davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

celebrated revolutionist's physical
appearance.
Il am revolutionist first, man
afterward,' | replied with convic
ton.
You are either knave or a
hero he retorted."
Which would you say it was?
Berkman then INDUCES, as he fire.
quently does, in a few hundred
lines of soliloquy, which in substance
concerns itself with the question of
whether the man who is about to
commit an "attentat" goes through
a period of unspeakable, self-in-
f1lcted torture to prepare himself
for future exigencies. Berkman in
sists that the man who waivers shows
a sign of weakness.
Does a real revolutionist,' he
asks himself, need to prepare him
self, to steel his nerves and harden
his body?"
Il feel it almost a personal in
suit" Berkman replies to himself,
this suggestion of the revolution
lists mere human clay No, the
thorough revolutionist needs no
such self-doubting preparations.
For l know Il do not need them.
l am simply revolutionist.
a terrorist by conviction, an in
strument for furthering the cause
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
Rip Yam Winkle

cause often calls upon the revolu-
ZIONIST to commit an unpleasant act,
but it is the test Of a true revolu-
tionist--nay, more, his pride-to
sacrifice all merely human feeling at
the call of the peoples cause"
and what could be high
er in life than to be true revoll1-
tionist?" he asks. sit is to be man, a
complete MANA being who has
neither personal interests nor de-
sires above the necessities of the
cause; one who has emancipated
himself from being merely human
and has risen above that, even to
the height of conviction, which ex-
cludes all doubt, all regret; in short,
one who in the very inmost Of his
soul feels himself revolutionist first,
human afterward.
Heroic
"Such revolutionist I feel N.Y.
self to be-" continues Berkman in
heroic vein, and who it seems is in
tent on impressing his reader with
the fact that to him his cause"
transcends all. To emphasize this
interesting contention he relates
with apparent relish the story of a
friend, one Edelstadt, an anarchist
poet, who needs financial aid, and
whose friends, all members of the
Pioneers of Liberty" the first Jew.
ish anarchist society in America
met one evening to consider plans
for aiding the sick poet. 1t was sug-
gested that the money be obtained
from the treasury of the society, but
Berkman protested that revolu-
tionary funds should not be used for
personal purposes.
DO you mean that the poet is
less to you than the revolutionist? ?"
was asked by Tikhon, a young
medical student, whom we playfully
dubbed "Lingg" because of his
rather successful affectation of the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
Rose Garden "Pomes''

"Once a lady came up to me-"
said Mr.. MacKaye, latter l had
finished reading a poem, and this
is what she said: oh, Mr.. Mac
Kaye, l always think of you COM
posing your poetry in a rose gar
den-by moonlight
And then Mr.. MacKaye said
something with which one seldom
credits poet. And then con-
tinued:
1--WE may write about rose gar
dents, but we don't write in rose
gardens"
81 WONDER" said Mr. de Koven
thoughtfully, whether people real
ize the amount of labor, actual
manual labor, there is connected
with writing an opera, in preparing
the scores for an orchestra. What
DO you suppose the number of SYM
bols will be that / shall put on
paper for rip Van Wrinkle? I
should say very close to five million
notes and indications, and if one Of
them is wrong then the whole
score is wrong"
There was a warning dimming
| Of the lights in the building,
gentle hint used by the house COM.
mittee that it was time to go, and
the collaborators rose
Remember" said Mr.. de Koven.
That it is going to be an American
opera, and don't forget that Ameri-
cans want American opera, no mat
ter how much it is discouraged by
critics. / have travelled about the
country and know that Americans
want it."
and III be ready to send you
some more stuff tomorrow morn
ing said Mr.. MacKaye.
"Good,' said the composer.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

neither of us was bound by any
particular text. There was all the
room we wanted for imagination
but more than that, the appeal Of
Rip Van Wrinkle is universal. Every
one knows the legend. 1t is as
much part of the America educa-
ton as the alphabet. Moreover, it
is an American subject, on which
only Americans brought up in
American tradition can really
write.
$50 we started. We discussed it
and thought about it before we
ever wrote a word or a note of
music, and there you have the
greatest part of the labor in opera
making. You have to build the
framework of the building first be-
fore you furnish it."
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
A Wise Pegasus

