davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
THE FIRST YALE PLAY7
A letter in The Yale Alumni Weekly.

n
Let net the present members OF the Yale Dramatic
Association imagine that their generation is the
first to distinguish itself the sTaga 1t appears
from the following statement, which is cut from
Hartford County Memorial History, I, $50 the let
tennial Papers Of the General Conference Of Con-
netIcut that Yale actors were the pioneers OF the
theatrical art In Hartford; and they furnished
rot only the actors but the playwright for a part
OF the programme:
THE drama may be said to have made its entry
May, 1778, letter written by the Rev Andrew
Eliot Of Fairfield, his father informs
Gould you think 1t? On Monday evening IN
election week. in Hartford. the Capital OF the State.
in the Court House, the place where the Fathers
the Senate meet at the most public time, and IN
the most public manner acted "Tancred q
Sigismunda" by the Junior Sophister Class OF Yale
College<w had been forbidden to act the same at
Glastonbury (where they have lately studied). and
who embraced the opportunity of vacation and Sc
cured the Court House for the purpose. To this
succeeded a farce of their own composing. In which
Gels Burgoyne and Prescott were introduced To
keep up the characters of these Generals especially
Prescott they were obliged q believe not to their
sorrow) to indulge in very indecent and profane
language.
"The audience consisted OF the Gentry OF Hart
ford and the vicinity, and number OF strangers,
among whom DIR. Rodgers and Mr. Tennent.
Those Rev'd Gentlemen were very much offended
at the profane language introduced. What
adds to the ilegality is that the actors were not
only dressed agreeable 10 the characters they
suned men, but female apparel and ornaments
were put on some, contrary TO an express statute.
Besides It the lads eco to prepare for the ex-
hibition. Z"
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
TIE COST OF SNOW REMOVAL.

The city's method of providing funds Tor
snow removal calls for reform. Commissioner
Edwards applied yesterday TO the Board OF
Estimate and Apportionment for S2OO,oOo Tor
snow removal He received an allowance OF
$4,000 which, we believe, is sufficient to meet
the expenses which ne has incurred up TO the
present time. Although 1t was showing when the
board voted, and although much Of the winter
remains, no provision was made for future
snow removal. The $4,000. or part Of 1t. when
available, will pay the unfortunates who de-
serted the bread lines to work for the city In
the last storm For hungry men they will
have long wait for their money. The failure
70 provide for future snow removal means the
same hardship to those who will do the shovel
ling Of the next SHOW, and it VIII prevent Mr..
Edwards from procuring the snow ploughs and
scrapers which he regards as essential
There seems to be no reason why the budget
each year should not make provision In ad-
vance for snow removal. 1t Is, of course, i'm
possible TO foresee what the amount OF snow
fall VIII be, but an appropriation equal to the
average cost of preceding years could be made.
If that proved inadequate, special revenue
bonds could be sold to make up the deficiency;
if excessive, the surplus could lie over to be
used for the same purpose the following year.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
4 UsFFUL OPPOSITION.

The organization TO secure and disseminate
Information bearing the direct primary sys
tenn is admittedly hostile to Governor Hughes
proposal. But not even the warmest friend OF
the direct system can find fault with the metneo
of It's attack If the information that can De
gathered regarding the working OF the system
in other states will cause its defeat IN this
state then it ought to be defeated If 1t has
worked badly elsewhere, then we do not want IL
here: provided, OF course, the defects shown
elsewhere are inherent and incurable
And there is, unfortunately, a real lack OF in
formation regarding the working Of the system
in other states where 1t has been tried So far
as we are aware, no study Of the new system
has ever been made 4 recent book on primary
elections devotes three or four chapters TO the
direct system, and is apparently Impartial ana
on the whole favorable in its conclusions; but'
unfortunately, the facts presented concerning
the actual operation OF the system are very
meagre. There is also a study in German Of
the subject, published last year. Besides these,
number of magazine articles and brief papers
make ND all the literature that is available, and
most of these discussions are not sufticienfly
recent to be Of any value The collection Oh
some real information is therefore imperarlVe1y
needed It is unfortunate that this new organi-
cation will not undertake its collection In an
impartial spirit. The moral is that the friends
Of direct primaries ought TO organize TO STUDY
the results In other states and to put their side
OF the case before the public They should not
leave the whole burden Of proving the case for
popular nominations upon the Governor, enec'
tive champion as he undoubtedly will be
If the new organization, in bringing the oe-
fects Of the direct system developed elsewhere
to the attention Of the people, does not accom-
plish its purpose to educate public opinion TO
| oppose q change-and 1t seems improbable that
1t WILT will at least perform public SER
vice in pointing out what faults must be guard
ed against IN framing the new law, 1t seems
probable that a law can be drawn which Will
guard against all the serious defects that have
been revealed In practice. The result will De
that New York will probably have the best d.
rect primary system IN the country.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
TIE BoUsDkRY WATERS TREATY.

