The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-19
MANAGERS AND CRITICS.
From the ~ Y. Tribune.

/
with n small weekly paper that has acquired
some notoriety by elaborate and persistent
attacks upon Mr.. Booth and his acting, we're
refused admission to his theatre, although
they bought, or offered to buy, tickets This
not only gave fictitious consequence to the
obnoxious criticisms, and conveyed the i'm
preston IAN erroneous one, we are con-
vinced) that Mr.. Booth was unwilling to sub
NIT to q free examination of his professional
merits, but it was q clear violation of the
law II may be true, as the manager says,
that it was not criticism but personal abuse
which moved his resentment; it may be true
that his agent regarded one of the excluded
journalists as unfit company for the pa
irons of q reputable theatre; nevertheless,
all persons have an equal right to enter
place of public amusement on paying
the price, and to stay there as long as
they behave themselves properly. Their pri-
vate character is none of the managers busi-
ness. This principle has been settled again
and again 10y the Courts, and every manager
who has attempted to ignore it has been
worsted. There are critics who disgrace
their calling, parasites of art who poison and
deform the profession to which they cling;
base creatures who are the curse of journal
ism even more than they are the curse of the
studio and the stage and knowing how an
honest man loathes the sight of such crea-
lures, we can sympathize with the aggrieved
actor who slams the door in their face and
refuses their dirty dollar Whether Mr.. Booth
has been wounded by men of this sort, or is
chaing under severe but legitimate criticism,
we shall not stop to inquire, because it is
not to the purpose. The rule is plain he
can keep nobody out of his theatre who pays
for a ticket and preserves an outward de-
corum.
We suspect that the forgetfulness of this
rule into which managers are now and then
hofr Ic ryIY1rY in Of To fha
peculiar relations which have always existed
between the stage and the press, and against
which we have many time demonstrated 1t
is generally taken for granted that the critic
is entitled to certain 'courtesies" which are
not extended to the general public. He is to
be admitted free to all performances. He is
to have the choicest seats. He is privileged
to ask admission for his friends Nay, in
provincial towns, and to some extent in New
York also, almost the whole staff of news
paper, from the editor down to the Office
boy, shares in the privileges of the press"
What wonder is it that there should grow up
in the mind of the manager a vague impress
sion that the press owes him privileges in re-
turn? What wonder that the critic who lashes
the actor, or the play or the policy of the
theatre, should be regarded as an outlaw, who
has broken a sort of compact, and stung the
hand that fed him. and done all manner of
Infamous and ungrateful Deeds and who is to
be shut out of decent society accordingly?
We shall rejoice to see the time, which in the
progress of journalism must soon come, when
the leading papers of New York will agree to
accept no favors from the theatres, and
bestow no favors either. In that new era of
common sense the critic and the editor will
buy their tickets as they want them. They
will see no managers or agents face; and they
will not be expected to print gratuitous an
nouncements of any performance, or to
criticize what is not worth criticism,
or to be sparing in their censure or
extravagant in their praise. We shall be
relieved then from such shameful exhibit
tions as we have repeatedly witnessed
of late-brazen incompetency puffed without
stint by critics of real discernment and
ability; and merit of the very highest charac-
ter scourged by the same hands for the rea.
son, openly avowed, that the press had not
received ''the usual courtesies." Until this
state of things is reformed, we must expect
scandals. Until the leading newspapers agree
in the enforcement of a new and sounder
rule in their dealings with theatres, journal
ism will be infested, as it is now, by scrib-
! blers without conscience, who degrade criti
csm to a trade, and make puffery a means of
livelihood. The real, honest critics of New
York can be counted on ones fingers. Edi-
tors know pretty well who they are, and if
the absurd and demoralizing privileges of
soon know where to look for them too.
INJUNCTIONS AGAINST INCOME TAX.
! From the NJ Y. World.
| In q previous article we commented upon
what we believe to be the mistaken views of
the Anti-lncome Tax Association as to the
probability of obtaining from the Circuit
| Court of the United States in the city of New
| York an injunction to restrain collectors of
internal revenue in this city from levying the
income tax returned by the assessors. Our
reasons are these:-
In the autumn of 1866 Mr.. Robert L. Cut
ting and others, doing business as bankers
and brokers, filed bill in equity in the Cir
cult Court, praying, among other things, that
! Assessor Gilbert and Collector Shook might
be enjoined from assessing or collecting an
internal revenue tax claimed under the act
of 1864, on stocks and bonds sold by the petit
TONERS.
The case was heard by Judge Nelson, who
was of the opinion that the plaintiffs were
not liable to the tax; but for reasons peculiar
to equity proceedings, which it is not neces-
sary that we set forth at this time, he with
held the injunction and left the parties to
their remedy at law. In his opinion he de-
clared emphatically that he did not doubt the
power of the Circuit Court, under then exist
ing laws of Congress, to interfere by iniunc-
tlon and prevent the threatened imposition
OF an internal revenue tax, if it should be
illegal. Such a jurisdiction, he said had
been In the United States Courts upheld and
exercised upon general principles of equity
Jurisprudence. But yet the granting of such
a writ, generally speaking, he added, rests in
the exercise OF the sound discretion of the
court, and is always refused ''where the
remedy at law Is adequate" He was also of
opinion that althOuOh an action ,,,;.ht l, -