The billboard (Feb 1911)

PEMUARV 4, Ttie Blllboara 18 Shovym^n^ Association Meets Billposters in Chicago NOTHING ACCOM PLISHED At Last Meeting of Showmen ivith Billposters—Each Side Formidable in Its Demands—Hopes Are Entertained that Amicable Agreement May Be Reached Tkt npKt few fooe foMb In tb* Mr.flM mt Him to M be ■ war to tbe hnTSHmw ! ftMBt coofereora In Chlcuo bcMMB tbe tbMW eoMBlitee and tb« dlneton •( tb* JU- wdatfd Blllpotien w«i of ae aTall lOMBocb ■• It waa luipoKslble to reach an aKrvemeot. This lack ot reHultR was due to two reaaona. I. f.. tilt! Sbowmea'M AMoolattoo'a iletermlllalloa 10 laki- a Btanil agalnit wliat they conalder farther Imposition and the belief on tbe part of tbe AaMclaied Btllpostera ttiat th« Bhowraea'a AMOclailon will not atlck tosetber. It la a rcaaonable prediction to itate that the blllpoatera will be mlataken In their bopea. for tbe Kbowmen doelare that tbey have KBlml to atlck. for tbe norpoaa ut — portant aaeatlona. Tto' tbeiD tfe* BlllpoatM nara ■ndoally- srawn . tbe Maatadon ot dcaatle tmata. Aa lone a« the ctrcoa men ananallx appeatcd with tbe dl- rectora of the tmat and dgned the agreement placed lH>fore tbem, all waa acrene. but now that they bare dared claim fair trealment and Isalst tbat rvawn and aouod argument prerall. they are all but treated with diaconrtear, aiul tbe latter can be aald advisedly alnce tbe Aa- aoclatm Blllpoxtera refused to Itaten to arsn- aienta tbat would Influence miblaaed minda In- •tantlT. It b heeeailaK .Ike bdlaC mmaag Utboffapb prbitere. camBCcelal adeertlaeis and abownen tbat tbe alubbomeas ot tbe dlNclon la dratlaed to lead to the klllloc of the gooae' thai laid the ifolden fgg. Hie eircns waa the creator ot the billboard bualneaa. It waa fomerly tbe com- plaint of men who built blllboarda tor the abowa that they could not «eU them to any one elae and tbey could hardly aCTord to maintain Ibem eiclualrely for clreoHca. Then tbey charged Ibe abowa fltleen or twenty centa per running foot for their use. Tbat price waa reasonable at that time. Gradually the astute buvlneaa BUn began to coorloce himself ttait If bill- board adrertlalng waa profitable to Mr. CIrvaa It ought lo be to bla baalnaaa %aad ao tbe com- aMTcIal bUlpoatlnK baa laTaiaaad. imtn amr bDlhoatd adTertialnc baa tdat • part of Ita Metttge In tbat it la no loneer a novelty. Boarda are no loager held for tbe clrcna man, bnt are In nae moat of tbe year. Tet In spite of tbia change of condition tbe directors of the billboard aggregation would have It un<1cr- alood tbat they are rery cbarltable and cnnsid- crate to the clrcaa people since tbev no longer eisct the foot rate from tbem. Such wilful ■elf drlu!*Ion la appalling. Aa soon aa tbe commercial adverttaera wake Sand reallie what baa happened to tbe ratea. r Will ceaae. to order commercial paper and I tbe. bniboaM method ot adTcrtlalng—t>e- SSe. like the dienaea. tbey almply cannot at- S2* *!•.. Hewe»er, It la noteworthy tbat tbe raegnla" ot tbe blUpoateta are In tbe bnlletin aaloess and they wonid Mt gire a anap It an commercial men would awltcb tRMn noatlne to the paint and bulletin work. Ibe mAi blll- poater will awaken to tbia aa one ot tbe motlrea for the arbitrary conduct of the blllpoatluK tntnlness mme of tbeae daya. .JF^f «'•«''» men an> told that they are not ■uUpbal adrertlaers" and that they are not •gjel adrerllaera." Tber don't know bow ifT 'ltt to be darned, altboneta It aeema tbat 2™ ^'■•X.nii* Ucketa. mneclally the latter. SL'yii y't — " to the blllpoaler. Tbe ahow- ■MVJfahMd tbat they were, "national advei- Wwir* .and ■ avconllaglr entitled to the 16 2-.1 jtr.W fc comrolaaloo allowed aollcltora for ancb y«- Tb*» Ihejr claimed It they were ant tbe •"jmjT tbat they must l>e local advertiaera ami rmined to tbe same rate aa tbe local tbeatrea. J2f ?'