II is sincerely to be hoped that the treaty re-
ssttng TO the water boundaries between the
Enited States and Canada VIII be ratified dur
srg the present session Of Congress, or, If not,
zt least early in the special session after March
4. To have 1t fail or even be indefinitely post
poned would be exceedingly regrettable from
every point Of view. 1t deals with matters the
settlement OF which Is emineptly desirable and
should not be difficult No questions Of ma
sional security, integrity or honor are involved,
but merely those of mathematics. OF common
equity and OF neighborly friendliness, upon
which failure TO agree would be- an interna-
tcnal reproach.
From the historical point of view IL is
much 10 be desired that the treaty should be-
come effective, and that thus the benevolent
aspirations Of century and quarter ago should
ct last be fulfilled For the pending treaty is,
IN fact, a supplement 10 that which was nego-
tiated IN 1888. The treaty OF peace at the close
Of the Revolution assumed 10 settle for. .all time
the boundary between the United States and
British America. at least es far west as the
Lake OF the Woods. In order. it said, that all
~disputes which might arise In future on the
s'essb5ect may be prevented. 1t is hereby agreed
eand declared that the following are and shall
s5e" the boundaries between the United States
and Canada; and It then proceeded to indicate
the wafer boundary line running up the St
Lawrence River from the forty-fifth parallel
of latitude through" Lakes Ontario. Erie.
Huron and Superior 10 the northwest corner of
Che Lake of the Woods. Such delimitation
would In any case have been vague In the
etste of geographical ignorance which then pre-
vailed Il Was hopelessly vague The whole
Haesslo9 was reopened for discussion In 1915,
en1 remained an open question until 1871
1As present treaty relates not SO much to
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
IN THE DARK IN WISCONSIN.

An interesting question has been raised by
Senator Isaac StephenBon's supporters iH the
Wisconsin Legislature. After going into joint
assembly for two or three days and failing TO
secure majority vote there, they now assert
that Mr.. Stephenson was reelected on the vote
taken In the two houses on January 26 he then
receiving majority Of the votes cast In each
body Curiously enough, the Stephenson man
ayers did not realize that they could make out
a good case for an election on January 26, and
consented to the taking of several Intellectual
votes IN Joint session the presumption that
no election had occurred
There exists very general misapprehension
about the method Of choosing Senators This
is fostered by inaccurate press dispatches de-
scrbing election the formal verification
Of the vote In the two houses which occurs at
their Joint session. If candidate receives a
majority Of the votes cast In each branSh yot-
ing separately, that elects him, and the Joint
session on the day following merely declares
the result If candidate has q majority in
each house the Joint assembly must ballot.
It seems that il the Wisconsin House of Rep
resentatves, on January &c, Mr.. Stephenson re-
ceived sixty votes out Of ninety-nine cast That
was an undoubted majority as there are onIy
one hundred members Of the House of Repre-
sentatives The Senate has thirty-three mem
bers. Seventeen are therefore a quorum Ac-
cording to the Wisconsin newspapers seventeen
votes were cast On Tuesday last and of these
Mr.. Stephenson got twelve. Sixteen members
were recorded as present and not voting Under
common parliamentary usage members so
recorded go to make up lawful quorum, vail
dating the action of the smaller number actually
voting. But there was lawful quorum without
the sixteen abstainers, and Of that quorum Mr..
Stephenson had majority. The members
present and not voting could have prevented
his election by voting for other candidates,
since he would then have had only twelve votes
out OF thirty-three. But their inability to grasp
the situation nuliif1ed their opposition Ap-
parently Mr.. Stephenson has a valid title to tha
Senatorship. But # would be a good Idea FOR
the politicians in Wisconsin and in other states
to study the regulations and precedents gov
erning Senatorial elections. Both sides IN Wis.
consin seem to have been contending in the
dark ~
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30

nent In the other. The states have stih VitaI
functions to discharge, and the discharge OF
those functions directly affects the liberty saLe1y
and welfare of the people Of every state. "nat
is needed most is an awakening to the fact thaI
the functions of the state governments can De
enlarged for the common advantage just as lhe
functions Of the federal government have been
enlarged New dignity and force should be given
to state functions, and the people OF eacn state
should be glad to undertake for themselves "naC
they now are only too willing to have done unaer
federal authority. Mr.. Root Is right IN saying
that the states cannot afford to stand s1ii Whlle
the federal government continues to push aneau.
There must be common progress IN the interest,"
of both the states and the nation. without such
progress the federal system VIII De sClaiieu ~
tha brsolino noint for If the states refuse to do
their legitimate work, that work Will eventcally
have to be assumed By the more competent feo-
eral authority.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30

