Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-02-09
Manager Palmer on the American Drama.

teemed the ablest of the men identified
with the drama and is also man of great
cultivation and most artistic sense, in
speaking of the future of the drama in this
country, said
presume that the Americans will create
a drama as artistic, as perfect and of as
great an influence as that which has char
acterized the national drama of France
The indications all point that way Hith-
erto we have had almost no distinctively
American drama We have had artists,
some of whom are quite as impressive and
talented as some of those who have made
the fame of the French stage / do not
need to mention them; every one knows
who they are.
We have learned already how to mount
play, how to give it all those accessories
which combine to furnish the perfect rep
resentation, and yet, after all, we have
been compelled to depend, if not entirely
upon the greater dramatists of Europe, at
least upon the methods and the sugges-
tions indicated by the work of those who
are esteemed the greater dramatists.
Until recently | may say that we have
had no distinctively American play. Some
of the American dramatists have written
plays which have been great successes and
are models of dramatic workmanship, and
yet, after all, these plays have been written
and constructed in imitation of the best
European examples. BY an American play
| mean, of course, play perfectly con-
structed, whose dialogue while natural is
yet suitable for the stage, but whose mo-
tive is essentially American. An American
play should depict American life; it should
breathe the atmosphere of the United
States, or at least that section of the United
States which it paints.
Human nature is undoubtedly the same
In all countries and in all ages, but the
manifestations or developments of it have
the flavor of locality, and it is the art of
the playwright while setting forth human
nature to set 1t forth so that while its truth
is recognized its environment is also sug
gested faithfully That is what the com
ing American playwright must do and,
believe, will do. American life furnishes
every material for the perfect drama, the
exquisite pure comedy or the more anus
ing and yet not necessarily less faithful
low comedy Recently we have had one
or two plays of this kind. The tendency of
today unquestionably is for amusement,
and that broad amusement which evokes
hearty laughter
1t is quite likely that in the next century
the demand may be for higher ideals than
this, and when the demand comes have
no doubt that the American playwright
will be found who will meet it. In the
Twentieth century the American drama
ought to rank with those of the golden
days of the drama of the Old World.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox Forecasts the Future.
In 1893 the government will have grown
more simple, as true greatness tends always
toward simplicity. Railroads and tele-
graphs will belong to the state thus lessen
ing the dangerous power of large monopo.
lies and vast corporations. Otherwise IN
less than century our boasted American
freedom would cease to exist, since it is al
ready menaced.
In temperance the world ere then will
have realized the folly of trying to legislate
upon appetites 1t will realize the neces-
sity of educating them, and that to educate
them we must begin with parents. People
who refuse to be taught on this and kin
dred subjects must be prevented from be
coming parents. In this way only can
drunkenness be lessened.
The same humane law will by that time
extend to criminals-they will be prevented
from propagating their kind. This will
take the place of capital punishment, and
after few generations will do away with
crime, because no criminals will be born.
The whole vast west will be irrigated and
fertilized, furnishing food for all our popu.
lation. Architecture will have reached a
much higher state, but will not In 800 years
attain to the perfection found in countries
thousands OF years old probably. Airships
will facilitate travel, and the pneumatic
tube will be the means of transporting
goods.
America will produce the greatest au-
thors who shall be living in 1898. In music
al achievement it will still be behind older
countries
The occult sixth sense will be the pre-
dominant elements in medicine and theolo-
gy. Mesmerism will take the place of an
aesthetics in surgery; theosophy-the reli-
gion of high thinking and selfless living
will take the place of creeds and dogmas;
clairvoyancy or spiritual insight will be al
most universal. Woman will be financially
independent of man, and this will material
| ly lessen crime. No longer obliged to rifle her
husbands pockets for money, she will not
give birth to kleptomaniacs or thieves Men
will learn the importance of proper pre-
natal conditions, and children will be reared
with the same care now given to colts
calves and dogs.
The government will establish colleges
for the training of servants, and architects
will consider the comfort and health of do
mestics in constructing homes, instead Of
ignoring them, rs at present Better in
structed, better paid, better cared for ant
more plentiful, the servant of the mex
century will be more useful, better con
tent and more respectful and respected
If our men keep pace with our women il
athletic development and in clean morals
the race will be larger and handsomer
Otherwise we shall produce splendid anna
IONS and pygmy men.
Chicago will be our greatest city becaus
she knows she is not and desires to b
and has the energy and zeal to become SO
Each of our other large cities thinks she
already the greatest and will make no pro
nounced effort to be greater. All permanen
greatness means eternal endeavor.
If any man now living solves the grea
| question of the true relation of capital rnt
labor, to him will 1902 accord the honor o
the greatest man. Next to him stand
Edison.
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.