The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-14
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

LIF Z 1OEtOO ABDUL IL w N.
Several Senators who are still in the
city met in one of the committee rooms
at the Capitol this morning. The CONVEX
satIOH in some way drifted to William H
Crane and his Interpretation of the role
OF The Senator" II brought out q
story Of how Crane put the finishing
touches upon his great character study
As you Well know" said one of the
group. Crane took his character almost
directly from Senator Plumb of Kansas
Crane had just started out with The
Senator, and had opened in Wash
ington- We had all seen the performance
and liked it immensely. But l thought I
saw one defect. Crane wore a high silk
hat, which was not at all. according to
my thinking, in keeping with his imita-
ton of Plumb. who always wole the char
acteristic broad brimned felt hat of the
gals. Plumb. and myself happened to be
dining together, l remarked to Crane
about the matter of the high hat
You really ought not to wear it. for it
is not in keeping with the character"
said / You ought to wear one like
PIumb's'
Crane did not say much in answer. but
y hen we arose from the table he reached
out for Plumb hat. and calmly put 1t
on Leaving his own hat for Plumb
Crane went of down the street. with the
old felt affair damned down over his fore
head The Senator was too surprised to
offer objection The next night Crane ap-
peared on the stage with PIumbs hat on
his head, and thereafter wore it at every
performance
Representative David II. Mercer is a
nd hqE 1aTs
into many strange places on this globe
Not many years ago he was taking a trip
through Japan 1t was long enough ago.
however. for a voyager to meet ignorant
natives. even in official positions at the
ports. Mr.. Mercer was, OF course, sup
piled with a passport. 1t was a preten-
tious affair, all covered over with red and
blue seals and red ribbon, white ribbon,
and blue ribbon 1t was impressive, with
all its dangling attachments. W hen he
landed at Kobe Mr.. Mercer produced
passport and handed II 10 the n.st
customs official OF rank he say"
The Jap put on a knowing air and taxing
the document, proceeded in a setf-satlS-
fed way to read it upside down. After he
he handed it back TO Mr. Mercer, All
right. missionary, go long, he said and
bowed low in reverential courtesy-
sss
In the Hemicycle of the CorcOrau Cal
Iery. for the last few days. there has been
curiously interesting and Instructive art
exhibit. Upon the walls are nearly 200
pictures. in water colors painted by six
young japanese artists, Hiroshi, Yoshi-
da, Hachiro Nakagawa. Kunishiro Nit
sutani. Banka Maruyama, Shinzo Hawai-,
and Takeshiro KanokOgf To those who
have been used to such things as are per
petrated on fans and screens under the
name Of Japanese art. a view of the pic
lures IS astonishing md refreshing. The
exhibit. except to The closer view of an
expert in art, might have been done by
the same number Of Frenchmen. English
men, or Americans. The peculiarities
which are ordinarily considered TO be the
leading characteristics of Japanese art
are lacking There are no great biotches
OF red. yellow, or green Everything is
impTeSSionIstic
The paintings shown by the young jap
aEleSe are the first fruits OF q new move
ment Of art IN Japan il might be called
q romantic movement, showing a Sch{Sm
from the purely decor alive mode ia which
the Old japanese masters used 10 paint
ana an absorption OF the more personal
INDIVIDUAL and emotional qua Titles of the
so-calIed Western art
Perhaps the most interesting part of
are poets as well as artists and speud
such Of their time as they are not oc-
cupylnS at the gallery with explanations
OF their art and its meaning in making,
japanese poems with an American ffa-
yor
Asked what had caused the rise of the
new school of art in Japan Hiroshida
loshIda replied: 1t was the unfiexIbiI-
lty Of the olaer form. There were Ger
tam things in emotion and feeling that
We round 1t TAR too hard TO express in
tIe naive japanese art form. and We
embraced the new form as soon as We
saw that II would give US more easy
expression along the lines We wished 4
dozen ears ago an Italian artist came
10 Japan, and began TO teach the west
ern method of painting We listened and
learned from him. and soon had made
our own all that he could teach. Then
We developed our art upon the new prin-
ciDles- II Is still japanese art. for il
represents everything in conception. feel
ing ana expression that is japanese We
nave simply taken advantage OF a new
ana more plant method Of expression
that has been offered to US
II IS not that the same things can
not be expressed in the native Japanese
style ! here are now really two schools
Of art in Japan working for practically
the same ends-the Japanese west ern
style and the japanese old style. and the
old style reaches effects almost SinfIa p
to those which We are able TO attain
Those who have embraced the new art
are lew IN number. The old art still is
the main art OF the country and will
always remain so, l think, even though
this that we are trying to do IS lust
as representative Of the country and the
spirit of the japanese as is the other
II Is truly japanese. and can be measured
Dy the rule set by an ancient poet He
said II You are asked what is the spirit
OF Japan say it is the perfume OF the
wild cherry blossom blooming on the
craggF mountain side in the early morn
ing sunlight "
At the end of the week the exhibit
viii be removed from the Hemicycle and
VIII open Monday at the Cosmos Club.