And Mr.. de Koven replied that
in all the interviews he had wealth
cred he had only happened upon
one other young man without a pen
cil-rcprescnting "The Brooklyn
Eagle" it so happened. Then the in
terview began and with it devel-
oped the story of the frst-or al
most the first-clear and distinct
American opera, an opera dealing
with a subject distinctly American,
written by two Americans, and
written, Incidentally, in distinctly
American manner, with all the
thought and planning that an eff
cient engineer would put into a
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

~ EG1NALD DE kOVEN, vet
eran of forty-fve operas,
- y took sip of a beverage
soon to be as legendary as
the subject Of the opera he and
Percy MacKaye are writing for next
season. Then, unhurried and I'M
afraid, he turned his attention to
the Exponent of the Press who sat
before him. And from that time on
knew that Reginald de Koven was
q great man. He was used to being
interviewed. Indeed, if | had had
any further doubts on the subject
his first words would have dispelled
them.
II am an old newspaperman my
self" said Mr.. de Koven. "How
long do you want this article to be,
young man."
The hour was late. The crowd of
jewellers in the gathering place of
graduates of q certain Eastern in
stitution where we three had met
had dwindled away to a minimum.
Added to this, am of q naturally
indolest disposition. Therefore, I
said the obvious thing.
1.-THE article is to be short one"
said.
AS | look back upon it, it was not
a tactful remark, but to drop into
the parlance Of fiction, the chance
shot landed square in the centre
of the clout A look of pleased re-
lief came over the faces of the two
collaborators Of rip Van Wrinkle"
"In that case" said the Ameri-
can composer, II shall talk to you
with occasional interruptions by Mr..
MacKaye." Then he paused, glanc-
ing at me searchingly, and l knew
through some indefinable prescience
that something was wrong. | felt
should have changed my collar.
young man." Mr.. de Koven in
quired, 'don't you use a paper and
pencil in an interview?'
Not having a pencil, my reply
again was obvious.
Generally not" said. 81 genef-
ally don't have pencil when l
want it.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
Writing an Al1American Grand Opera on Contract


another opera together, Mr.. Mac
Kaye and I. We had been discuss
ing subjects-had selected one,
even, and then one day Mr.. Mac
Kaye came in with a new idea. He
suggested an opera, a folk-opera
built about one of our oldest Ameri-
can traditions. You can guess what
that tradition was. It was Rip Van
Wrinkle. It appealed to me at once,
just as it appealed to the man who
suggested it.
"For both of US it was success
full subject The legend is so old,
with so many variations, that
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
Back to Childhood

AS the train still speeds on,
passing Washington. D. c., Berkman
rhapsodizes reminiscently anew
about a period of his childhood in
Russia, of the former Car, inter
rupted by discussion of "nihilism''
and followed by an amusing account
of his dismissal at the age of twelve
years from the local school for
writing an essay in which he
reaches the conclusion that there
is no God"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
It's Being Done Right Here in
New York, By MacKaye
and de KOven

complexity of steel Orders. Their
work has been no hit or miss affair,
dependent on fits of inspiration.
Pegasus is there, but it is a bridle
wise Pegasus, who is broken to har-
ness and stops and starts the way
well-bred horse should. In the
chariot behind are two men of the
stage, trained to all the finesse of
stagecraft which only long appren-
ticeship in the theatre can teach.
At this very juncture Percy
Mackaye raised his hand warningly.
eve are going to talk" he said,
"of the actual mechanics involved
in making an opera. We are going
to take you behind the scenes and
1T is going to seem very cut and
dried. But remember this. There
has to be inspiration to make any
piece of work worth while. You
have to like the work you are doing.
You have to be enthusiastic about
it. Primarily it is the art and not
the mechanics that count, and when
everything is finished the impress
sion Of the art remains and the
mechanics are forgotten"
1t has almost become a maxim
that collaborators never collaborate.
Yet SO great was the confidence of
one man in the future product Of
the combined efforts Of Reginald de
Koven and Percy MacKaye that
Mr.. de Koven began with a state
ment on futures that would have
made the widest agent of Lloyds
pause from something verging on
establishment.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

