The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-09-22
THE UNITED ACTORS.
First Protective Association
Formed by Players.
PUsILIsTIc ACTORS SHUT OUT

my Az ho1oe9 tS8otnoS - OhooO0f0Go
sssh Aeesssisns - tie Stage - Ger.
bstt. 0Ullivss SD Miss Psllasa -
Geopsrs Issues Them . Charter.
New YoRk. September Is. - Samuel
Gompers. President Of the American
Federation Of Labor, and Christopher
Evans. the Secretary, this morning per-
formed the somewhat elaborate csrs.
mony Of bestowins . charter upon the
Acton Protective Union No. /" Of the
city Of New York. The affair, which
took place At No. Union Square, Wa
strictly private; but, judging from the
applause which came in noisy bursts
from behind the closed doom, the
speeches made by President Gomperu
and the members Of the Central Labor
Union to the towns vaudeville artists,
who crowded the hall, hit the profes-
sional entertainers just about right.
The speech Of Henry White Of the Gar.
ment Workers' Union, in which be de-
scribed the misery of East-eide tailore,
seying that without an organization the
acton Of America might In future per.
baps be brought down to the same star
vation wages, was received with great
enthusiasm. Az soon - the charter had
been conferred and the Actors Protec.
tive Union No. had become IN integral
part Of the Central Labor Union, The
election Of officers took place. The
Presidency Of the union was given te
John H. W. Byrne, who, besides being
. musical comedian, 10 the suthoe ol
several pleasing ballads. That he il {
strict disciplinarian il proved by the fact
that his first Official act to-day was r.
Issue an order forbidding members Of
the union hanging around the door and
Railways leading TO the room Of thu
union. According to Matt Harrington
there are now nearly 500 members en-.
rolled in the union, ranging from 80 Il
$50 . week artists. He said:
what this union proposes is to ele
vate the profession and stop accessionl
TO the stage Of pri1efghters, freaks ant
monstrosities generally. We shall no
attempt any violent methods. Member
Of our union will not be forbidden L
play with non-union actors, but We be
lieve we can gradually bring about .
weeding-out Of people who have no claim
to be regarded a. legitimate members o
the profession. No person will be eli
gible TO membership who has not beei
on the stage for five years, and who i
not vouched for by Eve brother actors
Our union proposes to be benevolent /,
ite purposes. 1t lie not formed for tn
purpose Of strikes and to fight the inter
ests Of the managers. but it lie designe'
TO be protective. As matters stand .
present any irresponsible person can as
eemble . company and leave the mem
bep stranded in some distant city, +
reach home as best they can or starve 4
death. By afiliation with other unioni
through the country pressure can b
brought TO bear against these swindlers
Of sctors that viii drive them out o
business. We don't propose to maks
any fight against Corbett'e or Sullivan'i
company, but men Of that character MAY
in the course Of . few years find il harder
70 find support than they have hereto
fore. have no hesitancy, however, il
saying that We are very likely to tax,
immediate steps toward preventing thu
success Of Madeline Pollard. II is infa
nous that she should 70 on the stage
and We propose to zee what can Be don,
about it. There ere at least three thea
ters in this city-I will not name them
where by the strength Of organise
unions she could to-day be preventet
from appearing. You must remembe
that our union win have the support and
cooperation. when necessary, Of tn,
stage hands, the calcium-light operators
and the musiciane' unions, all Of which
have been in existence for long time.