The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-19

the homecoming OF Dewey many q
deed was done by American valor worthy
OF commemoration by American elo-
quence; and yet we get nothing better
IMAM a coon song or a bit OF magazine
verse Of shallow sentiment not equal in
value 10 what even Austin does in the
laureateship
So utterly barren indeed have been our
| fields OF poetry OF any blossom appropri-
ate TO these times that one OF our most
esteemed Boston contemporaries in trying
to find a verse 10 adorn a classic review
OF the tendencies OF imperialism in Amer
lea and Great Britain was compelled TO
dig up from an unknown writer this
verse:
'Ah. LORD GOD. II You believed me-
YOU would pause in granting powers
Over cities Kingdoms. empires.
Castles. towns. and towers
For the men that powerful be
Pay the least regard 10 THEE"
When Rome was mistress OF the world
some Roman Senator may have spoken
with serene. unassuming arrogance
equal TO that Of Lord Salisbury in speak
ing at the Lord Mayors banquet last
week, but certainly no such speech has
ever been reported. Salisbury is a very
gifted orator. a past master Of the art OF
public speaking. and Of that other art OF
adding 10 the force Of speech by the man.
ner OF delivery, but he never before ac-
complished any such success as that Of
the Gyildhall address.
The circumstances OF the speech must
be taken into consideration. Great Brit
ain is at war with a stubborn breed OF
fighters in quarter OF the globe so re-
mote her troops and supplies have TO De
transported GOO miles to reach the scene
OF action; her garrisons on the frontier
are beleaguered and in imminent danger
or being overwhelmed before relief can
reach them; hostile Europe. eager 10
profit by any disaster to the British arms
waits full armed and ready to take advan-
tage of the first opportunity that comes:
and there are signs and portents of storm
all around the horizon, from Egypt 10
China.
Under such circumstances one would OK
pect from the Prime Minister the orator
speaking for the Government. a full
voiced appeal TO the patriotism OF the peo-
pie. to the god Of battles. TO all things
high and mighty-an grafton full OF fire
and fervor, rolling in sonorous sentences
suggestive OF trumpets and war drums
Very different was the speech of the noble
Lord. He was as quiet as one OF those
stage heroes. who does not even take off
his gloves when he goes TO meet the vii
lain. The blase British repression OF feel
ing was never better exemplified. Sails
bury dealt with all the issues OF the time
in something like the customary persi-
hage OF after-dinner oratory. The whole
tone OF the speech was one OF easy as
sumption OF British superiority over
everything in sight, and implied in every
word that there is nothing about which
the Government is in the least disturbed
or even animated.
A popular actor In New York having
been called TO the footlights by tumuIt-
uous applause at the close OF a successfuI
run OF new melodrama, responded cour-
teously In speech. and in the course NJ
II told his audience that long experience
on the stage has taught him that tha
world likes scoundrels
The average playgoer thinks the nlaas-
ure he derives from a drama is due 10 the
satisfaction of seeing villain punished
but the thought, 1t appears, is a species
OF self-deception. The new actor. who "a
also a playwright. said that at one time
he excluded villains from his plays and
gave the public nothing but heroes and
rewardlng heroines. The public refused
TO be pleased with such productions
Now, said he, IT provide shoals of
scoundrels, and the public likes them and
pays literally TO see them"
This doctrine is not so unreasonable. ne
appears at first thought. II has long ago
been pointed out that our delight in hu-
NOR is due to a consciousness OF our
superiority to whoever furnishes the.
humor We like a clown because ~
fiatters our pride In our own dignity
Why may we not like 4 villain because
he fatters our pride in our morality?
There Is, moreover, a sneaking desire
on the part of the best people 10 throw
aside dignity and play the fool a while
so probably there Is similar desire 10 es-
cape at times from our virtue and be a
villain-and smile.
In his little speech the New York actor
has thrown a light upon some political
problems. May not the success of MANY
a politician be due to the fact that as a
voting as well as n theater-goinR peonIa
we like scoundrels?
There are some people who say orr
British cousins have no sense OF hume
and others who declare British Judges are
no respecters OF the persons of poor folEs:
but here Is case reported from London
which shows either a spirit OF fun or a
spirit of mercy beyond any Questioning
The court was called upon to determine
how much a week a certain defendant
should pay upon an obligation by which
he was bound To arrive at a Just concIu-