Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-02-03
TEHMs ss.oe IS xDVAECE. J
MiS6EHAHoR At ,Pu6Lfc ENTERTAIN
MEhTS.

We are pleased to see that much
is now being said by the press upon
the subject Of disorderly conduct at
theatrical performances and other
public entertainments. While this
censurable conduct is in most cases
the eutburst of youthful thought
lessness and exuberance of spirits,
and as such u generous press and
forbearing public are slow to con-
denim it, yet this kindly disposition
to overlook such unpleasant annoy
ances has been of late accepted as a
license to go to extremes and over
ride the rules of common decOrum
and the simplest proprieties of such
occasions.
Ask any individual what he or
she thinks of the frequent fragrant
breeches of etiquette and good be-
havior, which we can see and hear
at almost any entertainment given
at any theatre or public hall in the
country, and you will immediate
ly receive the warmest expressions
of condemnation of the conduct of
persons who seem to think because
it is a public entertainment and
they pay their money to attend,
they have the privilege to annoy
the rest of the audience and MARI
the rendition of the performance.
You often hear these private censures
but rarely a public rebuke. And |
why is this? Because, we think, |
there is too much of a disposition |
in this great and glorious demo-
cratic government of ours to give |
Young America too much latitude. |
He or she is taught from infancy |
up that this is "free America" and |
that as long as they have the
"whereWithal'' they can do or say |
what they please, that the public is
lOng-suffering and forbearing, and |
unless you trample again and |
again upon its toes, il il not going |
to resent an insult. This may be
true in a great sense. but they will
learn sooner or later that the public
is not as impersonal rs they imag-
inc, that it is composed of individ
uals, and that the individual Amer
lean is not too slow to protect his
rights of person, property and soci-
ETY. land will not submit to. the wan
ton affronts of ignorance, rOwdyIsm
and ill-breeding.
No person, man, woman or child,
has a right to act in an unbecOming
manner at a private or public en-
tertainment. Loud talking, pound
ing the floor with the feet, shrill
whistling, ear-piercing cat-calls and
all such unseemly grievances must
ne done away with. The public must
ring down the curtain on all such
exhibitions of ill-breeding and ruff
anism, and the sooner it is under
stood that this will be doue, the
better.
We regret to say that many such
annoyances as above spoken of are
often experienced in the Opera
house in this city, and we call the
attention Of the Managers to the
fact and hope they will see that an
end is put to it. Not long ago, a
lady sitting in front of the writer at
Elders Opera-house, was greatly
and provoked, as was the
greater part of the audience for that
matter, by the loud whistling, yell
ling, stamping OF feet and loud pat :
ting of hands and feet, keeping
time with and completely drown
ing out the music. Turning to the
writer, she expressed her feelings,
characterizing the conduct OF the )
boys and children who were making !,
the noise as Outrageous, disgrace
full, etc, etc." adding,"I hope, Mr..
Editor, you will say something
about such disgraceful and annoying
conduct in your paper. You edit
Ors ought to write up such things
and frOwn down upon Them" We
agreed with her, thanked her,
and assured her that we would i
''harpoon" those same boys with
faber, dipped in gall, the :
very next issue. I
We have already said much of !
such unbecOming conduct at enter {
tainmSnts In this city, and cannot ;
but think there would be more /
speedy and permanent reform if @
the public and the managers would
let it be understood that no such
behavior was to be tolerated for a a
in the house. Let the
Ofthese thoughtless boys give r.
ZACH of them lecture before going p
% the entertainment, and then If "
hat doesn't do any good, let the Il
proper authorities take the matter C,
n hand and GUST them. Ladies d
md gentlemen who visit public en- h
go for pleasure, and it T
9 the duty Of the managers of the W
house to see that their pleasure and d.
njOyment is not married by such
When this nuisance is
'rOken up the entertainments will p
'e much better patrOnized and our Il
ity will be visited more frequently a
" better class of attractions. Let's II
ave no more of such behavior at X
ur entertainments. IL
a New York Associated Press +
dispatch, dated Monday the 29th, al
avs: al
A large meeting of Tennessee y