The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-05-12
WILD BEAST MONOPOLY.
But the Scheme Won't Work
Public Sentiment Goes
Against 1t, and No
Amusement Gar
Can Rule
America.

Mr.. Cnarles Stow, the editorial
representative of Sells Brothers En-
ormous United Shows, has been here,
welding the solidifed and journals
tic advertising literature of that big
enterprise, and as do all enlightened
evangellsts, making the BAzoo office
his headquarters. The titanic struggles
for supremacy between Jas. A. Bailey
as managing proprietor of the late
Barnum and FOrepaugh shows on the
one side, and the Sells Brothers on
the other, being the livelest topic of
the season, the amusement expert in
terviewed MIR. Stow and gained some
interesting points Oh war in the arena.
Being asked what brought on the pre-
sent fight he said /:
"The greedy and it would seem in
sane determination of Mr.. McGinnis,
who is generally known as James A.
Bailey, to monopolize the show bust
ness with one circus by remorselessly
crushing out all others. This, and
this only, is the handspring to the
whole matter. The Sells Brothers
have done all they honorably or con-
sistantly could to avoid opposition,
but now that implacable cupidity has
brutality forced it upon them they
propose to stand their ground at all
hazards. in protection of both their
own and the public's interests
and rights. Thus far, they have
been most warmly seconded by the
press and the people, who are in no
mood at present to encourage mon
opoly of any kind, and least of all
such q one as Mr.. McGinnis' avsrice
would create. 1t needs no prophetic
vision to forsee that his success
would involve tyranny, degeneration
and calamity. Without competition to
stimulate rivalry the poorest and
cheapest kind of q show could and
would be given, and the public would
have to put up with it. Hundreds
of performers who have devoted their
lives to the circus business and know
nothing of any other, would be beg.
CARED, and the few Of them employed
forced to accept pauper wages. The
monopolist would be enabled to die
tate terms to the press and everyone
with whom he had any kind of deal
ings. and that is just what the surviv-
ing Bsrnum-Forepaugh autocrat aims
to do"
What arc the proofs of the selfish
purpose indicated? was asked.
nProofs! They are simply over.
whelunig, and undenied and unde.
niable" said Mr.. Stow. They are to
be found In the declarations and trans.
parent policy of its protector.
In the fact that failing by the ex-
penditure of enormous sums to ruin
Adam Forepaugh while alive, Bailey
secured his show after his death, by
threatening to crush Jas. E. Cooper if
he dared to buy it.
In the false advertising of Jas. E.
Cooper as "sole owner" of the so.
called FOrepaugh show.
In the brutal rapacity which COM
bines the advertising forces of both
the late Bsrnum and so-called Fore
paugh shows against us, and the gross
imposition attempted upon the public
by their advertising to exhibit in
places we visit but which neither of
them comes to this season. Take Sc
dalia as an example. The so-called
Forepaugh show is announced as
coming in June" The fact is that
it leaves St Louis Nav % and goes
east over the Wabash road, showing at
Toledo, Cleveland and other points
in Ohio. will wager $1,000 to $500
and place the money in the hands of
the mayor of Sedalia, that it will not
visit Sedalia 10 June. If it were
coming its date would be given. 1t
is unserupulously quilting your people
and trying to make tools and fools of
them.
In the public boasts of Bailey's
agents that he is to mass his whole
horde of vandals against us and
smash us if it costs the entire re-
ceipts of both his shows to do it,
these fellows doubtless speak with
authority and from motive.
In the wanton. criminal destruction
of our advertisements.
In the fact that we are being set
upon and bounded without the
slightest provocation or justifi alton.
Why is the attack made upon your
show first ?
because we are the most formida-
BILE and popular, and if we could be
disposed of it would be easy work to
make way with the rest. Our show
is fully equal to Bailey's, in fact
much superior i'm MANY respects. and