The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-19
II MEMS WIVES.
bronson HOWARD Discusses English
and American Dom este Morals.

bFOnSOn howard DIscuSses GhsiiSh
and American Dom este Morals.
Detroit Free Press.
Bronson Toward. the distinguished dram
atist, now in Europe, writes TO a friend In
Detroit:
Mrs. Howard and 1 are now down at a
celebrated watering place on the south coast
of England, Will haZy intentions. Whether
we shall continue along the coast-Honder-
July mild lin, In w int tbe 81 GNer TO sC an I eni
yet guess. My bicycle is also with me, and
I have got a few hundred miles out of 1t
since coming over.
81 did not see much In London in e. dra-
matte way. Mrs. Tanqueray' is greatly act
ed at the St. James Theater, and a great
play. very great, it seems to me: and over
here. where rich. men and noblemen are
constantly marrying women like Paula, 1t
seems a worthy reflection, in the dramatic
mirror, of actual life. In America the social
there seems to be no use for the play, ex-
cept. or course. as a great work or art. l
notice that Mrs. Kendall makes the usual
English mistake in discussing this subject.
She imagineS that America, being a new
country. is simply following in the foot
steps of England, and must go through all
ences of our origin and the new nineteenth
century circumstances under which we are
developing. The truth is that so far as this
half world business of Europe Is concerned
there is no evidence that we are drifting In
that direction. The sensitive feelings of our
men where their wives are concerned-their
almost fierce insistence on absolute respect
from each other in these relationS-prevents
all the mixing up of questionable women
In society that goes on here. / have not seen
the slightest tendency to a change for the
worse in this regard among Americans,
even with the extension of vice among rich
men and their sons. In no respect do we
more radically differ from Europe, and this
difference is as strongly marked to-day as
ever.
Charles Wyndham's play, The Bauble
Shop by Henry Arthur Jones. is a curious
illustration of the difference between Eng
land and America In this matter of vice in
the very opposite direction. 1t shows the
prime minister of England actually baited
by his political enemies and driven from
home on account of his secret personal i'm
mOrality-or rather supposed immortality.
Imagine the politics of our two great par
ties turning on such a question. In this
play a member of Parliament actually rises
in the House and charges the prime minis
ter with visiting a young girl, on the evil
dence Of detectives placed on his track. A
man who should attempt such a thing at
Washington would need a suit of armor to
protect himself from the jeers of his own
party: and he would need heavy plating to
get up the aisle of the House of Repre-
sentatives. Yet this phase of public moral
ity' In politics Is not regarded as I'M
natural here; and the play IS admirably
written and most interesting. / only hope
our American public will understand that
this is a real living possibility in English
politics. If so, they will enjoy the play
and be interested in it. The first two acts
Of 1t are of great dramatic interest any,
where in the world"