The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-11-24
ADJUSTMENTS.
Another Disgusting Problem Play.

another Disgusting Problem Play.
When a play has as many good
points about it as is possessed by
The Sins of the Father. 1t is rather
dificult to condemn it wholly or to
say that 1t is entirely bad.
'"The Sins of the Father" is the
latest Of the somewhat revolving of
Mr.. Thomas -Dixon's remarkable series
Of socalled southern problem plays,
and it is altogether the worst.
The story it tells Is not suitable to
be printed for general reading and
will not be told here. 1t is entirely
improbable and most likely nothing
altogether like this situation ever hap
pened, even in the most isolated cases.
But for the sake of argument, admit
that the reovlting tale is probable,
why in mercy's name should respecta.
BILE folks be asked to be nauseated by
having to see it or to read It?
Some Of the advertising matter sent
out by the show says that the time
was about 1900. when some of the
states of the south were trying very
hard to disfranchise its illiterate citi-
zens. Probably the best argument for
the existence of the play would be
that 1t might serve to justify that po-
litical step.
However, that victory was won a
number OF years ago and now any
state in the union may disfranchise
it's ignorant people without the fear
Of any criticism worth the name.
Thus the only point in favor of the
play Is lost.
Mr.. Thomas Dixon is very clever
man. There are lines in the play that
sparkle with brilliancy. At times the
characters speak in epigrams and a
vein of love and truth and poetry runs
all through the piece. Neither is
there a coarse word in it. In this lies
its greatest danger. It tells of things
that are not openly discussed in po-
lite society and the entire moral Is
bad.
/ Mr.. Dixon in his somewhat remark.
able play may think he is helping the
south with her problems. The south
has no problems like this and never
had. Even il these things occur at
times in any part Of the country, nc
good can come of parading them be-
fore the public. The police court is
the proper place to air such occur
rences.
Mr.. Dixon's other plays, "The Clans
man" and 1.-The Traitor, have done
the states that belonged to the late
Confederacy no good. They have
stirred up the embers of a hateful
past, that should be permitted to die
out They were overdrawn and were
not appreciated by thinking people II
either the north or the south. Still
they were clean and man could sex
them through when seated by his wife
or sister without feeling ashamed o.
himself.
In this production. the leading man
John J. Pearson, is very accom-
plished actor. Miss Ethel Wright. the
girl around whom the story revolves
is very pretty and also clever. Lydi,
Knott, Arthur Perkins and Mrs. Graf,
took the parts of colored servants ant
they went through it very we'll. 1t il
with sorrow that the same may not b.
said of Mr.. Hamilton Mott, who playe;
at the part of Tom Norton, the youn:
hero of the play.
The piece was well received by I
very large audience last night at tn,
opera house and at the end of ever.
act there were repeated curtain calls
M. Dixon is a playwright with tn
true dramatic spirit and he is such ;
clever word painter that it seems
great pity that he does not direct hi
thoughts into cleaner channels.
Anyhow, let us hope that until h
does write about higher and noble
things that DC will keep his plays GU