The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 56, Ed. 1 Monday, March 16, 1914 Page: 4 of 10
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THE SAN ANTONIO LIGHT
(Founded January SO. 1181.)
Comprising The Ban Antonio Light and the San Antonia
Gssetta
Exclusive Leasts iFire Day Report of the Associated
Presa
Enterc 1 at the postoffice at San Antonio as second-class
natter.
CHARLES S. DIEHL HARBISON — BEACH
Editor* and Publishers.
SVBSCRUTION RATES.
Daily and Sunday carrier. 1 month •
Dally and Sunday carrier 1 year •J"
Daily and Sunday mail 1 month
Daily and Sunday mall 1 year (in advance)
Sunday carrier 1 year ► *
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Single copy daily or Sunday *•
It Is important when desiring the address of your
paper changed to give both old and new addresses
bhould delivery be irregular please notify the office
Old phone Crockett 1742. uew phono 174.
The San Antonio Light is on sale at hotels and news-
stands throughout the United States
NEW YORK OFFICE—PauI Elook. Inc„ 220 Fifth Ave.
CHICAGO OFFICE —Paul Block. Inc.. Mailers Bldg.
BOSTON OFFICE —Paul Block. Inc M Boston bafs De-
posit A Trust Bldg.
FEHKIARY CIRCULATION.
The total dally average circulation of the daily edition
of The San Antonio Light during the month of February
1114 was 20093 cop lea and of the Sunday edition w*»
23.652 copies Omitting all spoiled. left over unsold
returned filed samples advertisers and
total net paid average of the dally edition* wg* lt»M0
copies and of the Sunday edition 2).*» topics.
Ihe Association of America Advertisers baa exam*
Ined and certified to the delation of The San Antonio
Light for the nine ending June 30 1913.
The circulars* of The ban Antonio Light for the nine
months February 28 1913 has been certified to
z A# 'A. M. Ayer A bon of Philadelphia.
The audit of the above agencies is regarded as au-
thoritative and final by ths advertisers of America and
Lurope
DOUBLE IHE LOCAL CIRCULATION
OF ANY OTHER PAPER
THE SCHOOL BOARD
It is evident that the present board of
(education is laying up for itself a day of
wrath. The members of the present or-
ganization seem disposed to believe that
they have little or no responsibility to
the people of San Antonio and Bexar
county and that whatever they do is cer-
tain to be correct. It has done a num-
ber of things that strongly invite public
disapproval. Prominent among these are
the purchase of a school site in Highland
Park where the entire transaction was
carried out by a committee which did not
report to the board until after the trans-
action had been finished and the election
of an architect at a secret meeting. To
these things the board has now added
the deplorable act of erecting in the
heart of San Antonio an addition to the
high school that is not of fireproof con-
struction.
- If there is one building that should
be impervious to fire it is a school lo-
cated in the heart of a large city. The
matter is of less importance in the coun-
try tfhere the majority of schools are
one story high from which exit is easy
tin the event of fire and where the num-
ber of pupils is comparatively small.
It is a vastly different matter however
in a city like San Antonio where the
number of pupils is large where the
schools are several stories high and where
there are buildings adjacent to Che schools
from which fire might easily be com-
municated.
The recent addition to the high school
is of mill construction made so accord-
ing to the board because the other parts
of the building erected earlier are of
the same style of construction. This
seems as poor a reason for erecting a
non-fireproof building as can be imagined.
It would be just as sensible to say that
the city should never have passed an
ordinance against the erection of inflam-
mable buildings because the majority of
buildings in the city at the time of the
passage of the ordinance were not fire-
proof.
It is getting to be very much of an
open question whether the people of San
Antonio are receiving proper service from
the present board of education which
seems disposed to run things about as it
pleases irrespective of the rights of the
taxpayers.
THE SEVEN WONDERS
Wliat are the “Seven Wonders of the
World” today? And are they as were
the seven wonders of antiquity the re-
sult of men’s hands or are they the ac-
complishment of genius in combating
the forces of nature? What would you*
say?
We all knew the Seven Wonders of
the World by heart when we went to
school but most of us cannot remember
more than three or four at the outside
so they may be enumerated. The most
marvelous things known to the ancients
were the Pyramids the Hanging Gardens
of Babylon Mausolus* Tomb the Temple
of Diana at Ephesus the Colossus of
Rhodes the Palace of Cyprus and Jupi-
ter’s Statue by Phidias. Every one of
these was noted either for its size—as
the pyramids and the Colossus or the
wonderful amount of labor and ingenuity
that it displayed—as the hanging gar-
dens or its beauty—as the temple of
Diana and Jupiter’s statue.
