The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-01-28
MOTION PIG TUT RE
EXHIBITORS To
BUCK TRUST
MICHIGAN AND OHIO MEN DECIDE
TO PIN FAITH TO lNDEPEND-
ENTs AND REFUSES IA SIGN oc.
ToPus' CONTRACTS.

Motion pictures much more thrilling
than many they show were INDUCED
In by the Michigan and Ohio moving
picture exhibitors who met In the
Burns hotel, Wednesday afternoon, to
form an association. From noon UNI
I'll midnight, with recesses and ad-
Jolrnments. the showmen debated, ar
gued and demonstrated generally.
One thing was clearly shown that
the exhibitors are not inclined 10 fav-
or the methods OF the new trust. the
Motion Picture Patents Co. y They
heard both sides and the sessions were
continuous rounds OF battle.
IL was first explained that the Mo
ton Picture Patents Co. Is a combina-
ton OF the Edison. Biograph and other
companies having patents and picture
machine factories. IL furnishes the
reels OF film 10 the fielm exchanges
and proposes to regulate the business
by taxing the exhibitors and limiting
the number of theaters as we'll as reg
ulating their location.
AS starter, the exhibitors have
been notified that they must take out
licenses for the machine they own.
must pay present tax or 81 per
week on each machine and furnish in
formation upon which scale or IL
cense fees, graded according to the
earning power OF the house, can be
arranged later. The independent"
also claim that tn Motion Picture Pat
ents Co. intends 10 raise the price of
pictures later.
What do We get in return for our
81 per week." was the wall OF the
exhibitors who gathered In the Burns.
How do we know what the trust will
do 10 us after we sign up contracts
"iop will get protection" declar-
ed &. u. Gillingham, OF Grand Rapids,
a film rented and spokesman al the
meeting for the Motion Picture Pat
ents Co. The men who are In the
business now will be protected from
competition. Those who do not sign
up will not get any film after Feb. s
from the licensed agencies which con-
troll all the good Aim.
The moving picture business needs
regulation. How long will ii last If II
Is not regulated"
w. H. Goodfellow, an independent
film renter. debated with Gillingham
and asserted that the Moving Picture
Patents Co, in attempting to elimin-
ate competitor. Is contravening the an.
thrust laws. He declared that new
channels have been opened by which
foreign films can be imported. and as.
serted that the exhibitors would be ut.
terly at the mercy OF the trust II they
do not support the independents. II
has brought out during the discussion
that there are 10000 moving picture
theaters in the country.
The organization finally decided by
a rising vote 10 refuse TO sign the
agreements and not TO take out IL
censes. About 81 exhibitors out OF
several hundred in Michigan and Ohio
were present. Cheers were called
forth by the reading OF message
from Toledo that convention of ex-
hibitors there had decided TO stand by
the Independents.
f. w. Sprague acted as chairman
of the meeting. This convention had
been called by the independents, but
the temper OF the xhibitors was such
that both sides were heard in detail
and as long as trust or independent
Representative had anything TO say.
Flat contradictions became the rule In
the latter portion of the debate, but
the battle never wnt byond words.