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Show IS IMMORALITY WANTED IN PLAYS BY AUDIENCES j The argument that actors and theatrical the-atrical managers mainly rely upon to defend themselves against criticism for presenting immoral plays is that they i .pay. They don't state their case quite so frankly as this. They lcs3 Ingenuously Ingenu-ously say that they give such plays because be-cause the people want them. This defense de-fense unquestionably has some strength If an actor or theatrical manager or anybody else is justified. In selling people peo-ple whatever they want merely because they happen to want it. The large crowds which actresses playing the roles of courtesans have drawn seem to justify the inference that the public wants to see them In such roles. But to draw this Inference Is to overlook the relevant fact that actors and actresses playing widely different classes of plays have drawn fully as well. If not better. Neither Viola Allen nor Henrietta Grossman, nor Richard Mansfield, nor James IC. Hackett, rior John Drew, nor Joe Jefferson, nor Nat Goodwin, nor Chauncey Olcott, nor Ada Rohan has been giving such plays, yet they usually usu-ally do good business. The "Prince of Pilsen." the "Sultan of Sulu." "Floro-dora." "Floro-dora." "The Storks," "The Wizard of 07.," "Peggy From Paris" were not especially instructive, but they wcro diverting di-verting without being licentious. They drew well andswelled the coffers of the managers. No one, unless he be a religious fanatic fa-natic or a literary or histrionic purist or crank, demands or desires that the theaters shall attempt to present nothing noth-ing but the highest class of comic and dramatic productions. The theaters could not do this If they would, because there are few actors who are capable of taking the leading parts In. such plays; and they should not be asked to if they could, becauso the number of people who can appreciate such plays Is comparatively small. "The bow cannot remain always bent, and relaxation of mind and body is indispensable to all." But socletj- has a right to demand of actors and theatrical managers, as It has of tho people of every other class, that they shall not deliberately or wittingly wit-tingly do what they know Is calculated to undermine the publlp morals; and this, It is to be feared, is what many managers and actors are now and have been of late cruraged in doing. Kansas City Journa-' |