Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 183, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1918 — MONTICELLO ALSO BUMPED [ARTICLE]

MONTICELLO ALSO BUMPED

LADY MANAGER CLOSES CHAUTAUQUA BECAUSE GUARANTORS DO NOT PUT UP. The Lincoln Chautauqua closed at Monticello a day ahead of time because the guarantee money was riot put up before the meeting closed. It seems as though the chautauquhs are not paying this year and the local committees who guaranteed’ the chau’tauqua a certain amount are being compelled to go* down in their pockets to make up the deficits. Just why a Chautauqua company should take no chances like other businesses is bard to understand and it is very likely that in the future the rich comany back of the Lincoln and other chautauquas will have to take the same chances themselves or go out of business. The deficit here will amount to about S6OO. The Monticello Journal has the following to say about the premature closing of the Chautauqua there: Those who have been attending the chautauqua and the public' generally were surprised, and pained as well, when on Saturday afternoon during the program at the tent, the platform manager, Miss McDonald, announced there would Ibe no program Saturday night because the managers or guarantors had refused to settle with her for the balance due the Lincoln people. Immediately at the close of the afternoon program the tent began a process of lowering. So ended the Lincoln chautauqua in Monticello, once and for all. The matter is one of displeasure to the guarantors and the people of the community. The guarantors feel that the step was taken without justification. As everyone well knows there is nowhere as unfair a contract asked of any people as is customary among chautauqua organizations. The contract is a&ed for a year in advance and people are wheedled and dogged into signing the contract. It is all one-sided, the returns not depending upon the quality of the production nor the drawing quality of the program but on the guarantee, not knowing just what the program will be. In fact our program was changed at will here anytime during the week, two afternoons having no lecture at all. But a contract is signed. This one was signed by thirty persons, all but two were men. The committee had worked hard to sell the $950.00 worth of season tickets required. They had not succeeded by considerable. Since thirty were’ selling it required a bit of effort to get them all in since every one was trying to sell to the last. Some folks bought season as late as Friday. The treasurer had turned over S4OO and the secretary had on hand over S3OO more. The treasurer was called to Brookston Saturday morning and did not return until afternoon. In the afternoon the lady manager notified the secretary that if the balance was not paid by the afternoon program that she would close the whole business and call off the night program. She was told that if she would wait until after the night receipts at the gate, the committee would settle with her and she should have all the money not dater than Monday. This has been done here before. It would seen to a reasonable person that the thirty people on the contract would be good for the balance. Arid if they were not on to make it good what were they on for? / A contract is not matured until the transaction is completed. It did no one any good to close the program. The money is not yet paid. • It is jiot determined how riiuch will be paid. Had the Saturday night program been given the Lincoln people would have received all that was due them this morning and all would have been happy. As it is they had to pay their, talent and have not yet received their money. The guarantors never said at any time they would not pay them. They assured the lady they would. The* chief complaint was that the committee had not paid proper attention to the lady manager. One of the committee suggested to her that most of us were married men and had to be careful to- whom we paid attention.