The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-12-24
The Corrupt Stage.

The people who have the cause good
morals deeply at heart are not agreed as
to the best attitude to take towards the
theatre The percentage of those who
would delight in witnessing the mastery
representations of an Edwin Booth or q
Charlotte Cushman, but who deny them
selves that privilege because they think
it wrong to countenancc theatre going
in any shape, is still large one, though
| by no means so large rs it was in those
days when the novel and the theatre
were about under the same ban. Uncle
| Toms Cabin was the first novel which
mmya good man and woman ever read.
| And many were those, quarter of a
century ago, who first broke their life
long rule against theatre going when
| Uncle Tom was placed upon the stage.
The theatre rs an institution is bad
enough certainly when Mr. Booth saws,
| for substance. that he does not suffer his
wife or daughter to listen to u play until
he has first heard il aud made sur, that
it is tit for them to hear. Ii isuot Il very
| surprising statement. though it probably
would surprise us to hear an editor say
that never took home new number of a
| magazine until he had read it through to
see whether il was fit to go into his fam
lily; or to hear n ministersay that he nev.
er suffered his daughter to attend service
in any church uut he had fir listened
to the preaching of that Clergyman aud
made sure that his sermons were not inn
moral in their teachings. And il is to be
assumed that the eminent tragcdian
knows what he j. talking about His
statement certainly iustilips to some ex-
tent the attitude of those who ar, Suspi-
ciou8 Of the Influence of the theatre rs it,
iS and Jealous of buttrcssing it as Il
great social institution bv their support
Whether they are nearer right. though,
than thos" who believe the best wav to
restrict the influence OF the dcbaScd dra-
ma and corrupt theatre is bv patronizing
elevated plays and clean theatres. and
helping to Staryc ont tho other sort. let
each who believes ia prohibition of any
degree in this mrlter judge for himself.
But irrespective of the question of pat
ronzing clean plays, plain word in re-
tnSlng patronag' to ulclean players is
timely just now.
Let it he granted that 1t is proper to
listen to Mr.. Booths wonderful rendition
OF Othclo rs to read Shakespearc's great
drama at home 1t would be another
thing altogether if Mr.. Booths consum--
mate ability We're welded to shameful
nnmoraltics of life; if his shining his
tronlc triumphs were put to the base SER
vice of gliding the grossest crimes
against social purity. An actress may
display prc-eminent abilities on the stage,
but suppose her private life has been no
torlouSly infamous, and that she gives
no sign of Il better mind Can any man
or woman who cares anything for the
purity of social lite consent. in good con-
science and in consistency, to be of those
who worship at the shrine Of such an ar
tlst! Does not he or she who sits in
such an audience breathe a tainted at
mosphere7 No one is more dangerous
enemy to all that is sweet and good in
human life than the one who lends to
lmpurity the sanction of splendid talents.
II the American theatre is to drop to the
moral level of the Comedie Francdis
Christian America will certainly have no
further use for it. Shall pure men or
vlrtuouS women consent to be seen in the
audience which is gathered for the apoth-
costs of Aspasia?-G Compdny