The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-31
THE THEATRICAL WAR
RUMoRs OF A NEW COMBINATION TO
OPPOSE THE SYNDICATE.
Mrs. FisIxe's Tour In "Tess" Outside
OF the Big Trust May Lead to
Its Final Disruption.

NEW YORK. Oct 30-The theatrical
syndicate, which controls leading theaters
in the cities and towns throughout the
United States and which is headed by Mr.
All Haynian, is not on the very best of
terms Just now with Mr.. Harrison Grey
Fiske proprietor of the Dramatic Mirror"
Mr. Fiske is also the husband and practical
manager of Minnie Madden Fiske. who is
touring in Hardys Tess of the D'Urber-
villes''-but not in the syndicate's theaters.
Mr.. Fiske has been opposing the syndicate
in the columns of the Mirror, and has been
publishing articles from other newspapers
that share more or less his views regarding
the syndicate. Mr.. Fiske opposes the the
atrical syndicate on very much the same
ground that people oppose trusts in other
branches of business.
Things have now reached about their most
heated limit, and the Mirror declares that
within a fortnight there will be an opposi-
ton syndicate, including many prominent
theatrical managers, whose names Mr..
Fiske has not yet been authorized to an
nounce. Test is added to the contest
through the fact that Mr.. Hayman and Mr..
Fiske have adjoining offices, the former be-
ing in the Empire Theater building, and the
latter in the Mirror building, at Fortieth
street and Broadway. Furthermore, direct
ly across the street are the offices of Klaw
& Erlanger, managers of Jack and the
Beanstalk' and other attractions, and of
several theaters in various cities Mr.
Fiske and Messrs Klaw and Erlanger do
not saw 1T is a beautiful morning" or Il
think we will have rain, to each other as
they tread the paves of the Rialto, but eacn
is fairly alert as to what is going on IN the
others camp. Mrs. Fiske is not helping the
I'm some quarters there may be a slight
misunderstanding of my position with rel
erence to the theatrical syndicate or trust,
as it is VariouSly called, said Mrs. F1Ske
the other day, land / wish to correct any
such misconception, especially in view or
the antagonistic discussion of the syndicate
that is now appearing in the newspapers III
various cities. There was no consideration
whatever of a business nature in the inn
pulse that led me at once on the announce
ment of the formation of the syndicate to
express myself in opposition to it. My an
tipathy to the syndicate was and is solely
based on artistic considerations. l do not
think that any artist with self-respect and
regard for the art of the theater should IN
any way encourage the influence that the
syndicate represents in theatrical matters,
because all considerations or art are cast
aside in the operations of such combi-
nation.
be excellent admirable and amiable men,
as men go, but they have no place In any
branch of theatrical business, because they
have no regard for the art side of ME stage
and bend every energy exclusively to money
making There is no country under the sun
outside of the United States that would for
a moment tolerate the adventuring, to say
nothing of the debating, of such persons in
theatrical matters, because in all other
countries = not excepting England = public
sentiment and artistic principle demand a
primary regard for the artistic in the thea
ter. For one, / can see no reason why the
artists and the people of this country should
have less concern for the arts of the theater
ffsr4- In
other countries. 1t has also been said that
the syndicate was unwilling to arrange the
tour for Tess of the D'Jrbervilles.' On
the contrary the syndicate was most anx-
ious to arrange the tour. The directors of
the syndicate unauthorized by me or my
manager, arranged for me a route covering
the season. This route rejected