Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 5, 1879, Page 7

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 5, 1878—SIXTEEN PAGES. h FARL MARX. rviews with the Corner-Stone i of Modern Socialism. Fe Gives Some Information as te the * Joings aud Objects of Himself - and His Disciples. Recent System of Land . and Capi- e {al to Give Place to **a High- er Social Condition.” o Wil Flow, Because “No Great Morement Has Ever Been Inaagu- rated Without Bloodshed.” Blo pismardk «{pe Ridicnle of All Statesmen”; and the Ber. Joseph Cook “%a VYery Badly-Informed Man.” syeciat Correspondence of The Tribune, Tospox, Dec. 18.—In a little villa at Haver- ‘m{am, in the morthwest portion of Lon- don, Jives ‘Rarl Marx, the corner-stone of mod- o ':mia]ism. e was exiled from his native (::;u;—lsermny—in 1844, for propagating fmlufiamry theorics. -In 1848 -he returned, S t in 2 few montbs was again exiled, He I::en took up his abode in Paris, . but s politial fheories procared his expul: on from thav city io 1849, and since -hat yesr Dis headquarters have been in London. e avictions Lave cansed Lim trouble {rom e beginping. Judsivg from the appearance of is-bome, they certaiuly have not brouzht him \@uence. Persistently duriug all these years 2¢ bas advocated his views with an earnestness ‘+hich undoabtedly springs from a firm belief in .pem, and, howerer much we may deprecate. ineir propagation, We cannot but respect to a sertsin extent the self-denial of the now vener- sble exile. r ) JoTR CORRESPODENT HAS CALLED UPON HIM twice or thrice, and each time the_ Doctor was foanid i bis Jibrary, with 8 book in ome hand snd 8 cigarette in the other. He must be over 0 vears of age. His physiqueis well-knit, mass- v#, aod erect. He :has.the head of aman of intelicct, and the features of a cultivated Jew. His hair and beard are long, and” iron-gray in color. His eyes.are glittering black, shaded by 1 pairof bushy evebrows. Toastranger he shows sxtreme caution. A foreiruer can generally gain sdmission; but the ancient-looking German ‘woman who waits upon visitors bas instructions <0 admit none who hail from the Fatherland, anless they bring letters of introdubtion. Once nto his library, however, and, having fived s one eye-glass in the corner of his eye, in order. - take your intellectnal breadth and depth, g0 i epeck, be loses that self-restraint, and- unfolds to you a knowledge of men snd things throushout the world apt to interest ooe. And his conver- gation does not run in onme groove, but is as varied 2s are the volumes upon his library shelves, A mancan generally be judzed by the books he reads, and you can form your own nonclusions when T tell you a casual glance re- sealed Shakspeare, Dickens, Thackeray, Mo- “jere, Racine, Montaiene, Bacon, Gocthe, Vol- “mire, Painie; Enelish, American, French blue- “xoks; works political and philosophical in Russian, German, Spanish. Italian, etc., ete. During my conversations I was struck with TS ISTIMACY WITH AMERICAN QUESTIONS “shich have been uppermost during the past wenty years. His knowledge of them. and the surprising accuracy with which he criticised our National and State legislation, impressed upon 1nv mind the fact that he must bave derived his :nformation from inside sources. But, indeed, inis knowledze is not conficed to America, ‘out is spread over the -face of Eurcpe. When spesking of “his hooby,—Socialism,— se does mot indulze in those melodra- matie fiights generally- atiributed. to him, but dwelis upon his utopian plans for * the emanci-, + pation of the humao race™ with a gravity and ap earnestness indicating & firm conviction in the realization of his theorics, if not in this century, at least in the next. ¥ Perbaps Dr. Karl Marx is better known in Ameriea 85 the author of ‘“Capital,” and the founcer.of the. International Society, or at least its most prominens pillar. In the inter- view. which follows, yon will see what he says of this Soclety asit at present exists, How- ever, in the meantime, I will give youa few extracts from the printed general rales of _ THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY, jublished in 1871’ by order of the General Council, from which you can form an impartizl judement of its aims and ends. * The preambie sets forth “That the emancipation of the work- iog classes must be conquered by the work- iog classes themselves; that the siruzele for the emancipation of tke working classes means not a strugele for class privileges and monopo- lies, but for equal rights and duties, and the £bolition of ali class rale; ihat the ecumenical eubjection of the man of ~labor to the wmonopolizer of the means of labor— that is, the sources of life—lies .at_the bottom of servitnde in all its forms, of all so- cial misery, mental depradation, and political dependence; that all efforts aiming at the uni- ‘Fersal emancipation of the working classes have Ditherto failed from want of solidarity between e manifold divisious of labor ju each country,” nd the preamble calls for “the immediate com- bination of the still isconnected movements.” It goesonto say that the International Asso- clation acknowledge “ no rights without auties, Do dutles without nehts—thus makinz every member a worker. The Association was formed at Loudon ““to afford a central medium of ‘communication’ and co-operation between the \\orhn_gn_)en’s Socicties in_the different countries, aiming at the same end, namely: the protection, advancement, and complete emanci- Efllgn of the working classes.” *Each mem- ‘Er. the document further says, “of the In- rl!]l’nalh:m] Association, on removing his domi- le from ope country to another, will receive 2:nif,mmnl support of the associated working- THE SOCIETY CONSISTS :_t 2 General Gongress, which meet annually; a eneral Council, which forms *“an international 22eney between the different national ana local ;mmx;: of the Association, so that the working- m:n onecountry can beconstautlyinformed of bics lumf'emn;.s of their class in cvery other an{‘i ".'~| Tuis Council receives and acts upon oA lun lons of wew Brauches or Sectious to join el e:’cmnuuuul.:dcmdes differences arising ek D the Sections, and, in fact, to use an ‘"ee an phrase, ‘‘runs . the machine.” dermfex;ensts of the General Coundil are a1 Fag hh.\‘ an anpual contribution of The e pennylper member. ‘Fhen comes i Councils or Committces. and lo- et tons, in the varics countries. Tae Fed- i er:_nnm!sm bolind to send one report at by mtry mouth to the General Council, and b nrrmdm months a report_on the administra- el fpanciel state of their respective eres e,s- ‘Whenever attacks aguinst the Inter- Con, a's are published, the nearest Branch or s ittee is bound to'send at once a copy of am:&lgélfiligcnmlfi Lge GL:L!‘JEI.’II Counlr;‘}l. fl‘:c e Branches among the work- Inz classes is recommended. a . THE GENERAL COUNCIL gmpflsel the following: R. Applegarth, M. T. Wnfl Fredrick Bradnick, G. lf. Buttery, E. Tale ‘{;‘%Emne Dupont (on misston), William Hufli. . Harris, Hurlimap, Jules Johannard, et Law, Frederick 'Lessner, Lochner, Hen, Longuet, C. Martin, Zevy Maurice, ot ayo, George Milner, Charles Murray, Con, efin John ~ Roach, » Ruhl Sadler, Tovell. Stepney, Alired _ Taylor, Eflénhend. E." Vaillant, John Weston. e Orresponding: Secretaries for the various untrics are: Led Fraukel, for Austria and n“mfiy. A. Herman, Belgium} T. Motters- md. eomarks .