National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-09-30

Two steamers from England, with mem.
hers OF different theatrical companies on
board, reached New York day or two ago
within half an hour of each other. The
"earnest inquirer after the TRUTH who
desires material for history of the stage In
the last quarter OF the nineteenth century
will find something to interest him in the
names Of certain prominent people who
were among the passengers. The world is
not inclined to place the moral tone OF
average society upon plane much higher
or much lower-than that OF the stage, but
occasionally we are brought face to face
with facts in connection with the stage, as
profession, which we do not find In any
thing like the same proportion in other
professions. At least no other honorable
vocation affords its members the privilege
Of making sohd financial capital out OF a
public and very cynical parade of what
ordinary people are apt to consider shame.
On one Of those steamers to which we
refer was an actor who has passed his G8d
year, whose children are fairly established
on the stage, following the examples OF a
talented father and Of the beautiful woman
whom, until recently, all the world re-
garded rs this mans wife. A few years
since he deserted this lady, and to her le-
gal application calmly replied that she had
never been married to him. This man was
a passenger on one OF the steamers, and the
discarded woman on the other lie comes
to America to build up another fortune,
while the companion of his life and tho
mother OF his children comss to obtain
whatever compensation she may be able to
procure from the courts of the United
StRtes.
On one OF the vessels mentioned Travelled
a well-known actress, who is a married
woman, under the managerial protection OF
a man with whose name hers has been asso-
ciated in a recent English scandal. Her
husband was a passenger ON "the other
boat" The scandal has been made the
most Of n theatrical advertisement, and
whether the actress or her husband or her
manager, or any combination OF the three,
lie responsible for notorlety so objection
able from social and moral point OF view,
it is probable that the lady's theatrical
undertaking will profit largely by this au-
dacious method OF booming.
Again. On one of those vessels was q
lady who, within a few short years, has
made fortune, and something little like
fame, upon the stage. She is woman who
has occuI led, and we have no doubt de.
servedly, a high social position In England.
Having, however, adopted the stage without
much preliminary training, 1t was necessary
that her marriage should evolve a monster
"boom," Hints and plain statements were
sedulously circulated about her relations
with European potentate, and crowds
were attracted in England and America
who would not have gone across the street
to see her as an actress.
We firmly believe that the stage, when
confined to its legitimate business OF edlfy.
ing and amusing the public, will always
maintain its place among honorable profeB
sions, but we are equally convinced that
the plan Of "booming business by clrcu
lating scandals and relying upon much
nastiness for notoriety is one which all re,
spectacle actors and actresses should con,
temptuously reject, aud upon which thea.
tergoing people should stamp the mark OF
utter disapproval by ab'entlng themselves
from plays introduced under such sinister
conditions.