The New York herald., 1870-02-28


that the young blood Of America is afraid Of
Spain.
A Loaf from the History Of the Metre
politan stage.
Among the majority Of theatre-goers there
are very few who have any idea Of the kaleido-
scopic nature OF the stage in everything con-
nected with 1t. 1t is not alone when the cur
tain Is rung up and the footlights fash on the
parti-colored costumes of histrionic magnates
aud their satellites that the constantly varying
and chameleon character Of the stage is re-
vealed The box office and the managerial
sanctum tell q similar story, and oftimes the
grim Cerberus of the stage door, who expires
only with the establishment ITSELF il bewildered
to know who 'sthe powers that be" are and
what the fate of their predecessors may have
been. But seldom or never in the history Of
any stage has such q sweeping revolution
taken place as that which commenced with
the Ou,xotic crusade Of those chiefs Of tho
buskin brigade, the Managers Association.
against the HERALD and ended with their dis
astrous defeat War is proverbially prolific
of changes in the political and social world,
and the stage is no exception to the rule.
Since peace was declared new order of things
has sprung up. We miss many Of the old
faces, and the fire king has obliterated some OF
the old dramatic landmarks. New theatres,
new managers, new companies, and even new
entertainments, are in the field in such num-
bers and variety that the oldest theatre-goer,
NJ tha
Halnblin as green spots ia his mind, becomes
bewildered and shakes his head obviously At
these new-fangled notions Of music and the
drama.
Among those who were led away by tho
treacherous advice Of sycophantic Bohemians
to wage war against fearless aud independent
criticism Maretzek is, beyond doubt, the
most unfortunate. Acting on the suggestions
of the needy penny -a-liners who formed his
body guard while he had dollar in his pocket,
he incautiously went too far, and became out
lawed in consequence of his disregard Of the
rules Of honorable warfare. Then, too late,
he discovered the mistake, which he would
have given anything to oblterate, but the
record was against him in indelible characters.
The consequences Of his insane folly soon be-
came apparent From the moment he penned
the fatal document affairs began to assume .
shaky appearance with him, and twas not long
before crisis was reached. Bankruptcy
stared him in the face, and after a few spas
modic efforts his star sank into oblivion.
Since then he has made many abortivo
attempts to give it light once more, but only
succeeded in producing q ftful glimmer each
time. Mark the results now Of placing oona-
dence in unscrupulous Bohemians. The very
journal that led him to commit the folly OF
quarrelling with one Of the best and most con-
scientious friends of art he could find, and that
proclaimed itself his champion, now comes
forward, Job comforterlika, and blames him for
his want of success 1t sneers at his artists
and Is liberal in its transparent sympathy,
while 1t completely ignores the fact that to its
Upas influence the unfortunate in.presario may
ascribe his ruin.
The question Of the non-success Of italian
opera in this city has been discussed ad
m0useam. 1t only requires competent
public-spirited manager and liberal, enter-
prising corporation, instead Of the narrow
minded clique that rule the destinies Of the
Academy, to make Italian opera as great
success here as any other kind Of entertain
ment There is no fear that the public will be
backward in their patronage Of true art. They
reject humbug and broken promises, but whom
merit and fidelity to art appeal to them they
are ever ready to lend willing ear to its
claims. They cannot be expected to sustain
the emasculated affair which is here termed
Italian opera, in which if by chance a real
| gem appears it is so Obscured by the wretched
surroundings that all its brilliancy is lost.
| Give them an ensemble, in artists, chorus,
orchestra and scenery, equal to that of the
dramatic stage, and they will respond
literally to the outlay. Who wants to
hear an aria, no matter how divinely
sung, in a scene more fitted for q
tenement house than an opera, when Booths,
Walhck's, Daly's or Niblos offers such artistic
pictures to the eye? A manager cannot please
one sense at the expense of another. Har-
mony is the first Law on the stage, and tho
public of tho metropolis have learned to respect
| it and demand it. We urged it in the name Of
the public few years since, and thus pro-
voked managerial wrath. But the public soon
convinced the buskin heroes of their mistake,
and now all, save the Italian opera, have ac-
cepted the fat Of their patrons, and have inau-
gurated the new rsgime of harmony and excel
lence in everything as far as lies in their
power. The one exception is a lamentable ex-
ample to all theatrical and musical managers.
4
Hard Facts for tho Telegraph Monopoly.
The following facts were presented by Mr..
Hubbard as showing the greater advantages
for the people of the system in which the gov
ernment manages the telegraph In twenty
one States of Europe 1914, 793 miles Of wirc