All these wonders save only the pyra-
mids are gone. Authorities do not even
exactly agree that these were the seven.
Vandals desecrated the temple of Diana
the Colossus of Rhodes fell the gardens
that a ruthless king built upon a plain
because a new wife hungered for the
SiH scenery of her home are hardly more
MONDAY
than a mound. What think you have
taken their places?
To answer this question the Lokal
Anzeiger Berlin’s leading newspaper
has been inviting replies from its readers
which include all classes of thinking Ger-
mans. The sum of its answers may be
presumed to be about the same as would
be produced from the same number of
correspondents elsewhere in the world.
Each reader was asked to tell what he re-
garded as the greatest modern wonder
and the newspaper compiled as the prob-
ably correct list the seven things receiv-
ing the highest number of votes. What
makes the compilation unusually valuable
is the great number of people who regis-
tered their opinion—151764 in all.
Here is the list together with the num-
ber of votes cast for each object: 1.
Wireless telegraphy 17148. 2. Panama
Canal 16250. 3. Zeppelin's dirigible
airships 12828. 4. The aeroplane. 11-
4>28. 5. The use of radium in medicine.
11296. 6. The cinematograph ©3471 7.
6276.
be noted that these seven
wonders account for only about 81000
votes. The other 70000-and-odd were
cast for many objects some of them the
Anzeiger announces “not strongly enough
supported to be worthy of serious con-
sideration.”
With the exception of the Zeppelin
dirigible and the .steamship Imperator
which appeal especially to Germans be-
cause they are of that country it is quite
probable that 150000 Americans might
produce a very similar list. Most of them
would be likely to agree with the Ger-
mans as to the preeminence of the wire-
less telegraph and the Panama Canal
although perhaps there would be a wide
divergence as to the order of the re-
mainder of the list.
This is a utilitarian age to be sure
but when all is said and done should not
a list of the world’s wonders still contain
the Pyramids? Are we building anything
today likely to last one-half so long?
FOREIGN EGGS ARE COMING
A lusty squawk of protest is due from
American barnyards. Soon one may look
aghast upon fowls of formerly fine feath-
er and exclaim: “What hath the Demo-
cratic administration 'wrought!” For
there is now more danger from the “yel-
low peril” than there was when Rich-
mond Pearson Hobson began to provoke
the hordes of the East with his invidious
animadversions. In fact never before has
there been such a large prospect of im-
migration from foreign lands as has been
brought about by’ the downward revision
of the tariff schedules.
Hist! the movement America-wards is
about to begin; it may’ start at any mo-
ment unannounced. Eggs from China
eggs from Russia eggs from Austria
eggs from Austria-Hungary eggs from
Denmark (forget Shakespeare’4 unsavory
remark for Denmark is reputed to have
reformed) eggs from the Balkan states
—in fact eggs from almost everywhere
will soon make their appearance at Amer-
ican ports of entry. The advance guard
of the army of immigrants has alreadj’
reached the Eastern ports of the United
States and before long no doubt San
Antonio will feel the effects of the in-
vasion influx migration or whatever the
movement may be called in parlor
parlance.
Whatever it may be the fowls of China
and other heathen countries have adopted
the most insidious method known to his-
tory to enter this country. From the
barnyard standpoint as an American
chanticleer might say if he could ex-
press himself in language intelligible to
mankind it is £ foul stratagem that the
foreign birds have adopted. Coming over
in the embryonic state—potentially they
are hens and roosters all of them—they
may burst forth from the shell and over-
come the American tribe as the ancient
Greeks emerged from the wooden horse
inside the gates of Troy. Immigrating
to America as an egg and establishing
citizenship as a fowl! That is the last
word in international evasion and deceit
and could not be surpassed except by
some magic that would transform a bundle
of imported chop-sticks into a community
of Chinese.
All that is from the supposititious
barnyard viewpoint of course. Really
truly and seriously the lifting of the em-
bargo on eggs as munitions of war in the
conflict with General Hi Cost is a boon
to all who believe that they have the
constitutional inalienable right to eat
“hen fruit” for breakfast every day in
the week and Sunday too without mort-
gaging the home oi foregoing the pleas-
ure of an occasional attendance at the
opera. Forsooth the new freedom is at
hand; signs of its approach are discern-
ible on the horizon. About this time of
the year the purveyors of eggs usually
patronize the ice man laying in large
stores of potention “straight-ups” and
"once-overs” for summer consumption.
