Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-05-24
The Ignorance Of Bigotry.

umental ass OF himself in traducing
the dramatic profession-and espe-
cially the actresses-whOm he de-
nounces as moral lepers." He, if
the press reports be true, mentioned
by name, as representatives, of this
class, Ellen Terry, Sarah Bernhardt
and Nan Patterson, declaring, Il
would as leave throw a child of mine
into the mouth Of a crocodile rs to
allow him to hear one of these wO-
men,"
The fact is that, human nature in
the dramatic profession is about the
same as in other professions and vo-
cations, except with this one differ
ence, that education, experience and
environment make the capable ac-
tress much brighter and more intelli-
gent than women in most other walks
of life. The actor is of necessity cos
mopolitan; having opportunity to OBJ
serve and mingle with all grades of
society and classes of people. Emf
hence and fame are the result of ca
pacity and long continued, patient
and well-directed effort. A good &C
tor on the stage is good actor off
the boards. If he or she fails to at
tain a place of merit, they very soon
realize that they have been weighed
and found wanting, and seek other
pursuits. There is as great an in
centive afforded the actor or actress
to lead a moral life as for other peo-
pie, and indeed more, as they can by
that means command respect for pro-
fessional merit as well as social pur-
ity.
1t is well for Rev. Stephenson that
he had not among his auditors, Sum
day night, an Emma Abbott, who in
a Baltimore church, after just such
an arraignment of her profession
arose, at the close of the service, and
asked the privilege of q reply. She
declared, with great calmness and
self-control that she was more
grieved than offended at the remarks
of the good brother, who was simply
ignorant of facts upon which to base
an unbiased judgment. She judged
her sisters by herself, and she knew
many eminent in the profession who
were all good, true and pure, vir-
tuous women. Had the speaker quail
flied his assertion in any way, she
might not have felt it a duty to
speak in their behalf, but she could
not hear such SANDERS without pro-
test, and she sincerely hoped that
the brother would ON prayerful inves-
tigation discover his error and realize
that it is anything but Christlike to
bear false witness against ones neigh
bors.
The audience forgot time and place
and vigorously applauded the noble
principles enunciated by the woman
who had probably done more for pro-
noting truly charitable work than
any pulpit orator in the land.
The writer of these comments has
had more than ordinary opportunity
to study the personnel of the dramatic
profession. He was for years as
signed to that part of dramatic COM
ment in Portland. while yet youth,
and for thirteen years in his prime
managed Olympia Theater, and dur
ing that time was intimately con-
nected with the profession. He can
say, in all candor that, with rare ex.
ceptions, actors are the best, brightest,
most intelligent, discriminating, So
cial, sympathetic and charitable peo-
pie he has ever met, and their morals
will compare favorably with those of
any other class of people, not except
ing Of the cloth worn by the pastor
OF the Cherry Street Presbyterian
Church in Seattle, Rev. w. A. Ste
phenson. If the church-people are
as good in every respect as are nine
tenths of the actresses in legitimate
drama they will surely be accorded q |
golden-harp when life's duties are
over and the pages are opened by the
recording angel in the great book Of
life.
A KNOCKOUT IN THE FIRST ROUND.
John L. Sullivan, it seems, feels
quite Inundated over the fact that
the first and onlv reouest he has