Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-05-03

of today is found IN the reign of Herod-
las. The introduction Of women ON the
stage in large numbers and for the sole
purpose of disgraceful exhibition of their
bodies has been carried to a point that
must soon demand the active interfer-
ence of the moral forces of our civiliza-
ton. The dances made popular within
recent years are disgraceful beyond the
power of description. They are simply
masterpieces of sensuality set to music
and action. The dance today has the
field in the theater. 1t is introduced
in season and out of season. All sorts
of dances, in every position in which the
human body can be placed, every con-
tortion of limb, every attitude. every
movement that can by any possibility of
means suggest the sensual, is resorted to
without hesitation.
The serpentine dance, invented by o
woman who has become famous for her
liaison with the disgusting libertine who
is now in Sing Sing serving sentence,
has set the fashion of the dance of today.
She is even giving lessons to the roues Of
Paris in this art. The popular successes
of today pander to tine lowest in human
nature. Three-quarters of the theaters
in our great city of New York at this
time depend almost entirely for their sue
cess upon the exhibition of seminude
women.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE.
Nor is this evil absent from the high
est class of our entertainments. The
Metropolitan Opera House last year was
the scene of a magnificent production of
grand opera The singing was superb.
1t was worth any price man was able
to pay for seat. But every magnificent
performance must be married by the in
PRODUCTION Of the chorus, in which the
ancient ballet choir, exhibiting women
of all sorts, of all sizes, Of all ages, from
grandmothers down to maidens Of Is and
16, in acondition Of indecent nudity, was
invariably introduced. A writer in New
York evening paper a few days ago
said at a low estimate there Will be
nearly 1000 women IN tights at the vari-
GUS Chicago theaters this summer. Henry
E. Abbey's spectacle at the Auditorium
will employ 700; Steele Mackaye's show,
700; Henderson's extravaganza, 100;
BLACK Crook 100; M. B. Leavitt's
Spider and Fly" 90; Lillian Russells
company, 50; Seabrooke's company, so,
to say nothing Of those in farce comedies
and in dozens of music halls.
There is no ground on which any man
can discuss this kind of a theater. 1t is
of the devil. 1t was born in hell. 1t is
disgrace to any civilization. There is
not one single, solitary reason for its ex-
istence, save that men are willing to ruin
their fellow men for money. In one of
these theaters in the city Of Cleveland,
ON Euclid avenue, Isaw an audience gath
cred in which there was not woman
present, except two or three servant girls
who had strayed in apparently, and of
the audience one-third were boys between
til, ages of and 10. The performance
appealed to the vilest instincts Of the
brute from the opening to the close.
Does any man believe that this can con-
time without its harvest?
A man who has studied the subject
declares that there are thousands of
boys in the city of Brooklyn every night
witnessing these performances There
are thousands more in New York and In
every city in America. Thefts and
crimes in the street urchins are the nat
ural results of this sort OF life. and the
early debauchery of manhood, physical
and moral, a foregone conclusion.
HAyDN's CREATION.
The theater believe to be capable of
high things. Dramatic performances are
not in themselves harmful Men of
transcendent genius have spoken TO the
world through them, but they have not
used the methods in vogue today. In
Haydn's Creation" there is unique
arrangement which gives tremendous
force to the words, LET there be
light" The gradual fading of previous
sounds prepares the ear for thrilling
surprise. Instantly there IS the crash o.
all the instruments, producing the effect
of thousand torches suddenly flashed
from darkness and illuminating space
This oratorio was given in Vienna.
when Haydn, in his 10Th year and very
feeble, was taken to hear it. When the
orchestra came to this passage, the whole
audience rose, and turning to the old
man applauded with enthusiasm. Haydn,
pointing upward, falteringly exclaimed,
"It came from there and overwhelmed
he fell back and was carried out. be-
lieve the world has received true inspi-
ration and highest impulses from those
who have spoken TO us through the me-
dunn of the theater. So much the more
horrible is the present utter prostitution
Of all its transcendent possibilities.
"I suffered 8 years