\, Serraillier, Fravce: Karl Ho{f« Gl}nn:ny and Russia; Charles Rochat, = ilnd‘ J. 2. McDonnell, Ireland; Frederick Popos, Italr and Spain; Walery Wroblewski, "“93‘;’ gsf:m“s" Jnn:t S’anerlm;d;}_l G. ed Siates; Le Mol u, for French brsaches of Uited Seatbs. ; Dlatiriig my visit to r. Marx L alluded to the ofljd:lm given by J. C. Bancroft Davis in his _ Teport of 1477, as the clearest and most e uf exposition of Socialism tbat I had seen. 3 d it Was taigen from the report of the 95 5} Teunioz st Gotha, Germany, fn May, == T he trauslstion was incorrect, be said, 3o o VOLONTERRED A CORRECTION, i g epead as b dictated: i Firsl—Cniversal, direct. and secret saffrage for 2l males gver 90 years, for all elections, Muni- eonle. clpal and Suate. amreond—Direct Iegislation by the ‘War “;17“3;‘,3“ 1o be mage by dlrecyr. popular vote. ; m—:.;;«;exsnx obligation to militia duty. No Fourtn—Avoliticn of a1l i A : special legislation re- ng press-laws and public meetings, Fifth—Legal remedies free of expense, Legal proceedings to be conducted by the people. Siath—Education to be by the State,—general, Freedom of science and re- oblizatory, and free, ligion. Seventh—All “indircet faxes to_be abolished. Moner 1o be raised for State and Municipal pur- poses by a direct progressive income tax. Eighth—Freedom of combination among the working classes. Ninth—The legal day of Jabor for men to be de- fined. The work of women to be limited, and that of children to be anolished. Tenth—Sanitary laws for the protection of life and health of Jaborers, and regulation of their dwellings and places of labor, to be enforced by persons selected by them. l filn:mm—-summe provision respecting prison- abor. In Mr. Bancrott Davis’ report thereis 4 TWELFTII CLAUSE, the most important of all, which reads: ¢ State aid and credit for industrial societics, under democratic girection.” [ asked the Doctor why De omitted this, and he repied: “When the reunion took place at Gotha, in 1875, there existed a division among the Social Democrats. The one wing were partisans of Lassallo; the others, those who had accepted in general the programme of the Internatiopal organization, and were called the Eisenach party. That twelfth point was not placed on the platformn, but placed in the reneral intro- duction by way of concession to the Lassallians. Afterwards it was never spoken of. Mr. Davis does not say that it was placed in the pro- .gramme as a_compromise having no particular significance, but gravely puts it in as one of the cardinal vrinciples of the programme.”” “But,” 1 sad, * Socialists generally look upon the transformation of the means of labor into the common property of socicty as the grand climax of the movement.” *Yes; we say that this will be the outcome of the wovement, but it will be a quesiion of time, of education, and the institution of a _higher social status.” “ This platform,” I remarked, “applies only to Germany and one or two other countries:” “Ah!? heretuned, *‘if you draw your con- clusions irom nothing but this, you know nothing of the activity of the party. Many of its points have no signizeance outside of Ger- many. Spain, Russia, Eugland, avd America have platforms suited to their peculiar diffl- culties. ‘the ouly similarity in them is the end to be attained.” *¢And that is the supremacy of labor#” *That is the EMANCIPATION OF LABOR.” “Do. European Socialists look upon the movement in America as a scrious one 2" “Yes; it is the natural outcome of the coun- try’s development. It has been said that the movement has been imyorted by foreigners. When labor movements became disagreeable in England, fifty years ago, the same thing was said: and-that'was long hefore Socialism was spoken of, In America, since 1857, only has the labor movement become conspicuous. Then Trades-Unions began to flour’sh; then Trades- Assemblies were formed, in which the workers in different industries umited; aud after that came National Labor Unions. * I you consider this chronological progress, you will see that Socialism has sprung upn that country with- out the aid of foreigners, and was merely caused by the concentration of capital and the chunged relations between the workmen and their em- ployers.” “Now,"” asked your correspondent, *‘what has Socialism done so far?” “Tyo things,” he returned. * Socialists have shown the general universal struggle between capital aud labor,— THE COSMOPOLITAN CHARACTER, in one word,—aund consequently tried to bring about an understanding between the workmen in the different countries, which becamc more necessary as the capitalists became more cos- mopolitan in hiring labor, pitting foreizn azuinst pative labor not ouly in America, but in En- eland, France, and Germany. International relations sprangz up at once between the work- ingmen in the diflerent ¢ountries, showing that Sociglism was not merely 2 loxal, buc an international problem, to be solved by the international action of workmen. The working classes moved spontaneously, without knowing wliat the ends of the movement will be. The Socialists invent no movement, but merely tell the workmen what its character and its ends will be.” % Which means the overthrowing of the pres- ent socini system.” [interrupted. *This system of land and capital in the hands of employers, on the one hand,” he continued, “tand the mere working power in the hands of the laborers to sell_as’a commodity. we claim is merely an historical phase, which will pass away and give place to 5 A IIGHER SOCIAL CONDITION. We see everywhere a division of society. The untagonism_of the two classes goes hand in hand with the development of the industrial re- sources of modern countries: --From- a Soctal- istic_standpoint the means already exist to revolutionize _the present historical pbase. Upon Trades-Unions, in many countries, have been built political organizations. In America the need of an independent Workingmen’s party has been made manitest. They can no jouger trust politicians. Rings "and cliques bave seized upon the Legislature, and politics has been made a trade. But America is not alone in this, onfy its people are more decisive than Europeans.” Things come to the surface quicker. There is less cant and hypocrisy than there is on this side of the ocean.” T asked him to give me a reason for the rapid’ growth of the Socialistic party in Germany. when. he ‘replied: “The present Socialistic party came last. Theirs was not the Utopian seneme which made some headway in Frouce and England. The German mind is given to theorizinz, more than that of other peoples. From previous experieuce the Germans evolved something practical. ‘This modern cap- {talistic system, you must recollect, s quite new in Germany in comparfson to other States. Questions were raised which had become almost antiquated in France and Evgland, and political influences to which these “States had yielded sprang into life when the working classes of Germany had become imbued with Sociulistic theorics. Therefore, from the beginning almost of modern industrial development, they have formed an . INDEPENDENT POLITICAL PARTY. They had their own rcpresentatives in the German Parliament. There was no party to oppose the policy of the Government, and this devolved upon them. To trace the course of the-party would take a long time; but I may say this: that, if the middle classes of Ger- mavy were not the greatest cowards, distinct from the middle classes of America and En- gland, all the political work against the Gov- ernment should have been done by them.” Iasked him a question recarding the nu- merical strength of the Lassalliaus in the ranks of the futernationalists. “The party of Lassalle, he replied, ‘does not exist. Of course there are some believers in our ranks, but the number is small. Lassalle anticipated our general principles. When he commenced to move after the reaction of 1518, ¢ fancied that he could more successfully re- vive the movement' by advocating co-operation of the workingmen inindustrial enterorises. It was to suir them into activity. He looked upon this merely as 2 means to tbe real end of the movement. I bave letters from him to this effect.” ° You would call it his nostrum " t« Exactly. He called upon Bismarck, told bim what lie designed, and Bismarck encour- aged LaSalle’s course at that time in every pos- sible way." “ What was bis object?”’ “He wished to use the workine classes as a set-off against the middle classes who instigated the troubles of 1848.” © It is said that you are the head and front of Socialism, Doctor. and from your villa here pull the wires of sll the associations, revolutiovs, ete., now going on. Whatdo you about it!"” ‘The old gentleman smiled: ¢ Lknow it. IT IS VERY ABSUKD; yet it has a comic side. For two months ore- Tious to the attempt of Hoedel, Bismarck com- lained in his North Germnan Gazetle that I was n league with Father Beck, the leader of the Jesuit movement, and that we were keeping the Socialist movement fn such a condition thac e could do-notbing with jt.” “But your International Society in London directs the movement?” “«The International Society has outlive® its usefulness and exists no longer. 1t did exist and direct the movement; but the growth of Socialism of late years has been so great thatits existence has become unnecessary. Newspapers nave been started in the various countries. These are interchanged. That is about theonly conuection _the parties in the different countries have with one another. The International Society, in the first instance, was created to bring the workmen together, ana show the advisability of effecting orzanization among their various nationalities. The interests of each nartxrin the different countries have no similarity. “This spectre of the Internationalist leaders eittine at London is a mere inventior., It istrue that we dictated to foreign societies When the Internatiomalist organization was first accomplished. We were foreed o exclude some Hcctions in New Yorl, among them ope fo which Madam Woodbull was conspicuous. That was in 1871. There are several American politieians—I will not name them—who wish to trade in the movement. They arc well known to Ameriéan Socialists. “Youand your followers, Dr. Marx, have been credited with all sorts of incendiary speeclies agalnst religion. Of course you would like to see the whole system destroyed, root and - branch.”” * We know,” he replied after a moment’s hes- itation, **that violent measures against religion are nonsense; but this is an opinion: as Socfal- ism grows, . § NELIGION WILL DISAPPEAR. Tts disappearance must be done by social devel- mm::lt. in which education must play a great ar ‘“The Rev. know him— “We heard of him; a very badly informed man upon the subject of Sociallsm.? #Ina lecture lately upon the subject, he said: ‘Karl Marx is credited now_ with saving that, in the United Statcs, and in Great Britain, and perhaps in France, a reform of labor will accur without bloody revolution, but that blood maust be shed in Germany, and in Russia, and in Italy, and in Austria.? *" g’ i 3 "go Socialist,” remarked the Doctor, smil- ing, “*need predict that there will be a bloody revolution in Russia, Germany, Austria, and possibly in Italy i the Italians keep on in the policy they are pow- pursuing, The deeds of the French Revolution may be enacted again fn those countries. That is apparent to any po- litical student. But thoss revolutions will be made by the majority. No revolution can be made by a party, BUT BY A NATION.” ° ¢ The reverend rentleman alluded to,” 1 re- marked, **gave an extract from a letter which he said yon addressed to the Communists of Paris In 1871, Here it Is: ‘We are as yet but 8,000,000 at most. la tiwenty years we shall be 50,000,000,—100,000,000 perhaps. Then the world will belong to us; for it will be not only Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, which will rise against * odious capital, but . Berlin, Munich, Dresden, —Lomton, _Liverpool, h}nnchnster, Brussels, St. Petersburg, New York,—in short, the whole world And before this new insurrection, such as his- tory has not yet known, the past will disappear like a hideous nightmare; for the popalar con- flagratiou, kindled at.a hundred points at once, will destroy even its memory?’ Now, Doctor, I suppose you admit the authorship of that ex- tract?? - . I never wrote a word of it. I never write SUCK MELODRAMATIC NONSENSE. 1 am very careful what I do write. That was put in La Figare, over my sizoature, about that time. There were hundreds of the same kind of letters flying about then. Iwrote tothe London Times and declared they were forgeries; but, if 1 denied everything that bas been said and written of me, I would requirea score of T Bt S have wrt s ut you have ten in sympathy with the Paris Commnunists? ToP “Certainly I have, in consideration of what was written of them in leading articles; but the correspondence from Paris in English papers is quite suflicient to refute the olunders propazat- ed in editorials. The Commune killed only about sixty people; Marshal MacMahon and his slaughtering army killed .over 60,000. There has uever been a movement so slandered as that of the Commune.” Well, then, to _carry out the principles of Socialism do its believers advocate assassination and bloodshed?” 3 “* No great movement,* Karl Marx answeaed, “ has ever been inaucurated WITHOUT BLOODSHED. The independence of America was won by bloodshed, Napoleon captured France through a bloody process, sud he was overthrown by the same meaps. ltaly, England. Germany, and every othef country gives proof of this, and as for assassination,” he went on to say, * it is not. anew thing, I need scarcelysay. Orsini tried to kill' Napoleon; Kincs have killed more thao anybody else; the Jesuits have killed; the Puritaus killed au the time of Cromwell. These deeds were all done or attempted before Social- ism was known. Every attempt, however, now made upon a Royal or State individual is at- tributed to Socialism. The Socialists would re- gret very much the death of the German Em- peror at the present time. He is very useful where he is; and Bismarck has done more for the cause thian any other statesman, by driving ;’In!eph Cook, of Boston,—you things to extremes.” T asked Dr. Marx . WIHAT HE THOUGHT OF BISMARCE. He replied that *‘Napoleou was considered a genius until he fell: then he was called a fool. Bismarck will follow in his wake. Ie began by building up a despotisin under the plea of unifi- cation. His course has been plain to all. The last move is but an attempted imitation of a coup Q’etat; but it will fail. The Socisl- ists of Germany, as of Frauce, protested against ‘the war of 1870 as mere- ly dvnasti. They issued manifestocs foretelling the German people that, 1f they al- lowed the pretended war of defense to be turned into a war of conquest, they would be punished by the establishment of malitary des- ‘potiswm and the ruthless oppression of the pro- duetivo . masses. The Bocial Democratic party io Germany, therenpon holding meetings and “publishing manifestoes for an honorable ‘peace with France, were at once prosecuted by the Prussian Government, and many of the leaders imprisoned. - Still their Deputies alone dared to protest, and very vigorously goo, in the German Reichstag, azainst the forcfble au- nexation of French proviuces. Howeyer, Bis- marck carried his policy by force, and people spoke of the genius of a Bismarck. The war was fought, and, when he could make no morc conquests, he ‘was called upon for orizinal ideas, and he has signally failed. The pcople began to lose faith in him. His popularity was on the wane,: He nceds money, and the State neéds it. Under nsham Coustitution be has taxed the people for his military and unifica- tion plans until he can tax them no longer, and now be seeks to do it with no Constitution at all. For the purpose of levying as he chooses, he has raised the ghost of Bocialism, and has done everything in his power TO CREATE AN EMEUTE.” “You have continual advices from Berlin?” ¢ Yes,” hesald; “ my fricnds keep me well advised. 