New-York tribune., 1902-03-19
THE LONDON STAGE.
POLITICAL PLAYS WHICH MAKE THE
BRTTON WORSE THAN HE Is MRS.
TREES TRIPLE BILL-A BECKY
SHARP OF THE RESTO-
RATION PERIOD.


than he IS? This question is suggested By the
political dramas Of the day. Mr.. Anthony Hope
Hawkinss satrica comedy. 'Pilkerton's Peer
age" which is drawing crowded houses at the
Garrick Theatre, is directed against political
jobbery and tuft hunting, bat it is essentially a
caricatUre, and is not based existing cOndi-
tions Of public life. There has been traffic in
peerages. decorations and honors since the
rnionst government came into power and while
there were few instances Of social rewards for
political contributions to campaign funds eader
the last Liberal administration. there was moth
ing either as vulgar sOrdid the million
alre Pilkertons raid into the sacred inclosure Of
Titled society. The comedy is not drawn from
life. and lacks the essential element Of truthful
ness Punch would speedily lose its we'll
earned reputation for wholesome satire If its
cartoons were to misrepresent situations and
political tendencies as the playwright has done
IN this acrid. albeit witty. play: yet the stalls
and galleries filed nightly with spectators
eager TO laugh at themselves and to exaggerate
the social foibes and middle class aspirations
~ the time. The popularity of the piece has
brought on a political curtain raiser, World
ham. NJ. p" the Imperial Theatre in which
the evils Of corrupt practices in English cleo
tions are contrasted with the purity and hon.
orable traditions Of the good old times The
little single act drama is designed to impart
AAiAAb ~ At- l''l RuilFS OF MdQefnolSelle Mars.
costume play. with Empire furniture in which
Mrs. Langtry is disportlnG herself and its at
trective power, such as II is, consists in misdi-
rected satire rather than a spectral minuet
danced in a picturesque hall. theatrical sui
eide Of member of Parliament on the night Of
his election.
Let II be assumed that, in place OF Mile. Mars
ueeping through the scenes on the way TO her
dressing room. a gentleman from Mars, descend
ing suddenly between the storied Abbey and the
Esrish aquarium and strolling into the I'm
perial Theatre at the bottom Of the dark street,
were 10 look from the gallery this fan
tastc curtain raiser. What would be his first
Impressions Of English politics as revealed by
this stage production within five minutes walk
IL The House OF Parliament? He would catch
glimpse Of SIR Robert Worldham, NJ. p. A rich
and ambitious man, whose fortune has been
made through highly remunerative business
concerns IN the City. and whose election to
Parliament has been secured through corrupt
practices and indirect bribery conducted by an
uuscrupulous agent. His partners in supplying
the army in the field with paper boots and
shoddy clothing assemble IN his country house
90 drink his health and to insist upon his
making use Of his Parliamentary honors as a
aneznsof imparting value in trade to his various
nfrectorships; and his election agent presents an
spounous bill for extra expenses and explains
UrlR MS return mas Deen secured DE corrupt
mesns- The new member. after threatening to
Sesznzhese embarrassing directorships and end
ing by paying the election agents exactions. is
uuebierto sleep, and in the course of midnight
Etrdu finds the stately hall thronged with ghosts
ar former tenants IN the graceful measures Of
sr[trJst- Two Of these spectral visitors in
Georgian costume inveigh against his political
Coodnct unworthy OF the traditions of his
historic home. and one Of them. after confessing
S1zs he had shot himself for less serious Of
fences against public morality and private
huorr silently puts in his hand loaded
vufFsr The ghosts vanish in the dim, relig
fous light" and the member of Parliament,
without waiting to explain matters to his faith
ful wife and TO his charming daughter, shoots
himself in a highly theatrical The
gentleman from Mars lighting his cigarette
after the fall of the curtain, and possibly
steadying his nerves with a gulp OF Scotch
whiskey after the ghost business, would natu-
rally conclude that political life in England was
reeking with corruption, and that there had
been marked deterioration of morality and
virtue in public affairs since the eighteenth
century
These differences would have been entirely er-
roneous although based upon the theatrical
Inelodrama Of the night. The Georgian period
remarkable for the open bribery OF mem.
bers of Parliament and the scandaious traffic in
seats. Visitors approaching the Treasury from
the Horse Guards Parade can see the back
stairs entrance TO the closet where the Prime
Minister'S paymasters used TO settle accounts
with members after an important division; and
seats in the Commons were disposed OF by bor-
ough owners on give-and-take principles
Throughout the reign Of George Ill according
70 a responsible historian. 10000 was readily
procurabie for two seats Of an evenly balanced
borough. When seats were not sold for cash
they we're placed at the disposal Of ministers TO
he barsered for appointments for relatives pen
sions for women or embassies or peerages for
the owners. The spectral mentors and accusers
Of Sir Robert worldham NJ p ought not 10
have been habited in Georgian costumes for his
torians have framed this Indictment OF the
period: The art OF government was almost
synonymous with the art of corruption, and
men were placed in situations because they pos
sessed Parliamentary influence. while highly
paid situations were maintained for the sake OF
ENTHUSIASTICALLY purchasing-the assistance
OF the borough owners" Parliamentary cleo
tions may not be free from taint in the reign of
Edward VII. hut there has been a long advance
in The right direction from the standards and
morals Of the eighteenth century. Abuses still
remain, but intimidation, bribery, drunkenness
and all methods Of corrupt influences have been
diminished by the series Of reform measures
dating from 1922 Possibly there are too few
members Of Parliament Of sufficient strength of
mind 10 refuse to pay election expenses which
are contrary 70 law; hut certainly there are the
largest facilities for inyalidating with the help
of the courts an election gained by corrupt in
hnences and practices. The spectators who
laugh at the quips and epigrams of ''Pflkerton's
Peerage" and applaud the fluent oratory of Mr.
Waller IN "worIdham, NJ. p cannot be ig-
haF baS beAf 7arIrad e