davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
,renticeship in a wandering w.sern

prenticeship IN a wandering Western
minstrel troupe JOSEPH JEFFiIsoN
is claimed by negro mlrstrelsy as The
youngest actor who ever appeared in
burnt cork features. The late VIII
LAM HARRIS. theatrical manager, e.
Joyed telling of his days in the Chs
and '70s, when he was a burnt cors
artist, and one Of the best known oil,
comic opera stars in one of this sea-
sons revivals was a member of Z
black face song and dance team in
the early sos
Negro mInstrelsy had become q
more or less historic institution long
before FIELD formed his company.
The first black face act in this coun-
try is supposed to have been given
at the Federal street theatre, Boston,
In 1890, when comedian named
YOUNG made great h:t by his sing
ing Of "The Gay Negro Boy" From
then negro minstrel history is some
what sketchy until 1912. when DAN
EMMETT, FRANK BRowER WILLIAM
WHITLocK and DIcK PELHAM fo~med
their company and year later came
to the Chatham street theatre in this
city. One of the high marks in this
class of entertainment was the per-
formance OF Daddy" RICE vino Is
sometimes wrongly credited with be-
ing the father of black face min
strelsy. RIcE's Jim Croao made him
famous and the negro comic opera
"Oh, Hush - was written for him,
with several songs, such as Coal
Black Rose" thas have lived for
years.
Whether FIELDS MINISTRIES. now
that its originator and proprietor Is
dead, will continue is not definitely
stated. If it passes it will leave the
negro minstrel field without one large
remaining similar orga anization. AS
an entertainment negro minshelsy
was at its height more than quarter
Of century ago. PRIMROSE who had
been a black face artist for more
than fifty years, died three years ago.
He was one Of the last of the old time
negro minstrels.
Black face minstrelsy did its full
share to make the world forget its
cares and troubles. Ely its passing
vaudeville was the greatest gamer,
but there are still old timers who
with questionable allegiance to
movies and modern plays doubt if
the theatregoer benefited greatly by
the change
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Myth, Says Captain Clark.
That Dreadnaught Record Rejected
by an Authority.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: Your
correspondent "E. NJ. E. seems to be
in error in supposing that the Dread
naught made the passage from New
York to Cape Clear in days. to Queens
town in 9 days II hours and to Liver
pool in 13 days hours during the
months of June and July, 1859.
According to the shipping news pub
lished at tho time In THE New York
HERALD it appears that the Dreadnaught
cleared from New York on June Is and
arrived at Liverpool July 2. 1859 She
probably towed to sea on the same day
that she cleared, but assuming that she
did not get TO sea until June 16 and
arrived OFF Cape Clear on June 27, as
stated in the Illustrated London Netos,
she then would have made the run to
Cape Clear in IL days and to Liverpool
in 16 days, while the run from Sandy
Hook TO Queenstown In days IL hours
still remains the same old myth.
ARTHUR III. CLARK.
NEwBURYPoRT. Mass, April 5.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06

find counterpart in lhe fastest Of
the thoroughbreds. Sprinters among
the horses are bigger and more pow
eriully museled than those which have
class over distance. Experts can tell
the types at 4 glance. 1t is rare
thing to find Il heavily qunrtered
thoroughbred able TO score in the
great tests at the cup distance of two
miles and quarter. These achieve
ments are for horses Of the lean,
lithe kind represented by Extermina-
tor. Cleopatra and Cudgel, though
Man O. War, who was powerfully but
evenly proportioned, was an exception
to this rule, just as he was to almost
every other rule.
PADDOCK is credited with running
go yards in 81 seconds three days
after his world breaking effort OF
20 4-5 seconds. The slower of these
efforts lowers the previous time of
p 10 seconds, made by WEFERs,
DREW, Craig. KELLY, LIPPINcoTT and
PARKER. Men and horses improve
from period TO period. Tracks are
faster, too. Among the best OF these
is that Mt Berkeley. PADDOCK will be
seen in the East and there will be a
chance TO determine just how fleet
he Is and how revolutionary his
method of running.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Empty Jobs While Work Waits.