pendicitis In 1902 Is likely to be designated as
one OF the directors of the radium institute s
a sign OF promise.
Two other distinguished men Of science Wnoh
the King is reported to have selected for direct
ora sra professor 7. J. Thomson, of Cambridge
and Sir William Ramsay. The former is dew
otee of physics, and is widely known for e1-
periments indicating the existence Of particles
smaller than the atom and entering 1nto lts
composition. The latter Is chemist BESIDES
discovering several previously unknown al
nospheric gases, he has carefully studied the
effects Of radium on other substances. Both
of these men will be able to supplement slr
Frederick's advice with a wise direction Oh
other inquiries which, If serving the cause OF
humanity less distinctly than those OF the great
English surgeon, should at least command wide
attention. The properties Of radium, 1t IS saIe
to say, have not been adequately revealed. With
a larger supply there will be better oppor-
tunity for research.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
AmusemeT

xCADENY OF MUsIC-Ss:Is-Ths Mussa Master.
t,ASTOR-2.Ib-S:15-TEe Man from Szo1Is
.SEl-ARCO-215-s.30-The Fighting HOPE
GtJCIT-2.I5-S-lS-A Gentleman from hiss1salpPA
NsEsY S-2-s-Vanoeyils
ROADIyAY-21eS-15-A Stubborn C1rfoere.Ls-
CARNEgIE L-2.30-ConceTt-eue ue-ConoeTe
s.ASINO-2 IH-s:15-Nr- Hamlet Of broad way
s-IRCI,F-2:15-s 1.-THE Queen OF the MOULIN hN'Os"
srsOIlONIAL-2-S-yauoevile
S-RIIERIo2s-z-e-SeIrls - ~ r-ss,ns
IS.IFcns XITsE-E-The World In Wax
sENPIRTl2. Every woman hnO"s-
Z. Travelling Ss@eSnAH-
:I5-Nary James Pa
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Patriot
fsFRMAN-2:l5-s:1S-Die Elars Aeof
zIrT[FTT--o. .se-s:sO-The Vampire
GaNsE-RsTFTN-S- a s:15-VsodsT1na 49, s,..x
EIPFODROLE-2-S-Spor11 Dsss-D~--' - -
Ballet Birdlano
s5T-DsON-2:IB-S:sD-Lsdy Freder1ek
ENTCRFR3OCKER-215- s:1a-The Praln1 O0l-1>~
SrBERTY-2SKasss-
SSCTTTaf-z:.5-s:15-The Dawn OF To--sSsroV'
.fvRTr--2 Blue Mouse
~ -2:I5-s:s5-Snres Twins c..,
Ma~U ATTAIN OPERA HOUSB-2:oo-sa4o1'
Is-5s Pari!acsi ard Death OF cleopstra ..o r..
1AxTSE rrLLOTTS THEATRE - 2-sS - s|So - -h'
.rT-TRofPoIIrAx OPERA EoUsE+-u Trovatoue-s-
,ST-yy ANsTERDAAf- -2:1o-s. .1o-Kftty Grey
XIV YSSTR-2.I5-S-2 Innocenos-
SAvOY-22eNS:2o- Battle
ST NICHOLAS RISK-s:lS-ice Hockey
S-T-vvrc kNsY-olb-s:Ie :Ie-The Easiest way.
wkTTAC-T<sS2.so-s:2o-T Boys and beTty
T3,s-2.1S-s:1b-The Merry Widow and tne DcVh
WEST FNIo-21s-s:15-The Pied Piper.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
LFrom The Tribune Bureau.l

Washington. Jan. 29.-The President issued a call
to-day for meeting at the Navy Department next
Friday afternoon at go o'clock Of the commission
recently appointed by him to investigate the organ
ization Of the Navy Department
1t was announced to-day that the President has
not invited James B. Connolly to confer with him
here relative to reports rejecting Mr.. Connoy's
action the Republic
The President and Mrs. Roosevelt and Douglas
Robinson, of New York. were the luncheon guests
Of Miss Tuckerman at her home, In H street
To-day's Cabinet meeting. which all the members
attended. was the first for the new Secretary Of
State.
Among the White House callers were Senators
La Toilette, Borah and Frazier: Representatives
Stafford, Parsons Dwight and Miller: ex-senator
George Turner, ex-senator Fred T. Dubois Assist
ant Secretary Winthrop, DR.. Albert Shaw. Gov
ernor Hoggatt Judge Whitley and F. A Scott
Tho President and Douglas Robinson took q
horseback ride IN the rain IN the late afternoon
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
nHp sr JOHNS INJUNCTION.