1tisina perfectly "quiet state, and Bismarck fs disappointed. He has expelled forty-eicht Promincnt men,—amon them Dep- uties Hasselman and Fritsche, and Rakow, Bauman, and Auzr, of the Freie Presse. These men kept. the workmen of Berlin quict. Bismarck knew this. He also knew that there were 5,000 workmen in that city upon the verge of starvation. Once those leaders were goue, ne was confident that the mob would rise, and that_would be the cue for a carnival of slaughter. The screws would then be put-npon the whole German Empire; his pet theory of blood and irou would then have full sway, and taxation could be levied to any ex- tent. Sofar no cmeute has oveurred, and he stands to-day confounded - at the situation and the ridicule of all statesmen.” -H. SPRINGFIELD. Arrival of Legislators—Preparing for the Senatortil Fray. Special Dispatch to The Tridune. SPRINGFIELD, 11., Jan, 4.—Members-elect of the General Assembly- continue to arrive, and to-right there were perhaps forty pathered at the Leland. Ex-Spealcer Shaw, of Mount Car- roll, - Morrison, of Morgan, James, of Laoke, ‘fhompson, of Cook, and Mitchell, of McLean, are all on the ground, making & vigorous can- vass for the Speakership of the House, which would now appear to lie between James and Morrison. Gen. John A. Logan arrived to-nirhs, accom panied by Mrs. Logan aod Dr. Logan, and the Logan heaaquarters were at once opened. Long Jones, of Jo Daviess, .Penitentiary Com- missioner and Chairman of the Republican Cen- tral Committee, is here vigorously working for Lozan, and points withjpride toa dilapidated cupboard sshich he brought with him set up in the Logan hesdauarters, and Jabels it ** Logan’s Literars Bureau.” The Logan supporters aflect great confidence, and chim a very large majority of members already here, although many are” very reticent. A. C. Hesing is here, and 'was a visitor at the Logan rooms to-night. Senator Oclesby has not arrived, but fs ex- pected in the morning or Monday., His ad- berents here, though less given to brag than the Logan party, express great confidence in the ultimate success of their choice. —— JOLIET IRON MILLS, Spectal Dispatch to The Tridune. JovieT, II, Jan. 4—The Joliet Iron & Steel Mills are now running steadily on ‘the double turn? (night and day), and the efficient man- ner in'which this vastindustryis manuged shows that its affairs are in a better condition than ever before. The rails manufactured are claim- ed to be superior in quality to those made by any other mlis in the country. New rolls and other new machinery have been procured for the manufacture of the sixty-foot rail, which will result in a great saving of the waste ends and give the mills an additional advantage., Since the mills started, in 1872, a total of 150~ 000 tons of steel rails have been manufactured, 39,135 tons of which were turned out since the ist of May last. The present average daily production is 250 tons; and 700 tons of raw ma- terial are used daily. Seven hundred and fifry men are permgnently employed, and about §33.- 000 are fl?smbuteu each month. The entirecost of the milis—buildings, machinery, and repairs —is §2,000,000 e ———— MADAME ANDERSON'S TRAMP, NEW YORK, Jan. 4.—Madame Anderson is in excellent condition, and at 2 o'clock to-aay com- pleted her 1,800th quarter-mile,—two-thirds of hefig:vm#;;x:{l}. Jan. 4—Midnight.—Madame An- derson; at. 10 to-night, completed ber 1,836th quarter in the Brooklyn walk. PARIS. Bon Marche and Magasins du Louvre at Christmas- Time. A Philosophical Digression Con- cerning Toys---Shopkeep- ers’ Tricks. Literary Ohristmas-Gifts—Dore's Ariosto— A Book on Ballooning by Sarah Bernhardt, Gossip of the Theatres—The Concerts— Anglo-French and French- English. Special Correspondence of The Tribune. Paris. Dec. 18.—The approach of the New Year always work an extraordinary change in the aspect of one most important part of Paris, —ita shops. Ten days or & fortnight before the arrival of “Le Jour de Noel" (how poor & sub- stitute it s for grand old Anslo-Saxon Christ- mas-day 1), the papers are suddenly flooded with advértisements, Now advertising “is not so common a thing bereas in souiEother ountries. French ' shovkeepers someliow catinot, as a rule, be induced to believe in it. * The national quali- ty, economy, does ndt admit the principle of baiting with a herriog to catch a whale. It is, therefore, rather remarkable to find whole pages of the Figaro filled with trade-announcements, all harping upon the same subject,—~the subject of subjects from novw till January. LES ETRENNES, or, to put it into English, Christmas-boxes and New-Year's gifts. . But our economical friends well know they risk nothing, and are sure to gain much, by these particular fits of prodigal- ity. Custems are mot changed lke political in- stitutions. Labruyere knew what he was about in writing the oft-quoted lines: “You may to- Gay take away the libertles, rights, and privi- leges of this town; but to-morrow do not even dream of altering its signboards.” You may turn Monarchics into Empires, and Empires into Republics; but, 80 long as hyman nature is human nature, there will e solicitors and bestowers ‘of Christmas-boxes in some shape or other. So long as children are chil- dren, and fathers and mothers remain fathers and mothers, there will be toys to make, and toys will sell. In point of fact, . . TOYS arc always the great feature of the beautiful displays made in the windows of the great Parisian shops at thbis time of the year. “Toys” is a generic word, descriptive of a good many species. Whatever ismadetoamuse may be, in a liberal sense, calied a toy. To a baby'it means a rattle. To a boy or girl of 10 it is a box of soldiers or a doll. I1'know manya sweet maid whose toys are flowers, sweet as her- self, or books. And I know some ladies—not quite so sweet, according to our’ brutal mascu- line notions—who prefer silk dresses and pretty bonnets. As they grow old, men do as St. Paul did: *“They put away childish things,” and take to collecting pictures, just as they would once have collected postage-stamns. Toys, all toys. Mr. Gladstone’s toys are old china’and half- peany post-cards. Almost a return to the child- hood, here! You perceive the passion lies deep at the root of our nature. Universal shops, like the Bon Marche and the Maguzins du Louvre, make the MOST WONDERFUL EFFORTS every year to satisfy this untversal craving. A walk through them just now revealsa whole world of prettv trifles. Newly-shaped bows and necktics, faskioned as only the inexhaustible re- sources of French taste and ingenuity could fashion them,’nrc there for ove class of, ex- plorers,—feminiue, of course. We of the stronger sex are tempted by a ‘huondred fanciful nothings io the form of purses, zlove-boxes, clocks, cigar-cases, writing-desks,—and . the Lord knows what besides. And this to men- tion none but the more cxpgnsive articles. For thosc who care to loosen their “purse-strings _further, the Bon Marche and a dozen other mon- ster bazars bave Japanese vases, China silks, Persian carpets, Henri 1. furpiture, and Louis XVI. bronzes, For the chuldren there are tovs proper,—guus, soldiers' outfits en miniature, model stables and butchers! shops, dolls, and rocking-horses. A great attraction this year ‘is the mechanical swimming doll, which made such a sensation 2t the Exhibition,—a clever trifle, imitating the natatory charmers ofjTrouville and Etretat with astonishing fidelity. These, and all elaborate toys of the kind, cost outrageous sums of money, but they are really charming if you don’t mind this detail. I do, myself. THE CHEAPER TOYS are best bought in those little booths that will soon be lining the boulevards from the Bastille to the Madeteine. The large shops seem to ig- nore the humble wants of poor veople’s chil- dren; or, when they do cater for them, forget to lower their prices to the quality of their eoods. A faverite trick of the Bon Marche and the Louvre, at Christinas, is this, which I hold up to the indignant reprobation of all honest shopkeepers in the two hemispheres: . They take a dozen common German toys.