The times., 1899-12-03

There are reasons for fearing that a long
succession of doubtful farces has served 10
deaden the moral quickness of local critics.
Last Tuesday morning and afternoon there
was not a paper in town that did not agree
in calling The Cuckoo the cleanest of
the comedies sent to Washington this sea
son. while only one saw anything improper
in Dear Old Charley" As a matter OF fact,
If both were handled more delicately than
is usual in such offerings neither would
bear close inspection. A moments thought
upon two or three of the points suggested
in each almost nauseates.
/ In the first instance, the very title of the
/ presentation was an offence not mitigated
( by partial attempts TO identify that title
/ with fabulous newspaper a cuckoo is a
! bird the habits of which evidently COIN
/ cided with those Of the corn broker in
( Charles Brookfeld's 5 adaptation. And those
! habits however eXCusable in a bird, hardly
! can be considered cOmmendable in a man.
Plainly speaking, the story of The
/ Cuckoo" is that of a libertne who is max
/ ing desperate efforts TO iuaugurate Illicit
relations with the wife Of his best
/ friend" These efforts pass uunoticed by
/ the husband, because that individual is en-
gagged in a similar affair with q woman
( whom he supposcs 10 be the spouse of a
( government official. They are carried to a
point at which one is shown the former
couple masquerading as Mr.. and Mrs. Pen
fold In an inn at which they have stopped
together. And then the aforesaid wife,
/ doubtfully honest, returns to the corn
broker. The tale doesn't look we'll in print,
and it sounded no better coming over the
footlights
In the second stupid farce-both were
intensely stupid-one has the condolences
of a certain youth, who has married him
self to an innocent girl. This youth,
Charles Ingleton by name, has been car
rying on apparent relations with the wives
OF two friends" Evidently, Mr Brook
field. the author Of both puerilities. has
not much faith in the sancdty of friend
ship. One of these women is dead and her
husband treated CoOlly by the new made
benedict, awakens to The suspicion that the
spouse. whose memory he has reyerenced
has been unfaithful to him. The other
friend it is unpleasant to carp on the
words used as an unconscious messen-
ger between Charles Ingleton and his OWL
Indignant helpmeet. In proof that this
yarn is purity itself, the spectator is ask
ed to consider the fact that these AFFAIRS
have ceased with the wedding of Dear
Old Charley"
The Times has no desire to pose as &
prude. But it fails TO see the necessity
fer paradng such unsavory truck before
the public under any guise, most especial
ly under the guise OF examples Of dramatic
art.
The New York Telegraph" of last
: Tuesday took up the subject of the new
combination of billposters being formed in
Gotham and treated the matter in the fol-
lowing words:
When the theatrical biupostcrs' trust is con
summated, perhaps there viii dawn upon local
managers q tardy realization Of the fact that they
are annually fritting away thousands OF dOllars
| for billboard display.
There is not a city in America where a first
class and worthy attraction stands in less need Of
this form Of advertisement. And If an attraction
is not found frst-class and meritoriOus all the
seven-colorcd stands ever autographed won't save
1t is amazing, but true. however, that the
, manager is forever scrurinizing boardings aHC
ash cans, with the keenest anxiety, torn with
? envy and rage if another attraction Is more lib
! orally billed than his own.
1t is this spirit Of Jealousy that enables bill
posting firms TO declare big dividends and tall
about forming trusts
Once in while manager has the courage o.
his convictions and saves lot of money. Fol
example there was 1892" which ran for nearly
two years at Wallack's and the Garden without
a sheet of paper ON the boards in the win
. dows, to receipts that were from 81 900 to l,sg
a night.
But individual daring IS rare, and anything
| like cooperation quite impossible among New
York managers SO ii is quite probable that
t trust or no trust, they will go on spending
, thousands for the privilege Of having their ad
not desired by manufacturers of tobacco healtl
foods stove polish and breakfast crackers
The newspapers and the verbal endorsement o
4 pleased patrons constitute all the advertising