Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-03-24

explained and illustrated. the Cnr
y tian and phllanthropic capitalist "
come forward to establish 1t. and the
, VIII be public spirited men everywhe
who Will do this work for the drama
: element OF our natures. We need
new institution to meet and recognI
and develop and defend the dramat
element Of our nature. 1t needs to
distinct from everything that is or b,
been.
would have this reformed anus
ment association having In charge tn
new institution Of the spectacular tai
possession OF some hall or academ
Ii light take smaller building at IL
start, but II would soon need the La
gest hail. and even that would not hol
the people, for he who opens befor
the dramatic element In human natur
an opportunity of qualification withou
compromise and without danger doe
the mlghtiest thing of this century. an
the tides Of such an institution woul
rise IS Sthe Atlantic rises at Liverpool
/ docks.
| New Institution.
There are tens OF thousands of Chris
tian homes where the sons and daugb
tiers are held back from dramatic en-
tertainment for reasons which some OF
you would say are good reasons anC
others would say are poor reasons, but
still held back. But on the establish
ment of such an institution they would
feel the arrest Of their anxleties and
would say on the establishment of this
new institution which | have called
the spectacular, Thank God. this Is
what we have all been waiting for"
Now. as believe that | make sug.
gestion Of an institution which wiser
men will develop. want to give some
characteristics Of this new institution.
this spectacular, II II is to be a grand
social and moral success. In the first
place. Its entertainments must be conf
pressed within an hour and three-uuar.
tiers. What kills sermons. prayers and
lectures and entertainments of all sorts
Is prollxity. At reasonable hour ey-
cry night every cdrtain Of public en-
tertalnment s fought to drop. every
church service ought to cease, the in
struments Of Orchestras ought to be
unstrung.
On the platform Of this new institu-
tion there will be a drama which be- |
Tore rendering has been read, expurgat-
ed, abbreviated and passed upon by
board OF trustees connected with this
'eformed amusement association. II
here be In drama a sentence suggest
ne evil. II will be stricken out. II
here be In a Shakespearean play a
yord with two meanings-a good
meaning and bad meaning-another
vord will be substituted, an honest
Vord looking only one way. The ca
erers to public taste will have to
earn that Shakespearean nastiness is
o better than Congrevean nastiness.
OH say. "Who will dare to change by
or abbreviation a Shake
pearean play| dare. The board of
'ustees of this reformed amusement
on or drama, the abbreYiatiOn oI IL.
would like to hear 80 or 40 pages of
[ilton's PARADISE Lost" read at one
me, but ! should be very sorry to ,
ear the whole book read at one sitting
bbreyiation Is not depreciation.
On the platform Of this new institu- ,
on this spectacular, under the care of :
e very best men and women In the
there shall be nothing wit q
,ssed that would be unfit for a par .
r. Any attitude, any look, any word a
at would offend you seated at your ;.
vn fireside, in your family circle. will
prohibited from that platform. BY r
hat law of common sense or of moral
: does that which is not fit to be .
en- or heard by five people become I,
to be seen or heard by 1900 people? T
] the platform of that spectacular Z,
the scenes of the drama will be as :,
aste as was ever a lecture by Ed !,
ird Everett or sermon by Il. W.
)bertsOn. -,
Platform OF Morality. l.,
On that platform there shall be no \
rouser, no inebrlate, no cyprian, 10 r
; of good morals, masculine or fem n,
ne. 1t Is often said we have no right H.
criticise the private morals of public A.
tertainers. Well, do as you please n
tn other institutions On the plat F.
IN Of this new institution we shall p
We only good men and good women fl
the ordinary social sense of good n
IS. Just as soon as the platform Of n
, spectacular Is fully and fairly es- n
,lished many genius who hitherto a,
) suppressed the dramatic element
his nature because he could not find
realm in which to exercise it will
p over on the platform. and giants
the drama. their name known the
rid over. who have been tOiling for w
elevation Of the drama will step VI
r on that platform-such women as n'
lrlotte Cushman of the past. such vi
n as Joseph jefferson Of the present. vi
10 you tell me this plan Is chmeri- III
answer, it only requires one
d somewhere between here and San co
ncisco or between Bangor and Gal
ton to see It and appreciate it-one Ill
q Of large individual Means and Cd
at heart, and with hundred thou
d dollars he could do more good S''
n all the Lenoxes and the Law. as
ces and the Peabodys ever accom- W
he'd. He would settle for all ma W.
IS and for all times the stupendous I'LL
stion of amusement which for Gen. VIZ
es has been under angry and vitu- pr
ltive discussion and which is no w
rer being settled today by all ap- Vi
RANGES than 1t was at the start. ca
would go to such an Institution, -,
] a spectacular. should go once III,
eek the rest Of my life and take pr
family with me, and the majority pi'
he families of the earth would go III