The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-05-02
PASSING OF THE CIRCUS FREAK.
Lancaster (Pa.) Examiner.


will not exhibit freaks" Now there must be
reason for this. Largely it must be caused by
the freak being no longer paying investment
This in turn is because of growing human SYM
pathy, and therein lies the deep and important
Significance of this change in circus and other
amusements.
The freak was doomed as soon as the day
dawned when people saw what they really were
or are For ages there has been slow tendency
to humanize our amusements, and now the good
trend is eliminating.
In the case of freaks the change has not been
sudden. few generations ago such human
curiosities were manufactured by abominably
cruel processes. The armless and legless man,
to obtain an engagement of recent years, must
have been born that way, not MANNED in in
fancy. Incidentally, he was all the more of
rarity, since demand was not allowed to create
supply. But even manager who had no hand
In the mans mutilation would And it unprofta-
BILE to exhibit one who was simply the victim OF
fiendishness. Also, managers found out long
ago that their attractions must be sane. An
idiot might be ever so Enthusiastically framed; 1t
would not do to exhibit him on the platform.
The freaks might be, and usually were, of low
grade of intelligence, like the giant who nearly
turned a press agents farce into tragedy by
ed, for fear that he was giving away his children,
but they were not actual detectives"
Long ago there was an undercurrent of dis
gust over making public sport of what was
merely pathological. Now that we know freak
ishness is a disease we are the more disinclined
to look at 1t. We now know the giant is not q
superhuman, but is such by form of disease at
the base of the brain which eventually kills,
after fearful disfgurements, like the enlarge
ment of the hands, feet and other members of
the body. The giant is a poor, sickly mortal,
weak-minded and dies young. Knowing this 1t
gives no pleasure to look at him.
In like manner when the patrons of the circus
realize that the human pin-cushion, the elastic
skinned man, the blue man, the dog-faced boy
and their ilk are all victims of rare diseases with
ten-syllabled names of Greek origin, and that,
in all probability, other sufferers. who are un-
willing to exhibit their Affections. are under
treatment by physicians, these, too, lose most Of
their fascination.
1t is interesting and instructive to see the
changed sentiment we have toward insanity.
No one now would think of going to a madhouse
to see the strange antics of maniac in chains,
which civilized Englishmen did several genera
lions ago. Who now goes joyously to an execu-
ton? No town is likely again to receive such
title as ''merry Carlisle" because of the excep-
tional activity of its gibbets. Sensation seekers
are excluded, as far as possible from such places
as morgues and prisons. A sympathetic public
sentiment, even more than laws and regulations,
holds the morbidly- minded in check and keeps
them from terrible sights like hanging or
viewing an unknown corpse.
Again in our sports we see the evidence of
growing sympathy. Interest in contests as con-
tests is high as it ever was, yet many forms OF
competition which were once popular, from
gladiatorial shows to cock-fghting have been
put under the ban of the law. Some persons, to
be sure, consider such restrictions merely puri-
tanical, and quote approvingly that the original
objection to bear-baiting was that it gave pleas
ure to the spectators. The line, however. has
consistently been drawn, not with reference to
the degree. but to the kind of pleasure. The
sports which have been interdicted are those in
which the elements Of cruelty is paramount
over the contest ITSELF The higher tone of feel
ing and sensibility sees with disgust. or rather
don't see at all, another cock kill another, after
being spurred with steel gaffs by brutal men.
So cruel sport has been outlawed. The old prize
fight with bare fists has become boxing con-
test with big gloves, in which superiority is not
measured by punishment" and the interest of
the spectator is centered in the skill of the con-
testants. They are as different as day from
night.
There is, in fact, sound reason behind every
one of the efforts to get rid of the morbid and
unwholesome in our life. That practices which
once attracted no attention "get on our nerves"
today is not sign of weakness, but of sensibili-
ties more intelligently directed. When there is
so much, in the drama and elsewhere, to indi-
cate a lowering of taste, there may be compen-
sations in noting the thoroughly healthy ten
denotes which we have mentioned.
ACCORDING 10 Mrs. Henrietta I. Goodrich, \
ldustrial Union of Boston, the increase in
housework wages during the last five years, as
shown by the records of the Domestic Reform
League is as great if not greater than in any
other line of work. Within this time the mum
bers of general house workers receiving So and
more week has increased from one-seventh
of the total to more than one half the number
of cooks at So and more from one-third to
more than two-thirds, and the number of
second maids at SIS and more from onetenth
to more than one half. Yet despite this in
crease in pay the demand is twice as great as
the supply. And this will continue so long as
domestic service implies lower social status
Household work, be it in lady's chamber or at
the cook stove, is regarded as mental, and so
long as that idea prevails girls will seek shop
an factory rather than work for another in
private home. Let wages advance to the top
most notch and matters will not change. The
dislike of homework is as strong as the
foolish desire to crowd into cities. Both are
memorable.
AT GLEN Cove, L. l., the fourth recorded
American case of the disease known as sleep
ing sickness, from which 200 900 people have
died in Central Africa, has resulted fatally,
the victim being Howard Price, the 25-yearold
son of well-to-do merchant. This illness was
of three weeks duration and was the first the
young man had ever experienced. He was
one of family of seven children, all Of whom
are healthy. The first and constant symptom
was the uncomfortable desire to sleep, which
came upon him suddenly as he was out walk
ing. Until near the end he was able to eat
and lost little weight. He appeared we'll, and
was among company day or two before be
went to sleep for the last time.
Ex.GovERNoR WAKEFIELD, of Maryland, who
left on Tuesday for an extended pleasure trip
through the Northwest, declared before leav-
ing Baltimore that he favored the nomination
of Governor johnson, of Minnesota, by the
coming Democratic National Convention.
He says he is the most available man and the
strongest candidate the party could name. Mr..
Warfield supported Bryan four years ago.
Some think if johnson should be nominated
that Warfield would take the second place on
the ticket. While in Minnesota Mr.. Warfield
will be the guest of Governor johnson.
NEARLY THREE thousand Odd Fellows as.
sembled at Ford's Opera Honse, Baltimore, on
Sunday afternoon last to participate in the
ceremonies attending the celebration of the
eghty-ninth anniversary of the founding of
the order. There were several addresses and
vocal and instrumental music. Nearly all the
Baltimore county lodges were represented.
Mr.. s. H. Foxwell, of the Maryland Grand
Lodge, presided.
EVERYTHING and every body was for Hon.
SYDNEY e. Mudd in the Republican convention