The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1901-03-15
THE "WHITE RATS" AND
The THEATRICAL TRUST
Vaudeville Performers Organize to
Fight the Syndicate Of
Managers.
THE MOVE PROMISES TO SUCCEED
Combine Notified That After June "a No
Member of the Order VIII Book
Through the Trust-Prominent
Actors in Organization.

d 80 q
Henrietta Crosman and Mrs Fiske,
I'm the Chicago Tribune: The theatrical
trust has killed independent effort in
America. While it is an exaggeration
to say that a few men can perpetually
say what shall or What shall not con-
stitute the amusements of Is, 00O, 900
people, this trust will exist long
enough to ruin hundreds who have been
closely-and deservedly so-identified
with the theatrical profession. There
are undercurrents in operation now
which, think, will eventually result in
the disintegration of the syndicate
Eight or nine months ago the vaude-
Vile managers OF this country formed
themselves into an association after
the fashion of the theatrical trust.
Vaudeville performers-many Of them
actors and fine artists, driven out Of
business by the theatrical trust because
they wished to be independent-realiz-
ing what they had been through,
promptly formed what turns out to be
the most formidable association Of per-
formers that has ever been seen in any
country. 1t is formed avowedly for de-
purposes Ills Iu6dIS the
smashing Of amusement syndicates.
The "White Rats
The association Scalled 1.-THE White
Rats" and is an offshoot of the Eng
lish Water Rats" an organization
founded to curb-and it did so-a con-
dition similar to that existing in this
country. Only performers are admit
ted to its membership. Since it's or
ganization, only a few months ago,
over 800 members have been enrolled.
1t is secret society. Should any mem
banished from the society, and every
White Rat" is under oath to refuse to
play with the traitor in any theater. In
Its treasury there Is already some $780,
900. A system of benefits has been de-
vised to increase this amount as need
ed. They have started an insurance
fund for the benefit Of the members.
The whole plan has been devised and
carried out with infinitely more busi-
ness tact than ever before displayed
by any body of performers It Is signifl-
cant that such men as Henry Lee, Nat
Goodwin, De Wolf Hopper. Pete Daley,
jeff d'Angeles and large number of
other widely recognized actors have
Joined and are taking an active part in
the affair.
Vaudeville Trust Receives Notice.
In the meantime the vaudeville trust
has been notified that after the oath of
June no member Of the order will book
through the offices of the vaudeville as
ISOLATION. They will book thereafter
through the exchange to be managed
by the Association OF White Rate The
White Rats further have the effrontery
to state that they will play In. this land
Of liberty where they please, and will
not submit to the percentage system
which the vaudeville syndicate or trust
sees At to extort from their salaries for
booking these people in their-the
trust's-own theaters.
All this has naturally caused con-
sternation among the members OF the
vaudeville association, and the Keiths,
Proctors, Kohls and Castles have been
hustling to meetings between New
York and Chicago to counteract the
plans Of these White Rats. But their
efforts will be entirely ineffective. be-
cause the members of this body, hav-
ing observed the effect Of the tactics
Of the Hayman crowd upon the the
atrical profession, are thoroughly inn
bued with the idea that unless some
thing is done for self representation,
they will be practically wiped out Of
existence. This agitation with one set
Of performers-and powerful one
has naturally stirred up the theatrical
SAAAS e1AAAs - JILL LAC udy Tile 111SINdH
syndicate started. there have never
been such rumblings, grumblings, and
denunciations Of the trust as there are
at the present hour. There are also
rumors of dissension in the trust itself.
Bad Season for Theaters.
Beyond a doubt, this has been, at
least since the election, as bad sea-
son at the theaters financially as New
York has ever known. Why? There
are many reasons assigned, but. in my
Judgment, there is a deep rooted con-
3viction slowly but surely settling in the
minds of the New York public that
they are being buncoed In the matter
Of theatrical prices. Ten years ago
there was not a theater on Broadway.
under the control of the present the
Rtrical trust. Today there is not one
single theater, from Madison Square
Garden to the New York theater.
Broadway and Forty first sfs,set. With
the exception of Brady's Manhattan
and Jacob Lifts Broadway theater.
that is not under the control 81 the
theatrical syndicate. AZ the control Of
each theater has been acquired alls
along Broadway the prices have been
gradually increased until today there
n not a theater except the TITO men
toned that charges less than ~ and III
some cases $3.50, for seats on the low
or floor. This does not include me
rake-off from Speculation the mana 80
ment OF all the theaters mentioned
standing with the hotels and the curb
etone gents and the people arsS IL