New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-15
CLERICAL LIBEL NAILED.
DIR. Winters Words Distorted Into
Attack on Stage.
To the Editor Of The Trrbuna.

To the Editor Of The Trfbuna
Sir: learn from an editorial comment a s-Ths
New York Dramatic Mirror."-ths leading dra-
matte paper OF country. and. therefore, an an
thOrity 70 be trusted-that the Rev Mr. suowdsu
a clergyman OF JohnstOwn. Penn. has been quot
Ing and using words of mine q support and
Justification OF an attack that he Is making upon
the Theatre as institution and that be cites ne
as an enemy Of thu stage
I DO not know what words OF uins have been
quoted by that ecclesiastic, or IN what way they
have been distorted and misapplied I % know
and wish explicitly TO say. that any REPRESENTA-
aon OF me as an enemy or opponent Of the Theatre.
or as anything other than a believer IN II ana a
devoted friend IT, Is an irrpudeut csI1-,,,-
Against GbHses Of the TAe1trs BY unworthy per-
sons. who, from time to time have obtained con-
troll OF II. I have always contsnded The institu
ton itself has always received from ma All the
support that could possibly give.
THE Mirror a mild forbearance that dosa
NOT supply the requisite energy OF reputation Of
this pulpit Hbel.-relates that ''for nearly half a
century have been writing about the Theatre
and have published many books smbodyinz grace
fuI tributes to II and to It's people. The srAOls
truth Is that have been. professionally. and IN
continuous active employment. a writer about tas
Theatre for than fifty years; that am
Oldest dramatic reviewer IN this country. In
tinuOus service OF the press as such; that hays
been the dramatic editor and critic OF The New
York Tribune for forty-two years.-coms July Is.
1907: that have passed the whole OF my life IN
intimate relations with the Theatre. and IN Ia
borious support OF II; that have used my utmost
ability and Industry to sustain and advance IT, and
that now az more than three-score-an6-te ten, I an
still its earnest advocate and stu in devoted SER
vice OF il. Ny writings about the Drama already
I'LL more than hfty huge folio volumes. And a.
though have strenuOusly opposed and attacked
every misuse OF the Theatre that haVs observed.
the sum total Of my testimony Is wholly and fer
vently in favor OF the Theatre and the Dramatic
Profession.
No man could give amDler or more practical
proof than have given OF devotion % the stage
MY wife was. IN her youth. an actress OF distinc-
uon' professionally associated with the dramatic
companies OF Edwin Booth, James II Hackstt
John Brougham. Lester WaIack. and Augustn
DAILY My eldest son. Percy. has been an actor for
nearly thirty years Ny second son. ArthuT.-WhO
manifested extraordinary talent for the stags-
would have been an actor. had be lived Ny third
son. Louis was associated with theatrical man
asement, and he would have continued n that
pursuit. but for the fatal illness that CAUSED his
untimeiy death My youngest son, Jefferson, 81 an
actor now, and has been IN that profession for
more than twelve years; while hts wife elsie Les
hs). has been an actress from her childhood NJ
dearest and most Intimate friends. with q fsw
ceptions. have been actors Any person. whsthsr
in the pulpit or out Of II. who dssignates ms -
an enemy Of the stage Is either an isnoTaznuz
fool or q malicious liar.
have become extremely weary Of the babbls q
clsrgymen about the Theatre. As q rule. they know
nothing whatever about itI and since they TAX
from the pulpit. where they shisdsd from M
mediate reply, they can always safely induiEs u
tbs utteranGe Of blathsrf and some Of them s-a
always improving the opportunity. Ons Of thsu-
not long ago. being distressed because q sors-
bOcy's silly proposition 60 playhouse arrsr
William Penn. recently cited. and OF course E1s-
applied. words OF mine from The Tribune. thinking
70 strengthen his protest against the association
OF PENIS name with the stage. BY representing Ts
as foe OF the drama They cannot. Il sssms ges
along without dragging Sir Lucius into che Quars~
For my part Il what Is said IN AGacaulsys His;oFy
sideratiOn. believe that Il ts-ths disgrace woud
fall not on the name OF Penn. but on the thsalFs
that should happen to be tagged with It.
believe the Theatre. an institution 20 % u
trinsicaIly powerful for good the Churen -
and know that Il Il far interesting. 20
Nevs that the members Of the Dramatic Profession
as class. ara moral and as respeetaole as 10
members Of the Clergy. believe that the 4h'@-N
with all its faults. which are due 90 bad InanNs
ment and bad public infiuence-to the evil prope.s
ties that are IN human nature-is OF great neneAI =
society. and that. rightly administered u =
blessing TO civilization. ] also think tAat -
Clarendon was right Whsn he expressed the 0P'n'e
that clergymsn. a class. IN their uleao4eSol-'
inte-ferencs with public AFFAIRS are the Inoss IL
/ chIevous people "a the world. Yours Nulys
WILLIAM WINTER
/ No. II Third avenue. New Brighton. Staten @A'A1'
/ y. Y March IL 1901.