With port facilities, water front
improvements and pier work in this
city it is the same story as with every
other form of construction. Beca use
OF prohibitive, labor costs, which are
the chief isems of expenditure in such
development, all work is at stand
still. Hundreds Of millions of dollars
Of new investment are either aban-
doned or shifted TO harbors and ter
minals in other parts of the country.
So the men who will not work unless
they can continue the war time wages
and short hours, get no jobs and no
pay at all.
But that isn't the worst of it for
New York. Men who are jobless and
wageless here mean that their pur-
chasing power is missed in the
butcher shop and grocery shop. 1t
isn't the worst of If FOR the country.
Their lost pay is missei by the larm-
ers and the manufacturers at dis
tance, who supply this market.
More yet, the transportation bust
ness, which is diverted from the city
10 other ports because 1t cannot be
properly handled here when the facili-
ties are not maintained at top notch,
takes jobs and wages away from
clerks and stenographels drivers and
agents and many others. 1t takes not
merely sales away from the stores but
r.icllels out OF the subway and ele-
waited boxes, receipts away from the
restaurants and theatres-even away
from the church collection plates.
1t is an endless chain, which runs
with active industry from workers to
workers one after the other, buyers
and sellers one after TIE other. 81 end
ers and savers one after the other
Conversely, an industry stopped idle
ness forced and wages gone, these
react all the way back along the
endless chain, from the ship to the
forest and from the city 10 the farm.
This country wants to 20 back to
work, but it must walt for men 10 ill
the jobs on peace basis of normal
wages for normal production.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Hills of Home.
From the Arkansas GdSette.

From the Arkansas GdSette.
After long days when ] come
Once more from far rowing home
While / watch with eager eyes
Old loved landmarks, friendiywise,
Sudden bursting into view
Sharp etched on the skies clean blue.
10. the hills Of home arise.
Always round the curve they lie
Waiting hid as draw nigh.
Till pass the angled bend,
And the last long slope ascehd.
And the shortening road runs straight
There TO welcome me they wait
Hills of home, and journeys end.
Hoof beats quickening on the trail
Grind OF train wheels on the rait--
Motor swerving sharp and sheer
Steamboat reaching for the pier
Curve or headland. break or bend
I must pass, and at the end
Stand the home hills, clean and clear.
Thus, when fate my spirit brings
TO the ordained end OF things,
/ shall come as now | come
Through far spaces wearisome,
Through the shrouding wells that lie
'Twixt time and eternity:
Till there blaze against the sky,
Gold and jade-the Hills of Home.
c. I. DAVIS.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Lifting the Passport Rule.

The State Departments announce
ment that Americans may 90 abroad
without passports is joyous shock to
the prospective traveller.
No more waiting in the passport
office. No more sending back to the
old home town for a certificate Of
your birth; TO the old home town that
had no department of vital statistics
when you were born. No more get
ting somebody 10 swear that he knows
you and that you are you.
No more getting photographed by a
passport artist who poses You rs II
you and your wife were respectively
Big Jake the yeggman and Chicago
May the badger queen.
No more nervous apprehension as
the sailing day nears and the pass
ports have not arrived.
Travelling Americans may need
passports in certain countries. but the
lifting Of the passport rule Is a great
relief to most seagoers.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
From Cradle to Grave.
All Mans Needs Supplied on Single
Y0rkville Block.

To THE NEW York HERALD: a cor
respondent writes Of tho many lines OF
business carried on In a street In Har-
lem. one block IN the Seventies. be-
tween Avenue A and First avenue, has
about everything needed from the cradle
to the grave.
To start with there are midwives In
four languages a doctor. druggist, milk
dealer and dealers in every conceivable
food. You can buy infants wear.
baby carriages. boys knee breeches,
dresses, corsets and hosiery. haberdash-
cry and lingerie. sewing machines,
trunks. umbrellas and clothing.
Other lines are stove repairs, tin@nith
and whitewashing, hardware and house
supplies, laundry, cafe. hall for weddings
and parties. There are minister 70
perform marriages and other ceremonies,
a dentist and banker
There arc places OF worship for ell
denominations on blocks adjoining,
street cleaning department station,
real estate and Insurance agent. and last
but not least, thero is the man who
nails you at the nnish--the undertaken.
So all the comforts OF home are to
be found here. L.P.
NEW YcaK, April &.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Calfskins and Complexities.