—wood- en animals, slate-pencil boxes, ™ and so forth; value, say a franc. These they cunuingly arrange within a gilt wicker basket, with plenty of glittering shavings and rea cot- ton wool for padding; let us say another franc. And then they put the whole under the glare of an clectric light, and charge you eight, nine, or ten francs for it! Latterly it has become usual to add a collec- tion of books to tke otber attractions of the great shops or_ bazars herc. - Jules Verae, Gus- tave Aimsrd, Mayne Reid, and Mme. dc Segur appear to be the authors most- in de- mand; but they do mnot excude more scrious writers. One of the chief favor- ites this ycar will probably be Hachette’s new edition of “Orlando Furioso,” which has been magnificently illustrated by Gustave Dore, the greatest illustrator since Albert Duerer. This publication, indeed, has an importance of its own quite apart from its casual connection with etrennes. That reminds me that I baue not written you o word about A CURIOUS BOOK which appeared last week. ‘Che author is no other than Mile. Sarah Bernhardt, of the Comedie Francaise. Under the siguature of “Dons Sol,” the fair creature s just verpetrated a fantastic account of ber ballooning adventures, which, as you know, have been .frequent, if DOt very exciting. Whether it was worth her while to write *Dans Jes Nuages,” seeing toe small amount of novel information she had to convey to her readers, may be doubted: and, as to the propriety or impropriety of baving the *“work » embellished by such numerous portraits of the author as *“Daps les Nuages™ contains, there is no doubt whatever. But suppose we must not be hard on -ladics. The book has one good point to recommend it, certainly. It is most amusing—though hardly in the sense the author would prefer. In one place Mile. Sarah has to describe a sunset,—she tells us that “The sun was red with anger at having to set so early”’; and in another she in- dulges in the pold but infelicitous image, “drunken clouds.” The cacoethds scribendi is a terrivle thing. i Rumor whispers that the author of * Dans les Nuages,” who has now cultivated with more or iess puccess the drama, sculpture, painting, and—as we bave just seen—literature, is hard at work studying English, witha view to abpear in London in English_Yersions of legitimate French plays. If she keeps to this arrangement, and does not_allow herself to be beguiled into attempting Shakspearean parts, she is certain of “ drawing.” s o I attended the opening concert of the PARIS POILUARMONIC SOCIETY, at the Continental Hotel, last Friday eveniog. ‘The room in which the .concert was given is magnificent, like most of the others in that splendid_hotel; the company numerous and select. I could not say anything very flattering of the Philbarmonic band; it s’ not up to the stancard of the Chatelet or the Circus, far less of the Conservatoire, but of course it may im- prove. The programme looked well on paper. A couple of movemerts from Beethoven's C minor symphony, a fragment of an unfinished symphony _of Schubnert, a reverie for violin by M. Dancla, and a bit of a pretty suite d’orchestre by Massenet. With these, an afr from **Semiramide " and. several songs of Gounod’s and Schubert’s. As it happened, however, the programme was pot achered to. ‘The order of execution was altered; an air from. ‘Paul and Virginie” -replaced the *Semira- mide” selection; two songs that should bave been sung to the first part of the concert were omitted; and Mlle. Fouquet, of the Opera, who was the “star ”* vocalist of the evening, kept us waiting o -quarter of an hour. The Phithar-. monic will have to reform it it is to succeed. Ed Paelleron’s pew comedy, ' L'Age Ingrat,” ! persistentl] is & hit, at the Gymnast theatre wanted a piece of luck most desperately; tor, eversince *+Mounsier Alphonse ”? and ** Bebe,” it has been ursued Dy _ill-fortune. *Fleur d'Oranger,” lgunnequin’s last farcical play, pro- duced at the little Nouveautes last week, geems to sult the taste of_thepublic, if heavy receipts mfi;n anything. Nor is it to be wondered at, wi SUCH A COMPANY > to interpret it. Brasseur, the actor-manager of the theatre, has managed to securs the serv- ices of Theo, Gilly, Celine Montaland, and the comique Dailly,—altogether as strong 2 company of its sort as any in the town. There was nothing striking in the classical concerts last Sunday. At the Conservatoire I heard Schumann’s Si-bemal symphony, a Pater- noster of Meyerbeer, two or three selections from Overon, and the inimitable overture to ** Leonora,”” " The programme was shorter than usual, as the mujnric? of the band had to play in. l‘he “Huguenots,” at the Opera, the same night. The question of modern Aunglo-French seems to have attracted some notice in America lately. Bad as is the.habit of mixing the two languages as they do here, I think FRENCH-ENGLISI as distinguished from Anglo-French) is a good deal worse. Take this sweet instance: (L copied it off a restaurant window at Sevres): ‘At the Bewer’s Ensing.” (That meant, ** At the Sigmjof the Arbor.”) And this, with which I close. 'Tis taken from & pot of blacking : DIRECTIONS FOR USE. ‘Take a small portion of this Composition on a plece of cloth with wilch you Uyall over shos then weap dry with a other plece of cloth. Save us. HanrY MELTZER. —— GEN. GRANT. His Visit to Pau, in the Pyrenees. Correspondence New York ferald\ PAv, France, Dec. 10.—The quiet course of life in Pau has been interrupted by an eyent which especially interests Americans resident in the colony,—the coming of Gen. Grant. The General was expected last year when on his way to Italy, and his failure to come led to the jm- pression that he had left the Pyrenees out of his tour. The other evening, quite unheralded, he dropped In on us, taking quarters at the Hotei de France. Mrs. Grant accompanied him. The General'’s first duty on arriving was to stroll over the townjand study out its attributes. Most of his time here hasbeen spent in saunter- ing about on foot, sometimes alone, sometimes with Mrs. Grant, looking at the odd types and strange- Pyrenean costumes that strike one at Pau,—a blending of French, Basque, and Span- ish. 1t was suzgested that be might make a pilgrimage to Lourdes,—only forty minutes by rail,—and see the place where the Virgin came down to the meiden, and where pious believers in that appearance have builded a church, and where thousands of pilgrims come yearly. But the General found FPau too pleas- ant to leave, and preferred to take all thatis told of Lourdes as a question of evidence, with- out personal_investigation. A part of his time he zave to riding about the country. Pau was in gricf becauze the weather which welcomed the General was unusually severe. There were frost and snow, aud what you arely see in this region, at. least, u sharp wind. A fox hunt of special attractiveness had been arranged, but the frost was in the eround, and the best that could be done for the General was an imitation Ef[alr. where he witnessed the meet -and the nish. ‘The most conspicuous social event during the season at Pau was the dinner given to General and Mrs. Grant on Monday eveninz by Mr. Wiltiam P, Douglas, of New York, Mr. Doug- 1as has been spending a few days here, taking part in hunting, lawn-ieonis, ana the other amusements of the town. The dinger of Mr. Douglas was especially pleasant to Gen. Grant, as it enabléd him to meet mapy old American friends among_the Paun ecolony, and also to meet many English cousins.” The dioner- was given at the Hotel de France, and all the resources of that house were called upon to make the entertainment worthy alike of hosts and guests. ‘he large dining-room was turned into a flower-garden, and the room in.whicn Mr. Douglas received bis guests bloomed with exotics. Among the ests were Gen. Ulysses 8. Gront, Mrs. Grant, Jount Georges de Roquette Buisson, the Pre- fect; Gen. Kampf, commandiog the troops of the department; Mr. and Mrs.’ James Neilson Potter, of New York; Mr. aud Mrs. &. Peabody Wetmore, of Newport; Mr. and Mrs. Post, of New York; Dr. and Mrs. L. Parks, of Boston: Gordiner Sherman, -Jr., Mr. Thomas Maj. ‘haries Burgess, Hutton, Mr. Townsend, Capt. Kirwan, Miss Kirwan, Mrs. Davidson, Miss Davidson, Capt. Fox, Mrs. Dixon, Mr. Daniel Torrence, Miss ‘Alleye, Mr. Alexander. Col. ana Mrs. Burton, Mr. and Mrs. Nu%nt Humble, the Hon. Mrs. Greville Nugent, Col. Luscombe, of the British Army, and his wife; Capt. Annesley, of the British Army; Col. Millot, of the Eighteenth French Infanfry; Mrs. H. Robbins, of New York; Mr. Ridley, Col. Floyd-Jones, United States Armv;_ Mr. Leslie, of Scotland; Mr. Bagnell, Dr. Baenell, Miss Florence Leslic, AMrs. John Post, of New York, and others. g The hour_for the dinner having arrived, the ‘band of the Eighteenth Infantry, which was in attendance, played * Hail Columbia,” and the raests marched in and took their places. ‘The Vand was placed at the disposal of “Mr. Douglas by Gen. Kampf, the commander of the forces. The General telegT:.\Ehcfl to the Paris authori- ties for permission to do so, Which was promptly granted. Tne band was in excellent practice, and its performance during the dinger was an agreeable feature. Mr. Douplas had a little difficulty in finding an American airin thereper- toire; bt this was solved by * Hail Columbia,” which should be half French, considering it goes back to davs when French and Americans were under the same flag. At the conclusion of the diuner Mr. Douglas arose and said that he had no desire to infiict any toasts or speeches upon the company which had done him the honor to be present. There was one. toast, however, which he would not deny them the pleasure of drinking. This toast wes in booor of the illustrious guest of the evening, Gen. Grant, the ex-President of the United States. Gen. Grant was not merely the ex-President of his country. That in itself would be sn honor which all' would be glsd to recogmize. Me had the higher distinction,—the most coviable that the citizen of any nation could win,—that of having been the savior of his country. Iuthat sense, as soldier and President, the speaker, as an American,was proud to meet Gen. Grantin a foreign land, and proud of this opportunity of paying his respepts and of testifyice that erati- -tude to him which every Amcrican should feel. There was onc epithes applied to Gen. Grant during the War which always scemed to the speaker to be especially felicitous. That cithet he would now recall in asking his friends to drink to the henlth and prosperity of * Uncon- ditional Surrender ”” Grant. +The company rose and received this toast with great cheering, the band playing *Hail Colum- bin.” The General said in response that it was grateful to him to meet 0 many American faces, $o be smong friends, and to be the recipient of so distinguished a compliment as had been paid him by his countryman, Mr. Douglas. It was well known that he had no gift for speaking. Speeches might perhaps be made as battles had sometimes been won, by persistence and en- ergy. He, however, would not venture the ex- periment, but would justify as far as he could the epithiet of »ir. Dpuglas and make au uncon- ditional surrender. ‘The (ieneral sat down amid the cheers and lauzhterof the table. Ma]. Hutton, speaking in French, then pro- posed o toast to France, coupling with it the pame of the Marshal. This was drank with all the bonors, and the Prefect, Count de Roquette ‘Buisson, responded, saying that he was glad to Welcome in Pau so great 2 man a5 Gen. Grani, and also zlad to be among these whom Mr. Douglas had assembled to do the General honor. He spoke of the ancient {riendship between France and Ameriea, which Frenchmen on every oceasion were anxious to recoznize and cele- brate. 1o response to 2 compliment to the ladfes, the Count said he was extremely sorry that circumstances prevented the presence of the Countess. Mr. Douglas then alluded to the fact that many English friends in Pan had hon- ored him with their prescnce, and he Kneiw nothing would so much gratify not only them, butall present, as an opportunity of drinking the health of the Queen of England.. This sen- timent was drank with cheers. The gentlemen then joined the ladics, and the dinner was over, —one of the most pleasant the General halen- joyed in Europe. It was extremely well ar- ranged and served. Among other courtesies to Gen. Grant, I will notice before closing this letter a dinner given to him by Dr. L. Parks, of Boston, onc of the Jeading members of the American colony at Pau. Dr. Parks entertained his guests at his house on the Place Duplas, and the evening was exceedingly enjoyable to the Geoeral and Mrs. Grant. Gen. Grant’s Contemplated Asiatic Cralse, Tasningtan Dispatch to St. Louts Globe-Democrat The official report of the trial-trip of the TUrited States steamer Richmona (recently un- dergoing repairs at Boston) to New York has been received at the Navy Department. Itis" expected that she will now départ on her Asiatic voyaze next week, and Grpet has been notified, of her prospective date of sailing in order.to as- certain his wishes in regard to the point of em- barkation most acceptable to him, Theshiphas been supplied in New York with a fine-steam- launch, an indispensable adjudct to a cruise in Asiatic waters, Inaletter dated Dec. 6, at Pau, in Fravee, the ex-President says he was there on his way northward, and would be ready to leave Europe for Asla whenever the vessel in which passage had kindly been tendered him arrived in the Mediterranean. He was in_doubt whether to embark at Marseilles, Naples, or Palermo. The plan proposed is for the Richmond to touch at Bombay, in Western India, where the ex-President and family might . discmbark, and, by rail, visit Poonah and the Mahratta country, the land of the fire-worship- ers and garden of Western India, Agra, Delhi Umritsun, the vale of Casbmir, Futtehpur Secrs, Simla, in the lofty regions of the Hima- layas, returning by way of the valleyof the sacred Ganges, tarrying at Lucknow, Cawnpore, Benares, the Mecca” of the Hindoos, ana Cal- cutta, and thence to Point de Galle. in Ceylon, in time to re-embark on the Richmond on her voyage to Singapore. luch superserviceable zeal has been displayed by a number of newspapers in lecturing the Goyernment on the act of courtesy extended to ex-Preeident Grant, on the grounds of custom and extravagance. Were they at all familiar with the Yules of the naval service from the be- gioning of its history, they would know that 1he courtesy extended to ex-President Grant is Dot exceptional, but is 1n accord with the regu- lations sanctioned by law and usage. Naval regulations authorize commanders of vessels of the TUnited States to receive on board and cxtend or reciprocate courtesies to distinguished officials of foreign Governments, a detailed account of actusl expenditures to be Lept and sent to the Department at Washine- ton, with proper vouchers for payment. Similar courtesies have also frequently been extended to distinguished Americans, notably in late years to Gen. Cass and ex-Secretary Seward. As there has been much harpinz upon ex- President Grant’s crwse in the Mediter- rznean last summer, it may be said, for the information of this ssme class of erumblers, that the azgregate expense outside the usual expense of cruisivg will fall below $500. 1t was said by a member of the Govern- ment that, if the American. people objected to such a paltry sum for the proper entertainment of an ex-President, he had hitherto failed to discover this as an element of American char- acter.