Now that would be foolish; for what
chance would storage eggs have against
the fresh product that can be imported
from abroad and laid down at American
ports at about 15 cents a dozen?
It is a sane prediction that the price
of the domestic product will be materially
reduced as a result of the competition.
Heretofore the American consumer has
been between the devi! and the deep:
when the hens refused to lay eggs have
reached an almost prohibitive price of
their own accord; then in the cackling
season the speculators have prolonged the
winter of the egg-eater’s (or non-egg-
eater’s) discontent. Now everything per-
taining to eggs is about to be changed.
As to speculation in eggs—who does not
speculate in them? But that’s quite a
different story.
EXIT ONE EXPRESS COMPANY
For many years the express companies
exercised an unrestricted power in con-
ducting their business. Ihey not only
exercised but abused that power. They
prospered and the people suffered. Now
the day of retribution has come and
while the express companies are now suf-
fering deserved penalties the people re-
joice. When the Interstate Commerce
Commission finished its long and thor-
ough examination of their methods and
charges facts were disclosed that they
l»d-beetf 'guilty' of extortionate over-
charges double charges on prepaid pack-
ages arbitrary routing and other things
oi like nature. They so profited by these
things that they were able to pay large
dividends and every few years to make
large stock dividends. On capitalization
thus increased they continued to pay
large dividends.
In 1903 the stock of the United States
Express Company sold for 150. On De-
cember 1913 it had declined to 38. The
decline began when the Interstate Com-
merce Commission commenced to investi-
gate the methods and practices of the
express companies. The immediate ef-
fect of that investigation was a reduction
of rates which became effective on the
first of July 1912. -
The next blow delivered to the express
companies was the establishment of the
parcel post which went into operation on
the first of January 1913. To meet this
competition a general reduction was made
of 16 per cent which went into effect on
the first of February 1913.
These causes—the investigation of the
methods and practices of the express
companies by the Interstate Commerce
Commission and the facts brought to light
by that investigation the reduction of
rates as the result of it the parcel post
the competition in transportation pro-
duced by it and the enforced reduction
of 16 per cent to meet that competition
so discouraged the United States Express
Company that it has concluded to retire
from the business which it for many
years had found so profitable and satis-
factory.
It can do so now without any further
loss. In case of liquidation after the
payment of its liabilities amounting to
about $3000000 there would be left
assets of about $14400000 to be divided
among the holders of $10000000 of stock.
This will not be bad for the stockholders
when it is recalled that a large amount
of that stock is based on dividends.
The express companies had their own
way for many years. They gave the
public small consideration and they are
now facing the inevitable consequence.
Tlie Vice Admirals.
The proposed appointment of six vice ad-
mirals for the American navy seems to have
created somewhat of a tempest in Congress. Sev-
eral representatives among them Dies and Slay-
den of Texas profess to see in the proposition
nothing but extravagance and a bid for social
distinction
In naval etiquette a vice admiral is a vice ad-
miral and a rear admiral a rear admiral no
matter whether he commands a fleet of dread-
naughts or a skiff and while a rear admiral in
the American navy may come into port with
twenty ships of the line flying his flag custom
demands that he be superseded by a vice ad-
miral if one be present no matter how small or
insignificant may be the latter’s command
Houston Chronicle
Mexico Clalma All Attention.
While the attention of Europe is largely di-
rected upon the anarchistic conditions now pre-
vailing in Mexico it seems to have been forgot-
ten that there is urgent need for concerted ac-
tion on the part of the civilized powers in China
News of the massacre of 1300 people at the
Chow by the ferocious bandit
■White Wolf” has been received almost without
a ripple of comment; while the execution of a
single hot-headed Englishman who deliberately
bearded an unscrupulous Mexican bandit-rebel
In his den has provoked heated discussion in
both America and England.—Galveston Tribune
For Goose and Gander.
Thirty thousand employes of the American
Sheet and Tin Plate Company in the Pittsburg
region have been notified that they must with-
draw from membership in all fraternal organiza-
tions and clubs which maintain ''sideboards” or
sever their connection with the company.
