New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-04

sINX1E SAY that the blood of the
w Civil War redeemed the ma
ton. But was the nation saved when the
war ceased7 Did the contest for civil
rights end there? Secession was dead.
But that malign spirit which had how
cred in the rear of the battle was not
dead. Exultingly it came to the front.
The right of conquest and spollatlon!
was it's only message to the PROSTATE
South. Those dark days of reconstruc-
ton followed. Envy, hate and passion
threatened to plunge the wounded ma
ton into deeper gloom. Now, alas,
was the Union rent in twain
And these words were written by
Otto A. Hauerbach. author of Three
Twins" "Katinka," you're in Love-
and eight or nine similar pieces.
Mr.. Hauerbach is an anomaly. he
was for seven years a professor OF
rhetoric and dramatic literature in a
Western college; nc uses somebody's
else" as a part of the days routine
and he writes musical comedy libret-
tos He also wrote 1.-THE Silent Wit
ness" And. quite apart from the lit
erary aspects of the case, any man who
can have both "The Silent Witness"
and you're in Love" on Broadway IN
ono season is to be rankedXas an an
usual dramatst.
II was in 1895 that Mr.. Hauerbach
wrote and acclaimed the excerpt at the
head of this story. 1t was entitled
"The Hero of Compromise" and there
was a good deal more TO it. The scene
was Knox College. Galesburg, ILL.,,
where Mr. Hauerbsch was a senior.
Hale a dozen judges, among whom was
William Jennings Bryan. decided that
Mr.. Hauerbach was the best orator in
the Middle West, and he was accord
ingly awarded the interstate orator.
cal championship. One of the earlier
winners of this honor was John II.
Finley, now the educational head OF
New York State.
Otto Hauerbsch had come to Knox
from Salt Lake City. The journey was
made on a sheep train. He had also
worked his way through college, the
goal of his ambitions being, in vague
way. the law. But at the end Of his
college term he was offered the chair
of English at Whitman College, Walla
Walla, Wash, and he accepted. Waila
Walla is the foundation of many a
musical comedy, and, although Mr..
Hauerbach denies it, it was probably
at Whitman that he got the idea of
becoming librettist.
There followed seven years as an
English teacher at Walla Walla. Whit
man professors are given every eighth
wear TO themselves. at half salary, and
permitted to list where they will SO
Otto Hauerbach, in 1902, elected to list
to New York and Columbia, where he
Immediately plunged himself still deep
err into the study of English.
One night Mr. IIauerbach went for
a walk, and presently he came upon
the corner OF Eighth Avenue and 10th
Street. Here was a huge billboard
Wanting the merits of A musical at
traction somewhere in the Forties, and
then and there our hero conceived the
idea of being a musical comedy writer.
Probably he did so because he wanted
70 see his name on the billboards. Any
one else would have realized that Mr..
Hauerbach was entirely too we'll edu-
Gated by this time ever TO become
successful librettist, but the professor
from Whitman did not give up. He
immediately decided not to return 10
Walla Walla, acquired a job on MI.
Munsey's Daily News"-and began 20
write a libretto.
From the newspaper game ne drifted
into the Advertising business, and here
ne remained for six CALLING years.
Meanwhile he continued 20 peg at his
librettos at intervals. although he was
so occupied in making a bare living
during this period that he had but
little time TO devote TO Art. Along
about 1905 he decided that there was
no future for him in the advertising
business. and he began TO cast about
for some one to set his writings to
music.
-. d.. .L.n,. h;llhoard uas hts