- The Vandalia is expected at Boston, when her accounts will be forwarded to the Department. “Boston Correipondertce Philadelphia Times. As a description_of ‘the ship which has been designated to do honor to Gen. Grant by con- veying him 20d his suite to the scenes of his an- ticipated Oriental triumphs may prove interest- ing to the readers of the Zimes, 1 paid a visit to the United States steamer Richmond, while Iy- ing at the Chariestown Navy-Yard, just before her departure for New York on her'trial trip last Saturday. ] ‘The Richmond js one of the “‘crack’ ships of our rather feeble navy, and she is considered one of the few really prescntable ships in the service. She is a sister shipto the Brooklyn and Ilartford, built at Norfolk, Va., during Buchan- an’s administration, rates second class, has a displaccment of 2,000 tons, mounts fourteen guns, and basa crew of 320 men. The Rich- mond has bad 2 new set of engines, put in her since she was built, and has recently had new boilers put in. She has becn thoroughly over- hauled at this station, and much elaborate ornamentation has- been indulged in prob- ably on zccount of the distinguished passengers ehe is destined 1o convey. New and costly ets, furniture, and fittiogs have been added to ber cabins and wardroom. The after or admiralty cabin has been fitted up in an ele- gant, if not sumptuous, manner for the express accommodation of Gen. Grant and suite, and it is thought that additional embellishments and appointments will be made to_the cabinand staterooms set apart for his Excellency aod friends when the ship arrives at the port in Eu- rope where Grant may elect to ¢mbark for bis- Oriental tour. It ie the opinion among the offl- cers of the Richmond that Gen. Grant willembark cither at Marseilles or Spezzia. The ship will then proceed, by the way of the Suez Camal, direct to Calcutta. Gen, Grant will certainly have po cause to complain eitier of the ship or its officers, for u more gentlemanly, efficient, and *elegant” set of officers than those appointed to command the Richmond cannot be found in any naval service in,the world. Caot. A. E. K. Benham is commanding, and Lieatenant-Commander Lewis Clarke is executive officer. THE MODERN DRAMA. Another Manager's. Opinions—Mr. Palmer'§ Views of Shakspeare’s Unpopularity, Sun- day Performances and Their Immorality, and of Manager McVicker, of Chicago—He Thinks Shakspeare's Plays Unpopular Se- cause Immoral' Compared with Modern Freach Dramas. = New York Tridune,Jan. 2. Tn an interview with Mr. McVicker, the vete- ran manager, lately published in the Tribune, reference was made to the fact that the custom of Sunday eveniog theatrical performances, long prevalent in New Orleans, Was spreading to other cities. Some curious comments were also made by Mr. McVicker on the unpopularity of the-Shakspearean drama, which from bis position as the Western manager most promi- neot in maintaining the legitimate drama, and also from hisrelations to EdwinBooth,the leading Shakspearean actor, excited- considerable com- ment. Coupled with these curious statements were some good-natured animadversions upon A. M. Palmer, of the Union Square, who has become identified in most minds as the special producer of French plays. To epable Mr. Palmer toreply in kind to these, and at the same time to elicit his views upon the subjects of Sunday, performances and the allezed un- popularity of Shakspeare, reporter of the Tribune waited upon that geotleman yesterday afternoon, and by a few leading questions ex- cited the managerto saya number of sharp things upon several sabjects. Being asked if he agreed with Mr. McVicker in regard to *‘the evil tendencies that have lowered the standard of the drama of late years,” Mr. Palmer laughed and said: “I am afraid that Manager MeVicker's late trombles have somewhat jaundiced his views of our pro- gressive and_heaithful present. Idon’t think the drama of to-day is's0 immoral as the drama Jeremy Collfer lastied 150 years azo. I know, and so do you, that the drama of to-day is, to say the ~ least, as 1woral as that of Shakspeare, and ten times more decent. Mr. McVicker ‘admits that the Shak- spearean drama mnever wos popular with the masses. He thinkssbecause he requires thought to understand it. f think, because it requires a cast-iron stomach to accept it. The tact is, the Americac of to-day i3 the most continuously thoughtful, subtle, and perceptive of human beings in any age or clime. Yect this thought- ful American, who has annihilated distanc weighed the stars, and bored for the centre of the carth, turns bis back on the Shakspearean drama in the theatre, not because it possesses too much thought for him, but because its thoughts are 100 nastily expressed to suit his civilized taste. The truth is; that while immor- ality {nali ages hasbeen the subject of the stageas well as of the paipit, the manner of its treat- ‘ment, to achieve theatrical popularity, must be in accord with the mauners of the age in which it is presented. 'There is perhaps as much ayer- age drunkeuncss, thett, murder, and adultery to-day as there was fn the days of Shakspearc, and the stage takes just as ‘much cognizance of cach, but the rough obscenity in rhyme, the nast¥ pletures in blank verse, sugzestive of the animal or ecarnal side of all these appetites which was reflected in Shakspeare, Massinger, and Ford, are in our day decently veiled from sieht when presented on onr stage. We will, it is true, sit in our theatres and watch the sufferings of Camille, the lorette, and count her struggles, but we do this because the strugzeie of ler repentance and ot the dirt of her vice is protruded ou public sttention, by the manoer of the ‘modern dram- atist. But day by day the feeling of modern “decency renders disgusting to mixed agsem- blazres of men 2nd women and young girls, the picture of a famlet limning in nauseous colors the actual doings in the incestuous bed of his pother. It is mot our moralitv that from the picture, but oar stomach which is nauseated the manner of its presentation. The French drama of to-day, of whose success Mr. McVicker so feclingly complains, owes its superiority over the vid leitimate drawa tothe superior decency of its manner of treating precisely the same themes treated by Sophocles, Shakspeare. and Motiere. It is not that the aze likes tr'e philos- ophy und poetry of Shakspeare less, but that it likes decency more. Another reasor why Shakspeare is so little popular on the stage is that he is *stale.’ Partridge is good eatingj but would you like to eat partridee at every meal in every day of the theatrical year! Another reason still why Shakspeare is not popalar is that we mneither have mor ever had a . sufficient number of actors endowed with tbe ‘genius to cast one of his plays in accordance with the require- ts of his imagination and of the sympathy 31“?»3 ?cader of Shakspeare with that imagina- tion.” Then sou thipk that the staze has not de- teriornted at all ¥ E‘::ul don’t think that any art has deteriorated, nor do I seein an age When knowledge; taste, and scholarship are becoming the comm:in prop- crty of the plowman and the artisan aow any art worth preserving will be allowed to deterio- rate. The truth i3, that the staze is pro- gressing beyond the old fogies who grumble at it because they are una- ble to keep up with® it. Such perfec- tion of plot, such accessories of scener, dress, and appointment, such correctness in the rendi- tion of an anthor’s meaning, such quick, positive effect upon an aadiencé as we see newadays, Shakspeare never dreamed of, and Buier ouly hoped for. Whoever is unable to keep up with bis times, damns his times. The aphorism {3 not new, but its triteness proves ite truth. These growls have attended the stage in all times and in all'aces, and they bave alweyscome from the lips and -pens of dramatists, sctors. critics, and managers who have failedin the se eral branches of their profession. and who be- lieve they find apology for their foilure in abusa ot the public taste they lack ability to sutisfy.” * But is it not true that New York is Jepénd- ent upon Paris for new plays?"”