We take it as a matter of course that the men
“higher up” in this organization—department
heads executive officers and directors of the
corporation—have set the men an example by
withdrawing from all the club? and other or-
ganizations possessing “sideboard” or bar at-
tachments to which they have belonged! New-
York Herald.
Too Preposterous.
It did not need Dr. Lyman Abbott's denial to
discredit the yarn cabled from London about Mr.
Roosevelt's avaricious and discourtcaus actions
in South America although the Outlook editor’s
refutation is none the less acceptable for that
reason. The story was too absurd for credence.
There is too much readiness to ascribe unworthy
motives to men of prominence but In this in-
stance the story "was preposterous as well as
Invidious. Whatever Mr. Roosevelt's faults greed
has mot been one of them and whatever errors
hr may have committed on his present trip he
did assuredly not perpetrate this social blunder.
He is not that kind of a man. He has too much
savoir faire for that sort of thing.—Detroit Free
Press.
Blowing Up.
Just as American statesmanship looks forward
hopefully to a coalition of the strong South
American republics and the United States for the
preservation of order and the upholding of con-
stitutional government in the western hemis-
phere Peru and Brazil blow up.
Must it be conceded that the Latin-American
will not play the game by its rules but will in-
evitably If he does not Craw the right cards
kick over the table knock over the lamp and
take his chances in the grab?
We still pin our faith on A fontina and Chile.
If they go “pop” pessimism will be in the sad-
dle.—Chicago Tribune.
THE SAN ANTONIO LIGHT
Letters to the Light
All l«tter. to thia paper that are —•
tended for publication muat be elgned br
the writer. Ihe name of the writer will
not be publlahed unleaa it la desired. Th.
paper mint know however from whom
the letter cornea No attention will be
paid to anonymous communications Type-
written aisnaturea and those muds with
a stamp are clawed aa anonymoua The
publication ot a letter does not necewartly
mean that the policy or opinion outlined
therein la sndoiaed by the publlehsrs o<
The Licht.
To the Editor:
Gentlemen: I was pleased to reaa
Jour editorial on the municipal own.
ershlp of light and power plants. In
December I gave a reporter of The
Light some figures to show the great
loss the people of San Antonio were
making by not having light an ( i
power furnished by the city instead
of a plant owned by a private com-
pany. But these figures were so great
that he thought I must certainly be
mistaken. Last summer I visited
plants In different states and found
M talking direct to the managers
nnd reading their reports that my
figures were very low. For more than
a year I have been gathering infor-
mation from large and small towns
in all parts of the United States and
I find that in no city where the plant
Is owned and operated by the city is
the rate over 7 cents per K. W. and
In some towns it is as low as 4 and 5
cents per K. W.
In Kansas City Kan. a private
company had a contract with the
city and for years had charged 10c
per K. W. and refused to make any
reduction. When this contract ran
out the city refused to make another
and voted bonds and built the muni-
cipal plan. They started out with a
C cent rate which has made the city
good money.
I have a letter from the manager
of the plant written in January. In
which he says the city will soon re-
duce the rate below 6 cents. Kansas
City built this plant so that they
could hold the factories they now
have and induce others to come
there.
In Hutchinson Kan. a small city
of about 15.000 people a private
company had been operating the
light plant and charging 17 per
K. W. All demands of the council
and the people in general for a re-
duction of the rate were answered
by the statement of the company
that they could not deliver the cur-
rent for less than the 17 cent rate.
But a few business men built a plant
to run In competition and made the
rate 5 cents and furnished the bulbs.
The result was that the city plant
ran only a short time until the com-
pany came to them and bought the
plant at a profit and entered Into a
contract with the city to furnish
Igntz at the 5 cent rate. That con-
tract ran its time and the second ten
year contract was just signed this
January. Now l H It unreasonable for
the people of Hutchinson to believe
the company is furnishing them
their lights for 5 cents because there
is money in it.
I spent three months in Pasadena.
Cal. this summer and had a fine
opportunity to get acquainted with
the manager of the city plant and
also learn from the people direct
)V lat 1 th u. y thlnk of the c “y being In
light and power business In
the J a *e w “s reduced from
-0 cents per K. W. to 10c while the
campaign was on to build the cltv
P ant. And after the city had her
Plant running the rate has gone
down from 10 cents to 6 cents where
•t now stands. The saving to the peo.
pie of Pasadena on their light bill
per year figuring only from the last
from the 10 ‘o 5 cent rate
is $200000 per year and for the four
years the plant has been running the
total sav-lng to the users of lights ha a
been 3408000. The total cost of the
Ib $5® 5 '138.90 counting
depreciation to date. So It Is very
clear that the city is winner If the
plant was sold for half the cost.
