The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-07-08
NOTED WRITER
VISITING CITY
Robert J. Burdette, Hum0rist
and Pastor. Is Pleased
With Zion.
TALKS ENTERTAINMENT
OF INTERESTING CAREER
Says HumOr Has Not Changed
Except in Its Ex-
preston.

| Robert j, Burdettc, humorist, poet and
churchman of eminent rcnown, accom-
panied by his wife, who ranks high among
| the woman lecturers of tho country ar
rived In Salt Lake yesterday noon. di-
| rectly from their home In Pasadena. Cal
| They are guests at the Hotel Utah and
will remain In the city several days on
| pleasure.
author OF The Brakeman at Church. -
Smiles Yoked with Signs" Chimes from
testers Sy,H Bel" Sons Of Asaph," "A
Tempters,' The Rise and Fall of a Mus
tachc" and many other works that have
| established for him an cnviable rcputa-
form for thirty years. SO enthusiastcal-
ly was his first rendition OF THE Rise
and Fall OF Muslache, piece second
to none In rich wit and genuine humor.
received. that he has been Obliged to re-
peat the number no less than 1000 times
during his lecture tours; MG Burdette's
visits to this city In 1855, 1887 and 1901
viii not quickly be forgotten.
When a reporter had commenced an In
terview with Mr.. and Mrs. Burdette in
their apartments at the hotel. by asking
the usual preliminary questions, the emil
nent writer said.
mo. We are not here TO lecture or on
business Down in our cosy home in Cali
fornia we heard so much about Los An
geles having rival for first laurels In
Salt Lake City that we decided to come
and sec for ourselves. People from every
side have told us of the wonderful strides
this community has been taking. and as
we had not been here since 1901 we coulu
not suppress our curiosity.
And what do you find! Queried the
newspaper man.
Pleased With City.
1--WE find a wondrously beautiful city.
The surroundings magnificent. Cali
fornla could brag over this. You peop:e
never need kick about the weather either.
Some of your citizens were saying that
today has been hot. / would never COM
plain If ] had to go through nothing
| worse. We talk about the climate OF Cal
ifornia but this has been as fair a day
as / would care 10 experience. Your
air is marvellous. 1t is excellent epr
breathing. and | can recommend the for
mula to any druggist. But we have real
ly had no opportunity to look around us
yet. although both feel and foresee
great changes for the better. This hotel
Is n palace.
The reporter than began to let loose ii
number OF questions and assertions, in an
endeavor To lead up TO a humorous dis
cussion. He was anticipated, however.
With his eyes twinking humor. an OK
preston to which the reporter would
have given his right hand TO secure, Mr.
Burdette announced;
MY son, you want some humorous talk.
from Inc. l would gladly give ii to you.
made my beginning In the newspaper
world and | appreciate your EFFORTS. But
casion"-and Mrs. Burdette said. "To the
| occasion, my dear"
-.Humor has changed in the last two
generations" proffered the interviewer;
mo. humor hasn't changed. but the
! expression OF 1t has. Love still pulsates
I'm man and woman. but they don't speak
Of IL To one another as in former days. II
| had made love to my wife as Romeo did
TO Juliet, ] wonder what she would have
Thought Nowadays. such thing is eX-
pressed differently. but the virtue Is still
there, Time makes great changes.
Everything in Tabloid Form.
I'm the present generation everything
is I'm tabloid form. People don't want to
go and witness Shskespearcan produc-
tions: they want action. action, action
Moving picture shows rarely have the
educational value / once thought they
had. although they are not without their
merit The picture changes every thirty
seconds almost. But after people have
| found that they can get amusement with
| lots of action for five cents. they cling
pretty tight TO S1.50. the price. generally.
OF a Shakespearean play. Habitues OF
| the moving picture house go and sit for
hours, sometimes, and each moment they
the next picture that is TO fash before
them. Things are moving. They want
action and they get it,
When asked where he made his start
in the literary world. Mr.. Burdette said:
On the Transcript. at Peoria: III;
at the time and succeeded 'Is1 IN, IN @ obtaining
''Forty-five years ago when you were
25 years old" exclaimed the reporter
and he scratched his head. Looking in
held IA man fun OF vigor, bright eyes
that sparkled with vigor and intelli-
gence. high forehead without wrinlkle:
touched with gray, firm mouth with
| kindly, humorous expression strong
chin-ip fact. a man who appeared to be
| ;,,.-, ter, luz int he IF a nd
| strength.
But that would make YOU 20 years
| Of age,' the reporter ventured.
Visits Transcript Office.
Exactly. / took UP newspaper. work
just after the civil war, in which took
| part, and in which my wife also made
| herself conspicuous. remember walk
| ing into the office of the Transcript not
tor: used To work on this paper He
| grunted an affirmet tive answer and asked
| When answered. Before you were
born which produced new effect.
| later handed in a story to the paper for
| the satisfaction Of seeing them blue
pencil II as ia days of old: ii was a
| foolish trick. | had no rest from report
ers that day. although the story | had
written was an interview with myself
II made my real start, however. some
what later. when I established a paper
| OF my own At Peoria. operated II for
fun. and that's about all l got out of II.
The sheriff got the rest. No one could
| SIOp me on my own DdpeT' ulO DIS L
pleased and achieved, so they say. some
what Of reputation In that manner.
Perhaps my reputation is that DO as
please. but please 10 do the beat 1 can.
n my name has spread at ALL II got the
first start on the Burlington Hawkeye.
In those days they wanted news written
humorousy. and offered it in one de-
partment. The one required man on the
| paper was the funny man.. But the
funny stuff was altogether Now ii Is
scattered about I'm different columns.
| which | think is better.
Now Baptist Pastor.
II "But il man can't be funny all his life.
The serious tendency OF humor Is shown
In the fact that in 1903 I was ordained
pastor OF the Temple Baptist church in
Los Angeles. RI mans funny long
enough he's bound 10 turn serious. The
Los Angeles auditorium was built
through the efforts OF my wife. She
built 1t for me To preach In" And again
] Ihnrc came thai dnllciouS IMinkle Of the