The herald., 1897-09-12

FTeOeTlCk WdTue, WHo 10 oho VI SA's
best platform speakers in the dramatic
profession and can hold an audience for
a couple of hours at stretch without
losing his hold on it's attention, also in
dulges occasionally in newspaper and
magazine contributions on subjects con-
nected with the stage. From recent
article contributed to a Montana jour-
nal the following condensation is made
of his opinions upon the" appreciation
shown Of the drama by western audi
ences. The recognition of their intelli-
gent discrimination will be no news to
those who know how much Mr.. Warde
himself owes to that appreciation of a
good thing, but it is pleasant to read the
kind words in which he clothes his
thought. He says:
"How do they appreciate the drama
In the west, is a question I am fire.
uuently asked on my return east from my
annual tour. Most thoroughly I reply,
and were 1 to be further interrogated
as to the forms Of the drama most popu-
lar in that section, should unhesitat-
ingly say the highest and best.
"The various and. nondescript forms
of entertainment that have sprung into
existence in the last two decades, to the
detriment of dramatic art and the deg
relation of the stage, find little encour-
agement in the great and glorious wes,.
Farce comedy, pcintless and inane;
meaningless melodrama, senselss sensa-
ton, and mere anatomical exhibitions
to music, are not appreciated; nor do
they take kindly to the so-called prob
lem plays-three to five acts of mawk-
ish sentimentality and thinly yelled in
decency-leaving the problem as far from
solution as ever. Wholesome comedy
good minstrelsy, and high class vaude-
VILE arc freely patronized, but have
found the style Of dramatic entertain
ment most literally encouraged to be the
classic and legitimate. I do not mean
Shakespeare, Knowles and Lytton ex-
clusively, but the sterling drama, sound
and substantial, that holds as 'twere the
mirror up to nature and shows virtue
her own feature, scorn her own image
The reason for this is evidenced by the
life and conditions Of the people. The
majority are from the middle states
the east aud Europe, who have migrated
to the great west to better their fortunes
and to find wider field for their energy
and enterprise. They have found there
tolerance and liberality heretofore un-
known to them; mutual sympathy anu
helpfulness that have brought forth the
better qualities Of their nature and de-
valoned courage and. self-reliance, es-
sential to their existence in their new
surroundings. They have warm heart
,or friend. a cordial greeting for
comrade. and a welcome for the stran-
per Is it not but natural, then, under
such circumstances, that they snouid
seek for recreation that form OF enter
tainment that holds up to emulation the
heroic qualities of manhood and hnd
Measure in the presentation OF plays
that illustrate the highest impulses anu
nobler passions of the human heart and
mind?
"Many of the great actors Of the world
have at various times visited the west,
and invariably met with cordial anc
sympathetic reception. 1t. is a, matter
of record that Mr.. Edwin Booth played
the greatest engagement of his life in
San Francisco. Sir Henry 1rving's tour
of the wes. few years ago was rev.
elation to that distinguished English
man of the resources and liberality Of the
neonle. while the old western stock COM
panies have developed and given us SOM
Of the most popular and accomplished
actors we have.
1.-THE first theaters in this new country
were, perforce, primitive in the extreme.
and many amusing stories might be re-
lated of the early attempts at dramatic
performances; but now there is scarcely
a city or town of any size or Importance
that cannot boast Of handsome thea
ter or opera house. while many of them
are 80 costly and elaborate as to chal-
lenge favorable comparison with our
large eastern houses in artistic decora-
tion, perfection Of equipment and gen.
eral accommodation.
"It must not for one moment be thought
that the people of the west are ignorant
and unread. Numbers of the leaders, as
we'll as the rank and file of western men.
hail from the universities of the east
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia,
etc.-and worthily uphold the honor of
their Alma Mater; others can look back
to their old varsity days on the classic
banks of the Isis and the Cam, while
many a brave boy still keeps a taste
of the brogue on his tongue and a lows
for old T. c. D. in his heart Uni
versities and colleges with liberal pub
lie and private endowments are to be
found in every state, and public, high
and normal schools afford thorough and
complete, as we'll as gratuitous educa-
ton for the young, on a system as per-
feet as any in the world. Hence. the
standard of education and intelligence
is high. and in my opinion fully equal
to that of the east.