As। a result of the low rate made
by the city plant In Pasadena Los
Angeles has been given a 6 cent rate
bj the trust hoping it will hold off
the vote to build a city plant. But It
cannot be held off longer than this
coming fall. The papers have already
taken up the campaign to build the
plant and have it in operation
by the time the water supply Is
brought In from the mountains next
winter. They have seen the good re-
sults that have come to Pasadena
through the city plant The big sav-
ing to the people Is known by all
the voters of Los Angeles and when
the proposition Is put to vote it will
carry with a strong majority.
In Seattle the company was charg-
ing 20 cent 3 per K. W. The voters
voted a bond Issue to build a city
plant and when they had It in opera-
tion they started the rate at 714
cents and continually lowered It until
It is now at 6 cents per K. W The
company is willing to run In compe-
tition with the city at this reduced
rate which Is 14 cents lower than
they said it was possible for them to
operate.
Quoting from the city report: "We
feel that one of tho principal uses
ot the city plant l g to furnish an
abundance of power at the lowest
rates In order that we may 'bring
many new Industries both large and
small to Seattle with pay rolls to
employ more men and establish the
city as a manufacturing center.''
These few words taken from the re-
port of the officials of Seattle show
the use the plant Is being put to.
All these town s say their greatest
benefit by owning the light and
power plants Is to build factories
and to make a rate so low that the
poor man can have light as well as
the rich.
I have figures In my possession
that will convince anyon c who Is
willing to be convinced that the 14.-
000 users of electricity In San An-
tonio ore paying annually $350000
more for the current than they
v. ould have to pay if the city owned
and operated the plant. In ten years
this $350000 over-charge for elec-
tricity Will equal the reccpt bond
issue of $3500000. This vast amount
of money will leave San Antonio.
Now Is it worth while for the peo-
ple to try to keep this at home. Can
we expect to be a great and pros-
perous city when we will sit here
and allow a leak. What other cities
are making a success of we can
make a success of. Factories that
come to a city for cash or land bo-
nuses are seldom of any value. It is
only the man who knows how to run
a factory who looks for tho loca-
tion that guarantees the lowest oper-
ating expenses. We have the city
we have the country do we have
the nerve to do that which we all
know Is the right thing for us.
The Seattle plant is run by water.
The others are coal and oil burners.
S. A. SCOTT.
To the Editor:
It is with a feeling akin to hu-
miliation that citizens of San Anto-
nio receive the information through
your paper that the school board is
paying out the taxpayers’ money In
the erection of non-fire-proof build-
ings. Nothing done by thi s board
warrants more severe condemnation
than this and If it can be done the
Daily Fashion Hint
THE RIGHT MANAGEMENT OF A
VEST.
Tills little vest has the long points
tliat are imitated from the present
fashion for men and the high flaring
plain cut collar that has replaced
the frill of last season. With the
new short jacket and i-specially with
the jacket frock of this season this
vest and collar will bo unusually
smart and unusually handy since the
vest In dainty gauze machine em-
broidery in batiste and the collar has
the desired stiffness In sheer white
organdy. The front fastening as
usual to give proiwr looseness of ef-
fect Is done with snap fasteners.
members should be made to under-
stand that only fire-proof buildings
are to be erected out of the remain-
der of the $300000 bond money.
The excuse said to have been given
by the board for the non-fire-proof
addition to the high school l s that
the other wings of this building were
cf mill construction. How lame this
Ih may be reasoned from the fact
that the materials which go to make
the building fire-proof such as con-
crete joists and roof beams would
be covered entirely from sight. Thus
there need be no difference in the
appearance of the buildings and the
Idea of harmony effectively main-
tained.
And if The Light’s figures were
correct and the failure of the board
to reply warrants the assumption
they were it would have cost less to
have made the building fire-proof.
With this the only other possible
reason for the use of mill construc-
tion In the erection of school build-
ings is destroyed. Yet even were it
shown that fire-proof materials ac-
tually cost from 15 to 20 per cent
more than mill construction as the
contractors suggest it certainly
would be money well spent. The citi-
zens of San Antonio have no desire
for economy the result of which is
to place the lives of the school chil-
dren in jeopardy.
