, 1873-08-17

modltfes. But there arc excoptiopy 10 tho r,,lo
ConGroasmen, for instance, WHO fix their own
compensation, hayo facilities for turning supply
and demand topsy-turvy. The starn " IN tho
dramatic and oporatio professions have also
way Of playing hayoo with tho peoples money.
They rocoiyo ray out Of all proportion to tho
amount of work, md frequently to tho
intent, which t4oy offer. Tho prices paid to
tho loaling Lights OF public a1nusomonts
nre so largo nowadays that they nro a
proper subject of public copcorn; and tho poo
plo Of Chicago, ae the moBt liboral in their
patronage OF nmuscmont~placoH Of all colnmuni-
tics in this country except Now York, hayo
special interest in 1t. Tho coming season is OK
pccted to prosont four opera companios,-two
ltalian, one Engliah and one Frerch, ,~~and tho
usual succession Of dramatic attractions. For
all those tho people will 1ay out worry lnrge
amount Of money. 1t is not enough to say tint,
If the pricea aro too high, tho pooplo havo tho
right to stay ut home. Public amusomonts
are matter Of public concern. They exercise
all important iuiiuonco Oil tho character Of a
people. They form conspicuous element III
popular education. or good character aud at
accessible pricos, they contribute materially to
the culture and refinement Of community.
An excessive incroaso Of prices, however, does
not keep pooplo away from them 80 much rs
1t encourages oxtrayagant expenditures. Many
people spend moro money than they can afford,
and tho good that might be derived from intel
fncftta1 trI1atsn1 ptnrt NJ
counterbalaueed by tho OWLS incident to all cx-,
penditurcB Of money over and aboyo tie limit Of
m income.
Managors are generally blamed for tho high
prices charged Mt public anlusemont-placos IN
tirlos of special attraction. They arc only indl-
roctly responsible Whilo they tako great risks,
they rarely make anything like as much money
aa tho stars, who tako no risk whatever. Edwin
Booth, as an motor, earns probably $3.50, 900
year; as the manager OF Booths Theatre III
New York 1t III not likely that lo oyor secured
q fnir interest OF h!s large Investment.
Tho enormous prices paid to tho loadlug
attractions nocessitato tho prices asked by tho
managers. Mmo. Lucca is sait1 to rocoiyo 81 200
II night and certainly ear1ls as much nj 81, QUO q
week. with tho four or five performances in which
ale takcs part. Nine. Nilsson receives as much.
Even Miss Kellogg il puid from :4O0 to $500 por
night. When manager makos up an oporatlo
company with one Of these prime donne at its
head, it is necessary for him to engage a,,othor
OF neurly equal prominence to nocure
respectable attendance OIL tho occasions
when tic star Of tho troupe does not appear.
Tho aanao pIuctice prevails Of paying enormous
salaries to favorite nao,nbors OF tho dramatic
profession. Mr. Booth demands from 30 to 60
per cont Of the grosB receipts in all lis engage
moutH, and tho manager las to pay ull lis ex-
ponaoB Of company, tAealro, advertising, etc.,
out Of tho remainder. Mr.. Jefferson, with Ills |
single play Of "Trip Van Winllc," makes torrnH
equnlly exacting. Tho manager who engages |
Charlotte Cuslllnan must pay $500 night |
clear, no matter what ho may tako in. |
Thoso arc also hIr. Fechtor's terms, a,,tl |
it il altogether liko1y TINT Saly,ni tho |
renowned italian tragolian who viuits A,nerica |
this season, will receive quite as much, or more
There is nh impression that Americans nro re- |
sponsiblo for this high scale Of prices but it is
not altogether correct. They are regulated, par-
ttcularly in opera, in Europe. Mmo. Adclina
Patti will not como to this country until tho de-
mand for llor IN Europe declines. III addition
to the enormous pay Bho receives, her prcsonts |
and fayors from tho crowned heads and nobility
figure up 30 III to oyerbalance Amer |
lean prodigaity. Tho prices for tho ilrst-
r1n f,1p in
higher than llere. Yet Mapleson IN London Las |
always bean on the verge Of bankruptcy, aud no.
body has eyor succeeded in making tho Nalic7,s
pay in Paris. The Government contributions
for tho support Of anusoments III Continental
Europe are exhausted in Tho payment Of. oxccs-
aivo salaries, nna thu people doriye little boncht
from them, though thoy ultimately como out Of
the peoples pockets.
Tho hardhhips Of this system of excessive pay
for ccrtain clasH Of artists aro principally two
fold. In tho first place, tho manager cannot
afford to I'LL up hia company with respectable
actors Or singers. a1d the performance, as
whole, loses moro than It gainH by tho engage
ment Of tho hgh-uricel attraction. III tho sec-
ond place, tho a1nusoments Of tho higher char-
aeter arc open only to those who happon to l.ayo
the moHt money, though they aro not alwayH
nor even gencrally, tho pooplo who appreciate
tllom most. Tho result ia Tint tho botter kind
Of public entertainments are fowor than thoy
would DO under f. fnrer distribution
of prices and moro reasonable admission
foes. Wo layo wooks opera where wo
might hayo months, aud dramatic
season IL fi]lod up with trash that might othor-
wiso be dispensed with. Tho effect IN tho
musical and dsanatio professions is depressing,
for tho roason that fair talont ID obseured and
kept in the background. High prices, in ono
word, aro in tho intorostB OF tho fashionable
people alono WHO must al,aro with the "stars'
tho responsibility for the hardshlH thoy put
upon tho people ut lnrgo, not oven Including tho