The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-01

and operated by a central company, or l trust It is inevitable that a business, embracing such multitudinous rami1ca- tions should be handled with more ds- patch by a single concern. Of course, there are branch companies, and some few independent organizations, but for the most part the business is controlled by one trust.
 This means the maintenance of branches in every part of the known world, not only for the gathering of pictures and the preparation of films, but for the ex- hibition and marketing of the finished product as well. The life of film, while necessarily limited, is by no means of short duration. and one set of pictures will be transferred from city to city, and from theatre to theatre, as long as the pictures remain distinct. Then, too. there are many duplicates, well. The control of patents on the machine used and the Illuminating effects Is also in- cuded in the business of the motion pie ture promoters.
 Has ReVolutionized Amuseme ents.
 interesting and significant fact about the moving picture idea is the revolution that has been brought about in the means of amusing the public. The theatre, as 1t were, is brought to the very doors of the people. But few towns and villages previously boasted of theatres, outside of those of population of 5000 or over, and
 
 repair, and altogether neglected, so far as adequate and intelligent attractions were concerned. The moving picture bus mess has wrought a complete change in all this.
 Where formerly the poorer classes in the large cities, who had no means of getting to and from the theatres, which are usually situated many miles away from the homes of the working classes, had no specific way of spending an even ing, the 5-cent theatres have cropped up by hundreds, mushroomlike, and within easy access to the very people who need ed reaching on account of the former paucity of attractive entertainment It Is far easier to pay cents for an hours wholesome and instructive enter tainment than it is to pay 9 or 90 cents, and pay car fare to and fro into the bargain. One can go five times on a quarter, instead of only once, and still save the car fare. This feature made a strong appeal to the working classes. Moreover, the moving picture helps to keep the idle young people out of the streets, or what Is worse, from the sa- looms and gathering places where they must, it seems, inevitably drift, unless a diversion Is offered to them. Thus the moving picture has accomplished what years of settlement work might not hope to encompass.
 Enjoys Field of It's Own.
 A peculiar phase of the situation is presented in the question so ofter asked
 Does not the moving picture theatre cut down the attendance at the vaude- vile and legitimate theatres?"
 The answer to this Is emphatically NO"
 The 5-cent theatre enjoys clientele all its own. It also possesses a field of It's own. Just as the would-be theatre-goer can find entertainment of different class in the vaudeville house from what he seeks in one devoted to Shakespeare, so he can find still another form in the nov ing picture show. And whether or not he attends the film show with the avowed intention of mental improvement, the fact remains that he more often discovers himself confronted with educational ad- vantages which he could not know in the variety vaudeville house. where no attempt is made to do anything else than pander to depraved and degenerate tastes. If the moving picture theatre succeeds in weaning growing boys and girls away from cheap and tawdry variety shows, 1t will have accomplished a mission out of all proportion to what was anticipated for 1t. But so far as the legitimate theatre is concerned, there Is no cause for alarm
 In the first place, the moving picture shows occupy localities where no first class theatrical enterprise could possibly thrive, owing to lack of numbers to war | rant It's support, and in the second place, 1 where the locality Is contiguous to larger l places of amusement, 1t draws from an l entirely different class of people. Then, | too, evening at a regular theatre Is usually planned in advance while the dropping in at a moving picture exhibition 1 is generally done "on the spur of the mo- l ment' The latter kind of perform ances catches a great many shoppers !! during the day. Many people drop in at | lunch time to rest and be diverted, while others while away half an hour or Sd ! while awaiting various engagements. The incidental patronage means much to the proprietor of the moving picture the atre, though, of course, he, too, can boast of regular patronage. If house gains the reputation of being comfortable and the abode of excellent pictures naturally the spectator will come again, or tell his friends about it.
 Vaudeville Features. Many managers have added vaudeville features to the picture shows, and have heightened the time of the performances duration to an hour or twice that time. This makes hybrid, however, that does not suit everybody, and the proprietor who conducts his place on the level of the