Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-08
Former Actor Tells Of DemoraI-
izinq influences Of Theatri-
cal Lie.
CITATIONS FROM EXPERIENCE.
shows How Young Men and Women
Have Been Led Away b,t0
Aliurcments.

York the ctor-eyangelist, spoke 10
good audiences yesterday afternoon and
evening, in the First Baptist and West
mins,er Presbyterian churches on con-
ditlons obtaining in the dramatic pro-
fession. That the speaker did not con-
.Ider these conditions favorable 10 pub
lie or individual morality. was very eyi-
dent from his Characterization of them.
Or. Ireland called attention to the
fact that In connection with printing
reports of his lectures. some newspapers
would print editorials defending the
stage. claiming actors and actresses
could be and were often Christian peo-
pie. Speaking from experience, the ac-
Tor replied that he had never been able,
with nearly nine years OF active life IN
the profession. to discover that a man
or woman could be q true christian,
md at the same time be an actor OF
actress. Their environments, associa-
lions and manner of life were all d.
recty against the spiritual life. One
might be church member. bus to be n
church member Is one thing, while to be
a Christian. is another. When an actor
or actress Is not In the theater, their
IL
amusement seeking kind. with true
Christian people they never come in
contact. And by true Christian peo-
pie he meant people Of the best tru-
est and noblest character SO II the
members of the profession are not
brought in contact with people of the
highest character, the influences
brought TO bear on them are more or
less morally depressing.
DR.. Ireland said he had nothing
against the newspapers for defending
the stage--it is matter of pure busi-
ness, a matter entirely mercenary. The
atrcal arrangements, the country over
throw enormous amounts of money
into the Golfers of the newspapers
through advertising. and II does not
therefore stand to reason that the
newspapers will take up the cudges
against the source of such pronounced
financial support. However the speak
er held that the special pleas offered IN
the editorial column did not alter the
circumstances at all. Time and again
he had had his contributions returned
by editors stating there was no room
or that was not the class OF informa-
ton desired.
DR.. Ireland then Described the differ
ent forms OF entertainment. The bur-
lesque he held. was the lowest. and
only made its hits as 1t verged on the
Indecent. In other cities than Salt
Lake, the burlesque as given, for in
stance, In certain salt Lake place of
amusement Is attended entirely by
men, and the price OF admission is 10
cents. But in Salt Lake. he had counted
so to 100 respectable women attending
the burlesque shows. and the lowest
price OF admission was % cents. The
lecturer then detailed his observations
on the other theaters concluding that no
matter what kind of show was put
on the Salt Lake boards. plenty of peo-
pie could be found to attend and pay
most any price asked for the same. He
spoke deprecatingly of the melo-Cs- rama,
the blood and thunder. dime novel,
heavy villain style of theatrical enter
tainment. The whole plot In these plays
centered around the character who
posed as the Villain; and the more per-
fectly the actor played his part, the
more successful the show. And here
Dr. Ireland stated that after man
had acted such n part for "A while II
became part OF his nature, for he puts
INTO 1t his whole soul. his individual
ser ana the same reacts on his char
Hcter This is what has ruined Rich
ard Mansfield and Transformed q ma
turally warm. lovable nature into one
OF irrasclbillty and hatred. Mansfield
once discharged seven members OF his
company In Denver. because n local
newspaper critic spoke In high terms
or the work vt these same people. He
snIeW pate Of soup into a walters
tace w New York restaurant, insist
ing that the waiter had not merely
brought him the wrong soup. but had
cone 50 Intentionally. lie discharged his
l'ure company once because they dared
crltlclse his stage arrangements,
WV aclul wears silver plate In his
sHu'i que TO an assault BY Mansfield.
40 one wants 10 associate with him
AL because of his playing DIR. Jekyll
ana Mr.. Hyde so long: and now the
same play is advertised to appear in
Salt Lake the coming week
II 'nls Is the result on man. what
Nust u De on the more Unreasonable
no'uie OF woman? Where she is callel
W. pldy an immoral part. do you not
SUPPOSE " VIII affect her character aft
ei While? IL won't do TO merely
simulate love making ON the stage. The
ndl or the stage manager has gone
urn thal II must be tile genuine arti-
wv else II VIII not take with the audi
'H'e' An actress must submit to tho
eAacuons and demands OF her mana
SGT and IT she refuses, there are NOT
AZ theatcrs In The country I'm which
sne could appear. after having once
ucen bhcklisted. Considering the com.
f'uy an actress is thrown In with on
az wen as ON the stage, Is IL wonder
,h ,ul so many OF them fail TO retain
uclr virtue? The cause ut their min
Gun IN nearly every instance be iIacrJ
~ me stage door.
" ireland said of all the classes OF
,n'e,lalnmsnl, vaudeville is perhaps
W. pest and the cleanest: but after
"uehdance on this for awhile II no.
onles INC easier TO be attracted TO less
'uoCenl SHOWS. There rs great splurge
- MADE over the so-called mora, plays.
'not mere are objectionable passages in
n hur' and IN QUO Vadis." /,
- woman lives in open adultery
IN ner master. Much has been said
ue Noiunteer Organlst but the
No' hinges on the support of n saloon
uF q Methodist minister who af,r,-
ward narries the saloonkecper's dau9h-
NOT much OF q moral lesson about
.uat Inc speaker caused a smile by
''lus NOW theatrical managers en-.
,L"'uleu 10 secure clerical support TO
WY m-called moral plays by sending
lnis'efs complimentary tickets ana
lung out Of The plays-for the tim,
au,. an passages susceptible of NOR.
s,I. tuikid construction. DR.. Ireland
st ne had once received special IN
",rho H g while playing the villain in
ne soudan' TO be sur. 10 change cav
, expressions. as the preachers were
aIaI 70 DC ON hand that evening. He
f1eu' mat had the preachers attended
r wy next play they would not have
ie,rognized the part "''''
Che "e lecturer INDUCED IN some run at
expense Of stage struck youth OF
v ~noin ne said 100000 broke loose every
s sssn y they could only see behind III.
Ms az me time as they would after
tba,s ulu they get on the boards
AVA az Nsr Would not last very long.
also oceas iauy OF Women on the stage
'S's'''hed merriment on the part