"But you have to remember the
furnishings" interjected Mr.. Mac
Kaye, "all the time you are build
ing the framework. You must have
a complete understanding of the
whole thing, of its dramatic and its
musical possibilities; and beng apfs
to work together, we were able to
gauge those values"
49," Mr.. de Koven continued,
1--WE started with a brief, a very
brief synopsis. We discussed it and
changed it. Our opera is not going
to be like the story of Washington
Irving"
Though large part of it was
written right on Seventeenth Street,
close by where Irving lived" added
Mr.. MacKaye.
Nor is it going to resemble the
play in which Jefferson acted. 1t
is distinctly folk opera, like the
WORK OF tiumperolnck; but 1 nave
had no folk music to draw from.
That had to be supplied entirely by
the imagination.
I'VE knew the structural values
of each act before we wrote the
words and music. We know quite
definitely what is still to come. We
have had to change a little here and
there of what we have written and
composed; but only very little.
The reason is that the greater part
of the work was done before we
put pen to paper. When you come
down t, it, there is a great deal
that is cry practical in writing an
opera"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

many operas still to come. Here
in America are many composers
without the gift for writing lyrical
verse and many poets capable of
being good librettists who have only
a small knowledge of music. Why
cannot they be brought together?
What Mr.. de Koven and I are doing
is not precedent, perhaps, but Ger
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

Society is patient--sick constitu-
tionally and functionally. Surgical
treatment is often imperative" HUI
man life, he is willing to admit,
is sacred and inviolate, but the kill
ing of an enemy of the People "is in
no way to be considered as the tax
ing Of a life. True, the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
a Revolutionist Works Himself Up to Bomb Fever

still in a state of great excitement
and as yet undecided what to do.
81 must form definite plan Of
action" he thinks, as the train
dashes through rich farmlands "My
purpose is quite clear to me. A ire
mendous struggle is taking place at
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

He paused, and fingered his glass
absentmindedly. Was there a
haunted look on his face or on
Percy MacKaye's? There was not.
The contract was impending, but
evidently it was not hanging like
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

Homestead; the People are mani
Testing the right spirit in resisting
tyranny and invasion. My heart ex-
ults. What supreme JOY to aid
in this work! That is my natural
mission. | feel the strength of
great undertaking No shadow of
doubt crosses my mind. The People,
the toilers of the world, the pro-
ducers, comprise, to me, the uni
verse. They alone count. The rest
are parasites, who have no right to
exist. But to the people belongs the
earth-by right, if not in fact. To
make it so in fact, all means are
justitiable, nay, advisable, even to
the point of taking life"
The question of moral right, 'Berk-
man reasons on, often agitated the
radical circles he used to frequent.
81 had always taken The extreme
view. The more radical the treat
ment, held, the quicker the cure.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

tainly it takes the shape of valua-
bic suggestion"
"We have both of us the right
understanding of dramatic values
and Of the limitations of the STAGE"
explained Mr.. de Koven, "and don't
you forget that opera, successful
opera, is dramatic art. And we have
worked together before, notably in
The Canterbury Pilgrims We
know that our synpathies are the
same. We are able to work with
perfect unity. Indeed, one of US
was in Switzerland when we col
Elaborated last"
And then he told how an opera
is written.-
Rip Yam Winkle
eve had been planning to do
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

lists, and relates more deliberately
the events, already stated, that
finally eliminated in Berkman's de-
cision to do away with Prick. II
should be pointed out, however, that
Berkman's recollections, quoted in
detail below, are written almost a
score of years after he made the
attempt and when he is much
maturer man.
Clearly every detail of that day"
he begins dramatically, is engraved
on my mind 1t is the 9Th of July,
1892 We are quietly sitting in the
back of our little l.at-Fedya and l
when suddenly the Girl enters.
Her naturally quick, energetic step
sounds more than usually resolute.
AS | turn to her l am struck by the
peculiar CLEAN in her eyes and the
heightened color.
"'Have you read it?' she cries,
waving the half-open newspaper.
"'What is it?'
Homestead. Strikers shot. Pin
kertons have killed women and chill.
dren.'"
Henry Clay Frick is held respon-
sible for the accident by Berkman.
In his excited mind he reasons that
Prick ordered the shooting.
II could no longer remain indif-
ferent," he writes wildly, "the
moment was urgent. The toilers Of
Homestead had defied the oppressor.
They were awakening. But as yet
the steel workers were only blindly'
rebellious. The vision of anarchism
alone could Undue discomfort with
conscious revolutionary purpose !; it
alone could lend wings to the aspira-
tons of labor"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15

