir, there is still another, the Great
Unknown, coming 10,000 strong from every
part of the Union, the Great Unknown of the
democratic party.''
There were questions as to the identity of the
unknown from all sides of the chamber, and
Mr. Milliken suggested that perhaps delicacy
prevented Mr. Harrison from naming him.
Used Exclusively in Seidl,
Thomas and Gilmore Concerts
at Madison Square Garden,
New York.
Celebrated
"Conover"
Pianos.
AND SWEETNESS of TONE.
'SCIENTIFIC CONSTRUCTION.
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'BEAUTY.
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'' Yes, sir, delicacy and modesty prevent me
from calling names. Sir, when the Great
Unknown gets here shall he have no music ;
shall no tunes come from those twenty-four
silvered instruments, blown out by those twenty-
four gentlemen in red coats, to welcome him to
the White House ? Shall we have no music
when we introduce him to the American people ?
Not by my vote ; never, never, never ! ''
When the vote was taken, a few minutes
after, the members, whose sides were still ach-
ing from the laughter that this speech had
caused, gave Mr. Harrison their support until
the result was—ayes, 25 ; nays, 70 ; and the
Marine Band was saved.
A night or so later the band serenaded Mr.
Harrison at his residence and he made them a
speech, beginning " Gentlemen of the brass
band, 1 ' which was quite as humorous as that
delivered in the house, but which has unfor-
tunately not been preserved.
CHICAGO COTTAGE ORGAN COMPANY,
SOLE FACTORS.
(The Largest Dealers in Pianos and Organs in ttie World,)
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL WAREROOMS,
(SECOND F10ML)
215 WABASH AVE U ,
CHICAGO.
Enterprising dealers all over the Country are
fast securing the agency for the wonderful
A.
B.
CHASE
PIANOS.
Wonderful in Tone Quality.
Wonderful in Selling Qualities,
Style, Finish, Strength,
Action, Durability and Popularity,
and
Improvement of Tone by Age and Use.
The Company Scrupulously protect their
agencies,
and
Never change when it can be aroided.
Hence the agency becomes more valuable
every year.
If you can, you should secure it at once,
by writing to
THE A. B. CHASE CO.,
NORWALK, OHIO.
He has a head like a chrysanthemum,
His eyes are savage, and his looks are glum ;
He licks his knife (to etiquette unused),
And to his clothes seems lately introduced.
And folks who met with this eccentric poser
Declare him a piano virtuoso.
—Iyouisville Times.
At the close of a grand ball a celebrated actor
of the Court Theatre, in Berlin, stands in the
passage waiting for some friends. A beautiful
and fashionably dressed lady approaches him,
and says :
'' Beg pardon, have I the honor to see before
me our famous Herr Bruller, whose powerful and
sonorous voice I had the pleasure of admiring
last night in ' Macbeth ' ? Might I ask you to
do me a little favor ? ''
" I am quite at your service, madam."
'' Then will you be good enough to call out
in the street for the carriage of Baroness
Zabelitz? "
An English organ-builder was one day asked
what was thought of Mr. Blank as an organist.
" Sir," he said, with mock solemnity, " h e is a
most respectable man."
"Yes, I have no doubt of that; but I want
to know how he ranks as a performer on the
organ."
" Sir, he is a most exemplary man, one who
plays as though he were also a charitable man."
" Now would you mind telling me what you
mean by saying he performs like a charitable
man ? ''
" Well, if I must be explicit, Mr. Blank plays
upon the organ as though he did not let his left
hand know what his right hand was doing.''
130 FifUt Avenue, o n e r iStlt Street, N e w York.
BOSTON,
HETW YORK,
CHICAGO.