Mexico Missouri message., 1911-02-02

take that up as a career, provided II
would make them happy. We are beat
ing about the bush. You, like a great
many other men who know OF the the
alter only as you sit on this side OF the
footlights or as you read your plays
and your criticisms or as you read the
scandals in the newspapers, have what
Is. to my mind, very unjust impress
sion OF the people who work therein.
II IL perfectly true that the law Is still
on the books of parliament In England
which declares that an actor Is q yaga-
bond who may be arrested on sight for
the first offense. burned through the
gristle of the right eur with a redhot
iron Of the compass OF one inch for
the second offense and sentenced to be
hanged for the third. II IL perfectly
true that In NJ. vavin's own country so
great man as Moliere was greeted by
the rustics "a he appeared on the high
way with his troupe with these kindly
sentiments: Lock up the silver; here
come the actors.'"
you see." said NJ. vayin, "he admits
It ALL"
But continued Holcomb, III the
social mark of vagnbondage was on
the profession Of the actor at one time,
what crimes are not trnceahle TO the
men In your profession? The actor at
least can claim that by his own per
sonal worth. his own endeavors. his
own regard for social laws, he has
lived down all the contumely-I should
say nearly all the contumely -that was
once associated with the stage"
II think we were speaking OF ac-
tresses," said Professor Fullerton.
"And we are STILL" replied Holcomb
warmly, standing up and walking the
room nervously. II studied law for
awhile. You will pardon me-" he said.
bowling politely TO Professor Fullerton.
"for what is seeming divagation.
The lawyer Is a man who takes an
oath to perform his duty. but my ex-
perience has taught me that the per
centage Of lawyers in New York city
who are interested I'm obtaining JUS
tice is very small. 1t is fact, judge.
and you cannot deny 1t, that within the
| last fifty years the best legal minds In
| this country have been engaged In
clogging the courts and thwarting jus
tice. And you corporation lawyers.
you men who wonder at the growth of
radical sentiment, who deplore the
socialistic and anarchistic propaganda
you men are responsible. for. while
| you may have followed the letter, you
have far from observed the spirit.
You have violated your oaths."
Really" said the Judge, "while all
this is very interesting, l fail TO see
"Your accusation against the women
of the stage-for II is an accusation-is
that they do not obey the social law.
and that accusation, unjust as 1t is, Is
founded in a good measure on the sto-
ries that have been worked up and
rushed into print by men in your pro-
fession."
MY dear boy" began the judge. 81
really must protest"
Pardon me, judge, did not mean
to be disrespectful, but there is just as
much relation between you and the
two SO called theatrical lawyers who
were sent to Jail the other day as
there is between the great body Of
women who earn their livelihood on
the stage and few who obtain posi-
tons as chorus women to use 1t as II
cloak. There is as much truth. there
is as much honesty. there is as strong
a sense Of honor. finer sense Of per-
spective and. thank God, less hypoc-
risy among the women Of the stage
than among the women of any class. !
don't care where"
Holcomb sat down and pulled cigar
vigorously.