Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — PUFFING THE PLAY. [ARTICLE]

PUFFING THE PLAY.

"A NewVXork Success ’’—Abuse ol Tress Courtesy. The United States Is n broad and busy country, and It is,well supplied with excellent journals, says mo Forum. As Is natural and unavoidable, these generally take their tone In treating drantatie affairs from those of the metropolis. What Is said and done In New York about plays and actors Is published all over the union as Quickly! as the wires and: can spread the news. Consequently tho theatrical business of the entire country Is managed from New York. That Is why actors, managers and the minor personages of stage life flock to New York. That Is why for many years past It has been possible for the wily speculator in rotten dramatic lumber lo set up a flimsy stage structure, held together only by the adhesive qualities of paint and printers’ ink, and— py keeping a New York theater open and empty for Its exhibition for a stated term of weeks at the expense of $3,000 or $4,000 a week, and by a continual pestering of the good-natured journalist—to qbtaln a sufficient amount of notlcs of his “great New l’ork success!” to ena'ble him to travel throughout the country with his “show,” and gather a rich hai> vest from those who are eager to seo what sort of plays please the people of the great city. Of course the “show” soon falls tp pieces from the weight of Jts o#n worthlessness, and the seeds'of general contempt for New York’s-good taste la theatrical matters are/sown broadcast But uo matter. TJre enterprising speculator, now well lu funds, reUyns to New York and Is soon upon the full tide of another like venture. Year after year this sort of thing goes on. But the people of the East, South and West are becoming wise anyd wary. The “business’,’ Is not so good now as It once was in those often-deluded seecal troubles upon which the ax should fall quickly aud sharply Is this abuse of the press courtesy—first extended lr good nature toward the struggling an tlst, but now demanded fig a right by the brass-band “show boomer.” , Our hardest battles are those ire fight with ourselves.