The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-15
ABUSES OF THE STAGE.

Everybody, or nearly so, knows HBLEN
DAUvRAY, the actress who married JOHN
MONTGOMERY WARD, the baseball player,
more than year ago. After the marriage
he went with the team to which he be-
longed around the world, taking in this
city on the way and engaging in one game
here. She departed for Europe and made
the same circuit one way while he was
making it the other, between them making
the earth's complete span before being re-
united. This accomplished, they returned
home and she then made arrangements to
again appear upon the stage, entering into
a contract with HARRY MINOR, who had en-
gagged support and arranged for dates and
places. But fully two months ago it wa
made to appear that she was not going to
star at all, notwithstanding the ar
rangements of MINOR and the fact that the
Autographs and printing for appearances
partly finished. About the time mentioned
Mrs. WARD, nee DAUvRAY, went to MINOR
with her attorney and stated in no uncer-
tain words that her husband was opposed
to her contemplated return to the stage and
she desired to respect his wishes. She was
prepared to make financial settlement in
return for her release from the engagement
as an Offset for the expense which the man
ager had incurred already. The latter was
in very uncomfortable position, but he
acted as only a square" upright man will
act under the circumstances, and at once
informed Mrs. WARD that she was released
and without compensation to him
whatever He had already engaged the
Union Square theatre in New York for
three weeks of next month at 81 800 week,
but has, we believe and hope, been able to
dispose of the lease to some other manager.
Herein are two rare instances of manly
man and a womanly woman.
The stage as an educator and means Of
diffusing refinement throughout society is
power not to be despised nor overlooked.
The fact that it acc0mplishes more harm
than good as a rule is because of the
venality and greed Of those into whose
hands it too often falls. In the dramatic
as in every other profession there are those
who look upon it merely as q means
of capturing dollars and cents, and to
this end the family circle, the sacred
ties which bind husband and wife,
the demands of home, the better human in
sttncts and even a due regard for decency
itself are all stified. Because the playhouse
is an attractive spot to the masses, is no
reason why honor, principle, and above all
a due regard for the sacredness of the fire
side should be sacrificed or imperiled in
order that 1t may be kept open. And most
of all should it be our constant Watch-care
to sec that in the unseemly scramble for
the almighty dollar which seems to possess
most playpeople and particularly leaders,
to the exclusion of all better considerations,
they be not permitted to trench upon one
of the sacred social fabric.
A man or woman who plays upon the
stage is the property of the public to that
extent at least They have no right to
complain when their efforts are met with
jeers and Kisses, because those who look at
them have paid their money to be pleased
and have thus acquired the right to be sat
isfed. So long as satisfaction is afforded,
all may go well; but even then it cannot be
a very pleasant reflection for the husband
who does not play to see the bosom com
panion Of his life placed in position where
II those who are looking at her see fit to in
suit her, he has no right to either resent or
attempt to resent it. And even If she
should succeed, what then! She is too
often succeeding where the lowest and bas
est elements of society have succeeded;
where women who display and sell their
persons with equal freedom gain the
applause and favor Of the very
people before whom the virtuous wife,
sister or daughter must take her chances;
where the professional prize-tighter, the
vagabond, the wandering
the effete buffoon and the
stroller lost to morality and principle by
reason Of bardships perhaps more than be-
cause of innate depravity, also hold forth
and it may be capture the audience that
condemns virtue unaccompanied by less
degree of brazenness. This may be an ex-
IRENE presentation; but if so, its extreme
character consists in its truthfulness.
We are tempted to greatly respect JOHN
WARD for not desiring his
wife to be longer subjected to public caprice
after he acquired the sole right to be the |
Judge of her actions; and we honor her for
his wishes in the premises. To
respect and patronize the drama because of
its power for good and its excellent facilities |
for genuine relaxation, Is proper thing to |
10; and all entertainments need not be Of |