Arizona republican., 1908-01-17
tlANfORD'S SUNDAY
 VISIT IN PHOENIX
A Little Gossip About the Country, and, Incidentally, a Little "Shop Talk"

Among the players who visit Phoe-
 nix annually, Charles B. Hanford is one of the few who may always be de- pended upon to say something inter esting in the way of an interview when one is sought. aside from the inn
 mediate subject of his Phoenix engage ment. Usually. though. he is most en-
 tertaining in a discussion of some fea- ture, of stage work. as he is interested heart and soul in his profession and ambitious in the futherance of his ca
 reer. In one of his earlier visits to Phoenix. when he accompanied Louis James. he took drive over the valley, and among his western souvenirs are some kodak pictures taken by himself of Mrs. Hanford and another lady in the company. picking oranges at h. gleside. He is pleased to note the progress of events in this valley and, like most visitors, reads greatness in the future
 That is expected of MT Hanford and all other perspicacious visitors. He could not help but say something nice about the valley unless he slept all day and refused to look at it. But in a talk yesterday he was led away from home subjects that. though wonderful. have become commonplace through familiarity, and drawn into an inter- esting talk about incidents of his own work. He was asked if there was any truth in the story that in some cities the Jewish people took offense at the presentation of the Merchant of Venice in the belief that it was de- tA race. He replied that in some meas ure that is true. hut such incidents have been more often directed against the schools than against the theaters as that play and Julius Caesar are so frequently made the subject of Shakespearean study in the schools. And sometimes, said MT Hanford. the very effort to belittle the popularity of the Merchant of Venice.'' has brought to the theater an unusual pat ronage. He recited a case in point of very recent occurrence in Fl Paso, where his company played an engage ment the past week to the biggest business the company ever had in that city. Results might indicate that it was press agents movement de- signed for his advantage, but Mir. Han ford denies it. and says neither he nor his manager. MT. Walker. knew any thing about it until the demand came that ne change the program and pre- sent that bill in the evening instead of at the matinee as had been planned. It was a mere coincidence and one that resulted greatly to his advantage.
 An Fl PaSo paper only a few weeks ago. and one. too, that was unfriendly to the opera house management pub lished an article written by a promi- nent Jew of that city protesting against the study of that play in the public schools Others of the same faith took an opposite view. and still others of gentle faith took issue. The result was that the school board was in a deadlock about what to do. and at last information had taken no ac- ton at all Many in the city who had neither seen nor read the play. but had become interested in the news paper discussion, were anxious to see 1t in order to pass their judgment. and the Hanford company happened along just at the right time to get the bene- fit O: 4.
 The question of the influence of the character Shylock is very like a lot of other things in this world. in that a great deal depends on the critic him. self. If he views the play with prej- udiced mind and is so narrow as to see but one side of the story only. his prejudices will be deepened. but if he has that breadth of mind that Ameri- cans all proudly claim to possess. he can see much in Shylock to admire as we'll as much to condemn, and he can, moreover. see in him a type of human character that is found in every race. To be a Shylock one does not need to be a Jew. for the world is full of gen tile Shylocks. And Shylocks, be they Jew or gentle, have virtues as well as qualities that are reprehensible. Shakespeare. like the playwrights of today. said Mir Hanford. was writing for a living and he chose such eharac- ters as in his day and age and under the prejudices of those times, best represented the lessons he sought to inculcate. The laws ofVenice favored the playwright's purposes. the Jew be- ing practically without voice and un- able to enforce his rights except under such laws as applied to all people alike.