*,^*«'»» Mid nix. Tlien tbe clrcua men. Mt abaabed and attll convinced tbat Ihcv had a ngbt to breathe and live. Imldly declare<l tbat 2-„ *" he given tbat they shn<ild bi- «l»»n In pmportlon' to tbe aerrlce aecurrd. I. e., Si*SJ'*,StiL'*' •he paat. If a to«n ZSIjf ,J?*l?'?L W"**"""- Blllpoater re- ,«=» tieteeta ercn ibongh tbe ahow cor. •TWI only sno aheeti or a couple of boanla. If Sr.ii"?" •o'i'n.nt ot paper waa poatrd In a •mall foivn of leaa than 10.000 popalalinn the bnipnater waa allownl SO ttrketa. The amoant '""•«<"* waa often more In th- Eli. 7? «••» l«'?er city, and yet grapp a the renana declared one town mnrli latger the blllpoater received four. (Ive anil ■« llmea aa many llcketa. Yo goila where Is II-.T'I!?* L" arrancementT Yet he- ninw ine ahowmen have wilfully "lo-.! for sucli trl^ll V dim-lora make iia "•MM by aaying that wo ahonld alwaya agre<' U^nL^T.tSr*' '". ""■"•^ ""ir of tbem of ehL,? .'!. iwwitatlnii tb«t hwireTorth will li^St J* .""nmerelal adrvrtlaer and all othera aJt wh-Tr '".r"' '*«*' pec montb. It matter* town* prer aaw ■ street car, 2225.7 "f "••» »•><• rlllaee marshal llEhts the JSTf™ •'"*| ll»ht« or primen the town pumi> HWffito .sP':..'"''«"enty cents. It la no- ™jame that these towns are nil mntmlled by JSll^S'Jl'''* «""*" 0' Aasoolatlnn. If a !SIIwi!S.*"V.'J'' ■ '•••c provided he IwIJt to fe. 'I "*!L.H"'»*"'a. he would not ex- imt im?„- charge It and he would fo7{'V.'c!.*'ra"„''-,,^rv''{;irr''-''"'" aieeninerjr, he m,, p,y i,|gh„f wagea, hare miewrltrrs and a great variety of let- Ua press work nisy be flrat clasa and polltan, yet If be oiwrates bla paper In a city Ot twenty tbouaund. :ie would not dare charge elrcoa or commercial advertiaera the aame rate be may be charging fur a almllar jilant be owBod In tbe city of a million. Wm. B. Ilearat owiM a bait doaen planta, all ot tbem np-to- date and aqolpped la mncb tbe aane way. bnt hU adTcrtialag rate la not tbe aame la aor two citlea la wbldi be pUbllabra papeta. Re better learn from the hlllpoatera, for If they conducted bU line of papers, regardlesa of tbe population or the number of people wbo read the pa|>ent they would charge the aame rale In each pa|wr tor advertising provided, of caume, tbat tlie paper bad a lypewrller anil a neat letterhead and steel presses. However, when the clrcna presa agent came along tliey woulil expect him to pay the aame or a higher rate and fumlab tbe paper and the Ink and tickets for alt of tbe cItT omelala. no bUlpoatlns rate at ladtanapolls la to be M centa per montb; and within lltty mllca of it la ■ t««ra of MW popnlatlin that baa a twenty cent rate, Cbleago will cbarge ttraair' iliiBla. and attMBe other towna In tbe State will charge ue aame rate, and anrely there are not afty-two ChlraRoea In Illinois. In apite ot tlM Injustice accorded to tlie clr- cna people and all otber bUlboatd adrertlaeta. tbe coofafanee aeaaloaa IB Cblca^o were made rerr tSNMlM. Tkt dlilMiltloa to be .fair «b SHOWME N'S ASS OCIATION QrowiagProdlgiously—Promptness with which All MemboTi Attend Meetings Indicates that the New . Organization Will Be Lasting The Showmen'a Association la rapidly growing and assumlDS beallby proportions. It eren now baa a neat letter bead and haa rented two typcwritera, wblcb facta, tboagh Inalgnlficant, should at least command tbe rcapect accorded tbem by the Associated BlUpostera. The last meeting of showmen In Chicago was tbe tiesl yet. More Interest waa manlfeated, and more prominent showmen were preaeot. The smaller as well as tbe larger shows are all In It, and practically all