A farmer I'm Iowa took twenty two
caIfskins to town and sold them at g
cents pound, receiving $500. OF
this he spent S12 for a paf Of calf
skin shoes. concludes the anecdot,.
1T does seem tough on the farmer.
But he must not forget that there Is
the same story III most businesses. a
man can sell his pig iron for only 21h
cents pound. When he buys II back
as steel In the form Of motor car of
the cheapest Eind ii costs him 80
cents pound.
Maybe this particular farmer sold
too cheap and paid too dear, but even
II he hnd received double and paid
haf less he would still be handing
over large toll 10 Progress For Il
Is Progress that Is to blame.
a century ago the farmer would
have scraped. picked and tanned his
calfskins and taken them to the VII
lage bootmaker. who would have made
him three or four pairs Of boots IN
consideration of the extra skins. But
now hides pass through several hands
before they reach the shoe factory and
each hand takes croft. More hands
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Miss Stallings's Song Recital.

Miss Louise Staliings, Inezzo soprano,
gave a song recital yesterday afternoon
in Aeolan Hall. Her programme was
arranged on conventional lines. begin
ming with old Italian airs. group OF
songs in German followed and was sue
ceeded, as usual. by a group in French
and one In English. No protest was
made against the singing of German.
On the contrary, Miss Stallings was ap-
plauded quite as heartily by her de-
cidedly friendly audience as when she
sang French or English.
This young singer disclosed not only
voice of good natural quality but some
real talent for the Interpretation OF
songs. Intelligence as well as feeling
was discernible In her delivery. Her
technical equipment, however, did not
equal the demands of her programme.
Her principal shortcoming is one af-
fecting the quality Of her tone. The
upper notes. when given freely. showed
warmth and purity, but throughout most
of her register both OF these character
istics were obscured by defective plac-
ing.
The result was that the tones were
generally dark, sonbre and clouded.
There is such q thing as placing tone
too far forward, and 1t seemed as II
this might be Miss Stallings's trouble.
Possibly, too, there was some failure to
pronounce vowels with purity. At any
rate, when the young woman has learned
to brighten the quality of her tone, to
give 1t transparency and lightness, she
will be able to inpart to her songs
greater eloquence than she attained yes
terday. She showed so much promise
and so much achievement that there is
reason to hope that she may have
successful future.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Philadelphia Men in Farewell Concert
Orchestra Plays Exciting Music by Tschaikowsky
Which Calls for Display of Virtuosity.

The last concert OF the Philadelphia
evening in Carnegie Hall Mr.. Stokowski
elected 10 make what the old time rae
ing fraternity used to call grand
stand finish" His programme was COM
pceed OF familiar and exciting music by
Tschaikowsky, namely the Pathetic"
symphony, the "Nut Cracker" suite and
the "isi2" overture. Such programme
might be called a display of virtuosity.
The three numbers demanded an exhibi-
tion OF the brilliancy and scope of the
orchestra's technic and sorority. But
TIE audience greatly rejoiced, as was To
be expected. The Philadelphia Orchestra
has acquired high flavor, and its conduc-
tor is declared by his admirers 10 be tue
foremost af all the wizards of the baton.
The performance of the symphony did
not differ radically from others heard
In the course of the season. Naturally
Mr.. StokowslSi had certain stresses or
his own and. like all other wizards OF the
baton, he discovered phrases in the
inner voices which had to be especially
published in order to help him create
a reading" But the fact Is that the
Pathetic symphony has established It's
own traditions and 1t is by no means
easy to obliterate them.
The playing Of the symphony was
rather TO be praised for its technical
excellences. which were of the first or
der and which in themselves did for
the composition all that was essential.
Mr. Stokowski had polished up the work
of his men to a high degree OF finish
and particularly was he successful In
keeping the dynamics within reasonable
bounds, except In the third movement.
when tempests must rage or the whole
thing be a failure Next season we shall
have the musicians. from Philadelphia
with us again for ten concerts and Mr..
StokowsN can continue to be the young
Siegfried of the baton to the delight Of
increasing nlultitudes.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Lloyd Georges Leadership.

