The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-05-02
AUTHOR Of THE
CLANSMAN" CAN
LAUGH AT CRITICS
Nj. Dixon Has Won Popular and
BOx=Office Success in
!. Spite Of Them.
BY R. M.
r Thomas Dixon, jr., were not a rev.
erend gentleman it is quite possible

r Thomas Dixon, jr., were not a rev
erend gentleman it is quite possible
that he might be tempted to as
sumo toward dranatie critics the alti-
tude of the small boy when he is safely
cut of reach of the town copper of
other dignitary whom he has offended.
The attitude is one combined of lri-
umph and disdain, and is conveyed by
raising the hand, fingers extended, YER
t;cally before the face, the thumb
being maintained in close juXtaposition
to the tip of the nose and the fingers
moved alternately Jack and forth at
q considerable velocity. Though far
from elegant, ~the gesture is none the
less eminently expressive.
Few playwrights OF today have been
so heartily and freely lambasted for a
dramatic production as Mr.. Dixon has
for 1.-The ,Clansman." He has been
raked fore and aft. riddled with crit
ical hot and she'll, bombarded with
ridicule, and so regularly and general
ly blown up and torn apart n con-
signed to the depths of a theatrical
hades that you wonder he hasn't been
forced to strike his colors long ago.
Yet Mr.. Dixon has done nothing of
the sort.
On the contrary. his employment
during the three years of commotion
which his brain-child has stirred up,
must have consisted chiefly in gladden.
ing the hearts of his bankers with the
size and frequency of his deposits.
For, if "The Clansman" hasn't elected
many fattering testimonials from the
newspapers, it has brought forth much
more solid and substantial results from
the box office. The critics have done
their utmost to prevent Mr.. Dixon from
having to increase the size of his hat
bands; the people have merely trans
ferred the swelling from his hat to his
pocketbook.
The popular success of 1.-THE Clans
man. has been a great one, and there
is no use trying to discount popular
success. In the South, where race feel
ing is high, the receptions given it
have been enthusiastic, and in the
North the cleverness of the companys
press agents in stirring up moral and
racial controversies has accomplished
much the same effect. During its two
visits here Newark seemed to take to
it like a babe or a thirsty Jerseyman
on a Sabbath day to the bottle. Bust
ness has been great" and when bust
ness is great our critic might as well
take his grievance and swallow 1T or
p~igeonhole it or dispose of it in any
other way that suits his convenience.
Airing it won't have II appreciate
effect against the tide of popular favor.
The present writer is free to confess
that in the past he has piped up a bit
himself amid the general chorus or
philippics. and he is also free to con-
TESS that he has never seen any cause
to change his mind concerning the
quality or lack of quality of the play
considered from the point OF drama
and not even mentioning its ethlcs
Nevertheless, he is not going to Waste
his time or the office stationery taking
about it now. 1.-The Clansman VIII
probably do a big weeks business as
it has before, and for the sake OF the
hustlers along with the show, we hope
It will.
Now that the regular seasons of
melodrama have closed at ana
the Columbia Theatres, a WORD con-
corning the years experience at those
houses may not be inappropriate. Iheir
experience has been Identical with that
of other. houses of the same class al
over the country 1t has been the poor
est season for sensational melodrama
that has ever been known. This has
not heen wholly. nor do We think,
largely. due to the general financial
strineencv. Here. for instance, the
Newark Theatre has had the most
prosperous season in its history ana
the vaudeville at Proctor's has been
most strongly supported
The principal lesson to draw from ens
condition is that people are tired Of