Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-11-11
BLANK FOOLS"
DECLARES
TOM DIXON
When Informed Of the Action
of Council
In Prohibiting the Presentation Of
His Play in AmGrlCuS. Manager
Mccarthy Says Unjust Not to Give
Him a Hearing.
'T.he blank fools"

"The blank fools"
That is said to live been the utter.
ance of the Rev. Thomas Dixon over
the phone, when informed of the ac-
tfon of the City council of Americas
prohibiting the presentation in this city
of his latest play, The Sins of IT,,
Father"
Author and Actor Dixon was at
Gainesville when his manager caught
him On the phone and gave him the
news from Americus.
Dixon was apparently astounded for
a moment. Then came back over
tJe two hundred miles of space the
three words quoted:
THE blank fools"
The story of the suppression OF
the play here created quite a stir in
the city yesterday, there being "a de-
cided division of opinion about it.
The general concensus of opinion
Was that if the play is immoral and
improper it should not be presented
but at the same time, tile feeling was
quite strong that the manager should
nave been given hearing by the city
council and allowed to present his
case.
"A negro fined a dollar ian the
mayors court Is given a hearing by
the mayor and has the right CT appeal
TO council" said one critic of the
council Surely the manager of the
theatrical company ought to have at
least I2s much right and courtesy
shown to him.
1t appears that the decision to pro-
AibIt the presentation here of THE
Sins of the Father" was based on a
petition from the clergymen of the
city
Their acton was based, it is presum-
ed, mainly ON the criticisms of the
Augusta Chronicle and the Savanna
Press, coniemning the spirit of the
play and declaring that it should not
he allowed on the stage in the South,
the Chronicle asserting that it was a
dangerous play in it's suggestions to a
mixed race audience.
Am of the six aldermen voted in
favor of TIE resolution.
While no one in Americas wants an
MI HA HN to-
one that is immoral or dangerous in
its tendencies, there was, as stated,
a decided feeling that council should
have given Managers Gortatowsky and
Mccarthy an opportunity to present
their side of the case and not take
snap Judgment on them in a matter
of Importance like this.
Manager Mccarthy states t.nt the
play has been SO far presented in ev-
cry large town i'm Virginia, North
Carolina, South Ceralina and i'm Sa-
vannah, Macon, Athens, in Georgia
II offered to send a committee Of
council at my expense to Athens to
see the play ON Thursday night and
abide by their Judgment" said Mama
ger Mccarthy to Times-Recorder re-
preventative, Htut they would not ac-
cept the proposition.
"One alderman simply told me he
was opposed to the theatre anyhow,
and wouldn't 1et his children go to it.
Another one intimated that he didn't
regard theatrical performances with
any favorable eye. OF course, if these
sentiments rule Americls the theatre
may be closed up at any time
THE criticism in the Augusta
Chronicle was largely "a matter of
personal animos toward Mr.. Dixon. No
other paper in the South has taken It
as "a cue, and the criticisms have
generally been favorable. l was
prepared to Submit them to council
and also personal statements from
prominent men who have seen and en-
joyed the play.
ut is a safe assertion that no one
in Americus has seen the play, and
that not single member of the city
council knows anything about it be-
yond the republication here of the
expressions of the Augusta and Savan-
neh papers.
"If this action of council is perse
vered in." continued Manager McCar-
thy, and Manager Gortatowsky coin
cided in his views, ut is going to be a
nard matter to book plays hereafter
] in AfeTicus. The booking agencies
would rather cut out city thar
book companies that are apt to be shu
out without notice and without (;
hearing, simply because some papel
in another city condemned the play.
There are people i'm every cit.
wi1o would like to close up the theatr,
entirely, and this lis a mighty dan
gerous precedent. Every time cler