Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-03-30
ACTORS OR CLERGY?
WHO HAVE THE LARGEST REPRE-
SENTATION IN PRISONS.

by State Prison Statistics-A Thousand Dol.
lars Will Be Awarded to Charity il the Ac.
tors Predominate - So Far the Poll Shows
That While the Original Bet Will Be Won.
Another Thousand Will Have to Be Paid on
the Proposition That No State Prison Could
Be Found That Did Not Have. at Least,
One Minister.
A Cleveland (Ohio) dispatch of the
llth inst. states that a poll is being
taken OF the U. S. State Prisons to de.
termine the relative proportion OF con-
victs who represent the clergy and the
drama.
The result is as yet not definite,
since there is some uncertainty con-
cerning the right OF some of the incar-
cerated persons to be regarded either
as of the stage or of the pulpit. Upon
the face OF the returns Henry E. Dixey
will apparently not be compelled to
pay the $1,000 he has promised to
give to charity If it we're proved that
there were more actors than clergy.
men in prison. Nevertheless, the polls
indicate that he will have to make
good the 1000 be pledged himself to
pay if there could be found any State
prison that did not have at least one
minister in custody.
Mr.. Dixey was moved to make his
novel offer by indignation on account
of the action of the Pittsburg Y. NJ. C.
A. in declining to receive an actor into
its membership merely upon the
ground that he was an actor. The
comedian, in offering to give his money
away, defended his profession, calling
attention to the manner in which the
stage lightens the cares Of life, edu-
Gates the public, is always first in
charity to the high character and re.
pute of 60 many of the stage folk, and
to the fact that actor is no synonym
for sinner. He compared the laugh
mission Of the actor with
what he termed the gloomy" aspect
of the man of The pulpit, declaring
that as . beneficent missionary to
mankind the stage was at least as val
liable as the church.
Mr.. Dixey declared that the action
of the Pittsburg Y. M. G. A. was one
of bigotry. He ascribed the bigotry
existing among clergymen to their ig-
norance of life-of men and things-
which leaves them unqualified to
judge clearly and without prejudice.
The actor, on the contrary, lived in
the world, and was constantly holding
the mirror up to human nature, teach.
ing great truths and correcting evils.
Aside from considering men as to
whose antecedents there is doubt, the
poll of the prison stands as follows:
Arkansas-Four clergymen, no &C.
tors.
Arizona-Two clergymen, no actors.
Connecticut One clergymen; no
actors.
Colorado-No clergymen or actors.
Delaware-No one OF either.
Florida-Many colored preachers; |;
no actors.
Georgia-Seven negro preachers; 10
actors.
Idaho-No clergymen or actors.
Indiana-Neither actor nor clergy.
man.
Iowa-Three actors; no clereymen.
Kansas-One negro preacher; no
actors.
Kentucky Three minister's; one
actor.
Louisiana-None of either.
Maine-Neither clergyman nor &C.
tor.
Maryland-No clergymen; one &C.
tor, minstrel.
Massachusetts, - Neither profession
represented.
Michigan-One actor; one clergy.
man.
Minnesota-Three actors; one cler.
gyman.
Montana-One clergyman.
Missouri-One actress; no clergy
men.
Nebraska-Two clergymen expect
ed; no actors.
New Jersey-Four ministers; no
actors.
New Hampshire-Entirely ont Of
both.
New Mexico. North Carolina, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsyl.
vanis, South Dakota-None of either.
Rhode Island-One clergyman; NO
actors.
South Carolina No actors; no
white ministers.
Tennessee-Four clergymsn; no ao.
tors.
Texas-Nine clerymen six actors.
Utah-Never had ono OF either pro-
fession.
Vermont-Four actors; one clergy
man.
Virginia-One preacher (dark); no
actors.
West Vireinia-One alleged minis.
ter; no sectors.
Wisconsin-Nit.
Wyoming-No preachers; once had
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