are the outstanding issues, and, ac-
cording to Berkman, the offer made
by the strikers to arbitrate the con-
troversy is declined by the Carnegie
company.
The differences between the COM
pany and the strikers have thus far
been passive, and on the whole
peaceful, but quickly become active
when the company, fearing trouble
employs the "Pinkertons" to pro-
tect its property In some way
women and children are shot. Berk-
man is fired to the point of white
heat. The time for discussion is
over, he reasons. He will meet VIC
lence with violence. His means will
be the "Attentat" The "Attentat,"
he explains, is an act of political
assassination. 1t has been used for
decades by the Russian "Nihilists."
He will kill Prick. Why? Because
he is an "oppressor" of the work
ing people. But isn't that murder?
No, he contends. 1t is a sacred
deed and is done for the "cause"
and in the name Of the people"
And what is more, he viii not be
hindered by mere sentimentality."
Above all, he insists: 81 am revo-
lutiomist first, man afterward."
The Small Group
Briefly, this is summary of
Bcrkman's reasoning. 1t must be
admitted, however, that not all an
archists believe in violence There
are SO many sects among this small
group that general classification
Of their beliefs is impossible. Cen
orally speaking, small group be-
levcs in the use Of violence-"tc ter
rorists" they are called by some
and Berkman's book is an excellent
exposition Of their views.
The book itself is written in the
easy, imprcssionistic style custom
arily employed by Russian novel
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
On the Train

Then follows period Of reminis-
cence, and we next find Berkman on
"a train speeding toward Pittsburgh,
Homestead being near by. He is
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
Words, Words

More excitement, in which the
same tall speaker charges tho
scoundrel Of a sheriff there asked
the Governor for troops. and that
Continued on page e
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
By B. M. Johns

:::s q p: F.: :; @::s: q:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-15
By Louis Kantor

~ ONE revolutionists, it may now
~ be assumed, do believe in "vio-
lence.' This violence" may
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
FEDERAL AID FOR WALKER
LAKE ROAD TO LAS VEGAS

The highway around the west side
of Walker Lake is to be among the
early projects put through in this
state. There is probably no road
system in Nevada that means more
to Carson City and western Nevada
than the building of this road. as it
will eliminate the Lucky Boy summit,
cut down the distance between here
and Tonopah some fifty miles and
leaves but one summit, that at Carter's,
between Carson and the Colorado river
When tourists and state people realize
that it will be possible to drive a
machine from this point or Reno
through to Las Vegas with but one
small summit. it will be matter of
wide note
Mr.. Cottrell has made the following
statement This office is advised
that the secretary of agriculture on
June 2, approved Nevada federal aid
project No. 23 involving the construc-
ton of ten miles of road on the west
side of Walker Lake in Mineral county.
The estimate of cost of this road is
s14S,O00 of which the federal govern
ment, by the approval of the secre-
tary of agriculture. agrees to pay
$74000.-[Carson City News.
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
|STOCKMEN Of ELKO
FOR RANGE CONTROL

Resolutions favoring government
control of grazing on the open range,
providing that in such control the
interests of legitimate live stock men
are properly safeguarded" were adopt
ed Saturday afternoon at a meeting
of over 100 live stock men of Elko
and vicinity.
The meeting was called to discuss
the range situation and other matters
concerning the live stock industry.
Vernon Metcalf. secretary of the Ne
vada Live Stock Association, spoke at
the meeting, as did l.. F. Kneipp of the
Ogden Office of the forest service, and
Forest Supervisor Favre of the Elko
office.
Resolutions protesting against the
passage of the King bill providing for
the transfer of the forest service from
the department of agriculture to the
department of the interior was adopted
and another resolution recommending
that the salaries CT the men in the
forest service be increased was also
adopted.-lGazette.
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
ESTEEMED RESIDENT DIES
SUDDENLY AT McDERMITT

