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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1908)
5 THE SUNDAY OT?EGOXTAX, PORTLAND, DECE3IBER 27, 1903. HQLIDAY SEASON IN NEW YORK THEATERS Everything Full to Overflowing, But Actors Resent Giving Christmas Up to Make American Holiday John Drew Say3 Holiday Audiences Are Same Everywhere. l.lB,mi MilHfl.l ! I MJI'.nj S'11'H'H J.i.1 M 'l...l..'"'Il.'A'.iLl.iJ01L Bi- 15 ' '' -- , ' v ..lr I' - ' 1 ! -' " gfTN- 'If l .1 A'- ir .. - A l ;.. .U ' ;i IWzl - " 1 l rrrj j - - ga-amiiwMi Kawe:- 1 1 - T'."'" . ; 1 I - : 1 1 1 i v - - 1 v - - - i l. i ? I; v?l : r. Lsk 3 I KV YORK. Dee. II. (Special Cor respondence.) One hardly knows whether to regard the holiday sea- Bon as satisfactory or otherwise, from tho theatrical standpoint. Everything Is full to overflowing at this season, as New Tork is the center of attraction from those in schools and colleges, consequently the city is full of visitors, their jirin clral object being, to use a colloquialism, "to take in the shows." From the actor's standpoint, perhaps, no one has put it mor cleverly than John Drew, who, if he had not been an actor might have been a wriler. In speaking of Christmas and the actor. Mr. Drew said: The actnr time and leisure mu?t b sacrificed to lu public to make an Amer ican holidar even if that day be Christmas. He e little o; Christmas as others see it. The dar is likely to (lnd him far from home, and differs Uttle from other days ex-ett that he must work rather harder, appearing in two performances Instead of one. For my own part I have not seen a Ne'e Tork Christmas In years. But even for the actor the day ia un mistakable, lie need not look at the cal endar to be told when Christmas has come. On this day of da the curtain rises to ai'-loe an entirely new and distinctive audience. There is no mistaking it. Th holiday spirit la abroad. It beams from Tow upon row of faces which fill the boose from foottlthts to the topmost gallery. If it be a comedy an actor is playing, his lines win to as never before. The humor is in fectloi:s. The house laughs and applauds as aoes no other audience. IjCt It be a melo drama and the audience will be found re ceptive to eery appeal. As a rule, the play has lost its novelty for - the average theater-goer long before Christmas. The greater rart of the audience has seen the performance several times, nearly all are fa T.iillar with it in a general way. But the Christmas audience seems to liave forgot ten eTyth!ng of the play it ever knew. It Is never critical, never blase. And the he!tday audience ia the same the country ever. There are several holidays where the observance Is largely local In character. Anil so we find Lincoln's Birthday a great occasion in Illinois. Thanksgiving in Now Fngiand. while in other sections one or the oilier may he little thought of. But Christ mas Is universal. There is no mistaking the Christmas audience from one end of the coumry to the other. A new play by William Gillette had itg first performance under singular cir cumstances in New Tork this week. It is not common to see an important ' work produced for the first time under charity auspice, yet this is the manner In which Mr. Gillette's "Tlcey" was presented Fri.iay at the Liberty Theater. This play has bern produced elsewhere under the title of "That Affair at Boyd's." and the reception which It earned on Friday aft ernoon would give evidence that it may be expected to make & popular success. The story of "Ticey." a pitiful little kitchen slavey, whose first Introduction Is tnada by letting a -tray full of dishes fa:; over the head of an unsuspecting dicer. Later, we are permitted to un derstand that she is not a slavey at all. but In reality Kitty Cameron, an actress-J with whom a young playwright has been In love all his life. It Is the same story of a couple, of which the woman has made a succesa and the man has not. in consequence of which he could not speak and she would not. Kitty has induced her manager to look at a play -which Btephen Boyd has written, and he has consented. providing the playwright w-ould cut some of the long . literary peeches. According to life, he refuses, of course, and Kitty's masquerade Is due to her desire to help him without his knowledge, although the audience will have some difficulty In knowing how this will accomplish the end. She accepts a position as slavey in the lodging-house where Stephen lives and "Tlcey" Is very different from, Kitty. When Ticey breaks up the family tea party by dropping the dishes the play wright's haughty sister calls for the land lady and demands that the slavey shall be discharged at once. In the course of conversation the landlady discloses the secret Interesting to Mr. Boyd, to say the least. Ticey has been acting scenes from hi play between serving the dinner and washing the dishes. Around this jRzy; zAzy cTAA &a" tho play is built and there is a very slen der thread of coherence anywhere. There is