of tbem have paid the admission fee of dfty dollara and aigned bonds ot aereral tbouaand doUara cacb. binding them- aelrea to eomljy witb tbe tnlea and ordeta at tbe tbat IB all towna where tbe elrcoa asaab fan* W MfeB a reasooable agreement with tbe biUgMltr aa< the boarda ate not aacd tgr tb« aboir. tbat a Haa ahaU be laaactedto an new*- Aaaoeiatlon. Tbe Sparka Sbowa. Tbe Caaaahell sbowa an Walter uSm wtn.tfe* talMt aMBltlilaBa. Ap plleatlaa traa NMlni ttM* (ha Writaaa Show I<oadoa Sbowa, ana Ap- tbe aezt but ne oaa waa aaaaeat k» rsftsasat tt, aM appiieaUM waa UM m 5e tafelt ■Mtfet meeUac Begarding the perfecting of aa organliation of the character of this one. tbe conatant thorn In the desh has been that circus men would not stick together. Even tbe circus men themselves were much of tbls opinion. • However sncb a no- tion la now rapidly dlaappeariog, and It la tbe conaeniraa ot opinion among tbe tent people tbat tbls «(BaalaaiUB will aot OBtr piova (a " ~ It oaa. bat tbat It mm ntANK A. ROBBIN8 AND rAMILY. a. la a abowmaa ot tecega la ed abUltj aa< baa a ■■•lie-ap of the paper rery mneh netio- tbe part of tbe Associated Billposters* dlri^ctors. waa promulgated at the last meeting, but tbe circua men hare tailed lo receive any largo qiwntltles of said disposition. - Mowerer they were assured tbat they would be permitted to make tbe beat eoalTact tbej cooid witb the local felllpiiatar la aiciy Iowa aad eltr. It be wlabca to lestiala blmaelt from' aulag tor ticketa all rtght. or If be wishes to give tbe theatrical rale all right or If he persists In de- manding tbe new commercial rate. It will be O. K. or If be doe* not want to accept circus hnslness. nothing will be done aa far as the Association Is concerne<I. Tbe Showmen's .\s- HiiclsilKn hss tsken tbe billposters at tbeir word lo this proposition. They are to send out tbclr sRents and make tbelr blllfiostlng contracts m.< best they can, Thetr have eatabllsbed a llmir abort whidi tbcj will not go oo ratea and on ttekela. tbe qneatlea ot ticket* depending npun tbe rate charged tor the posting. The clrcna people are goinc to Insist that they bare aomething to aay about the barttalB and that the beat liargain Is fair to botb paitlea. llmMlteda of blllpoaters in this rnuntiT do Mt *"* A* tieketa. and alrrady the showmen are being dettigrd with letters from blllpoatera nylng that If they will sbnw tbeir nspectlTC tiywna they will be given fair treat- ment and "we will not onarrrl about ticket*" Is the itetieral coneliMlIng sentiment to such letters. AM of the brains of tbe blUfiostln? hnslness are not concentratiM In the board of iheir director*. There sre some wise ones who think nnil who n'sllce thst tbe circus business Is cnsh. ami that It pa.vs unto them the full aiiioiint. no deduction being made tor commis- sion to another bdllBoater who bameaa tt be a "Mdlrltor." andTl Bt tle B taWy.. Sb k Bta w that posting by the tlltaa la wartk 1 Tbe abowa «qiHt to wt M enV in« MWlwtiw admlMI Ikm tofMvjtad to'da better taa l aiaa a l l eapeaa^ at a leas Sadie lleir will appear next Beptember tn (lev, It'a arret l« Meet a rrlead from Tonr nome Vowo, under the management of her brotlier. J. rred Ilelf, the well-known composer and publisher of popular song*. Tbe book was written by a prominent antnor, the lyrics being furnlshetl br YIneent Itr.van, and the mnvlc h.v Mr. Heir. Miss nrir will be assisted br Sir. r.ewls r. Mulr, the compoaer of riar lhat narber Shop Cboid. napPT Nanlty. for" the Inst Iwi. sea with I.ew rwv'k^tniler, (male and female). ..•■^insS' ognlzed as one of the most potent ganlxed In tbe amusement boalnesa. .