Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-11-10
THE STAGE AMERICAN.
Paris Has Caught Him in All
His vulgarity, Coarseness
and Cool Effrontery.

ii has come at last. The doctors
must take their own medicine. says
the Globe.Democrat. We have long
leen philosophical with those Ger.
mans aud Irishmen who hnve protest.
ed against the stage "Dutchman," and
the stage Paddy" We have coun.
selcd them to keep cool and when
they have retorted that the stage ere
atoms purporting to figure their ma.
uonal types arc gross carlcatures we
have answered. very provokingly. no
doubt, that that is what they are in
tended to be, and that they should be
so understood. We have intended to
convey the impression that being
caiicatures. these makeups should not
he taken too seriously. We have sat.
ished ourselves with this fine philo-
sophy only because We. who had new.
! er felt q wound. could jest mt scars.
me only stage American any of us
mad ever seen. or anybody had ever
seen. was that benign individuals with
the patriarchnl beard and the bespan.
gled clawhammcr coat whose appear
ance on the stnge moves us to wild
applause, while the band plays Hall
Columbia!" Such has been our han.
| py state for generations. Alas. Il is
different now.
They have caught and staged in
Europe what they call the typical
american. and they have gone about
| II In the SAME way we went about
staging the freshman and the German.
Onr stage types were made when we
knew very little about either Pat or
Hans. and they have survived since
We are better acquainted only because
OF the difficulty of getting rid of n
thing which still pleases us long af.
ter We know It to be delusiye Es,.
rope Is rs precocious as we I'm carly
assuming to know enough about rs
TO typify us behind the footiights and
mas. naturally. taken the same course
we took. Drawing conclusions from
the Americans most frequently on oy.
hibition across the water durinp tho
last two or three summer seasons
faris has evolved stage American
| VINO is pictured as being n mental
cross between goose ana a peacock
me types OF American now appear.
ing on the stages along or near the
rohievards are alike IN what Paris
considers the essentials of American
manner or temperament. The Ameri.
can is now appearing In half dozen
inherent Paris theaters. but In all of
,hem his real vulgarity. ignorance are
made to shine out through fine raj.
liieht and cool effrontery. Take that
one OF the stage Americans now an.
bearing at the Paris Odeon. Intro.
uueeu 10 the society OF n young
rrench lady In good social standing
ne soon brings her to the point OF
representation at his familiarity, and
,nlorn,s her that he has heard that
french women are all alike. and thai
Frenchman had told him ha com,I
NOT go wong anywhere. "And he
moved in the best society" adds onr
typical stage American. for met
MN in front OF the Grand Cafe"
Oh. you men and women VINO have
gone rowing about n continent what
nave You done to us who have staved
at home You have put upon ali Of
us brand of distinct inferiority ms
citizens of that great world in which
want or composure in ordering your
service. in tipping. and in ASSERTING
rank which is peculiarly a money
rank, and estimates people ACCORDING
10 the cafes they patronize, have not
only made YOU the objects of ill.con.
ceaied contempt. but have made the
! rest OF us Americans the subjects or
gross caricature. We are not such &c
'hose. but how are we 10 prove It?
our countiymen have fixed our
pace Oh the foreign stage. and we
can not get away from 1t for cen.
tnry at least. Oh. Hans! oh Pal.
rick! And even you. John Bull, For.
give us that we have done you wrong
III taking YOU at your worst instead
OF at your best. For now we know
now It Is ourselves. 1t is ou;. mic
mat is now caught under the gate
and he will squeal as loudly as yours
eyer did. 1t is your turn to laugh.