The sun., 1909-11-07

Of the smaller number. The one pays
Immediately in money. the other pays In
the long run In the service which Il reDdsrs.
For the developmentlof cultivation OF taste
lies In the hearing and seeing and hring
with what IL best In art John Hay used
70 say: 1T was safe to assume that book
which had very great sale was not htera-
ture.- ] remember the night when Tar into
the morning poor Richard Mansfield rallied
because the immsnse coat OF producing
Richard the Third had compelled him to
abandon that work worthy Of hts genius In
favor Of less costly and more popular plays
which he considered trifiing and q waste OF
time. remember the high snticipatiOns
OF the true home for the drama which cre-
ated the building Of the Edwin Booth Thea
tire forty years ago, Its brilliant but too
short career and lie speedy cod In financial
failure.
Here, with comparative independence OF
the sheriff. to enable the managers with
cheerful souls 20 give Ne the best plays well
acted, to give us the good old plays with
which history and tradition and the memory
OF some OF us associate the names OF great
actors, to give US the good new plays all the
more readily produced because OF the new
spur of better opportunity for the stage
and the audience. here can be found enjoy
ment which leaves no bad taste IN the mouth:
here the managers may snap their nngers
at the sensational and meretrictous. and
here for many and many q year. while the
brilliancy Of these decorations grow dim.
while the founders pass away and new audi
ences throng the aisles aud occupy the
seats, many and many . year shall DE
sxerted to he fnll. the bens0cent influence Of
the acted drama upon the minds. the morals
aud the manners OF our people. IL 10 q
good cause. bravely undertaken. and the
men who have espoused It are entitled to
the hearty thanks of all Of Va. ....
And II In being done In the right way. Cow
ernment endowed theatres suit Old World
cond ions. but not ours. The iutsrdepend-
ence Of modern life conpels constantly more
aud m ore interference by government In our
daily lives. but the less We have OF II where
IL In not necessary the better. Individual
initiative. individual enterprise make Tor
individual freedom and independence oil
character. and these are the true and the
right American way OF getttn things done.
Congratulations. Mr.. Morgan and gentle
men Of the honorable list ,Of founders, and
con ugratulstions to YOU. my fellow towns
men, not only upon this wonderful gift but
upon the public civic pride and spirit Of
your associates. Congrstulations 10 the
mana cement which has done its work 90
we'll. and heartfelt hopes from all OF us.
know, that when the curtain rises upon the
beginning OF the serious work Of the New
Theatre Il will rise upon u career Of slori-
ous achievement and ussful service To our
belov ed country that shall NOT end for ma ny
and many generations to come. iApplsuss. ]
The curtains were drawn when Ssna =
tor Root had finished and tho founders
and guests on the stage took seats that
had been reserved Tor them in the body
OF the house.
poRBKs- ROBERTSON REA De FROM @nAAIkr.
A moment later the velvet folds swung
upward and in a diagonal line across
the stage with T. II. Sothern at the right
were the New Theatre players. The
women and some u the men were seated.
On the floor lay Master John Tanssy.
! the youngest member Of the company
| Above him, behind the row Of standing
| players, was a great white bust Of Shake
speare modelled for the theatre 10y Gut
Zon Borglum.
| At the extreme right from the view
, point of the house stood Mr.. Forbes
| Robertson. his arms resting on the back OF
chair. He read Hamict's advice to the
! players andwell. Mr.. Forbes-Robertson
has been reading IL for a long time and
those who have heard him know how he
does il. Those who haven't Ought to
regret it. -
When he came to the end OF the lines
| he swept one hand toward the players
and toward the wings as he said: ..
Go. make you readyvs
4 Then the curtains fell. the audience
I sang America and the ceremonies W ere
completed.