To the Editor:
Having seen a letter signed by
F. Z. Bishop assailing the Robinson
law I wish to submit the following
information in answer to same:
Texas has twenty-one life insur-
ance companies. The second Tuesday
in March is fixed by law as the date
lor the annual meeting of stockhold-
cs. Tho daily papers in the largest
cities reported the meetings of stock-
holders of their local companies held
op Tuesday last but the informa-
tion not having been supplied them
nc mention was made of the busi-
ness of Texas companies in the ag-
gregate nor of the interest of Texas
people directly or Indirectly in the
growth of Texas life compares.
On March 1 1909 Texas had five
life Insurance companies with aggre.
gate assets in the sum of $1806.-
713 as shown by their January state-
ment and a little less than forty
millions of Insurance In force. The
year closed with ten additional Texas
cc mpanies authorized to do business
which number was increased during
the year following.
These Texas companies are owned
officered and managed by Texas peo-
ple. Thirteen thousand eight hun-
dred men and women paid their
money and pledged their support in
the building of these companies and
the record shows that their object is
'being attained. Texa s life compa-
nies have now one hundred and sev-
enty million dollars insurance in
force almost ail of ft taken put for
the protection of wives and chil-
dren of Texas citizens. Texas life
companies collected in premiums on
policies and interest on Texas In-
vestments. etc. during 1913 ap-
proximately eight million dollars
practically every dollar of which re-
mained in Texas for the conserva-
tion and development ot the re-
sources ot the state.
The combined assets of Texas life
companies exceed sixteen million
dollars and mor e than eleven million
dollar ot this sum Is Invested In
Texas mortgage loans. Texas
companies are writing more than
fifty mllHonr of new business an-
nvally and arc adding something
above three million a year to their
Texas mortgage loans.
HENRY A. HODGE.
State Department’s Los®*
Mr. John Bassett Moore’s resigna-
tion leaves a vacancy not to say a
vacuum in the state department. His
retirement at this time when Ques-
tions of importance and of much
delicacy have arisen in our relations
with several foreign powers will be
regarded with a misgiving compara-
ble to that which would have been
felt had Secretary Seward retired
from Mr. Lincoln’s cabinet or Hamil-
ton Fish from that of President
Grant.—New York Timos.
Her admirer swallowed hard pulled at
bln collar and finally made up hia mind.
"Lillian. M he raid. desperately "let’s wet
married
Lillian's bored expression vanished. "Ad
right” she sgreed "but who can you
marry?"—Judge
At the Theaters
"WITHIN THE LAW.”
Among rational perzons the world
over or peraonz who play fair with
their natural emotion there can be
no dlztinet differences ot opinion re-
garding the worth of “Within the
Law” Bayard Velllers latest play
which was presented at the Grand
Opera House Sunday night by Selwyn
and company. If the spectators that
saw the initial performance here
had all been critics and had been
asked at the conclusion of the play
to pass judgment a favorable ver-
dict would doubtless have been given
by unhesitating acclamation. Indeed
it would not have been necessary to
wait until the tinal curtain: in
the first act one's blood-beats grow
faster and he is less than human
who does not wish for the opportun-
ity to avenge Mary Turner for the
wrongs that her heartless employer
and an unjust legal system have con-
spired to do her; and in the final
scene with its strong though quiet
pathos what manner ot man is he
who docs not long to take the splen-
did little woman into hla arms and
console her?
Though “Within the Law” is extra-
ordinarily dramatic in almost every
scene a killing on the stage con-
stituting the climax it cannot cor-
rectly be called a njelodrama. For
there is nothing unnatural in the
play from first to last; no artificiali-
ties in eliher atmosphere or situation.
The killing on stage—-in fact every
extremely dramatic moment —is
thoroughly justified. If “Within the
Law” is a melodrama then so are
all of Shakespeare’s tragedies. The
original meaning of “melodrama”
was a play whose tragic intensity was
heightened by music (“The Rosary"
is a fair modern example); the
meaning of the term has been ex-
panded tc include plays that seek
effect through artificial means.
“Within the Law” Is absolutely de-
void of such theatrical artifices.
