New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-24
NOTES FROM LONDON.
MIR. T. P. OCONNOR AS yOURNALISr-rHU
LONDON STAGE-MR BUCHANAN ON
Mr.. BESANT.

LONDON STAGE-MR. BUCHANAN ON
MR. BESANT.
London, July Is.
When journalist attains such position II
this country that the Home Secretary is rcadr
to preside at a dinner in his honor, his emineuos
must be very considerable indeed The fact 4
the more remarkable when the journalist in quee-
ton is not English, or would have been mon
remarkable q few years ago. Now, no honor Il
too high to be paid by the good Gladstonian to
the Irish, whom his political fortunes depend.
Mr. Asquith not able, in fact TO preside oyee
the banquet to Mr. T. p OConnor, but the IN.
tantion is sufficient, and the American journalia
at home with his ideas Of equality political ana
social, may not readily or fully appreciate tie
significance of the compliment. You must per.
haps live abroad in order TO understand what
very great parsonage il one of Her Majesty's
Principal Secretaries of State, and what gulf
there is between him ard the mere journalist Il
il the British journalist himself who seems most
amply aware of the depth and breadth Of this
Gulf: as indeed he should De, for he it is who
creates it. The Secretary Of State has other oc-
equations.
Mr.. L. p. O'Connor has, in truth. made for him
self conspicuous position. His journalistic
energy is OF the most extraordinary kind.
founded, or how many he now edits, or to how
many more he contributes; remaining all the
while a diligcnt VI. T. and one of the most active
workers in the field of practical politics. The
fact that he is keen pant did not prevent
some Of his political opponents from attending
this dinner, among them Mr. Gust, who is not
only Cnionist NJ p, but editor Of Unionist
paper. That also gives one agreeable i'm
preston that both politicians and editors are
human, and that the angry controversies in which
they engage do not destroy their best and indliess
feelings
Mr. Justin Mel arthy, himself the uil1est man.
nered lrshman known to the public life of this
country, testified to Mr.. OCOnnor's unquestioned
vigor and variety in journalism. lie gave tho
people something they could read,' said Mr..
Mccarthy That is another way of saying that
"Tay Pay" writes and edits his papers for tho
masses will admit | do not always like his
journalistic methods but that is neither here nor
there. They are good for their own purpose, and
for his. Ill. is, at any rate, a Journalistic born
Journalist, in Mr.. McCarthys phrase, many
of his countrymcn are carrying their gifts and
fuency all over the world lie is vivid and
sympathetic: with rhetorical cXuberancc and
love for color which are certainly not peculiar 70
him, but none the less characteristic OF him than
if he mad monopoly OF these valuable qualities
1t is his leaders belief-peraps you have
forgotten that Mr.. Mccarthy is still leader of tho
Irish Nationalist in Parliament. or of all but
nine Of them-that the icdouhtable I. p. has
never tispariged any man because Of his political
opinions doubt whether I. L. would care 10
accept thar compliment, or would consi'cr it a
compl ument. lie hits hard and straight. should
say that Mr.. Chamberlain. for example, was black
oil y.
Il whit the Irish invcctve often seems
TO the non-Irish mind "a little wanting in reserve,
and sometimes il i, savage enough: yet inigins
that he who uscs il most freely would be most
SURPRISED If IT were taken seriously H. is al any
rate, consistent with seniity in private life. aud
with the many other good qualities which have
won for Mr.. I. =. OConnor tn ho't Of fIienis
who offer him their congratulations on his well.
earned success
Once more il has to be said that season OF
French Comedy in London ends IN financial dis
aster. Ii WAS directed by three of the shrewdest
of theatrical managers and spc,ulators-Sir An.
gustus Harris. Mr. Henry T. Abbey and Mr..
Maurice Grau. Themselves excepted, nobody be-
leved in the probability of success All the con-
ditons of failure We're present. The French Com.
edy Company is reduced far below its usual dra-
matte strength The house, and especially the
stage, of Drury Lane Theatre are far too large
for comedy The opera and not comedy, French
or English, is the form Of evening entertainments
which society is known to prefer. The prices
of admission were too hight is a kind OF mania
among the managers of French plays in Lon.
don TO double the prices and empty the house.
The price paid the company, $500 night,
was also too high mo theatre could AFFORD it,
And 81 the pecuniary loss is, as the most re-
served Of critics says monrnfuly serious. Neither
the attractive personality Of Mile. Jane Iiadng,
nor the attractive personality OF Mile Bartet,
with her delicate and admirable art, has suf-
feed TO fill the theatre nor both together. The
performances Of the company, as whole, are
the most perfect examples of dramatic art any,
where to he seen, but the English playgolng
public seems still to prefer its native and moro
insular methods.
Nor does Mr.. Daily seem as yet to have found
the secret of entclng this same English pubic
in masses to his new theatre. lie has been re-
duced to Sheridan Knowles and The lunch
back, and the English public responds that the
day of Sheridan Knowles is over. Not even Miss
Ada Rehan can now reconcile this public To fhe
once famous dramatist. lie is not of this time.
An eccentric comedy" presumably fine name
for three-act farce, is promised for next week.
If YOU consider the amazing success OF stch
piece as "Charleys Aunt" which is in ITSELF
dun and vulgar and most vulgarly acted, you
cannot we'll deny that farce in its coarseet form
ia popular in London. But Mr.. DAILY seems 70
build no great hopes even on farce, for he an
nounces that his theatre, which is but just open.
will close at the end of three weeks. Inc end
of the season is at hand. Most theatres close
or change hands, or change the nature OF fheir
performances. In August it is necessary 70 aP
peal to a different audience Tho world OF Lon
don revolves; the people who have given mo
law to the town in all lighter matters depart
The traveller the tourist, the provincial, arrive
and theirs are the tastes which have now to b
considered.
L. il curious TO find Mr.. Tree closing or per-