no apparent benefit rained from her having g-one into service and there would be none for keeping: the play in Its pres ent condition on the boards. The only features of attraction are to be found in the farcical situations themselves and in melodramatic moments which bring ap plause. Among the Interpreters are Miss Mary Ryan, who is appealing and sym pathetic in what she does, and Wmchell Smith, who Is exceptionally interesting as the auttor. "The Queen of the Moulin Rouae" is the latest "show" which will probably at tract those who expect spicy and ultra French drama. But it Is on altruism to say that much vulgarity can be tolerated in France which becomes disgusting in America. This play comes under thrft head and offers little to attract play goers of the higher order. Interesting news concerning next sea son is announced by Mr. Frohman. who returned this weelt from Kurope. When asked for his plans next season. Mr. Frohman said: During my trip abroad' I arranged tha renewal of laas of three theaters In1 Lon don and to make productions la seven the aters In that city between now and April; lor tha re-appearance of "Peter Pan" with an Knplish company in France, alao In tiermany; and for the production of "What Every Woman Knows" on the continent ; for which reason 1 am returning abroad very shortly. I have secured the next three p'.ays to be written by W. Somerset Maugham, au thor of ' Jack Straw" and "Lady Frederick." one of which will be & crratlon, for John Drew: the next two plays to be written b Captain Robert Marshall, author of "Tha Royal Family;" the next three plava to be written by Henri Bernstein, the author of "Samson" and "The Thief." which will In clude his new play to be written for the Comedle Francaise. I shall produce Bern stein's play "Israpt" here In September, and I have the next two plays to be written by Caillavet and Da Flers, authors of Miss BlUie Burke's play "Love Watches. I have aI.o secured for all English-speaking coun tries the sensation of tiie Paris season. "Ar son Lupin," the big London dramatic suc cess "The Flag Lieutenant," the new play by Henry Arthur Jones which Charles Haw trey will produce in London; a new musical play called "The Dashing Little Duke." and a number of artists for my production here of "The Dollar princess." Mr. J. M. Barrle will start work on a new comedy for mo almost Immediately. I have also secured the St. James Theater success. "The Builder of Bridges." I am bringing back quite a remarkable scenario for a play lor Ethel 1 Barrymore. It has already been announced that Miss Maude Adams la to give a single perform ance of "Jeanne d'Arc" at Harvard Uni versity by Invitation of the faculty and students late In June she will be playing "What Every Woman Knows" frr the noxt two years; for this single performance I am securing In Berlin armor for 200 people, together with scenic effects made thore. I have also & new play completed by Hu bert Henry Davies, author of "The Mol lusc." which I shall produce first in Lon don In February, and Haddon Chambers will deliver his new comet!- to me at Christmas. I brought Mrs. Rlda Johnson Young, au thor of "Company B." to England to write a new play o" English life which she Is now at work on. living at Oxford. I am bringing over George P. Huntley, the comedian who made such a hit in "The Three Little Maids," together with my musical comedy company of 00 people. Including Miss Julia Sanderson, the .Amer ican girl who made so great a j.uccess ir London; also Miss Valll Valii. of the Gaiety and Daly's Theater. The company sailed on December 19. t shall take Btllle Burke to London In "Love Watches" In May and William Col lier In "The patriot" In the Autumn. I am leaving at onco for Chicago where I am hoping to make arrangements to have a theater built for me for the purpose of malting original productions tnere for runs. Paderewski will make a very short tour in this country. He will play a few en gagements in the East. This noted char acter, quite as notable for his individuali ties and peculiarities as for his art, never loses an opportunity to express hfs ap preciation of America and its political life. It is strange, however, that a for eigner should interest himself upon the I&migration question In America, and in a recent Interview with him In War saw, he made the following interesting and astonishing statements: You see, it. is like mixing old wine with new in your glass. You have a glass of the best mellowed red wine, and drop by drop you pour in some of a younger, coarser vintage. : The color remains the same, for when you hold It up to the light you see no difference. But put it to your lips and you lind the flavor Is spoiled. The bouquet has gone. So it will be with my friends, the Americans. They, are spoiling their pure, rich, Anglo-Saxon strain with a new vintage that conies from the waste products of the old world. It U slowly but gradually spoiling them. No great or permanent harm has been done yet, but