\.firr Ibe report of the clrcna eanoiltlet was receired, a night aeialon ot tbt BboatiBea'a Aaao- ctatlon waa held. Perchance tbe - dlicctoia ot the Aseoctsted BlUpostera may at tbe aame time bare Imagined tbat tbt ettcns men were aasem- blrd in gloom and much eeat down, but sncb wsa not the caae. Rather they aeemcd joUter and more pleaaed than ever because tbey were conscious ot having done everything poaslble In tbe way of making a respectable contract, and itMw thp.v felt lustlfteil In executing plans that bad been merely Inferred prevloualy,. It was nnanlmonaly agreed that no ahow would offer a local bllljiaater moie tor bis boarda than bad been oneea la tbe confaenee of commit- tee*, Tbia because It would aot be fair lo do any differently aiMt beeanae said pmpoaltloo waa poaltleely tbe limit. It win he propoerd to |wy a cash |>r1ee for Itoarda and to do away with ticketa. but If the price agreed upon is res- *aiuible thin the cir-us agent may allow tickets at the rate of one for every fifty sheet* of ap- per Inelniled In the contrsot. The shows b^ve agreetl to stand by each other and will not shnt eseh other nnf on the bonnia In case their date* are within two we,»ks of fsch other. For In- stance, if the Rln^llOfT Show hss a thonsand Sheet* contraefed In a town .ind « Wallace agrnt happened In and can not get space because the date* are close toftetber, ami the billposter** board* are full, then the RIngllnge are to give the Wallace Show half their rontrvted space, the latter show, of course, paying for the apace and also relrnhnrslntr Ibe RIngllnga for tbelr pa- per If they shsll have posted the same before knowing tbe Wallace Show waa coming. The eirrnses have also msde an agreement re. gar.llnv banners, the number to be limited ac- conllng to the popniot'on of the stand. Tbey have further bound Ihrtnsplres to remove all banners within twenty-four hour* of the exhi- bition date, and if tliey fall to do so, tlw Iran- ner* are to be liw ai r td biy tbe febuaawa^a Aa- sociation, aod Uw ii um tmmit H the ofltai- Ing ahow. It la also acrred that a iiermaarnt secretary la to he employed and that all shows are to make dally reporia to htm 'ot prices paM la roo- traeta and of an dalasa agala«t rssasettve abowa. It waa ala* decided tbat aa attacatr be engaged to look after the Aaaorlaltaa'a koaiBtaa, In times of emergency, bnt the naia object la retalnlnir a lawyer was for tbe paiiioaa Ot mt- tacking the Aamclated Itniposler* la the Federal court* In case the latter should In any way Isane any onlers. or rlrenlste any letters or »og- Itestlon* detrimental to tbe making ot ennltable contra^ta by the cirmec*. It waa alao geaenlly r adsaRMaif aa CellaWBt •Tbia show does aot nat tbt killlM8rda.» Vbr tke ptoKut the Sbowmca'a AaaocUtloa wlU proceed along the theory tbat tbe directora ot the AasocUted BlU- postera meant what they said when they wel- comed tbt clrtoa astnt to deal directly and nn- hampered by tbe local blllpoater. If they are al- lowed to do ao. there will not be any of the so- called predicted fight between the two orgaot- aatloos. bnt It the circus sgenis early In tba field report that all kinda of obatacles sre bt> Ing put In tbelr way, then tbe fight la on. Kverj"" ofilcer except one, and every member and many visiting showmen siteniled the meet- ing at Chicago, and an era of confidence in tba real porpose aod Intention of each individual waa estabUabed. , . Tba covering ot paper waa again gone Into, and again agreed tbat ancb work must be dla- conraged. and tbat the cnenae of the Inveetlgat- lug of a charge ot covering was to be paid by tbia Association, and assessed to the guilty The meeting was adjourned to April 3, wheis It Will be called to order at the HaTlIn HoMI. OIBdBBBtl, and