When ARTHUR HENDERSON, the fore
most and perhaps the strongest Of the
British labor politicians, declared that
he challenged DAVID LLOYD GEORGE
with the coal strike issue he made a
Grass mistake as TO plain matter Of
fact He did not challenge LLOYD
GEORGE, he did not challenge the Goa
lition Government. What ARTHUR
HENDERSON did clallelge with his
coal strike was the institutions, the
sovereignty and the power of the peo-
pie of Great Britain.
To call LLOYD GEORGE lucky, then,
as many are doing, because when
harder pressed than ever he had been
before, with his natural support melt
ing away from him liEe a owfall
under a spring sun, suddenly he has
offered TO him and seizes the oppor-
tunity to become the public's great
champion against single selfish in
terest-to call him lucky because Of
that event IS to show poor apprecia-
ton of his prescience. which is as
marvellous as his opportunism is
dumfounding.
LLOYD GEORGE, knowing. as HEN
DERsoN does not know, the difference
between a political attack on an indi-
vidual and political social economic
and physical war on nation, proves
himself, in truth, whatever may be
said Of his passion :,r power and
his trafficking to retHin j., the su-
preme figure in the British public
field. The coal miners say they are
lighting for living wage as justifica-
tion for their war on the nation but
LLOYD GEORGE knows his British pub
lie, knows it is fighting for the life
of the nation. In tnai sort Of Dattle
he stands forth with super ative con-
fidence as the nations protector, with
all this means to a race which faces
any national crisis with a stead ness
as serene as 1t is dauntless
But LLOYD GEORGE, far from having
stumbled into such miraculous
situation by n streak OF luck, un-
doubtedly long ago saw it coming with
his clear, almost uncanny vision, pre-
pared for 1t with his calculating judg
mcnt and was on the spot all ready
TO meet 1t with winning hand when
It arrived.
Wherefore o-diy LLOYD GEORGE
seems to nj England. t all the Ui4ited
Kingdom, the one man for tn" ma
tional chieftainship AGAINST n self
willed minority which would pull
down the whole structure TO serve
it's own single, selfish purpose. This
Is not mere political agility and dar-
ing opportunism. II Is statesman
ship; It Is genius, and II is master
full leadership.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
The City's Memory Is Good.

Mayor HYLAN, recently quoted as
saying he would not be candidate
again, declares that he docs not re
member making any such remark"
The Mayors bad memory is memoir
able. he couldn't remember Mr.. JOHN
HETTEICK, although that genius had
drafted letters for His Honor to sign.
But, even If Mr.. HYIAN did not say
that he would decline to be candi-
date, it is not too late or too early for
him to say it now and remember 1t.
However bad the Mayors conve-
nient memory may be, the people OF
New York have perfect unforgettable
and unforgivable memory Of him and
his official acts.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
must be paid for maklng. jobbing and

must be paid for making, jobbing and
retailing the shoes.
Those Iowa calfskins may become
shoes in MASSACHUSETTS. The shoes
may be worn ~ citizens 81 dozen
states. Each pair will have to bear
its burden OF labor, freight and other
charges
Commercial progress is usually COM
plicated and often expensive. BIA its
results are generally satisfactory. If
they were not the farmer would still
be taking the skins 10 the village boot
maker The bootmaker is no more be
cause Progress eliminated him. The
calf is still popular, because nobody
has discovered better substitute.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Daily Calendar
THE WEATHER.

