The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-18
TO BUST A
BIG TRUST
Vaudeville Managers Form
Another Trust.
- i4s !
MARION MAN INTERESTED
Il. S. Vail is on the Board of
Directors.
The Association Determined to
Stand with the Independent
Moving Picture Men.

II. s. Vail, manager Of the Marion
Family theater, was yesterday elect
ed a director of the National Vaude-
Vile Managers Association, controll-
ing about 200 vaudeville theaters,
which is in session at Columbus. The
association has formulated plans for
fighting the moving picture film
trust and the five cent moving pic
ture and vaudeville shows. The fol-
lowing story of the meeting will be
OF interest here:
Backed by the money of every
vaudeville house in the country, the
National Vaudeville Managers asso-
citation, numbering more than 200
members, in executive session at the
Chittenden hotel yesterday voted TO
fight the moving picture trust by
using independent films and ma
chimes and asking congress to repeal
the present high tariff on foreign
films.
"a lively discussion was entered I'm
to and kilograms received from all
over the country from the largest
vaudeville houses, It was announced,
that a crisis had been reach
ed. 1t appears that there are at least
four times as many independent man
uracturers as there are in the trust.
The fight started six months ago,
when the trust levied a fee of 81 n
week for every moving picture ma
chine in operation which they con-
trolled, and by increasing the rental
rates 80 per cent. The independents
perfected machine of their own and
are competing successfully with
them.
Bylaws and constitution were
yesterday for the purpose Of
every vaudeville association
in the country and seven applications
for membership were received. The
purpose OF the enlarged organiza-
tion is to promote the vaudeville
business to a higher standard and to
knock out the combination 5 and 10
cent moving picture and vaudeville
theater and to close up, II possible,
the large number Of exclusive moving
picture houses, which are seriously
interfering with the vaudeville ticket
office.
Louis H. Ramsey, newly elected
secretary of the association, said:
"Our meeting was called primarily
to settel the moving picture ques-
tion. We decided to stand by the
independents, as we do not believe
in the methods being pursued by the
trust. 1t would eventually mean
confscation of our theaters II we al
lowed things to go on without a
fight. While we are of necessity
members OF the vaudeville trust, we
do not pursue unjust methods to
beat competition as the picture trust
is doing
1--WE have the support OF every pic
ture house and vaudeville manager in
the country, and we will next petit
tion congress, through our individual
congressman. to take action toward
holding tariff rates on films at such
price that we can get them in COM
petition against the trust.
Officers were elected for the fol-
lowing year, as follows: William
McShaffrey, Monnessen, Pa, presi-
dent; Ray Anderson, Muncie, Ind,
vice president; Louis II. Ramsey,
Lexington, KY. secretary; o. G.
Murray, Richmond, Ind. treasurer.
These officers and the following will
constitute the board OF directors:
John F.. Mccarthy, Hamilton; II. s.
Vail, Marion, and B. s. Farzier, Oil
City, Pa.
IA banquet was given to the sc mem
hers present by Gus Sun, booking
agent for the association. A magnifi-
cent diamond studded Masonic charm
was presented to Mt. Sun by the
members Of the association. 1t was
voted to hold the next meeting OF
thn oauo0iofion ~ Tto1t,u,l,,., 49,, -