Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-09-17
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
One does not need to consult a dream
I book to account for the fervid activity of
| L. muel Eli Quigg in promoting the car'-
didacy of Theodore Roosevelt for gov
elnor. 1t is not that he cares rap for
Roosevelt, in characterizing whom,
when president of the police board,
QuiSg strained his vocabulary for dice
tives. His present ardor has not refer
ence to the strength or weakness of
Roosevelt as the candidate of his party
for governor. His movements are di-
rected with an eye single to his renomi'
ma ton for congressman, and he knows
that if Colonel Roosevelt Is not nomi-
mated for governor he Will inevitably
be the candidate of the Re Republicans of
the Fourteenth district for congress-
man. Against his candidacy QutSg
knows he could not stand up for an hour.
Hence his anxiety to get the RoGs h
Rider out of the way. But even II ,le
| colonel is pre- NOTED out of the way OF
Ouisg's ambition. we doubt if the or
ganized republicans of the Fourteenth
district can commit blunder so c,ilni-
| nal as to sacrifice Il district which mGht
be saved to the Republicans by thrust
| ing Quigs again before his constituents,
| lie would be simply slaughtered al the
| polls. By his insulfcrahle cSotism, ms
| bumptiuus arrogance and his lrSaliabiS
craving for Office and the fruits of office
he has antagoniZrd ard disSusted even
the members of the county organlZa-
! ton, over which he persists in presid-
ing at the same time that he is schem-
ing for renomnati tion to congress. III
ever it was incumbent upon the Repup-
lican party to put candidates for con-
gress who have personal integrity per-
sonal popularity ard the intelligence
and capacity to deal with broad rues-
tons of natioral policy. this is the time
Before the next congress Will come up
for discussion and action the most trt-
mendous questions which have con"
fronted the natiun since the close OF the
! war between the states. Mnnikins ana
puppets may hold down congressional
seats during oi dinavy times, ard if they
hold their peace. no scandal to the ma
ton ensues, but the congress which is 10
stand behind William Mckinley during
the next two years should be maze up
of the ablest, strongest. most patrioIc
| and unselfish men that can possibly DE
chosen by conventions of the people.
! Moreover, the next congress must he
Republican. A Republican admins
tration, supported grandly, let II be salu'
by all parties has won the most glowing,
rapid and significant victory in the MIS-
tory Of warfare. Upon the Repubilcan
| marty. therefore, devolves the RESPONSE
bility of making peace and of securing
| the benefits of victory. We are all
| aware of the custom of the people to
| select an opposition house during the
last half Of any presidents term. To d3
| that in 1898 would be IN effect vote OF
| lack of confidence in the adn,inistra-
ton. The present Republican maj' ritY
| i'm cor gress must, a. least, Ge mann
| tanned. 1t must be apparent already
that the present preponderance OF Re-
| publican representation in the Ne"
| York delegation cannot be retained IN
| the next congress. There ara several
| districts up the state row Representing
| by Republicans which must be classed
as doubtful. A strong and popular tick
ct for governor and other state ottic ers
will save some. but not all oc them. In
Greater New York. chi NV through the
Dullv vntautu ann '''iS ~
| Ouigg himself, under his masters di-
rection, in turnrs the city over 10 Tam
! many in order to defeat Republican
| nominated by the people, we must GER
| tainly lose several seats now occupied
| by Republicans. The Fourteenth could
| be saved with a candidate possessing
| popular confidence. A halfdOzen men
| in the Fourteenth could be named In as
| many seconds any one of whom would
unite all Republicans in his enthusiastic
| support and be easily elected. But Quigs
isn't the name OF any one of them.
Your correspondent, with party, has
Just returned from visit to the Italian
| theater, which is south of Grand street
| and which Is as rude and bare as even an
| EliZabethan playhouse on the Bankside
and not nUticeably more clean. The
| scenery and other stage apurtenancas.
| 'hough of the modern kind. We're of lit tie
| more aid to the imagination than the
signs of "Venice," a Council Chamber" OF
Cyprus, Before the Castle which in
Shakespere's day no doubt served in
lieu of canvas walls. When the exits
were raised from the stage the actors ill.,
|
one act Desdemona and Emilia could be
plainly seen through an aperature in tho
castle wall, where they were quietly
awaiting their cues. 1t is far cry GER
tainly from the Bankside or the Bowery
to the appurtenances of Sir Henry 1rv-
| ing. or even of Mr.. Augustin DAILY. The
| version of "OthellO" used was in prose
| and as far as l could make out, it was
| stripped of most of the characteristicali!
| Shaksperian passages. 1t was. perhaps
more like the italian novel by Cinthio
from which Shakesperes plot came than
like the play as we know it, just as this
German Hamlet" of the early eigh-
| teenth century was, in way. revision
to Beleforest. The actors spoke mainl!
in vulgar Italian. The most Eliabethar
trait of all was the prompter's hood IL
the middle of the stage, just beyond tht
| orchestra, from which the prOmpter':
voice, in eager and raucous whispers
never ceased to gallOp half head in ad.
| vance of the actors. never REALIZED be-
fore how right BenvollO was in crying
down the "without-book prologue. faint
ly spoke after the prompter." Iago was
the embodiment of shrewdness, but hi:
most subtle strategem was required t,
catch the cues for his gestures hot from
what the prompter was saying, SO as tt
have the gestures ready by the time he
| got to the words. Among al 1.-The charac-
ters. only Othello showed any measure
bic freedom from the prompter. should
mention, though. that in the last act EN-
lila. in her passion at the Moor, took thc
bit between her teeth. and pulling free
from the lines. went at him with billins
gate of her own invention. The attitude
of the audience toward all this was nota
bic Our little party from uptown were
su prsed to find them as =. 'ch amused
by most of the incongruties as we. YET
their laughter was quiet and charitable
and in no wise interfered with their en-
! joynent Of what was enjoyable. They