National Republican., 1885-02-07
DRAMATIC FEUILLEToN.


was glad to sec the lone American girl hold
her own at the National Theater this week
against the English pair ut Albaughs. For
Miss Davenport did hold her own, and that
against what must be conceded to be heavy
odds The audience at each Of the striking
performances OF Fedora" was largo, and OF
the best quality, and there was evident
thought, rathcr more enthusiasm over Miss
Davenport than Mr.. Irving and Miss Terry
evoked. This is not so difficult to account for.
Many went to see Irving because 1t was pre-.
cminently "the thing" to do; many more
with whom fashion Is not consideration and
thcstergoing not habit went out of curl.
osiiy. Both Of these classes make bad au.
dicnces. On the other hand, those who went to
see Miss Davenport did so out of real regard for
her as an actress and because they knew they
wouldsee something to their liking There was
much moro money In the Irving houses than
in the other; but Mr.. Irvings expenses are
much heavier; aud, on the whole, imagine
Miss Davenport gets as good n return on her
capital for the week as Mr.. Irving
As Mr., Irving failed to draw largely in Bal.
timoro last year he left that city out Of his
route the present season. Consequently many
Baltimore people have como to Washington
during the week, and served to swell the au.
diences at Albaughs. Even with these ac-
cessions from without, the business OF Mr. Ir.
wing during the week was truly remarkable
for city the size of Washington, aud when It
Is understood that seats were double, and when
purchased from the Spectators treble, the
usual prices, It shows that Washington can
bo relied on for incomparably larger patron
age to really frst-class entertainments than
any other city OF equal population in America,
II not In the world. Where is the other city
that can turn out such magnificent audiences,
both In size and fashion, as those which have
thronged Albaugh's and the National this
week2
-
wonder how long 1t will be before congress
gets around to the question Of speculation in
theater tickets2 This may seem small sub.
ject for so august body to consider, but as
the humblest affairs Of the District of Colum-
bia, If regulated'at all, must be regulated by
the national legislature, our only hope ofre-
lief from this contemplate species of extor-
tion is through congressional action. In
Europe the police regulations OF the cities
hold managers to a strict accountability for
their sins of omission and commission, and
expect ticket speculation comes within the
puryiew of these municipal codes. Even in
the chaotic republics OF South America simi
lar state of affairs prevails, but in this country
the sacred right of the designing few to
bleed the submissive many is still preserved
inyiolate. That there has been speculation in
Irving seats this week is certain; to what ex
tent and by whom carried on / have not had
time to determine. should bo sorry to be
understood as inslnuating that the managers,
either local or travelling, had any part in it;
but they did not 1t was wholly due to their
own sense Of deccncy and honor, for the law
believe, says nothing on the subject. But
supposlng the managers had been unscrupu'
lous, what was to prevent them from selling out
the whole balcony to daring spoculator for a
night or two nights or for the whole seven per.
formances? or from mortgaging any number
OF choice seats IN the orchestra, SO scattered as
to avoid betraying the little deal2 OF course
nothing Of this kind was done. and the specu.
lators who got numbers of seats for resale to
late comers at heavily advanced prices did SC
by sending several agents to purchase them in
such lots as would not excite suspicion.
there were senators and Representatives
among those whom the spectators bled
perhaps before the next visit of Mr.. Irving we
will have law to prevent this species of ex.
tortion.