Tba laoa, proceedipgs concerning St Johns
Chapel which were Instituted yesterday, anu
which will at any rate have the eHect Oh pre-.
venting the intended closing or thaI pace y.
worship on and after Monday next are OIL
much general interest and OF very great I'M
portance step toward the author4lauNe u, ue
termination Of the rights Of a chapel OF TRINITY
na rish and of the duties and obligations OF the
corrora ton Of Trinity Church under the char
ter of that body and the enactments OF the
Legislature.
The announcement that st. Johns was to be
closed and abandoned instantly aroused IN the
congregation of that chapel an opposing sent-
ment OF exceptional intensity and resolution,
and there can be no question that there was
and is q strong sympathy with that sentiment
throughout the community. The remonsTances
and opposition thus manifested have ALREADY
had gratifying effect In a confessed mod1n-
cation Of the plans Of the Trinity Corporation
It has never been acknowledged, though neither
has it been convincingly disproved, that it was
at one time intended actually to demollsh the
venerable and beautiful chapel building; but
the possible peril of such vandalism now seems
happily to be averted. 1t was the avowed IN
tention to close the chapel altogether and TO
transfer its work elsewhere. From that pur-
pose the corporation was recently constrained
to recede by the influences which we have men
toned at least so far as to permit the chapel
TO remain in use for some minor departments
OF work, though still insisting upon the aban-
donment Of the regular functions Of public wor-
ship That concession was not however, salts
factory to the congregation, and the demand
was renewed, and has now been put into effec-
tive legal form, that the chapel shall be kept
open, or shall be permitted to be kept open,
for all the services Of worship as hitherto.
1t Is well that this action has been taken and
that 1t should be earnestly prosecuted 1t
would have been in consonance with the feel
ings of the community, which takes deep and
entirely legitimate interest In the case, If the
corporation of Trinity Church had never con-
templated the closing of St Johns, or II, hav-
ing done So it had resolved to continue the ex-
isting order in response TO the earnest and i'm
pressive arguments against q change Seeing
however that for reasons which doubtless
seem to It good, that corporation persists in at
least a large part Of its plans, with a posi-
bility that eventually It will seek to renew and
execute them In their entirety, It is eninenty
desirable to have the law and the equity Of the
case judcfally determined The proceedings
should indeed be welcomed by the defendants
no less than by the plaintiffs, as calculated to
dispose Of a controversy Of great public i'm
portance IN a manner which viii leave it open
to no further dispute.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
JURIES AND INSANITY.

It is to be hoped that the paper of DR.. R. B..
Lamb, superintendent Of the Matteawan STATE
Hospital, which is said to have created pro-
found impression at the meeting Of the STATE
Bar Association. will result In movement ror
the reform of the law regarding criminal Insah-
fty Dr. Lamb showed that Of thirty-tour pa
tients released from Matteawan on court orders
twelve had committed homicide. OF the same
thirty-four, fourteen ultimately returned to asy-
Iums or to prison for subsequent crimes, eieVen
were either useless or troublesome members OF
society," two committed suicide six disappeared
and one became partly self-supportlng. sys-
TEN which results In thirtyfour releases OF Grim
inaI insane patients, only one OF whom, perhaps
should have been released. imperadvely needs
correction.
The trouble is that It is both too easy for a
criminal to be sent to asylum and too easy
when be is once there to get out. If the sending
of q criminal to Matteawan meant to a practical
certainty his confinement there for the rest OF
his davs, no one could find much fault with the
tendency of juries to declare insane almost every
criminal regarding whose mental condition a
clever lawyer and hired expert testimony can
raise shadow of doubt But the fact appears
to be that the criminal gets the benefit of the
doubt both from the jury that tries him for the
crime and then from the subsequent jury that
tries his sanity. When In doubt the first jury
sends him to Matteavan, and when In doubt the
second jury sets him free-on the theory, per-
haps that II he should show signs Of insanity
when at large he could easily enough be confined
In an asylum again
1t is impossible to feel any patience with the
Jury system in its dealings with insanity. The
determination of the sanity of person on trial
for crime is matter for experts, and certainly
the determination Of the sanity Of a criminal
committed to an asylum is matter for medi-
cal commission II the latter function were
taken out Of the hands OF turies. the evils OF the
present system would be scnsibly reduced
change In the legal definition of insanity, in ac-
cordance with DR.. Lambs Recommendation.
would also help to make the treatment of the
insane under the criminal law less Of farce.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30

