The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-01

The history of the New York theatres, If
truthfully written, would be interesting and
instructive reading The Americans are
singular people-acute, energetic, generous,
bold in adventure, liberal to . fault shrewd
at detecting impostors, yet submitting good
naturally to imposition, devoted to money
making and equally devoted to money spend
ing Among such people the drama is GER
tain to be q success for they are ready to
patroniae amusements probably too much
without regard to their quality. The constant
strain and excitement of business among our
people make relaxation almost necessity,
and it is not surprising that the lower class of
entertainments should find patrons as we'll as
those legitimate performances whose merit
entities them to the favor Of an intelligent
community. Thus we have seen in New York
patronage of genuine dramatic talent such
as cannot be found in any other city in the
world, while at the same time those ginger
bread shows which elsewhere would be with
out support have managed to live, and occa-
sionally to flourish, despite their Indifferent
character We have commanded here the ability
of the universe in the dramatic art. No matter
what the nationality of genuine artist, New
York is the field in which the richest harvest
has been reaped. A Ristori, q Janauschek and
Salvini have received the proof of American
appreciation of real merit as substantially as
the most distinguished English artists. On
the other hand, sensational dramatists and
machine actors who would have starved else
where have found here living, and sometimes
even wealth.
1t is most creditable to the profession, under
these circumstances, that the drama in New
York has not lost all character and merit If
we had not had such men as Wallack, Booth,
DAILY, Stuart, Duff and others of similar
standing at the head of our theatres, those
places of entertainment might now be OF a
grade but little above that of the concert
saloon. As it is, we have had too
many coarse adventures in the theatrical
business; men who have launched out from
railroading, ''rum tinkering'' and other specu-
lative pursuits in which money is easily if not
over honestly made. into the glitter, glare and
license Of theatrical management as they I'M
derstand it. Under such men the theatre has
become simply the haunt Of politicians,
loungefs, and even of more discreditable char
acters, and the proprietor or manager has de-
lighted to shine forth as the patron of such
questionable associates. Of course the theatri-
cal profession has suffered from these un-
worthy representatives, and the standard of
the drama has been lowered by their action
ages his business much as dishonest internal
revenue officer would run his Office. AS in the
case of the latter, there would be great dis
crepancy between the receipts given to tax
payers and the amounts actually credited to
the government on his books, so, in the case of
the former, the cash actually received by the
house would bear no comparison to the
amount called for by the paper which
he 'kites'' among his friends and
those from whom he expects favors. A
Buchu theatrical proprietor or manager is very
friendly with such newspapers as he can in
duce to do him service, but is eager to
get up dispute with any journal that refuses
to submit to his insolent blackmailing de-
mands. A dishonest revenue officer is ready
to clay in" with any illicit distillery in which
he is allowed an interest but is vigorous in
''suppressing" such concerns as may refuse to
admit him to share of their profits. In
deed, there is frequently resemblance be-
tween the dishonest internal revenue officer
and the Buchu Snowman so close as to render
it difficult to distinguish the one from the
other.
The theatrical interloper is seldom of real
benefit to actors or authors, although he loves
to make parade of iberality. He is always
ready to take advantage of the necessities of
members Of the profession and will grind an
actor down unsparingly when he finds him in
his power. He makes bargain with an
author so cunningly worded as to be suscep-
tible of a strained misconstruction, and then
endeavors, on a paltry bubble, to cheat
him out of the percentage due to
him. An author sells piece to
such person, agreeing to receive. say,
five per cent on houses of five hundred dollars
or under and fifteen per cent on houses over
five hundred dollars. The piece is successful,
and the receipts run from eight hundred to
thousand dollars night The author calls
for his pay-for he is too shrewd to trust the
Buchu proprietor or manager-and he finds
that he is to receive only five per cent up to
the amount of five hundred dollars, no matter
what the house may be, and fifteen per cent
above that amount. BY such knavish tricks
the unprofessional Snowman constantly ex-
hibits his smartness and endeavors to cheat
those who suppose they have made bargain
with an honorable man. Authors, actors and
public have, therefore, equal cause of COM
plant against these interlopers who scandalize
an honorable profession; and when such
Buchu showmen insolently presume to dictate
to the press as to the manner in which their
performances shall be criticised it becomes
the duty of all resnectahla journals to rehula