Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-05-26

manager John, Is that with his sticks, old
dirty scenery, and general dilapldsted get
mp, In spite OF the hard times John T. m sde
asuccess Of his season and paid his bills like
little man.
Eery .e now II the psnu5Sus S John made
greater and more brilliant would that sue.
cess have been had he gotten mp decent
for rounds Of applause instead OF roars OF
laughter? Answer us that, oh, STAR.
Because ambitious managers without
ship the manager VINO has large means but
no ambition? Poor Jack Saville, struggling
with the heavy odds found in an empty
pocket TO give us decent mounting to his
plays, commands our respect-although he
was forced TO suspend with our bill for al
verttstng unpaid-while John It's disregard,
We will not say of taste, but decency, ex-
cites contempt Jack had q love, a rever-
ence for the divine art he worked so hard to
make successful. John T. Is tradesman,
with little love and less comprehension of
his work. 1t Is OF small account to him
how Shakespeare fares on the stage, so the
account In the box-office shows a pleasant
balance. Jack sought to be an artist, and
had an artists devotion In him. John 7.
proves himself q vulgar Snowman. Bat
the other-welI, Jack would not shine back
OF q counter or on change L Cupitd.
Our views differ so widely from ID. P.'s on
this matter that discussion seems rather
improbable. but since he asks the question
We answer Ii At To our mind the fact that
John 7. Ford, of all managers here, is the
only one who has succeeded (even in dull
times) in filling his houses and pay ing his
bills is an Indication that he really under
stands his business, and that he does not
cater for the public in the wretched, repulsive
way the Capitai would have US believe. And
we are prosaic enough to prefer sturdy
straight forward John T. Ford, who, COM
mencing without means, has oy energy, ex-
ecutive capacity, and fair dealing, plac ed
himself in the front rank of his profession, to
the esthstlc, airy, Harold SSimpole style OF
managers eulogized by the Cupital, who
are al soul and sensibiiity, who part their
hair in the middle, dress gorgeously, and
disdain to trouble themselves with the sor-
did com non place matters OF providing
bread and butter for their employees and pay
ing their printers and tradesmel. Performing
contracts and paying bills and all that sort
OF vulgar thing can be left to the mere trades
man and Snowman like Ford. 1t has no
place in the bright lexicon of the managers
who have a reverence for the divine art, but
who, sadly enough, have no other word than
"fail." We mean this In a general way as
applied to a class, and have no disposition
to say anything unpleasant In regard to
Jack Saville, who Is gloriied by the Capital
as having a soul above buttons; but since
that paper undertakes a comparison so
much 10 the disadvantage of Ford, we
may be permitted to record our opinion
that Jack ,cotld "shine back of a count
er." He is q dapper, natty, pretty,
soft-spoken little man, aud he would draw
immensely at the ladies' counter OF dry
goods store. But as a manager be was q
great failure. His affiatus In the divine
art nay have been OF the remarkable char
aeter described by the Capital, but the fact
Ieyer seems to have been suspected by our
commonplace community, who so oddly
rush To see Fords sticks, and failed to visit
the "National Calamity" when high art aud
:he true and beautiful prevailed under the
divine Jack.
The fact il, the business of managing a
theater, like any other business, requires
brains, business capacity, tact and indomit-
able energy, ard we are surprised that pa
Per like the Capitol, that generally takes
shrewd common sense view of matters,
should allow Itself, through It's pique against
Ford, TO encourage the contrary idea.
Again the Capital says:
"And so he rushed into print and abused
rs personally, scoiding like very drab. The
6r says be taught as Q wrinkle In Journal
ism. No, the Star is mistaken. We had seen
that wrinkle before-it is craven personal
blackguardism; and as We have never seen
II In the Star, and delight in that able, live
paper, because 10 Is so free from this beset-
ting sin of American Journalism, We are sur
prised TO hear the S'dr commend It."
Well, we did not commend the personal
tiles In the cards, and these were Just so
much 70 be deducted from their effective
ness; but making that deduction to the full
est, IL struck " that they were exceedingly
well put IN the way Of showing the Injustice
and mistakenness OF the Capitars assaults
upon him.
And, talking OF personalities, 1t certainly
never struck u that they were all on Ford's
side. The reader who sees the C1pisal in one
line declaiming very properly against the
use OF personalities, and in the next hinging
about such phrases as "craven personal
blackguardism," "no gentleman" "vulgar
Snowman" &C., will think somehow that
preaching and practice don't agree. And,
considering that Dom seems to count that
Sunday lost that fails 20 bring q dozen scalps
TO bis girdle, there Is something pIquant
about the air Of innocen surprise he assumes
when occasionally a victim who feels his
back-hair tightening under the insinuating
fingers OF the mighty scalper turns upon him
with the first means of defence he can lay
hands on, whether a club, cleaver, or chunk
OF quartz. To see Dom under these circum-
stances turn with indignant protest and
shout, "Hano therel Stop that! You're
getting personal! You're no gentlemanI"
IL Is good as play. OF course Dom may
claim that his tomahawk is a keen, sharp
weapon, but IL Is tomahawk for all that,
and he must expect people to use harsh Ian
guage sometimes when they feel Its edge.
We wish all manner OF success to the va
rious theatrical enterprises mentioned by
the Capital as on foot for the coming season,
and We doubt not the competition will be
wholesome all around. But, Oh Capital! let
them be managed by practical men. No
more managers for as please, with an i'm.
mense affiatus for the divine art, but no bust
ness brains and no cash to pay the printer.
During his term In the Senate Mr.Wright,
Of Iowa, has distinguished himself mainly
by bis endeavors TO reduce the present PAL
fry compensation Of government clerks and
other federal oficials. He now gives notice
that be win call up and insist on the pas.
rage Of the bill reducing the Presidents sal
airy TO $4,000, Notwithstanding the Presi.