it Is beginning, and If they go on like that, instead of progressing, their culture will retrogress and in a few years they will find the pendulum has swung back to where they were 300 years ago. The Antjlo-Saxou race is one of the finest the world has ever seen and the more thy dilute it the worse It will become. It is the only race that Is distinctively developed. You see this in traveling from, the Continent of Europe to England. It ts only on reach ing the island that you find individuality. Before, on the continent, all the narions were more or less alike to you. Pome had dirtier hands and dirtier clothes than others, and there their Individuality stopped. Not so with the Anglo-Haxona. They are a magnificent race, and Americans ought to guard themselves against this inrush of non-Anglo-Saxon element. Nevertheless. America is gaining In cul ture every year. Nations are like men, they begin to cultivate the fine arts when they have satisfied the primal needs. America has reached that stage when she longs for the beautiful. I notice a difference every time I go there In the people. In the towns. Even in the smaller towns, with 400 or S00 Inhabitants, you Fee beautiful parks, monu ments and statue.!. The same progress is being made wltn her music. America will be a thoroughly musical country soon. I say "soon" because she has not yet become so. A thoroughly musical country is one that can boast of two distinct classes of supporters. Very few countries have these clashes. Germany, for Instance, had thm more in the past than In the present. These classes are rhe musical composers and the musical consum ers those who make music and those who listen to it. In France you have only the first class, men like Massenet. Salnt-Saens and others. The only town whore music is listened to is Paris. In the provinces it Is ignored, and iu Paris - who-listens to It? Not Frenchmen. but foreigners, . chiefly Americans and English people. In England you have not only those whft flock to hear good music, but busy, culti vated men who w!Il give up their spare time to sing in a large choir or chorus. In America you have many ardent consumers of g'etod music, and. I said just now. splen did orchestras. So far she has not produced any composers of high" order; but that will come. EMTLTE FRANCES B AVER. The Underpayment of Clergymen Suggestion: Thry Might Strike or Bfl t.uenta of tha Church at lirge. New Tork Times. The richest church in tho world, as It has been calleJ. listened to a ser mon last Sunday which ought to have kept the congregation awake. The Rev. Jlr. Wilkins from Missouri, and the secretary of the General Clergry Relief Fund, said that the clergymen are "idolised at 30, criticised at 40, os tracised at 50, Oslerized at 60, and per- -Jiaps canonized at TO." But meanwhile they are paid on a system which "as sassinates all earthly hopes and in carnates despair." And he told of a case where a curate married on $600, became Incapacitated by overwork and underfeeding, and had Ills allowance reduced to $250. And he appealed for a pension fund rising by $1,000,000 an nually from $5,000,000 as a beginning. A clergyman's education costs a mi nimum of say $3000, and his working years on the above schedule are not over 30 at a maximum, and hardly 20 on an average. Interest on principal and depreciation account on the hu man machine demand on a purely eco nomic basis more than the average clergyman receives. This leaves un satisfied the congregation s require ment that the clergyman shall liv up to a social position superior to irtos of his flock's. Yet the worst paid o the liberal profession Is crowded by those so lacking in worldly mindednes that they are incapable to exact the! worth and are suffered to work fo less than a living wage by hearers who seek salvation at cut rates. This is not an American peculiar ity. The London Outlook announced not long ago that 1000 "livings" were to be Increased to $730, and some even to $1000, from an average of $335. A bishop's minimum was said to le $1 000. It Is hard to see what can be done about the underpayment of the humble servants of the Lord. Perhaps thev might be counseled to be less humble. They might strike or form clergymen's union, although It 1 difficult, to Imagine them using such resources of civilization as the boycott and the blacklist. Perhaps they might make the matter a subject of prayer, either directly for the wherewithal, o indirectly that their parishioners' hearts might be touched. It might be suggested that if the character of the! calling dignifies and perhaps excuses Indifference to earthly rewards in tnei working prime, when they are past work they might be regarded as guests for their closing lives, not of their poor and small parishes, but of the great church which they serve, and which should be responsible as a whole for their care and maintenance. The suffering concerns only the Individuals. The Doctor-Man. Toledo Blade. You're the butt of many a. Joke, Doctor-man : We hand you many a poke, Ioctor-man; But when we re feeling 111 "We're not satisfied until We've partaken of your pill. Doctor-man. That your Ipnorance U great, Doctor-man, W very freely state. Doctor-man. But when the microbes on us land. And the perms have us unmanned, "We'd have you close at hand. Doctor-man. Va meet your bills with squalls. Doctor-man; Charee you with tieedlesa calls. Doctor-man: But II baby's taken sick. Or Marjorie or Dick, AV'e fiii-get It mighty quick. Ductor-man. x . So. in spite of all our slams, , Doctor-man. And our funny episrams. Doctor-man. -And though frequently v: doubt you, And aay mean thing about you, Ve can hardly do without you. Doctor-man. . AGAINST SOUND PUBLIC POLICY ' ' Popular Choice ' ' for Senator, in Disregard of the Constitution, Is Also Bad Public Morals. GYMNASIUM OF NEW Y. W. C. A. BUILDING, RECENTLY COMPLETED 1 1 ' - - v. ?r Y M M -' J ! ; f f--ri-; - . . ' -r t'Z TCI t ' ' ' CLASSES WILL BE STAJBTEO SOOX I'XDEH DIRECTION OP MISS ALBERTA CORY. . The above picture shows the gymnasium of the new T. TV. C. A. building at Seventh and Taylor streets, which has recently been completed for the local branch of the association. Although the. new building has not yet been formally dqdlcated, the first function was held on Thanksgiving, when a big dinner was held for all those interested in the work. The gymnasium will be under the direction of Miss Alberta J. Cory, and classes will be started In the near future. Miss Cory has come from the East to taku up the work at the new quarters, and is a graduate of the training de partment of Oberlln College. She has also taken post-graduate courses in the Summer School of physical Education, and in Harvard College as well as having studied with the late Barcn Fosse, Dr. Sargent and Mr. Gilbert, of Boston; Dr. Anderson and Dr. Searer, of Yale; Dr. Gullck and Mr. Bolln, of Xfw York. ' . BY P. H. D'AKCT. TIIEKE is being carried on at this time a good deal of discussion In the press relative to the obligations of the pledge taken by Statement Xo. 1 candidates as members of tha Legisla ture. L appreciate the sense of obligation felt by those giving the pledge to keep it by voting for that candidate receiving the highest number of votes as repre senting the "popular choice" for Senator. I fully indorse the principle that men ought to keep their word or promise In good faith, where there Is a right on one side to ask and on the other to give such pledge, and that its retraction is seldom permissible except under peculiar condi tions Justifying it. The method provided by the United States Constitution and the laws passed In pursuance thereof by Congress are generally well understood, and their bind ing force on the conscience of good citi zenship is well recognizid. Briefly, it may be stated that the primary law is in tended to express the "popular choice" for Senator, and Statement No. 1 is to bind tl'.ose subscribing to it who shall be elected to the legislature to vote for such choice. To this Is added the mandate of subsequent legislation requiring all mem bers of the Legislature to vote for such choice Irrespective of their political con victions. It may be premised and con ceded that a legislative method may bo devised for the people through their par-' ties, as is done in some states, to Indi cate their party choice for Senator as advisory to the members of the legisla ture of their party, without infringing any provision of the constitution or laws or involving any violation of political convictions. The purpose of such legislation Is to provide the means for the expression of party preference for Senator and to rec ommend him to the judgment of its leg islative members for their approval. Xo doubt such preference would have great weight, and ordinarily would be Indorsed by the party's legislative members. The difference between such laws providing for parties to -Indicate their Sanatoria! choice and our laws, with its pledges and mandate to vote for the Senator elected without regard to party or the members' political convictions, is very marked, and involves very different questions. Government through parties Is recog nized as sound In principle and conducive to an efticient administration of public af fairs, and la ws of the characterindicated. are intended to ascertain the party's will and devolve the duty on its members as officials to carry it into effect through the force of party allegiance subordinate to Constitutional duties and obligations. The strife engendered by parties in the election of Senator, and the corrupt means employed to bring it about, have led the people of all parties to earnestly desire the adoption of some lawful and practical method for the selection of Sen ator, that would do away with such fac tional fights and corrupt practices, and1 preserve party organization intact, as rep resentative of party convictions, upon public questions. It is thought that our laws as adopted, are not the