The Moving Picture World (1907)

TRE MPYJNG PICTURE YVORLD. 643 Publishes) Eveeht Satues>ay. Jfca WofM Photographic PobllshingJ Compass, Hew YerK ALITHSD S. SAUTIDEES, EC5S3?. J. P. Cfcotooro, Associate Efilter and Bcsinaso Hanagtr. Vol. 1., DECEMBER 7 No. 40 SUBSCRIPTION: $2.00 per year. Post free in the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands. CANADA AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES: $2.50 per year. All communications should be addressed to P. 0. BOX 450, NEW YORK CITY. Net Advertising Rate: $2 per inch; 17 cents per line Editorial. Tlfoe Fol&y ©if ©<q>ss&@ Proprietors. On another page is a report of conditions of three nickelodeons in Wilkes Barre, and while we. are far from saying all nickelodeons are conducted like these, we know many are in just as bad a plight. The proprietors are wilfully and maliciously ignoring laws that are made for their own as well as the safety of the public,, and to conduct their houses in such a manner is criminal. We have no desire to start a panic; or to hold up a few in- stances | of law-breaking as. a reason to decry the whole industry. We are only raising our voice in protest in the ranks of the trade. We want the proprietors to sit up.and take notice; the general public does not read our columns, so that as far as we are concerned we can lismiss them, but every proprietor in the States receives 1 copy of this paper and these remarks are addressed othem. You are personally responsible for the trouble with he fire insurance companies, for the impost of unjust estrictions, for irritating and exacting conditions the rarious city authorities have hedged around you. In Four own hands lies the remedy, and it is only when, you irouse yourselves to comply with the wishes of the pow- ers that be, that -many restrictions which now gall you rill be removed. What right have these three men (and hey are not all by any means) to defy with contumely he just and reasonable requests made upon them? Do hey not see that every one of their colleagues is classed ! a the same category, no matter how careful and pains- i &ing they may be ? By their omission to comply with he law's demand, unjust exactions are imposed on- the onocent, who must suffer with the guilty. The law ays, and with justice, that every nickelodeon shall have srtain exits in case of fire, and if these exits are closed pi blocked up, and a fire occurs in which lives are lost. |he proprietors are guiltv of murder and should be pun- ished accordingly. 3 The law also askj thjafef#8»ines of a certain type only be used, and these only after passing tests as to their safety. It is criminal for a manufac- turer or dealer to supply any machines but these, and -they should be brought to book. Further, proprietors of nickelodeons who for the sake of saving a few paltry dollars purchase and use such machines, should not be allowed to stay in the business, or compelled to purchase good machines, and put their house in order. It is no use closing your eyes to the fact that it is only a case of the survival of the fittest, and the elimination of all who are hot up to a certain standard. The nickelodeons are important factors in the enter- tainment of the masses to-day, and they, springing up everywhere and in every conceivable city, town or hamlet where there are three or four, there is no diminution of patronage, all are getting a good livelihood, and the pros- pects for the future are bright. It therefore behooves every operator of a machine, every proprietor of a nick- elodeon, every renter of films, and finally the manufac- turer to elevate the tone of the exhibitions and give only the best. In our visits in New York and neighborhood there is room for improvement in many instances, nota- bly in the Manhattan Theater, where the worst operator in the city can be found, and the exhibition one of the worst we have witnessed. No matter when we go, the film breaks in the most interesting part and the story is lost, or the light goes out and only a ghost is seen. The management for the credit of the whole profession ought to improve matters very considerably. These abuses we have touched upon are in the hands of the proprietors and can be remedied at once to the satisfaction of all concerned. CHICAGO CONVENTION Special Car Via LaKe Shore Leaves New Yorli Ttmrsday evening. Bee. S2in, aft «& p. an. Since the enactment of the two-cents-a-mile tariff, the railroads have withdrawn the fare-and-a-third privilege formerly granted to conventions. No reduced rates are* at present issued over any of the roads, but we have ob- tained a special concession from the General Passenger Agent of the New York Central Railroad for the ex- clusive use of a Pullman car at the day coach rate on the Chicago & St. Louis Limited, leaving Desbrosses Street station at 6 p. m. and West Forty-second Street at 6.15 p. m. over the West Shore tracks to Albany, thence over the New York Central and Lake Shore tracks to Chi- cago, where it arrives at 9 p. m. This is a most convenient hour to leave New York, an hour's time is allowed in Buffalo for breakfast, and a daytime ride from there to Chicago allows the dele- gates time for discussing many matters of interest. If delegates from other Eastern points join this train at Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo, much may be accom- plished on' the train and all will arrive in Chicago in time to prepare for a comfortable night's rest previous to the morning of the convention. The train leaves the Lake Shore station at Buffalo at 7 a. m.; Cleveland at 10.45 a « m., and Toledo at 2.05 p. m. Berths will be reserved on this train in the order re- ceived by J. H. Jagoe, Passenger Agent,,415 Broadway, ; New York, or by The Moving Picture World. Appli- cations for berths must be accompanied.by check for five dollars. .-.--'