Life — July 2, 1903 — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Education Is Spreading. VEN so far west as Skinskinati, the metropolis of the State which makes a business of furnishing Presidents and office-holders for the United States, the truths which Lirr has long been inculcating through its dramatic columns seem to have taken root, as evidence these extracts from a recent editorial in the Eaquirer im that the sensational and frivolous, and the namby-pamby fictional and historical play, and the burlesque and light (very light) opera, are w: the people want, and that is what they are getting. Perhaps, though, if we had plenty of actors and actresses fit to walk in the higher lines of the drama the managers would find that the people would be with them. That would, how- ever, require a management, as well as an artistic cc high above the mere sordid considerations of the box office. In the ‘‘old days ’’—let the bedizened fledglings and pre- tenders of the box office laugh at it if they please—managers: knew all about plays and acting, and many of them were The managers c! excellent actors them: Now the average manager only calculates the cost of puttiog a play on, and has no idea as to its real merits, Even the grotesque comic opera comedian may be gra- tolerated for a few seasons; but he soon displays ccomplishments, no matter how often the vehicle He is the same every year, He comes to be the way he wears a “pie-pan” hat, or some or by the swagger with which ar stamp in mouth. After his first success it is generally found that he is a mere bundle of cheap mannerisms. There is 'f something too much’ of. what is called comic opera on the play bills. A ‘rotten? piece can easily run_a whole season in New York that would have to strain the bank account of its r’’ to stay one night in the intelligent city of » Ohio. changes. known by other eccentricity in apparel he holds a ci -B-CORFHILVERT- “<8 6 3: WITH APOLOGIES. “WIEN souN <I COMES MARC *LIFE= The theatre is now, for the most part, a place to be frivolously amused, rather than for entertainment and instruction combined. The ‘legitimate’? actors are caricatured, and the ‘‘ham-fatters’’ are bought and sold like baseball players in the speculative interest of managers who would not know a good play froma pad-act in the circus. The names of the managers and promoters go on the bills in larger letters than those which are used to call public attention to the actors and actresses. Not that the prices are low. On the contrary, the cost of going to any theatre that assumes to be ‘first-class ”’ is an extortion; but who can blame the managers if the people are willing to stand it? The stage will probably return to its trae province some day, but it is hardly to be considered an educator to-day. It is ruled by the passion to make money, with a very litde admixture of artistic conscience. War. T]HE determination of the Macedonians to fight their enemies with plague bacilli marks an epoch in civilized fare. ‘or some years, now, it has been felt that the clock has struck twelve, as regards the destruction of human life by high explosives. Military men have had little to say about it, lest they alarm the people; but all the time the thought has been gathering force, that if war is to be hell in any modern, progressive sense, deadlier weapons will have to be devised. The bacilli plan, in its general aspect at least, leaves nothing to be desired ; and that enlightened ingenuity will easily be equal to working out the details is certainly presumable. Of course, the implied rebuke of that unworthy and un- charitable sentiment which has held the Macedonians to be barbarians in fact, and Christians only in name, is noted with satisfaction by the right-thinking. IN MICROBEHOLLOW, “irst Death Microbe: MeL1o, MICKY, WHlene’ne You MovIXG Tot Second Death Microbe; 10 MACEDONIA. REGULAR ELDORADO Pon US GREAT RUSH THERE, JUMP IN AND COME ALON comicbooks.com