The times., 1898-04-07
ENTHUSIASM IN THEATERS.
National Airs Provoke the Widest
Applause.

In the present crisis hardly any factor
has been more in evidence than the thea-
ter. and nothing has done more toward
shaping and molding public opinion. Had
anyone wished to gauge the present state
of the public pulse, he should have made
the round of the different l ocai play
houses last night, and observed the way
In which the orchestras rendering of the
national airs was taken, after the lack
of action in Congress during the day.
Everywhere the most enthusiastic wei
come was given TO the different songs
that stand for the liberty of this country
and the sovereignty of "Old Glory. In
some places. particularly in the popular
priced theaters, the widest scenes were
enacted. In no single place did anything
occur to mar the patriotic fervor or leave
any doubt as to the present state of pub
lie opinion.
THE Star Spangled Banner" and
Dixie" have been closely linked in most
Of the medleys played, and one has not
evoked more applause than the other.
Sectionalism seems to have died out with
the present issue, and the idea of one
flag and one country is stronger than
ever before since the Civil War. An ar
rangement of the twon songs, typical of
the union of both parts of the country,
was played in most of the theaters and
heartily greeted by audiences united in Il
single cause.
At the Lafayette Square Opera House
the two were played as the audience was
leaving the theater Victor Johnson $
orchestra gave them all the fire that
more than doubles their value, and the
moment they were recognized the crowd
stopped and remained until they We're fin
ished. Many gentlemen who had put on
their hats removed them and remained
uncovered until the last strains had died
out William Schroeder's musicians pro-
duced the same effect at the New
National Theater The airs were ap-
plauded from down stairs and cheered
vociferously by the galleries. Chris Arth
gave The Star Spangled Banner a
special place on his program, at the
Academy of Music, where the selections
We're heartily greeted and cheered TO the
echo, and the orchestra at the Grand
Opera House provoked the same result
that was noticed elsewhere.
The Columbia Theater resounded to the
martial strains of the national anthem all
during the week, but at no time was the
effect that of last night. So loudly were
they applauded that the rise of the cur
tain was delayed until the orchestra re-
peated them.
number of hits on Spanish treachery
and the present conditions fguratively
brought down the house at Herman $.
Three songs relating to the blowing up of
the Maine were sung, and after each the
cheers We're deafening. At the Biiou,
Gerte Gibson, after rendering a parody
on "A Hot Time in Old Town. in which
the Maine incident was mentioned was
handed Spanish flag. which she held
up until the sounds of the music were
drowned in Kisses. Then she dropped il
to the floor and, stepping upon it, wiped
her feet in its yellow folds She then re-
cited Lee Fairchild's lines from The
Times. couple of men dressed as sail
ors appeared, each with an American
flag, and the noise was redoubled. For
tully three minutes nothing could be
heard for the cheers and applause
Everywhere the theaters showed their
part in the present feeling, and every
where that feeling manifested itself The
scenes were OF the most inspiring nature
and proved how strongly the opinion
against Spain runs.