Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1896-11-03
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
The Power Of Public Opinion Versus Cor
porations- Passing Of Come
dian Harrigan.
Especial Correspondence

people are apt 10 ueCIdTe tltt IL uOts
not amount TO anything unless the cor
poration at which il is directed is will
ing to allow itself to be influenced.
That this is not the case there are daily
illustrations in almost every community
of Importance in the country. A case in
point is of very recent occurrence in
this city. The Broadway cable line for
long time after it had been put in
operation was a source of constant irri-
tation to the thousands who were COM
PEELED TO patronize it daily This was
due to the fact that the gripmen could
never be induced to stop for male
passenger unless he appeared to be very
old OF feeble.
Took His Number.
The average mortal of the male sex is
a good deal Of buffer. He will do
an awful lot of kicking while he is
angry, but seldom follows up cause Of
complaint to point where his protest
might serve to produce some beneficial
effect. And thus it is with New Workers
to a marked degree. The cable cars
would not stop for them; SO they did a
little sprinting, jumped on the rear
platform, did a little kicking TO the
conductor. got vague answers, and in
many cases downright impertinence.
vowed vengeance, made memorandum
Of the conductors number for the pur-
pose OF reporting him TO the company
and then-forgot all about the whole
thing.
Naturally no relief came as a result
of that course, and finally the patrons
of the road in little groups determined
to make a complaint in writing when
ever one was deserved, and, further,
never TO attempt to board one Of the
cars until after il had come TO a full
stop. Then q number of them began to
write to the newspapers, which took the
matter up. and now it is possible for a
man who is not a trained athlete TO get
on or of Broadway cable car without
serious risk of decaptation.
The company had had the proper rules
for the guidance Of employees from the
very beginning, but simply did not
bother about enforcing them until pub
lie opinion compelled them to do so.
| The Passing Of Harrigan.
It has often been remarked that when
the public once tires of theatrical ia.
vorite nothing in the world can induce
il to take him into its heart again. The
case of Edward Harrigan furnishes an
apt and timely illustration. Many years
ago. when Harrigan and Hart were part
ners and had their coy little playhouse,
they were on the highroad TO fortune,
but fire or two and little or no insur-
ance gave them setback from which it
seemed impossible that they could ever
fully recover However, they went right
along and appeared to be making mon
ey. Then came the quarrel, which many
persons ayerred was caused by their
wives, and the separation in business
way of the two men who were the idols
of large section of the amusement low
ing public Of this city, Brooklyn and a
| considerable section of the country.
Then Tony Hart began to 60 down, and
his end in lunatic asylum is familiar
to all. Harrigan went to the Park thea
ter, wrote more plays, acted in them,
made money, built Harrigan's theater
and was generally regarded as one OF
the most fortunate men in the theatrical
profession. But his day was not 70 be
long one. Somehow or other the public
tired Of him. Whether it was due to
the fact, frequently alleged, that his
work as playwright had fallen of or
to a change in public taste is not mate
rial. The result, SO far as Harrigan was
concerned, was the same.
No Longer a Great Attraction.
Where he had been regarded as an at
traction which was certain to play to