The record-union., 1899-02-27
POWDER

miliar and suggestive attitudes, can re-
cover that degree of self control that
COMFORTS with chastity We live in
what Is termed a fast age" and many
very excellent people will cross the
State to see a theatrical star who would
not think of meeting her In a social
function. The drama. it cannot be de-
MED, is very largely in the hands of
the Philistines, and the question is
If there are Davids enough in the pro-
fess1on to overcome the giants. Evil
IDENTIFY there are not at present.
Surely the desire to witness legiti-
mate drama, and the more or less cur
rent desire to enact it, cannot be alto
gether reprehensible. That there should
be an uplift from present levels to
weed the stage of it's current errors and
positive vulgarity is certainly desirable
How, to accomplish it is hard to tell.
Many OF the faculties of our leading
universities have seriously considered
the placing of the dramatic chair in
their active class work I am frank
to say that I can see no reason why
this should not be done. We have our
teachers and schools of elocution, why
| not the systematic training of dramat-
lists. True culture and painstaking
study along any legitimate lines are
important elements in safe character
building.
do not believe in the other fatalism
that We cannot elevate the stage. 1t
may be a slow process, but it can be
done. II all our self-reSpecting citizens
could be counted on as absolutely shun-
ming what is positively and shameless
~ reprehensible in the stage; if they
would go step farther and in every
way frown down the too suggestive fea-
lures of what is termed legitimate
drama these things would at least
be steps in the right direction. One of
the great needs of the age we will all
acknowledge. is legitimate amusements
for the young. Among the prominent
social functions of our large cities are
parlor or, drawing room theatricals,
and for my part, 1 must say that with
proper pruning these functions should
be multiplied.
When our young people shall be ed
ucated to choose between the chaste
presentation of drama, and the painted
and gossimered article current on the
stage, their appetites for drama will
become more eXacting and good must
result.
Now let us try and arrive at some
conclusion. I will have to color to
some extent from my own standpoint,
and will say that the faithful re-enact-
ment of an epochal drama, notably,
Julius Caesar" by Shakespeare, or
I'd:
be injurious. Every phase of human
character is portrayed and enlarged
upon and equities are as nearly reached
as in any drama that is fenced in by
historical events. Scililler's MARY Stu
art, if it was not marred by too much
prejudice against Queen Bess, and a lit
tie too much sympathy for the Scottish
Queen, also presents a drama whose
faithful portrayal could carry but little
harm with it. The ''coleur de rose
given to some passages is merely an
incidental touch. / have merely men
toned these three as occurring to my
mind as among the typical historical
dramas, perhaps, yes, good deal above
the average, as not incarnadined with
the most distorted features of war Nor
are these dramas exceptional in the
moral or didactic features of their pre-
sentation. They are simply scraps from
historical epochs. I am by no means
a promiscuous play goer, but with the
late Edwin Booth and Lawrence Bar
rett cast in the two former and Mod
jeska in the character role of the latter,
do not believe that greater mental
feast was ever spread before any one
than in their presentations. The same
may be said of hundreds of properly
staged standard works of fiction.
Now, because BLACK Crook" Can
Can" and a thousand and one of the
dive presentations have invaded and
fastened themselves as parasites upon
the stage, are we to deliberately taboo
the whole stage? The processes may be
slow, but the stage must be elevated
by every known process, and the para
site growth cut off.
There is at present too loud a cry
that the papers and the stage are just
in accord with the popular demand.
This is the worst of lies. The so-called
new journalism" is parasitic It's
shameless details are not demanded by
thu. better half of the people. It's glar-
ing head lines and first pages given to
prize fights are simply the pandering
to the debased undercrust of the peo-
pie. No one can convince me that the
ratio of readers, even of the venal Eek
aminer' is in proportion to the num-
Der of columns given to the notorious
bruisers, and those columns devoted to
legitimate news. The fact is, that
rather than being a reflex of the read
ing public the paper is simply a reflex
of the sporting fraternity that fill space
in its columns
Can we not draw parallel line with
regard to the stage. The venal class in
that profession it must be aclxnow-
lodged, are in the majority, and in the
suggestive and insulting posters and
their worse than criminal portrayal on
the stage, they are simply exposing
their innate beastliness. If they draw
crowds it is another case of atomic at
traction. The reading and thinking
people, the self-respecting majority,
demand something higher, and should
have it on the stage. They get it in
the Shakespearean and classic revivals
that come as GASES on the desert of the
stage.
Let us hope for better things. There
are thousands of good books, there are
thousands of good plays. There are
dramas. and works of fiction that carry
latent dramas about them, that leave
no bad taste in the mouth, better than