For Eastern New York--Tair to-day
and tomorrow continued mild tempera-
ture fresh southerly winds.
FOR New Jersey--Fair to-day and to-mor-
row. continued mild temperature; moderate
10 fresh Southerly winds
For Northern New England-Fatr to-day
ana to-niorrow; not much change in temper
atore moderate to fresh southeast and south
For Southern New England-Fair to-day
anu tomorrow; somewhat warmer on the
eastern Massaciusetts coast to-ray; moder-
ate 10 fresh southeast and south winds.
for western New Yorle-Fair to-day; to-
morrow increasing cloudiness; probably
showers by night; continued mild temrera-
ture.
WASHINGTON, April 5.--The disturbance
tnat was central over western Colorado last
night moved slowly eastward to the southern
plains States. attended by showers In tho
upper Mississippi Valley the plains States
ana the west Gulf States. and by snow in
the northern Rocky Mountain region. Utah,
southeastern Idaho and northern Arizona.
High pressure and generally fair weather
continued to-day over the eastern half OF tho
country. Much cooler weather overspread
the northern plains States and the northern
rocky Mountain region to-day. while the
temperature continued much above normal IN
the upper Mississippi Valley ard the south
ern plains States eastward.
me outlook is for generally fair weather
IN the States east of the Mississippi River
tomorrow. except that showers are probable
IN the upper lake region. Indiana. the lower
Ohio Valley. Tennessee and Mississippi.
The weather will continue fair in the
A.lan.ic rIh states Thursday. while showers are
ONO valley, Tennessee and the east Calf
states. Mild temperature will continue cast
oi .ne Allssissippi River. except that cooler
day.
:, Observations at United States Weather
Bureau stations. taken at p. VI. yesterday
Inn
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Living Statues Aplenty.
City Hall Fountain Does Not Need
the SculptOr's Art.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: Sad news
for many persons is contained in the
statement made by the Park Commits
sioner for Manhattan that tho new foun-
tain in City Hall Park will not spout
statues forming the decorative feature
OF the fountain will not be completed
before fall Until that time the un-
slightly board fence must remain.
This means that many win be de-
prived on hot days Of the coming sum-
NOR Of the pleasure of sitting on the
benches encircllng the fountain and en-
joying the cooling sight OF the splashing
and tumbling water. With the water
shut off the benches will not have the
same appeal as they hal in days gone
by. Those seeking to cool or will have
10 search for other places than the foun-
tain IN the park.
II must have occurred to persons who
read the Commissioners statement that
the difficulty of supplying statues for
the fountain could be solved simply by
turning on the water. Tho cooling fluid
would soon attract the usual number Of
urchins from the East Side and they
would lose no time In shedding or the
few clothes they ordinarily wear and
jumping into the water. Past experi-
ence has shown that these diving. money
retrieving youngsters can supply all the
statuary necessary SO why wait until
September?
The only persons who will feel elated
at the news are the park policemen.
With the water shut Off they will be
spared the exertion OF chasing boys out
OF the water during the summer.
New York, April ). Mn. y.
The New York herald., 1921-04-06
Black Face Minstrelsy Passes.

Negro ninstrelSy was never really
dead, despite the many time;. Its
obituary was written so Ion, as
AL G. FIELD was alive. When Il had
passed as an institution and an enter
tainment in New York city and the
East, when Colonel JACK HAvElY,
billy WEST and GEORGE PRIMROSE
were gone, FIELD was still gathering
his troupes of black fsce artists at
Columbus, Ohio, for tour of the Mid
die West. For thirty five years he
did this and he built up clientele
as loyal to himself and minstrelsy
as RARNuM had to his name and the
sawdust ring. Down through the Ohio
and Mississippi valleys his "unparal-
lelcd daily street procession" With
band and actors In high silk hats and
drab overcoats was survival of the
past as marked as the occasional boat
show was of the monster floating pal
aces Of circusdom Of the COS
TO FIELD the traditions OF min
strelsy We're fascinating and he knew
them all. This my have had some
thing to do With his adoption or the
show business and his abandonment
of banking and farming. Columbus
vas then the showmans Western
centre. At Mount Venom, not far
away. still dwelt old Dan EMMETT Of
Dixie fame an inexhaustible source
of American minstrel lore, who lived
over his days Of picking the banjo
to his own darkty melodies IN re
counting them. TO FIELD old DAN
was an American trolibndour and a
minstrel more entitled to fame and
recognition than the players who en-
tertalned the knights and ladies Of
medieval castles.
He found too that there were dis
tinguished actors who were not averse
to acknowledging their Indebtedness
20 early training In negro mnstrelsy
EDWIN FORREST, one Of America's :
great traeedlans. was said To- have
been the first actor to represent on the
stage the plantation darkey In ac-
cent. Gait and dialect. There was also
tradition that In his boyhood strug-
giles EDwIE BooTH served short ap-