More intensely dramatic thaq “The
Woman" exposing wage slavery and
the injustice of a system of laws that
makes distinction between the rich
and the poor—and making that ex-
posure in such a way as not to offend
the sensibilities of the most refined—-
" Within the Law" is undoubtedly the
most effective play of the kind thrft
has been written in recent years. It
is replete with good lines admirable
in dramatic structure elaborately
mounted and exceptionally well play-
ed. In the laying of the plot and Its
working out the author proves him-
self a master of the technique of the
drama. There are no superfluities or
irrelevancies—a circumstance that
gives the play perfect unity. Each
situation is a natural consequence
of the preceding one and close
analysis discloses that this continuity
is secured by the use of lines
whose significance is not realized
until the developments they fore-
cast have taken place. For instance
Joe Garson the pickpocket and high-
class general "crook.” shows Mary
Turner a pistol equipped with a
Maxim silencer; and when the
weapon tc noiselessly used in a sub-
sequent scene the audience is pre-
pared for what might otherwise ha\e
been unintelligible. Again Edward
Gilder the department-store owner
tells Burke the police inspector that
a glaring light thrown into the
library Is from a searchlight that
sweeps the house every fifteen min-
utes; and when in the following
scene the light reveals the body of
Eddie Griggs the stool-pigeon lying
on the floor pierced by a bullet from
the silent weapon just as Richard
Gilder is about to explain to the
police Inspector the. presence of Mary
Turner in the room what might
otherwise have appeared to be a
phenomenon is seen to be altogether
natural.
CITIZEN.
Seldom has such a capable com-
pany presented such an intensely
dramatic play in San Antonio.
Though Clara Joel gets most of the
applause—and deserves it —each
member of the cast merits unstinted
praise. Notable among those are
Helen'Vallely in the role of Agnes
Lynch whose versatility Is shown by
her quick transition from the char-
acteristics of a "slangy” girl of the
underworld to those of a young lady
of "high society.” a pose that even
the police inspector "falls for;” and
Elizabeth H. Van Sell In the pathetic
part of Helen Morris the thieving
shop girl whose dishonesty Is re-
sponsible for Mary Turner's Impris-
onment Others who deserve especial
commendation are H. N Dudgon
In the role of Eddie Griggs and T.
M. Morris as Inspector Burke.
It might be said that besides be-
ing an accomplished actress Clara
Joel is one of the most beautiful
women seen on a San Antonio stage
In many a moon.
The performance will be repeated
Monday night Tuesday afternoon
and Tuesday night.
MAJESTIC VAUDEVILLE.
A great many of San Antonio's
society folk who turned out Sunday
especially to be among the first to
witness the tango-dancing act billed
as the headliner at the Majestic The-
ater this week were disappointed in
the presentation of the dances In
which they have become proficient
themselves. It Is only natural that a
representation of a dance that has
been studied from what might be
called a scientific standpoint by al-
most all society would be looked
upon with a hypercritical eye. and so
the Hale and Petterson turn was
weighed in the balance and found
wanting from society’s point of
view. The mechanical grace of some
of the steps was pretty.
"A Business Proposal." a laugh-
able skit full of action and dramatic
situations was the best on the bill.
Jack Kennedy as John Rugg head
of the Consolidated Stove Works is
a typical character of the big busi-
ness world. His efforts to marry his
stenographer to his book-keeper
merely because he believes married
employes are the most efficient
gives rise to a number of very funny
situations. An effective climax is
reached when Miss Helene Warde
as Jane Hoops by whirlwind tac-
tics marries the boss herself. Mr.
Kennedy is ably supported by Ralph
Ramsey as Ralph Timmins the
bookkeper and Miss Warde. The
fact that the act is staged under the
MARCH 181914. '
direction of Edgar Allan Woolf tes-
tifies It is ot unusual quality.
Josie Heather dainty singing
comedienne who presents a number
of her own original songs is just as
English as she is clever; just as
clever as she is pretty—end she is
a beauty. She has an attractive per-
sonality and her voice is delightfully
clear. Her songs are protected by
British copyrights.
A happy combination of humor
instrumental and vocal harmony and
clever acting and dancing Is found In
"A Bit of College Ltfe" presented
by J. Hugh Fish Fjank T. Crumit
and Ed O’Rell. Particularly good in
their parts are Fish as Jack Sher-
wood and Crumit as "Fat" Hayes.
O’Rell as "Piano’’ Carl Introduces
some difficult harmonies on the
piano. The Three Collegians are
billed as "the real article" and are
said to have quit college to go in
vaudeville in the vehicle provided by
J. Hugh Fish.
A scene In the summer garden of
the "Cafe de 'Le Parisien" opens the
trapeze act of Adelyne Lowe and
Company. A song or two by a pretty
girl a young man gets acquainted
with her and a freakishly costumed
woman appears on the stage and
the prelude to the aerial act is over.