delsmitation as to distribution and use ana
particularly to the distribution Of water whlcn
NAV be taken for power purposes from the
Niagara and St Mary's rivers and to the re-
ciprocal use of the canals connecting various
parts of the boundary waters and the naVlga-
ton Of Lake Michigan by British vesseis-tne
latter a privilege first granted under me oio
Canadian reciprocity treaty of 1864, withdrawn
on the abrogation Of that treaty in 1865 and
regranted in 1871 for term Of ten years
After g century and quarter it certainly seems
TO be high time for all these loose ends or IN
ternational relationships TO be gathered up ana
brought to final disposition.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS.

The Irbune BuresuJ
Washington, Jan. 29-The military attache OF the
British Embassy and the Hon. Mrs James had
dining with them tonight the Danish Minister and
Countess Won Moltke. Justice and Mrs. Holmes
the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury and Mrs
Beekman Winthrop, Mrs- Perkins, OF Boston, mouse
guest of Colonel and Mrs James and Aired
Mitchell Innes,
The counsellor Of the German Embassy ana
Countess wedel entertained at dinner tonight the
Minister of Norway and Mime. Guda the naval
attache Of the Austro-Hungarian Embassy ana
Baroness Preuschen. the naval ettache OF the
French Embassy and Nine. de Blanpre, Mrs
Joseph Hobson. Commander Retzmann. Baron
Richthofen and Chandler Hale.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30

dispatch from Washington appearing in
'gThe New York Sun" contains this startling
information about the calling of an extraordi-
nary session Of Congress after March TO re-
wise the tariff:
Only the tormality Of adopting resolution now
remains necessary 10 officially designate March 10
as the day when Congress will begin It's tariff
grind.
It Will be to the world that Congress can
call itself in extraordinary session by merely
passing resolution The President is intrusted
by the Constitution with the power Of calling
extraordinary sessions Mr.. Taft after he be-
comes President will have to Issue a proclalna-
tion summoning Congress to meet, and It is not
likely to assemble early March 10, for the
reason that precedent requires a somewhat
longer interval between the proclamation and
the meeting.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
JUNIOR WEEK AT CORNELL ENDS.
The Prom" Most Successful In Years, with
Elaborate Decorations

Ithaca, N. Y jan ZL-Cornen junior week
ended tonight with the junior prom" which was
by far the most brilliant affair OF the sort held
In Ithaca for several years G. T. Pond. chairman
of the prom committee. eliminated several
features of previous dances and expended his ef-
forts on decoration and refreshments. The decora-
tions were elaborate, domical effect in Cornell
colors covering the ceiling and white panelling,
lieved by American Beauty roses. the walls. The
fraternity boxes brilliant, with large numbers
of electric lights on arches over each Supper was
served in the gymnasium. which was also deco
rated in Cornell colors-
Other affairs OF the day the running club
breakfast at the Dutch kitchen. the Nalanda
luncheon at Rogers Harbor. and the Sun and
'FWidoW" breakfasts at the Ithaca Hotel.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
czAR GIVES DIPLOMATS SURPRISE.

ST. Peterburg. Jan 29.-General Adjutant Prince
Dogoruuki has been appointed Russian Araoasss-
dor to Rome, in succession to NJ Nouravieh Ihis
selection has come as a surprise, one e4-
pected that Emperor Nicholas would go OUTSIDE tHo
diplomatic service to I'LL this post Prince Dols0
rouk is d member of one OF the oldest ana pest
known families OF Russia. but he has had no eipi0
matte experience. excepting a short stay q
Teheran, Persia, from 1886 20 1890.
New-York tribune., 1909-01-30
MRS. BOOTHS WILL FILED.

The will of Mrs Emma Louise Lathrop Booth.
who died on January 25, filed for probate yester-
day. bequeaths $4,000 to relatives and friends
OF this sum $4,000 is to create a trust fund for
her granduiece, Miss Emma Louise Hoffman, eld-
est daughter of Professor Frank S. Hoffman. Of
Schenectady. Miss Hoffman also inherits Mrs.
Booths furniture and personal property in the
house at No. 277 West End avenue.
Mrs. Booth left $1,000 to the Wilson Industrial
School for Girls. 81 900 the Society OF the Pres
byterian Hospital and $1,000 to the Board of For
egn Missions of the Presbyterian Church