The times., 1899-09-03


printing Chinese laundry lists for Mongo-
liam criticisms and Anna Held press de-
vices as solemn truths. 1t may be that
Manager Painter has let anger smother
discretion to such an extent that he has
really planned this impossible move but
it does not seem likely. Theatres ere
built on paper every day in New York.
and the one now projected will probably
never reach the brick stage. The whole
report is most valuable as an evidence of
the fact that ii this is not an age of
Scribes and Pharisees. it is certainly an
age in which many scribes set UP for
Pharisees.
That Manager Painter has grievance
against the alleged trust and that the La
fayette is out of the combinations hands
for good is undeniable. Indeed, those who
should know of what they speak declare
that Mr.. Painter has never had anything
to do directly with the syndicate BY
these wiseacres it is said that what con-
tracts the Madison Place house had with
Messrs. Frohman, Hayman, klaw, En-
langer, and Nixon & Zimmerman were
signed by John W. AIbaugh, and that when
that gentleman was forced out of his part
nership they became null and void. Ex-
cepting through its Philadelphia members,
the firm had no relations with Manager
Painter after the retirement OF Mr.. Al
baugh. This fact may have been included
in the category of wrongs that caused the
director of the Lafayette to resolve upon
independence-a resolve which he SHOWS
no intention of renouncing.
Manager Painter has spent most OF his
summer in and around New York, where
his booking has been done by Cornelius
Gardiner, of this city. The progress made
and the treatment which led to the bold
move in question are fully explained in a
letter received from their headquarters last
Wednesday, and in which, though it was
written only on the previous day. no men
tion is made of the project for New York
theatre. In part the epistle reads:
When we opened last year the 18th of Sep
! tember the firm of Nixon & Zimmerman had
booked with US eleven attractions for the
| OF that eleven three of the best afterward
sent elsewhere and one did not visit Washington;
| so that the sum total was really seven The dates
| of the twenty seven contracts made during our
| open term show that just nine had been signed
/ by October. Nixon Zimmerman Jared some
t what better at their Academy in Baltimore, but
| their agreements with their New York partners
| were also violated with impunity. Combinations
! promised were not given them, and the treatment
! they received altogether shabby. have
/ now secured more organizations to play the La
| fayette than l had at this time last August, and
! so far have no worthless bills, even though some
Will be presented at popular prices InlS IS
nothing against the Lafayette II one-hah OF
|
| at cut rates there would have been more satistac-
ton all around. Nearly one-third Of the whole
number should have remained away altogether.
! and though a dark house Is the terror OF ali
| managers had | known the dement's of many /
| should never have permitted them TO open.
/ If those stars who like the Lafayette were free
| agents, the time at my disposal would now be
| almost entirely filed, but they are cOwed ana
threatened by the Unsuitable greed that is weaving
/ chains around them, squeezing their pockets and
| destroying their manhood at the same moment.
| A very few men are fattening upon this prey and
growing more insoent they gorge upon their
| unwilling victims. While this unhealthy and I'M
proper condition exists the public will have
| little patience with the Lafayette, and sooner or
later its independence OF these influences must De
realized and appreciated.
| This screed certainly shows that Man
ager Painter is in earnest In his war.
Amusement-loyers generally are not in
! clined to care where they go to see per-
| formance so long as the performance itself
is worthy but Mr. Painters plea for q
little patience" is made on good grounds,
and 1t is really to be hoped that he will
prosper.
Between this new set of rumors concern
ing the building of opposition theatres In
New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore,
and the alarm caused in England by
Charles Frohmaus assumption of added
4 possessions in London the affairs or the
| alleged trust, which dropped out of public
notice with the windup OF Harrison Grey
Fiske's battle, seem suddenly TO have be-
come interesting again. No fewer than
dozen papers in England and America
have treated of the subject during the
past week-all removing their gloves in
handling the syndicate The Cincinnati
journals, in particular, are taking exeep-
ton TO the manner in which the combina-
ton has decided that their town is "a
dead 'un" and are still making caustic
comments upon the methods of the men
who have practically boycotted that por-
tion of Ohio. Several Western issues have
had like things to say and the London
editors are sounding notes OF protest
against Mr. Frohman's reported purchase
of the Garrick The tone of these articles
may be understood when 1t is stated that
an oft-recurring sentence in the Daily
Nails leader on the subject was one
reading, I'VE want none of America 5
theatrical trust.
Mrs Fiskcs press agent has sent TO The
Times a clipping from the Rochester
Democrat" of August 19, in which that
sheet discusses the probability that the
actress will not be seen in its city this
season. The lines are intensely bitter
and show the feeling engendered by the
syndicate's prohibition. The Democrat
calls the situation an intolerabls one II
cannot find grain of justice in the machi-
nations of a combine which, without own
ing cents worth of property in the towT
concerned, can rob that place of a yisi
from SO capable a star as Mrs. Fiske
The Democrat calls the dictation al
outrage and asks why it is permitted tC
hold. The Times is glad to have seen the
editorial, but 1t cannot satisfy its contem-
porary in this quest for information. The
same question has often been propoundet
in these columns.
Generally little credit can be placed il
managerial Claims which set forth tht
improvements made during vacation period
in the theatres of the claimants. From
general indications, however, the an
nouncements recently made for Washing
} ton houses are going to prove trustworthy
With a solitary exception, every place o
amusement in town seems to be being sub
mitted to a general overhauling and many
have been completely changed. This las
statement will be found to hold good a
( the Biio1I when that building is reopeneC
on tomorrow afternoon. The interior of thu
structure has been entirely done over II
) white and gold. the unsightly lower logei
of last year have been supplanted by or
chestra chairs, and the still more insight
ly boxes have been torn out and re-
erected. Every seat in the house rs newly
,toholstered, fresh carpets and draperiet
have been laid and hung. added electric
! Rights suspended, and the ceiling of the
auditorium decorated in pink and white
Red and gold are the prevailing colors il
the lobby downstairs, and they blend wei
with those above. Altogether the BiioI
: will be worth visiting Monday. whether
. the performance given is good or not.
But no one of the city's houses will be sc
much in contrast with its old self when tbs