The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-09-10
UNDER THE WHEEL.
uasnGtn Gariand's New Play-Thc Single
Tax idea in the Drama.

rsnffn Gariand's New Play-Thc Single
Tax idea in the Drama.
In the July number of the Arena Mr..
Hamlin Garlands new play, "Under the
Whocl,g is printed in full. 1t is play
uiiha purpose, and that purpose is the
demonstration that under existing
economic conditions there is no escape
for the honest toiler from grinding pov-
eGty.
The play opens with scene in Bos-
Ton tenement house, where Jason Ed
wards, his wife and two daughters have
their home Edwards is man who,
having learned his trade and married,
began life with the hope of securing
modest competence. His eldest daugh-
Ter Allie evidently received good ed
ucation, and at the time the play opens
isstadying music with view to becom-
Ing singer. A second daughter, Lin
mic, much youngeE-than Der sister, ap-
pears from her talk not to have has AL
lies educational advantages, bat she is
animportant figure in the drama. Allie
isintroduced to us as already engaged
10 young newspaper man named
Reeves, and the first glimpse we have
Of The social problem is in a conversa-
tiOn between these two in scene /. Mrs.
Edwards invites the young man to stay
to supper and tho following coiloauy
takes place;
Rceves-No, thank you, I've got
little work at the Office, and then I've
got to go out and report an anti-pov-
cry meeting at the Temple. Special
job
Alice-What kind Of meeting is that,
ictpity's sake?
Reeves preparing to go)-Oh, a
Cranky kind. Henry George started it.
some absurd idea about abolishing pov-.
trtE
Alice with a profound sigh)-T wish
Rsasn't so absurd. | don't see why
lOfcrty is so persistent in this age of
Invention.
reeves (asif struck by her words)-
Tome to think of it, it is more absurd to
,,,i alnk tae abolition of poverty absurd.
ahy shouldn't it be abolished? What's
pegOod OF progress if it don't? HE
aaSes with bent head.) / don't see
saefe the laugh comes in myself. Do
,0a Snow, I've been thinking and writ
inson these things of late? l don't
nuOW Why; it's in the air, / guess.
neFyoody's got some cure. Ieans his
si0'N on chair, speaks in slow, deep,
,., aaSins yoice,l ] stood on the BROOKLYN
~'use the other day and looked down
"a Ne@ York. Over me scared and
sans those stupendous cables. the
ss %'''e, OF mans skill, etched on the
'as' uelicate as SPIDERS web. II
:, s,0'a there looking down at the sea
sfimy roofs, a lava-like, hideous
ss vvu VI brick and mortar. cracked and
H.. eu, ana monstrous for it's lack of
aS S. " touch OF beauty-a modern city.
,.s. sss men running to and fro, like ants,
:, ' ~ she tumult of life and death
tsasgle' lsaw pale girls sewing there
m,.:l lens feeking with pestilence. 1 saw
.a,,s s,.sas OF homes where the children
,,a..l @a.a play only in the street or on the
,y,s ,oOI' colonies of hopeless settlers
~. s 'eet from their mother earth And
M NJ us scared the bridge to testify to
~. n inventive genius of man. And I said
,an,.s sua' say now, that men have in
,saltb r.. thousand ways of producing
iari, ,n' out not one for properly disbut,
i r. 7. idont know where the trouble
bca-a i. we once knew the trouble. some
i ~ : IND cure. Abolition of proper.
Ssh ~ muses. moment, then starts J
leaaa. goodbye, I'll write this up in a
hsana. With a return to his cheerful
o,s.a . takes her hand, makes an elab- |
ta EelSance') Iawait your pleas
si,bons Farewell, my queen. (Goes out
AIoa' ARsl looking back '' '"'
asss-lLooks after him smilinqlv.
l., - Ivy zones back the smile fades from
aotbs,s Isn't it terrible to be poor,
htT,sa h Z y with quietpathos)-Yes, dear.
lsok :. and o got used to it. I don,t
snp.s any thing else now. / don't care
shIis,a a n m'self, but I'd like /, see .r,v mv
ier Se se.ls Seated with bent head,-ob
ia, osses :, 1t must be to be free from tho tho
heed 7 poverty To feel that you don,t
dsessss" " ssfimp aud pinch, and turr
shoes. !. ana dye feathers, and wear old
!oa psas ,eel that food will come when
at a ifa; =; to have the soul set free for for
Fnsia issping vap up, her face aglow.) But
that Iss'n sss' mother; feel in INV soul
otthis~. " 'ne gift, I'll take you out
si!e bs. tbs, J. ai'f Linnie, remarks to his
= = seems very hot and that II