New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-04
SHALL CHILDREN BE ALLOWED TO ACT
A HEARING ON TIE. ASSEMBLY BILL-MANAGERS
WANT THE LAW AMENDED.

WANT THE LAW AMENDED
Albany Feb. 3.-The Assembly Codes Committee
this AFTERNOON gave hearing on Mr.. STEMS bill per
hitting the appearance of children under sixteen years
of age in reputable theatrical performances not dan
gerOus TO health or limb. The first speaker In favor
OF the Frank W. Sanger, manager OF the Broad
way Theatre New York, one OF committee sent 10
represent the managers Of New-lork theatres. Mr.
Sanger said that he and other managers asked merely
for protection against the arbitrary use Of power by
the society for the Prevention of Cruelty TO Children.
In his own case he would say that Elbrdge i. Gerry
had interfere with the employment OF children
on his stage; but months when u" La Cigale
was produced at the Garden Theatre the society had
stepped in and forbidden the appearance Of children
In the opera. Then Mr.. Gerry had come to him and
said that he could not discriminate, AMI, although he
had no fault find with the treatment Of the children
at the Broadway Theatre, he must demand that the
children be withdrawn If Mr.. Gerry acknowledged
that harm done in his (oangers case, he would
ask the sanction of law for the employment of children
To show how arbitrarily the society exercised IFS
power he said would permit children TO speak on the
stage and act through part, but if they sang one
note or danced step they were stopped. Mr.
Sanger then mentioned a case that had come TO the
notice OF the Actors Fund. A German actor had
been stricken with paralysis and his wife was in
delicate health lie had two children who could have
earned living for the entire family as sketch artists,
but the society had stepped In and forbidden them to
appear. Consequently the family had TO be supported
by charity
Elbrdgc 4. Gerry opposed The BILL lie said he
thought that the putting in operation OF such measure
would open wide the doors for manifold evils lie
traced history Of the corruption that had led to the
enactment Of the present law. Girls OF tender years
we're invelglcd into joining operate companies, which
would travel through the country until the manager
absconded with the funds. Then the girls would be
left frendIess and alone In strange cities, and would
fnd their way into brothes But aside from this evil,
the stage was a dangerous place for children They
were frequently In semnude condition, and the
slant drauglts and changes Of temperature likely
10 wreck their health Besides all this, children
the stage were deprived Of fitting education for their
after lives. Working at night they did. they could
not attend school in the morning. lie disputed the
statement that his society had arbitrary power He
never attempted a prosecution unless there
sonable certainty of conviction. This was known and
90 requests made in the name Of the society
of the weight of commands lie mentioned the case
of Joseph Hoffman, the musical prodigy, as an in
stance OF harm done by public performances. The
society had found that he in the ncpent stages
of general paIesis. lie had been taken of the stage
and was now on the fair road TO recovery.
Dr. f. T. Stoddard. OF Rochester. said that childhood
WAS the most mpre ssionabe period OF life with regard
10 tie physical moral and mental state. lie had
found among children in reformatOries, under inlc
ment for felony, that large proportion had begun
their careers on the stage. As far the existing
law was concerned If IL absolute it the same
as the power Of the state with regard TO health and
education.
Judge A. J. Dittinhoefer said he present to
represent leading managers OF NewYork and brooklyn
lie claimed that they asked nothing unreasonable