The Washington herald., 1907-02-03

market for them on the strength of what
ever success their work has had this sea
son. SO the managers are likely 10 have
abundant material 10 Gull from, Of vary
ing degrees of originality, ingenuity,
staleness, and amateurishness. The ques-
ton of quantity Of supply seems solved
About the quality there is still room for
misgiving. But with two score or so OF
playsmiths busy with hammer and bel
lows, to say nothing of scissors and
paste-pot there ought 10 be in the output
a reasonable number Of fairly good
dramas for the new season.
Let us hope the problem and society
plays viii be few; likewise the divorce
and international marriage dramas. Bet
ter the clustering, powder-reeklng thrill
ers Of the frontier and the mining camps.
or the narrowing sociological study OF the
slums Almost anything rather than those
stuffy denatured dramas of society. espe-
cially swell English society. worked out
by materialized and mobile dgments OF
the brain. whose small make-believe en-
ergies are exhausted in ferreting our
phrases Of epigrammdtlc form to express
their unfelt feelings and unthunk
thoughts. The cattle ranch and mining
camp drama gives US rude, crude human
nature In the raw. 1t is true. But il is the
real thing, and il is mostly normal At
times II may be barbarous. but It isn't so
cheaply. vaiuly barbarous as the human
nature that barriers manhood and woman
hood for titles or furniture and fixtures.
Here Is barbarism that is inveterate.
that has lurked in blood and tissue
through generations of supposed civIliza-
ton. and AT last reasserts itself I'm acts
that differ In degree. but not I'm kind.
from that OF the African who swaps his
sons ana daughters for discarded plug"
hats and swallow-taned coats.
In view Of the recent announcement
that Washington is TO be provided with
q new irst-class theater. the question
naturally arises. Can the town support
such an addition to its already rather
generous stock Of playhouses2 The man
ayers OF the existing places Of amlse-
ment are almost certain 20 return "a mega
tive reply with, Of course. the exception
OF the gentlemen who are interested in
the project Tor the new house They and
their financial associates must have con-
WINGED themselves that there IS room
here for another hrst-class theater before
they took any practical steps 10 carry our
the project That is a simple business
proposition. II is. Of course. evident from
the census returns that Washington is
Increasing rapidly in population. And
large percentage Of this increase is of the
class Of people who may be- relied on TO
potronize O. playhouse Of the sort which
The published statements indicate il is
The purpose Of the projectors TO provide
Presumably the new house. if actually
built, viii be of the most modern IRE
proof construction elegant I'm design and
appointments. and with all the scientific
improvements in the way OF ventiiatiney
apparatus. inclined planes to the balcony
and galleries instead of stairwavs. and
stfge so spacious and provided with aII
lp-to-datc appuTtenauces that the most
ambitious prodUction-drama and one
-dtc-can be easily put on There is Iift1A
danger that such a theater would not
command a good patronage. provided AZ
WAYS us managers were able 10 secure
rom the powers that De IN theatrical af-
-alrs IN the metropolis the right kind Of
This is naturally one of rbe /
De-
present syndicated state of the theatrical
world Of this country.
II is OF course To be assumed I
mat If the new house is erected. this
matter viii be carefully looked ate, be-
lore there has been any great expenditure /
~ money on the projected new enter /
PRISE with the right class of attractions /
presented in modern, elegantly appoint /
-o playhouse there is little doubt the /
public Of Washington could be depended I
17 to furnish sufficient patronage u make /
he venture success without iniuring 10 /
any considerable degree. If at all the
Existing theaters. This town has demon /
.traJed again and again in recent years /
mat it is always ready 20 give generous /
patronage TO all really good theatrical /
md operate productions that come here.
Il wants the best and OF these il has /
shown no signs Of getting "a surfeit.
MAURICE SPLAIN. /