where a full attendaaCB la mC «atlr.at«Hated^ THB MAN ABOUT THEATRBt. Balpb T. Kettering, who ptomotea publleltr for Klimt aod Gazsolo'a new Imperial neaM* caUa the playhouse "The Pride of tbt WW* Side." "Tbe Parlor Home of Stock," aad "Tba Weat SIda'a Playhoaae Da Lnxe." I eau It tkt rr. ^ The management or preas agent who Is look- ing after tbe toteresta of Tbe Great Name, llenrv Kolk. r*s starring vehicle, has evidently trodden on James 0*DonDeII Beonett'a pet com. Under the caption. '•An Apology," Mr. Baa- neit expressed bis views aa follows: . "The editor of this department ot Tlte Bae- ord-netald baa te aptloglie to tbe maaageineat ot tba tHur caBad Tbe Oreat Name, which to vlalble at tbe Ooct Tbeatie. It appean that In hia review ot tbe local premiere of this plsy In Monday morning's paper tbe reviewer was in- excusably atupid and obacnre. He did not think Tbe Great Name amounted to much, and he fell tbat In performance It was tedious, tbln-spuia and rather mawkUb. Tbia opinion he tried to set down in coherent language, briefly and not ill naluredly. remarklnit at one point -18 tka article that "most of the play waa pnieBBia- limlnary,' and that 'you can - kill aiiy tknt- act comedy with aa act and a halt of expoal- tlon.* "These pbraaea.' It aacms, mean nothing, or, what la worse, mean precisely the opposite to wkat It was Intended they aboald mean, tor ow Tbnraday morning the management of The Great Name printed In the adeciiialBK columna ot (oar ncwapapera these woidt: . ■■ . , " The Great Xame; MataMI. Vltil. Record-Herald,' . _ ■ "It la not dlfflcolt to att kow badly tbtj er of the review matt b«i« t»|wc aaa< M" for reference to tbia article ot Sonday db no such commendatloo of tbe play, Cloae ez- amlnatloo ot tbe review Is. however, rewardev by these words: '• 'A delightful girl named Ruth Chattertow played an Ingenue part exquisitely—notlilng cloying on the one hand nor brash on the other —]uat natural, vital, freah and clever, and la a strain of lovely moderation.* "Now we know bow the management waana- posed upon by an unwomanlike piece ot writ. Ing, It thought that the woeda 'natural, rital, fresh* (meant to apply to the delicate, pretty acing of Misa Chatterton. wbo was tbe htglr light of an evening of mncb excessive stilted and cloving acting), were resUy applied to the whole play, and meant that It was natursl. vital and freah. which It Is not, t>eiaic. lo- truth, s conveollonsl. insipid trifle. •Thns the reviewer did sn Injnatlce both to the manacement and Mlaa Chatterton, and t<r both he apologlxea, ^ "The various membeta ot the executive stair of The Oreat Name, bavinc been In the theat. rleal baslaees fOr ao«e years, it Is not. ot course. crtdlMt tkat tkt •Babby practice k-iowa ss •garUlBR BOtleea' wonM be followed br them, for the rcsson tbattt ataftea tab htea . es[>oaed In this town t kat apUkSW tkt awtt hardened nor the least eaperlsaeetl msaageet longer sre guilty of It. "Manlfestlv. then, the fault In this listaace waa tba revlewer'a solely, and be keenly re- greta having led the uianagemrnt ot The Oreat Name lain atteiaptlnit a mlgar aad lavrodtBC' deception ot tbe pabUe. _ ^ ' "In fntnre reviews lie win try to kt taaat a)B> pllclt." ^ That part of Randolnh atreet bonnded na Ike eaat Btate aad an tlw weat by CHarfc streals. WfeMI waa iMtatIr called Theatre Row. la now kaowB aa CircBa B«w. And theie la ]u*t rea- son when one coaeldna that Col. James Jay Brady, manager ot tbe Colonial: W. W. Fiaa ■ man, manager of the (larrlrk, aod Alfred Wlla- rnhsnsen. tressurer ot the Olympic, are grad- natea from tbe elrcoa school. ♦ ' Harraht Laa Wlltlsma b*a dk ~ at. aad sniwtltnted aa Prank O. Ilnelt Meble - - -