St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-07
Sullivan's Antics on the Stage
Held up to Ridi-
cule.
Prize Fighting Roasted by the
Reverend Gentleman to
K a Turn.
Great Need for the Eleva-
ton of the Public
Taste.


gentleman said: Every event that
touches the public at all is like stone
cast into the lake. In proportion to its
size it ripples the water and sends the
agitations to longer or shorter dis
lance. The appearance OF theatrical
star in this city. whose name was in
everybody's mouth Monday. not be-
cause of his ability, but because of his
brutality, the receptions and ovations
that greeted him in many places and
the fact that he is to draw in all cities i'm
mepse crowds and to have his influence
on the young, of class, at least, is one
of thoSe occurrences that lead US to feel
that all around are very practical If
not burning questions to be handled;
and here we are confronted with one.
There are many varieties of feeling eX-
pressed to me as pass the streets this
week. One man thinks this should be
suppressed by law, another thinks
fine should be imposed on the manage
ment of the opera house, another thinks
all who attended should be fined, and
most of US have feeling of uneasy dis
gust which we cannot express or give a
proper setting. I am satisfied we can
not suppress this kind OF play Or star.
To call in force would defeat the aim of
making the stage better and purging it
of such material. The moment we
make such an attempt we .inaugurate
persecution. God has SO made US
that we
Resist a Persecution.
The observer of the present day can
not avoid seeing the influence OF tn
feeling in an Institution formed in re-
cent times: The Patriotic Sons Of
America. 1t is made up of American
born men. They meet to rejoice that
they are Americans. They meet to per-
petuate those ideas they consider good.
One such institution they consider the
public school. And this has branded
them as anti-Catholic. By silence most
digniied, and an inSnuation worthy a
trained diplomat, the Roman hierarchy
has given the impression that this body
has made an aggressive attack, and such
feeling of prejudice and fear
has been developed so far that
in certain cities the lodges are
obliged to disband. Why? Because
there is feeling that it is a persecu-
ton; that new Torq has devel-
to meet with those men William Black
Scotchmen;" we love their songs, their
stories, their loyal memories; we SYM
pathize with their feeling. And those
of us who sat with the men from the
Cream Isle and heard Mr.. Ludwig sing
of 1.-THE days of old" certainly felt
pride inothe enthusiasm of many man
who was there that night. But, when a
thing seems.to be persecution, Ameri-
cans areagafnst 1T. There is feeling.
the moment you try to perSecute, OF
sympathy
With the Prosecuted;
and the most effective way of keeping
alive an interest in things that ought
not to be, is to try to use force i'll pre-
venting them before public opinion is
strong enough to condemn them because
of their character. The case does not
permit of choice. We cannot make con-
ditions. So long as men will insist on
all the details of prize fights, and so
long as the athlete, devoid of character
when in drink, is the hero of more
draught than the respectable, industri-
Gus and able actor, and so long as the
public will have it so, we must turn to
the question: lis there in the nature
of things any compensation? Does God
through humanity and by natural laws
speak word. although that word may
be smOthered for while? Of this let
us inquire.
| believe that natural feeling of dis
gust is developed, even i'll the minds of
men who admire physical proves, in
cases where brutality supercedes hui
mainly. We admit that men have an
admiration for physical prowess. Rome
placed the gladiator above the orator,
ft,0 oil toto
wrestler above the poet. From that
granger singled out the Cornell student,
whose ability in handling the oar had
attracted his attention, and, grasping
the strong arm, exclaimed, "There is
intellect for you." men have continued
to admire physical power. But even
here there is
Change of Sentiment.
The fight out in the woods, with ring
pitched under the trees, with the liquid
refreshments passed from hand to hand
in big black bottle, and general feel
ing of equality between gentlemen,
now. Now we must have club house.
We must go in carriages, wear kid
gloves, have electric lights, wine sup
per at the close apart from the unwashed
multitude. The JeffersOnian simplicity
has gone. But we want the brutality
just the same Still, we want to keep
up appearances. And here is the I'M
portant fact There is something wills
pering in the conscience of man, and,
while he stiles it, he hears it. Now,
when an athlete falls below the brute,
when he separates from all sense of
decency. and the man is held COM
pIetely in allegiance, and the beast
in all his beastlineSs has control,
when the rankest ignorance is
mingled with the rankest brutality,
what can You expect. even III the minds
of the men who admire athletic power,
but a feeling Of disgust? The reaction
of sentiment begins, and when the plain
truth is told, and when a few more
plays are put on that IioniZe the animal,
displays then truth will get hearing,
and justice will
Speak Her Word.
Furthermore. when an ideal falls from
the place we gave it, disappointment
will be succeeded by disgust. Admir-
erS of Tennyson have been repeatedly
made sorry they visited him be a SO OF
his morose. uncongenial, and egotistical
feelings. lley llfiS lit NC leu W Day VI
him as Carlyle said to celebrity OF his
day, Il wanted to see you because |
knew your friends, but having seen Won
once | never want 10 see you again"
Public men nearly always disappont
us. Webster was king on the rCStruHl
but a Sot and freebooter in private life
When Patti sings Home, Sweet Home"
she is angelic, but when she is seized wl,h
one of her fits of rage, when she has TO
be carried bodily to her waiting vehicle,
as Mr.. Mapleson states is often done,
and cries and threatens all the way
home, she is quite d different person.
The mountain looks blue and SYM
What 1--WE st. Paul Women Said
t,Ir.,,t hot 6, lnraItr hrnrun ~