Mrs. Alfred Wilkinson, a pioneer of
this county, died suddenly at the home
of her son, F. C. Wilkinson, near Nc
Dermitt. about 2:30 o'clock Sunday.
Apparently in the best of health she
had gone to her sons home to spend
the day and news of her death will
come as great shock to her many
friends in this city.
Deceased was a native of England,
aged 70 years,and has been a con-
tinuous resident of Nevada for fifty
years. Mrs. Wilkinson was a woman
of very high standards and devotedly
attached to her large family.
Surviving are her husband a promi-
nent stockraiser; three daughters,
Mrs. John Vargas and Mrs. Joseph
Bankofier of McDermitt and Mrs. Ran
dali Sage of Ontario. Ore; and four
sons, Robert H., F. c., George w. and
Chester A, all residing at McDermitt.
The funeral was held at McDermitt
this afternoon by Undertaken John
Gulling. with Rev. Ross Turman Of
this city officiating.
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
HIGH SCHOOL PLAY
TOMORROW NIGHT

The last dress rehearsal for the
senior play, which will be presented
by the class of 1919 of the Winnie
mucca high school at the auditorium
tomorrow night. was held this after
noon and all the cast have their parts
ready to present in a very creditable
manner.
The play is a farce comedy and
abounds in clean, wholesome fun. Bob
Seeliger, as the Deacon, has a very
generous nature which leads him into
serious difficulties. He nearly loses
his standing in the church and COM
munity by being inveigled into visiting
billiard hall which his nephew
Harold Haviland as Cal Spangler, in
tends to purchase. The place turns
out to be a gambling joint which is
raided by the police and the poor Dea-
con is caught The heartless judge
makes an example of him By fining
him one thousand dollars.
Mrs. Penrose (Ervene SMITH, the
Deacon's wife. has sporting blood and
bets four hundred dollars on the
Eagles to win the opener of the world
series.
The Rev. DR.. Sopher Norman Bell)
gets the new pipe organ and starts a
lively crusade in behalf of foreign
missions. Georgia Sopher finds some
one to take an interest in her when
Cal Spangler, the Deacon's nephew
comes to Chicago to play in the world
series.
Ruth Penrose (Marjorie Stauffer)
the Deacon's daughter, and Harry
Baxter (Merwyn Brown elope and
finally get the blessing of the Deacon
Katie O'Rouk Bertha Blattner), the
Deacon's hired girl, and Rafferty,
(Howard WestervelD, one of the
finest. made a match of it after keep
ing stidy company for three months.
Henry Low, as the plain-clothes
man. makes an important capture and
takes Cal Spangler to talk to the
captain.
The curtain will rise promptly at
|S:15 o'clock Admission will be fifty
cents, with no reserved seats.
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
JUDGE QUICKER IN AN
AUTOMOBILE SMASH

While ascending the Kings Canyon
grade yesterday near Carson City.
the big Mitchell touring car of E. A.
Ducker, associate justice of the su-
preme court, became unmanageable
and went over the grade, turning over
three times in its fight and piling up
mass of tangled wreckage. in a will
low bush seventy-five feet below the
road. zA
In the car were Judge Ducker and
his son, the latter being at the wheel.
The boy escaped uninjured and Judge
Ducker suffered a few scratches on
his face and one hand. The car is a
total wreck.
The accident happened about seven
miles OUT of Carson while Judge
Ducker and his son were en- route to
Lake Tahoe. The car plunged into a
sandy spot in the road and jumped
over the grade.-IGazette.
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
ANOTHER BACK FROM WAR

Virgil NJ. Boyd, whose home is in
Lovelock, stopped over here Sunday
on his way home after fifteen months
service in France. Before enlisting
he was employed here at the Western
Pacific roundhouse, to which position
he expects to return. Boyd partici-
pated in all of the important battles
Americans engaged in, but returns
with a record of never having been
wounded
The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1919-06-17
WINNEMUCCA BASEBALL TEAM
BEAT LOyELOCK SUNDAY, 5 TO 3

Another baseball game was tackled
onto the Winnemucca baseball teams
list of victories when the players jour
neyed to Lovelock to swat that team
to the tune of to 8 Sunday. A return
game will be played here next Sunday.
Members of the team vociferously de-
nounced the allegation heard at Love-
lock that Winnemucca had hired Elko
players to help administer the spank
ing and say they'll beat Lovelock
again next Sunday.