Adelyne Lowe Montrose Hunt and
Myrtle Davenport are the acrobats.
A boy with a girl’s voice and a
girl with a boy's voice are the Greys
phenomenal vocalists. They have a
short program of pieces in which
their unusual voices are used to good
advantage. The girl’s natural tenor
is surprising and the boy’s high so-
prano Is remarkably rich.
Les Yost sculptors in colored clay
open the bill with a unique act.
Funny faces are modled from a
muddy looking substance with light-
ning rapidity while the audience
laughs at the various stages ot de-
velopment of the clay-face on the
board.
WONDERS OF WORLD.
From the Ohio State Journal.
The ancient "seven wonders ot the
world” have about disappeared. Only
one remains—the Pyramids. The oth-
er six are quite forgotten—the Hang-
ing Temple of Semiramis at L’abylon
the Temple of Diana at Ephesus the
statue ot Jupiter at Athens the
Mausoleum at Haiicarnaussus the
Colossus at Rhodes and the Pharos
of Alexandria. All these wonders
were B. C.
But we have an entirely new
series now. They were brought out
by a newspaper in Germany which
offered prizes to eight perspns who
agreed ->n the seven wonders of the
twentieth century. They named:
Wireless telegraphy the Panama
canal the dirigible airship the flying
machine radium the cinematograph
and the steamship Imperator. How
different these are from the ancient
seven wonobrs of the world.
They don't seem to have a thing
in common. There was not a single
utility In the ancient seven wonders
while In the modern everything is
utility. Tombs temples statues etc.
comprised the old wonders: but now
the seven wonders figure in the life
of the people. They are aids to
civilization. They are the expressions
of inventive genius. Great change this
from antiquity.
WASHINGTON IN WESTMINSTER.
From the Montreal Star.
It is not only our friends from
whom we need pray to be delivered
but frequently from our self-appoint-
ed champions as well. The London
England Outlook opposes the sug-
gestion that a bust of Washington be
placed in Westminster Abbey on the
amazing ground that it would “be the
conversion of the abbey into a scene
ot permanent visible outrage upon all
loyal inhabitants of Canada.” In the
name of historical accuracy why?
What did Washington ever do to
Canada? The revolution which
Washington led to success did result
in enriching Canada with one of her
most valuable elements—the United
Empire l oyalists; but their expul-
sion was not especially the work of
Washington and we should hardly
owe him a grudge for It at this late
date in any case.
But even if all the Outlook ap-
pears to imagine were true is it not
time that these two great Anglo-
Saxon communities forgot the past
and looked steadilj’ toward the fu-
ture? Our destinies are bound to be
entwined If we are either of us to
achieve our best possible destinies. If
we continue to try to “ope the por-
tals of the future with the past's
blood-rusted key” we will find them
closed to hope and ready to open
only on discord and disaster.
PROUTY IN TUI] SENATE.
From the New York Press.
New England is rather excited
about the Insistent report that
Charles A. Prouty recently resigned
from the interstate commerce com-
mission candidate for the Sen-
ate to succeed Mr. Dillingham of
Vermont. Precisely why there should
be excitement is not apparent If any
man in New England has earned the
right and demonstrated the qualifica-
tions of a Senate seat he is Mr.
Prouty. He is “perhaps the foremost
American authority on the great set
of problems which involve adminis-
trative supervision and regulation of
great business. If there Is any par-
ticular line of experience and In-
formation that Congress needs right
now in dealing with this Intensely
practical set of problems this Is it.
REGULATING CERTAIN TRUSTS.
From the Kansas City Star.
Another interesting sidelight on
the trust problem has developed in
the Investigation by a congressional
committee of the so-called shipping
trust. Tho committee went into the
investigation favorable to the doe-
trine of competition. For that doe-
trine is Identified with the present
administration. Tt has finished the in-
vestigation convinced that combina-
tions and agreements must be per-
mitted subject to the regulation of
the Interstate commerce commission.
Evidently the question Is not one
to be answered offhand without in-
quiry. It Is wise on the part of the
congressional committee to show its
open-mindedness ans where It finds
that regulated agreement Is the wise
method to recommend regulated
agreement.
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Diehl, Charles S. & Beach, Harrison L. The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 56, Ed. 1 Monday, March 16, 1914, newspaper, March 16, 1914; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1595991/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .