The gold leaf., 1910-10-06
''THE SINS OF THE FATHER" !"
Interesting Facts About Thomas Dix
on's New Play Based on Contem-
nnrarv Race Problem,

Thomas Dixon, author OF THE Clans
man." has written a new play, The
Sins of the Father which will be pre-
sented under the direction OF George h.
Brennan at the Grand Theatre on Mon
day night, Oct. 10th. In many respects
this drama is even more remarkable than
''The Clansman." making an epoch in
the dramatic treatment OF the race
problem.
The Clansman' was historical. The
Sins of the Father" is contemporary.
The ClansDaan" set forth the achieve
ments OF the ku Klux klan. THE Sins
of the Father" shows the threat ofnegro
domination within the home. "The
Clansman" justified the attitude OF the
South forty years ago. '"Tbe Sins of the
Fahher' in Mr.. DixOn's own burning
words-calls upon the South of 1910 to
be true to her best traditions and save
American civilizatiOnr'
Any fear OF the celebrated authors re-
peating his previous work has proved
groundless. He has taken new material,
new characters, new situations, and has
welded them into dramatic structure
| which carries a novel story of the most
exciting interest and drives a powerful
message home to the heart and of every
| of those who have seen The Sins of the
Father" Our playgoers will see and
! Judge it for themselves next Monday
night when the local playhouse will be
| filled to the utmost capacity with an
eager crowd. i.
In "The Sins OF the Father" Thomas
Dixon presents the ruin that threatened
| to overwhelm a Southern household
| from the mixture of races. A beautiful
young girl, ward of Ma jor Daniel Norton
| fiance of his son Harry is suspected oi
| being a sixteenth blood" negress. Upon
| the boy and girl lovers the imputation
| falls as a crushing blow. The girls soul
revolts at the awful disclosure, but when
| the Major sets the case plainly before her
! she sacrifices her own happiness to save
| her lovers
But the boy refuses to believe the story
despite the strongevidence that supports
| it. He defies his father and prepares to
marry Helen. The Majors position is a
| terrible one AS the leader of the white
| forces, he has won a strenuous State
campaign for negro disfranchisement.
He returns to find negroid mongrelism
| triumphant in his own home. Maj JOr
Norton is a sort of modern Viriginius.
He loves his son, has always cared for
and protected his ward, but there seems
to be no outcome of the awful situation
| except in a tragedy.
Out of the interplay OF these three
haracters-father, son and hapless
girl Mr. Dixon has fashioned a tre-
mendous dramatic struggle, as vital and
elemental as those of the Greeks or of the
masters Pinero and Ibsen. The denounce-
ment is as unexpected as the complica-
tions are startling. A logical, satisfying
solution of the riddle is found. Andre
lieving the pathos and tragedy are de-
lightful pictures OF the lighter side of
Southern life the fun and love affairs of
the humber folk, the theiying, capering
Andy and the joyful, overwhelming
Minerva
"The Sins of the Father will be play
ed here by a company of actors all of
whom are metropolitan favorites and
including Mrs Charles G. Craig, John G.
Pierson, Arthur J. Pickens, Ethel Wright,
Robert Barton and Lydia Knott
Adver.