The Nickelodeon (Feb-Sep 1909)

76 THE NICKELODEON. Vol. II, No. 3. judging animals. Still other pictures showed classwork in engineering and other rather spectacular features of agricultural college life. These pictures were taken by the Selig company, which supplied Mr. Hay with one set of positives, and from these he made up one or two lectures on plant breeding and on agricultural education. During the past year he succeeded in securing for the department of agriculture a picture-taking machine and is gradually building up a laboratory and outfit for the development and handling of these pictures. Mr. Williams, who has charge of this work, recently took a most interesting picture showing the successive operations in the preparation of a road grade and completing it with a macadam surface. It is to be hoped the department will be able to build up a line of films which will be very useful in department and collegiate extension work along agricultural lines, such organizations as farmers' institutes in the respective states. Special railway trains giving courses of lessons on corn, on dairying, etc., can in some cases use these pictures, especially at those points where they make stops in the evening. They will be useful in many agricultural meetings, in agricultural colleges, in agricultural high schools, in consolidated rural schools, in city and village high schools, in state normal schools and in many other places where agricultural instruction is gaining a position of attention and influence. The American Breeders' Association, of which Mr. Hays is executive secretary, hopes to use films at state fairs, livestock shows, corn shows, dairy shows, etc., to help call attention to the scientific and practical work which is now coming along in plant and animal breeding. With the rapidly augmenting interest of government officials in photography, it is probable that ere long every operation of the various departments of our government will be familiar to all the world. And by no other means than moving pictures could this result have been achieved. A Ne-w Independent Movement A meeting of unusual interest to the moving picture field at large and which may prove of great importance to the independent exchanges and manufacturers, was held in the Chicago offices of William H. Swanson & Company on the evening of Aug. 26. This meeting is preliminary to another meeting to be called for Sept. 11 to 12 at the Sherman House, Chicago, and was attended by a band of about twenty stalwarts, from Chicago and surrounding territory. The object of the gathering was to see what could be done to improve the situation, and while meetings of a similar character have been held before with varying success there seems to be an under current of determination to this one that augurs well for its success. Various projects were discussed and a plan was finally sketched out that looks to be exceedingly good. Committees were appointed to draw up a skeleton set of by-laws, to lay out the plan of organization fully ; and a third to look after the entertainment features. These committees are to report before the big meeting and make reports of progress. The object of this association will be to protect and enlarge its film market and to raise the standard of the independent film up to a uniform standard. Independent American film manufacturers will be assured of a certain amount of standing orders, and should financial aid be needed, that will be forthcoming also. A board of censorship will be established which will receive and pass on all film offered. Such film as passes this board will be bought by the independent exchanges, and to spur the manufacturers to greater efforts additional awards of a financial nature will be given to the makers of exceptionally good film. While the association proposes to develop and support its market until there is a weekly output of at least a dozen reels a week, the marekt is not to be restricted. Any independent manufacturer may submit his subjects to the censorship board, and any exchange may buy any uncensored reel desired. The association, however, is to guarantee purchases to a stated amount on all film passed by the board of censorship. Also some good independent machines, possibly two, are to be decided upon. The manufacturers of such a machine are to be given the support, financial and moral, of this association, until such times as the manufacturers are able to go it alone. There seems to be no desire to make regulations other than these. In all probability a corporation will be formed of a character suited to carry out the proposed plans, and stock to a limited amount may be subscribed for by each exchange entitled to it. However, each exchange will be entitled to only one vote. Already sufficient money has been subscribed to meet all legitimate expenses of the committees and of the meeting. It is hoped that the Independent Protective Renters' Association will accept some such plan as is set forth, as the exchange men believe that such a plan is nearly ideal, and that the infusion of new and younger blood that has come into the independent body during the past year can carry it out in all its details, forgetting many past difiFerences and getting together on a common ground for a genuine uplift to the moving picture business as a whole. The following exchanges from all parts of the country were represented and took active interest in the proceedings : William H. Swanson & Co., Chicago, represented by William H. Swanson; Twentieth Century Optiscope Company, Chicago, represented by R. G. Bachman ; Dixie Film Company, New Orleans, La., represented by H. Fichtenberg; United States Film Exchange, Chicago, represented by J. Hayes; Laemmle Film Service, Chicago, represented by M. Fleckles ; Cincinnati Film Exchange, Cincinnati, Ohio, represented by McMahon and Jackson; Anti-Trust Film Exchange, Chicago, represented by C. R. Plough; Chicago Film Exchange. Chicago, represented by Max Lewis ; Toledo Film Exchange. Toledo, Ohio, represented by Mr. Gotchel; American Film Exchange, Pittsburgh, Pa., represented by Jas. L. Reiley; Globe Film Service, Chicago, represented by Mr. Baker; Michigan Film & Supply Company, Detroit, Mich., represented by B. Klatt; Texas Film Exchange, Dallas, Tex., and J. W. Morgan, Joplin, Mo., represented by J. W. Morgan ; Indianapolis Calcium Light Company. Indianapolis, represented by Wm. Swain; Unique Film Exchange, Chicago, represented by J. B. Clinton; Exclusive Film Service. Chicago, represented by Charles Pugh. London Exposition Abandoned The Kinematograph Exposition, which was to have been held in the Crystal Palace, London, in July, and was then postponed to September, has finally been abandoned, for the present at least.