Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-23


- bert during the week 1t is likely
that the eject was discounted. for Mr..
Harrison Grey Fiske bad made a similar
announcement only a few days before,
COUGHING his statement IN more temperate
and dignihed language than used by his
colleague, and giving the enterprise a more
substantial basis for popular approval by
simply saying that the new arrangement
had been entered into because It was at
tractive from both a business and artistic
view point. Mr. Fiske said nothing about
hghting the syndicate, probably for the
reason that any action on his part that
tends TO widen the scope OF his activity
is primarily accepted as a blow at the
syndicate Mr.. shubert supplies the fam
boyanoy For the general good Of the
stage and its affairs, II IL TO be hoped that
the new combination will be conducted along
more dignihed lines than was the last
attempt to organize the independents into
effective opposition. II Messrs. Fiske, Bel
asco and shubert will merely attend to
business and allow the other fellow 10 do
the frothing the success Of their under
taking would appear 10 be assured. This
is moro than probable because the public
has tired OF many of the methods OF the
trust. While Messrs. Klaw 4 Granger and
their associates are far from being guilty
OF all they are charged with, they have
done enough that is easily proved 10 sub
ject them to the most severe criticism, and
have earned the disapprobation OF large
part Of the public that patronizes the the
after. It IL discouraging that art in any
form has TO enter into an armed struggle
against commercialism In any form; for the
proper uses OF both, separately or in con-
Junction, are commendable and beneficial.
But II Is better that art should revolt and
battle for liberty than to suplnely submit
to be attached as a mere appanage OF the
chariot OF the money god. With healthy
opposition, such as now seems likely, the
big syndicate Will find It advantageous 10
modify some OF It's plans and to abandon
some Of its obnoxious methods, and the
public will be the gamer without the men
who have their money invested in the the
alter being the loser The new combination
will certainly have the good wishes of the
public to start with.
VIII the ultimate man go to the theater,
or will he have a theater to 60 tor Is
the stage as we know it not likely to be
eventually extinguished because of the In
tellectual development of the racer If the
course Of the theater from the first to the
present be taken as a guide, the cOnolu-
sion is almost inevitable that future gem
erations, no one can say how many ahead,
will be without the theater. II. G. Wells,
in one Of his interesting stories. introduces
us to race OF beings so developed INTEL
lectually that they are to all intents and
purposes merely individual brains. The
chief among these was an immense brain,
symmetrical and well balanced. He was
surrounded by other brains developed along
special lines for the performance of spe-
cihc functions; one was given over en-
tirely to Mathematics, another to history,
and another to philosophy, and so on
through all the various avenues of mental
activity. In the lower grades OF existence
among this strange race the mental ca
pacity was developed TO the point that
made the individual perfectly useful for
the part he was to play in the communal
existence, and for no other purpose. An
other of the advantages that this race en-
Joyed was the only solution to the problem
OF production and distribution ever offered.
When the producers had accumulated
enough to warrant their disposal, they were
not allowed to uselessly enpumber the
dwelling place of the race, but were taken
TO a secluded locality and there put into a
hypnotic sleep, a state of suspended anima-
tion, and allowed to remain until their
productive efforts we're again required by
the good of all. The sphere each was to
follow was determined in advance for him.
and to this he was especially trained, his
mental and bodily faculties being devel-
oped in that direction solely. AS a result
he was useful along the lines for which
he was intended, and when his active
service was not required for the general
good he did not become burden, for he
was simply laid aside until wanted again.
.
In our civilization we have gone long
ways toward the specialization OF the in
way toward the specialization OF the in
some one OF the several elementary opera
tions that go to the making up of the
whole, and having learned to do that one
thing. they are kept at It year after year,
dreary monotony OF doing the same
thing over and over again. until they are
supplanted by the elimination of their
share Of the general operation of produce
ton. or have gotten ahead of the consump-
tive demand. Then they are quite apt to
become burdens on the race as a whole.
We haven't yet learned to put them aside
in way that viii terminate temporarily
their animate existence to call them back
when their services may again be of avail.
This latter need hardly give us worry, for
we haven't quite exhausted the possibilities
OF the specialist, nor has the all-around
man gone entirely out of vogue. Yet the
tendency is such that not only will the
jack Of all trades vanish from among his
kind. but the specialist will reach thar
point where the division Of tasks or under
takings is no longer possible. and the
struggle for supremacy will be given a
new aspect.
Another OF Mr.. Wells creations was
an intelligence Of overmastering strength,
with a scope OF potential effort far
beyond that OF mans finite mentality
man could grasp the effect. but not the
cause. This one was weak in that Il could
not exist under the conditions that sur
round man. and fell victim to the on.
slaughts OF the parasites that humanity
successfully combats. Its intelligence has
been developed under such conditions as
gave 1t no experience with the bacteria
M~rvNT~O cr~avr