. ‘“ No. There arc to-day’s advertisements of all the theatres ir the eity, and you canno: find a single theatre in New York to-night present- ing a play written or constructed in Paris—not one. I sball myself probably not produce ar- other French play this season. Mr. Wsliack is already reported to be pleared to prodit:e three purely American plays this season. } cao as well monopolize French plays as the Tribun® can monopolize French mews. The market i3 there, opes to all, and the manager willing and able to pay the most for thebest goods gets them. Take last vear. Mr. Tompkins. of Bos- ton, bought *“The Exiles” of Sardou, Wallack bought ** Diplomacy ” of the same autaor, acd the Unfon Square bought the “Celcbrai~d Case” of Dennery. These were the three new French plays of the scason that schieved suc- cesses, and I am at aloss to see how wonopely was exercised in the purchase of them, . McVicker might bave boughbt sny on¢ of the three.or the whole three had he made money enougn out of Shakspeare and Booth to pav for them. He did not, and so be lost them. might as well -say o thnis connection, one for all, that thire is xot onc of those French plays that Mr. M:Vicker could get at that he has failed to produve at nis own theatre, to the exclusion of the Shak- spearean acting[of * Larry? Barrett, th: Shag- spearean drama in Mr. McVicker's theatrs balug confined to the engazements of his son-in-lasz, Edwin Bootb. 'This much is certain, that vie have never produccd anew French play at the ‘Union Square Theatre that Mr. McVicker didn’t apply for the right to reproduce it- in - Chicazo. and all he is growlinz about mow is that we refused to let him meve the last one, ‘Mother and Son,” for remions ng once artistic and commercial. Our refusal %o play with Mr. McVicker has been sbuadantiy justified by the smccess we bave met with vt Haverly’s, to which also Mr. Maplesoz!s opara company is engaged, probably for rearous simi lar to those which induced our prefereze2.” Js it true that you bave no rezilar stock company for the Univon Square Theatrs in New York?®”? - “In the last flve years po theatre in the world, except the Theatre Francais, has had so little chapge in its ‘leading artists. ~ The mere names “of ' some af iny .Jeadine people 2s T -wention them will strike your own €dr as echoes of the stones of this theatre—Charles R. Thorae, John Parselle, J. H. Stoddart, Fanny.Morant, Mrs. Wilkins, Ida Vernon, Sarah Jewett, -Maude Harrison. Is_there any New Yorker to whom any one of these names doesuot reenll the Union Square Theatre? If you except Mr. Gilbert and Miss Effie Germon, . ai Wellack’s Theatre, thereareno leading actorssc thor- oughly wedded in the pablic mind toa partic- ular theatre as the Union . Square Theatre in _the memors and imsgination of the public of New York. I soud out traveling companies pecanse 1 sm obized to keep the lurgest theatrical company of first- class artists ever kept by any theatre It an Eu- glish-speaking country. This Is becanse I cannol fall bick on stars as Mr. Wallack does wien he plays himself, uses Mr. Boucicault, -or eaguzes Mr. Soutberd. Mine is strictly 2 company théatre, as New York fully understouds. mast bave a sufficient number of ts o properly select cod cast for each of my star plays as i comes along. No_one play. ¢in.cm- ploy all of the rezalar company. Those :ft ont of the cast wonld remain iule durin&vhe run or the play, a period which varles ia var theatre from seventy to 186 nizhts. Now, provincial managers know my people, and when they see the cast of a new play they kuow how many are out of it; they apply for thoie peo- ple, 88 Mr. McVicker often Les done, to ¢nable them to make up the season’s attraction, and whero I find Ican make mony for the brovincial manager, for the artists, and for myself; { send them out in the belief that they are: work than loungingz around New York the three months’ run of a successful p! “Do you allow members of your co: when they travel, to play on Sunday nisit “Yon have tonched on the only point in- Mr. McVicker's interview wherein -that gen: ‘has any justification for the reflections made, I share tith him the hope that, as the majority of the people in this country are Christiuus, and respect the Christian Sabbath, the pructice of playing on Sunday nights, such as now exzists in New Orleans, Chicago, and one or iwo other cities, will be ended. I can safely s2y that no actor or actress has ever been compelied by me 1o play on Sunday. At the same timc, when these artists arc engaged to play in citics where it is usual to have these Sab- bath performances, and they, chouse of their own free volition to make a liftle extra money by accommodating the man- ager who yields to the customs of the city in which he is managing, 1 am powerless’ tc pre- vent them. 1l'am simply a manager, noi & pas- tor, and as I won!d wish to be allowed to keen the Sabbath unannoved by those who ¢2 not keep it, 50- myself cannot - infringe upca the liberty of those who conform to the cnstom of the city in which they find themselves. I desire toput it on_record, however, that Iam firnm'y opposed to Sunday performances, and 2z skall ever be ziven under my nenazeméint. the six years I have managed the Uaion Fouurs ‘Théatre there have been many offers mads to open it _on Sunday evenings. for ‘sncci’ con- certs, lectures, etc., but it bas mever Bewii opencd on those evenings, nor shall it he wi le 1 mapageit. Tam sorry, very sorry, tlis : » castom has enined ground io Chicago., In Ne Orlenns it has lone obtained, and I am infurme: that Mr. McVicker bimself, as well as his hal pearean sop-in-law, have, in times past, played there straight along, frrespective of any Sab- bath, Mahometan, Jewish, or Christian. Mr.. McVicker’s statement tbat I rcfused to let ¢ Mother and Son’ go to his house because he would not play Sunday nizhts is eutirely false.” *“Well, do you, like Mr. McVicker, feel tha pres;:y’t to be a time of great theatrical depres- sion 5 1 trust if this be a time of depressica that it will stay a long time with me. [ expe:t that one more play, that is three plays in ail, will sutlice to carry my present season through wita as bandsome & profit 1s & reasonable man ough? to expect on his investment and labor."” . THE SOCIAL EVIL IN ST.-LOUIS. . ¢ 8t. Louis, Jan. 4.—The social-evil question; which has been the subject of public’discassion and a bone of contention In the' muoicipal as- sembly for several weeks past, there having been o number of conference committess, the work on the matter has been finally scmpro- mised, 2od both houses last night adopted the following amendment to the city charter, Which will be voted on by the people at.an eleciion to be neld on the second Tuesday in March. The Board of Health are nuthorized and require from time to time to.rccommend, and th- munietpal assembly shall, have power t¢ pasa, such ordinances in refation to houses of ill-fame and - prostitution as they corstder neces:ary,ta revent or chesk the spread of yenereal dfseases n the city, but such ordinauced'shall be cunsist. ent with and subject to the. Constitutios:and laws of the State. - &% IN MEMORIAM. ; CLEVELASD, O., Jan. 4.—The foneral s:rvices over the remains of Judze Sherman were - held at his - late residence in this city this murninz The Rt.-Rev. Bishop Bedell officiazed. 4" Iarge number of fricods and relativés of 'thie fimily were in attendance, among whom were Seretary and Geo. Sberman, Secator Don Cameron and wife, Gen. Miles and wife. < 2 At o meetinz of members of the Bar of the Northern District of Ohio beld at Cleveland yesterday afternoon for the. purpose of takirg appropriate action fn regard to the deat: of the late Jucge C.'t. Sherman, resolutions highly eulogizing bis character as a citizen'snd official were uunanimouslv adopted, and appropriate speeches were made by prominent mief the Ber, j CRIROFODIST. STEPT HE CAIROT- ves Al GCEAN STEATISHIPS. CUNARD MATL LINHE. Safling three timesa week toand from Britieh Ports. Lowest Prices. Apply at Company’s Office, northwest corasf Clark und Randolph-sts., Chicazo, . "I DU VEHNET. General Western 27600