New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
THE DRAMA
The Niger" at The Nezr
Theatre.

placed upon the boards. although not the
frst by an American dramatist- Its name
Is The Niger" and its author is Mr.
Edward Sheldon. who wrote Salvation
Nell for Mrs. Ffske. Some persons have
objected to the name. They could not
have objected 10 the play. because they
knew nothing about H. II ls to be hoped
that they are not the kind OF folk who
wrap their minds in flannel or cotton bat
ting for protection against the searching
drafts Of the world. and that they do not
belong to the family which finds vulzarfty
IN leg" and seeks 10 avoid indelicacy oy
the use Of limb" as II a limb were neces-
sarily leg. There are. II IS said. persons
who discover offence even IN the word
negro" and they substitute the term
"colored person II red. or brown or
yellow persons were not colored- But MI
Sheldon Is aware OF all this. and II might
have been supposed that when he chose
the title FOR his play he did not intend 10
offend anybody. but lid with set purpose
point a moral and adorn a tale. HIS play
leaves no doubt on that point. and no ne
sroes or sympathizing whites need give
themselves any uneas.ness. about the mat
ter. II is the purpose Of Mr.. Sheidon's play
to show the place which in a white civiliza-
change comes in human nature. must be
occupied by persons In whose veins runs
negro blood The Niger with whom Mr..
sheidon's play is most concerned Is a white
man. cultured. prosperous. high in station.
who is ruined in the eyes OF his white world
by the discovery that the black blood Is IN
him. although no trace OF IT is visible. and
he had never suspected the disastrous truth
Pu~ hat rod and
lished. the leading citizen hnds himself
oetracized as a niger.
For the scene is in the South And In
the South they do not IN common speech
say negro" or persons of color" And
IN the South. where the black folks are
counted by the million. and where. accord
ing TO local belief. they are better under
stood than in the North. 'ngger'' may be
a term Of contempt or OF affection. accord
ing TO circumstance. the user and the use
II in contempt or "a a synonyme OF In
feriority. there is term still more con-
temptuous which the Niger" uses-"pOre
white trash"-and, curiously enough, North
srn sensibIlities find no harm IN that.
The principal person in Mr. Sheldon's
play is Philip Morrow, Sheriff Of his county
and candidate for the Governorship or
his state. Morrow IS affianced 10 GeOrgiana
Byrd. and the marriage is TO take place
after the groOm-elect becomes Governor.
The spectator is. OF course. introduced at
once 20 the fine flower Of the first families.
But It happens that one of Candidate
Morrows black employees has committed
the crime for which ..'niggers' are lynched
and white men are not. The flying rufi.an
hides on Morrow's estate. II Sheriff Nor
row delivers the wretch TO the mob or re-
fuses 10 do so his own political death will
be certain. BIt Morrows cousin and cam
paign manager and rival in love, Clifton
Noyes takes the matter into his own hands
and delivers the fugitive 10 the bowling
crowd in a fashion that does not involve
the fortunes Of his candidate
Morrow carries the election And now,
as Governor Of the state, he Is about TO
sign a prohibition act which has come
from the Legislature. and which. he is con-
vinced. Will help 10 protect the negroes
against their worst enemy. Noyes en-
deavors TO persuade Governor Morrow TO
veto the bill. Noyes is distiller. and S
quite willing that all the ''niggers'' in the
South shall be drunk. hanged. shot or
burned. so long as his own interests are
not interfered with. Prohibition will ruin
his business But the Governor is firm
Persuasion having failed. Noyes threatens.
And he uses the most terrible threat tnat
can be brought against a white man. He
proves that Morrow has negro blood IN
his veins and his threat is 70 make this
fact public IL Morrow signs the prohibition
bill He believes that no man OF Nor
rows standing will dare 10 descend from
the estate Of An honOred Governor to the
place OF "a damned nigger'-face. IN otner
words social. political and professional
ruin But Morrow signs the bill and de-
clares that he will resign the GOvernOrship.
Georgiana Byrd. his sweetheart. turns from
him In horror when she learns of the taint
in his blood
Here there is scene Of great power.
strongly conceived. strongly acted. The
lover In this white Niger" Overcones the
philosopher and hero, Morrow cannot give
UP the woman he adores. He seizes her
passionately. she struggles against him as
II he were a black brute and escapes from
the room. the Governors room at the Capt.
tol. In the next act she returns. declares
her love for him. refuses TO see that any
thing is changed that Morrow Of mixed
descent is not the same man she has al
ways loved. But now Governor Morrow
attains the heights OF remuneration He
puts love out OF his life. He paints for
this white sweetheart the picture of his
future. You cannot go with me TO Niger
hotels eat with me a. nigzer lunch cOun-
ters. travel with me In niger cars
AS the play ends you know that he must
20 into the world stripped of all honors
saving only his honor as a man. and. Ie-
solved 10 devote his life 10 the negro race
He knows he must face and share the os-
tracism OF the Niger"
The theme If odious is powerful Who
knows how many men and women in this
America have had 10 face conditions like
those set forth in SheIdon's play. and 10
pay the penalty OF an ancestors folly?
They may not have been Governors, but
they have been humans and have lost their
places in the world The lusts OF black
bucks In the South are fearful. but what OF
those superior whites whose inter-racial
amours have sprinkled the region with
blacks OF modified color?
Mr. Sheldon does not take sides. He
tells his story works out his play and leaves
the audiences OF The New Theatre 10 do
their own Inoralizing and TO reflect upon
phase OF American civilization which for
many years has furnished abundant ma
teriaI for discussion
The second act OF the play proved 10 be
one of great strengthen fact. the strongest
act OF any play which has yet been seen
In The New Theatre Mr.. Post and Miss
Russell reused the audience TO a high
pitch OF enthusiasm Mr.. Johnson and