proper and legal means to attain this event, as they increase rather than do away with the ob jections noted, and at the same time puncture Constitutional provisions and handicap one's political convictions. The party's right to maintain its political con victions and to enforce them through par ty loyalty should only be obstructed or defeated when the people's will is legally expressed, and their decision has the bind ing force of law. With respect to our laws, there are three important questions involved: First, the right of the people as the constitution now stands, to make a choice of Senator that is legally enforceable. Second, tho right of the candidate for the Legislature to bind his conscience by a pledge to vote for such choice, if he is elected and) after he has taken an oath to support the Con stitution In the discharge of his duties. Third, the right to enact such legislation as shall require all the members of the Legislature to vote for such choice, irre spective of their party or their party con victions. This last need not occupy much of our attention, for, unless the right exists in the people to express their choice, and in the candidate to give a pledge to support It, there can be no "popular choice," for the two rights are correlated. By the Constitution of the United States, the people liave delegated the right and! the power to the Legislature to elect a San ator, and until they shall resume such right and power In a legal and Constitu tional way, the members of the Legis lature must elect their Senator by the ex ercise of their own untrammeled judg ment. Neither by legislative enactment nor by pledges of Legislators, while the Constitution remains unchanged, can the Legislature be deprived of this right, nor can the people in their primary capacity, exercise It. By their own deliberative act the peo ple have debarred themselves from the exercising of the right to choose a Sen ator by delegating this function to the Legislature, and as a consequence, there can be no popular cnoice or senator by the people, and without the legal right to make such choice. It would seem paradoxical to say there can be pledges given, much less pledges that are binding law or mornls. to support a cnoice that can have no legal status or exist ence. Besides, ir tne people nave no legal right to make a choice of Senator, 'popular choice, as it is called, any other choice expressed by them, what ever be Its form, is only advisory within party limitations, and includes no obliga tion or pledge to vote outside of the party for Senator or In derogation of political convictions. If the people com posing different parties, say Republican and- Democrat, choose through legislative methods to ascertain the choice of their party for Senator, they may do so with out objection, as the choice expressed is only advisory and depends for its In dorsement on party loyalty and convictions. In cases of this kind, the principles and policies of the party are In accord with those entertained by its members, and any retraction from . them without sufficient reason creates distrust and often expresses' itself In appeals to the honor and loyalty of its members. But cases of this sort devised only to ascer tain the party's will and to secure Its enforcement through part- loyalty and convictions, (ran have no application In law or morals while the constitution re mains unchanged, to cases like our own. which assert the right of the peo ple to make a choice of Senator in dero gation of the constitution, and to bind legally and morally those members sign ing pledges to support such choice. Irre spective of their partyN or their political convictions. All attempt at evasions of the supreme law by any device, even where some laudable purpose may be back of it, are In the face of public policy and in dis regard of civic duty. Such evasions are subversive in principle of constsitutional rights and duties, and necessarily tend to the corruption of public sentiment and public morals. There can be no justification in adopting methods to as sert the "popular choice" for Senator in contravention of the supreme law. The way to secure a, Senator by popular choice" is plain. The people are not helpless. They can resume the right o make such choice by an amendment to the constitution, and until thij. is don and the right withdrawn from the Legis lator and resumed by the people, it is not possible for thein to make a "popu lar choice" of Senator, nor to enforce such choice by statute, nor the Legis lator to bind himself in good cons-.ence or consistently with his duty and ni hgiance to the Constitution to support any pretended choice made by the peo ple. The only requirement needed en able the people to express their choice at the ballot-box for Senator is an amendment to the constitution. Tli! would enable parties to select thei- can didate for Senator, and the result ob tained at the ballot-box would express the "popular choice" without Involving any delinquencies of duly or misrepre sentation of public sentiment. It is -not sound public policy nor pood public mor als, even though there may be political ills that ought to be corrected, to avoid them by illegal methods or unconstitu tional laws, and the giving public sanc tion to such laws or method.1 is a se rious menace to orderly government -il"! liable to create precedents more dan gerous to the public welfare than the evil designed to be remedied. How can the people ask candidates to give pledges to support a Senator which they have no right to choose, or candi dates take pledges which they have no right to give, to support such Senators? If It be true the people have no light to make a choice for Senator, as the Constitution now stands. It is equally true that the candidate has no right to give a pledge to support a choke made by the people. How. then, can tho pledger bind bis conscience to keep a pledge which he had no legal or moral right to give, or which pledge t lie pledgee had no lesrnl or moral rlci.t to exact? Where the "popular choice" is only advisory. Its adoption Ms addressed to the Judgment of the legislator, and such choice involves no disregard of the Constitution or vio lation of political convictions. This "ele vated talk" about honor, moral obliga tions, etc.. to keep such pledce. or dis honor and perjury, etc.. for "disregarding It. Is wholly misleading, because It teaches, under false pretenses and spe cious precepts, disaffection to tho Con stitution and disloyalty to civic, duty. It is better and safer for all concerned to retain their fealty to the Constitution and retrace their steps before a bad precedent Is established If any change or amendments are desired to that in strument, let the people. In an authori tative way. make them, as by law pro vided. Precept and example will then he in agreement for the maintenance of orderly government, as regulated by law. In matters of purely personal conduct, the public interests are not strictly con cerned, except as they touch tho puhllo welfare or affect public rights, and con sequently they are seldom proper sub jects for comment or critclsni. But when the acts or conduct in question involve official relations and public duties im posed by the fundamental law. they touch vitally matters of public concern and are proi r subjects for public com ment or discussion. The election of Senators is to serve the public welfare and to protect the public interest of the state and Nation, and the agencies prescribed by the Con stitution to effect these oblecls through them should be strictly observed and pursued. Tnis is the duty of good citi zenship. To undertake in disregard of theso agencies to transfer their power and duties to Hie people in derogation of the people's supremo law tinder tho spe cious pretense of a law admittedly un enforceable, designed to impose on the conscience of the well-meaning and un wary. Is not only subversive or a consti tutional function, but converts the Leg islator into an automaton to register a vote not his. and which may bj moral perjury to his own political conviction bv selecting a Senator irom nis punj s political enemies, who would confederate with them and exert his S -natorial pow er and influence to obstruct and defeat the principles and policies of his party, as represented by Mr. Taft, which the people in a legal and orderly way ap proved and ratuieci Dy an over uemmis majority, suen an ouituiuu tuuiu possibly result from the regular and le gitimate exercise of the powers 01 gov ernment, but only from disregard of them and disregard of political duty and convictions, and as such It would not n an expression of the "popular cnoice a regulated by the paramount law, nor of the public will as represented by the vote legally and regularly cast. Tho argument that the breaking 01 a piomisn jih -u nullifies the method prescribed by the Constitution for the election of a Sena tor at the behests of public duty in com riimra therewith, is bad moral, or per jury, would seem to be the reductio ad absurdum ot tne argument useu. Salem,- Or. Killing Time by Courting. Atchison Globe. Half the marriage engagements are the result of an effort on the wtt ot vounrr men and women t Sr,,,','- VI The Roof that "proves," sun proof and rain-proof ; needs no paint or repairs. Following are a few "Wonfs" about Rubber Sanded Roofing: Won't chip. Won't warp. Won'ttear. Won'tcraclt. Won't rust. Won't decay. Won't shrink. Won't crumble. Won't need repairing. Won't absbrU. moisture. Won't attract electricity. Won't need any paint to preserve it. Won't be affected by any climatic changes or conditio n. Won't cost as much, in the long run, as other roofing. What Rubber Sanded WILL do Is told of in pur booklet "ROOF TALK," which will be sent free upon request, together with samples of the Roofing itself. PIONEER ROLL PAPER CO. Department 45, Lot Angeles, Cal. 0 RASMUSSEN & COMPANY Distributing Agti., Portland, Oregon Rubber KCOFINO it- n
