Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-06-02
MOTION PICTURES sUaPAss
EVEN 5A3EBALL IN
POPULARITY.
$4,000, 600 is INVESTED IN 1000
THEATERs-cHIcAGo
HAS 3fs.
HARMFUL SUBJECTS BENG
acknowledgements MADE
REPUTABLE.
SUBJECTS


serves its title as the national sport
Of America. there is at least one
other diversion which attracts a
greater number OF Americans. About
100000 persons paid admission to
baseball games in the record-break-
ing season Of 1908; the moving-pic-
ture show drew an attendance of
100000 daily, total attendance of
more than a billion; or an average
OF one visit a month to this form of
amusement for every man. woman
and child il the whole country.
Already this infant industry has
developed 10 point where S50,e00,-
900 is invested in It, and 1000 NOV
ing-picture houses are scattered over
the country. OF the larger cities,
Chicago has at present 313 moving
picture shows, and will probably
have 500 before the end of the pres
ent year New York has 800, st. Louis
205, Philadelphia 1856. San Francisco
131, Pittsburgh 80, and Boston 81
towns have from one to a dozen, and
the craze has extended to Mexico,
Central and South America, and the
Panama canal zone.
Nearly 100000 feet, or 1870 miles
of films are shown every day in the
United States. At the average rate of
speed fourteen separate pictures pass
the eye every second that the ma.
chine is in motion, so that every day
making of these films is in itself an
enormous business. The organiza-
ton which controls them not only
has agents photographing scenes in
everypart of the world, but maintains
theaters and out f-door establish
ments, where complete plays and all
sorts of other activities are present
ed before the camera.
Until recently, theaters were, as a
rule, segregated in certain sections
of the large cities. Cities like New
York, Chicago and Philadelphia
cover such areas that the working.
people had little or no time after re
turning from their days work to
travel to distant section for recre-
alton. Besides, it was expensive. To
a man who has to support family
on small earnings every nickel
counts, and carfare is a serious con.
sideration.
At doors Of the poor.
Instead of the millions of these
people having to go to the moving
picture show, 1t has come to them
In every neighborhood in the large
cities the shows have been estab-
iished. In fact, thew ale most mum
erous in the thickly populated parts
of the city. The moving picture
exhibitor does not have to go to the
expense of constructing theater
His equipment is so simple that all
that is necessary is to rent a store
or hall, to comply with fire regula
tons, and to ornament It inexpens
lively. The cost is insignificant com
pared to that of equipi'ing the regu
charge of nickel or dime brings
within the reach of millions of per
sons form of entertainment which
formerly they could not afford.
Vaudeville managers did not fore
see few years ago that moving pic
ture shows would chase out vaude
vile itself and become new and ex
tensive national institution. But thi:
is precisely what has happened. With
in the last year at least thousand
theaters in the United states whict
formerly made an exclusive specially
Of vaudeville have been forced tc
abandon that style of amusement
for moving pictures. Where but g
year or two ago vaudeville in these
theaters was the important feature
and moving picture scenes incidental
the condition is now reversed. If q
remnant OF vaudeville remains, II
is merely confined to a singer or two
who carol an accompaniment to e
pathetic or humorous picture thrown
upon the scene.
1t is because the hoving-picturt
show has become so firmly est2b
lished as an amusement fol the
masses that movements are u1del
way in many cities to improve the
quality of the pictures sEcw
A Purifying Movement.
There is in progress a winnowine
out process that is improving the
quality and influence Of the picture!
displayed It is recognized that de
pietioDs of ain robberies. kndnap
pings and arson, drunkenness, as
saults and murders have anything bu
a salutary effect upon the minds o
spectators. especially in the case o
youthful persons, who attend moving
picture performances in great nun
beers. III most cases these views wea,
poorly pCse5-were faxed, " - us,
the term employed in the hrsh ess-
and bore no resemblance to real life
Al one tire considerable prop0I
tion 81 the moving picture views mad
In The United States were takes.
Scenes supposed TO show Beers ant
Br8ons in d1y conflict really repre-
scented MODS Of "supe-S charging ul
or down JERSEY hi.lsides, and sucI
subjects as "fhe conviCt's escape" an,
~the drur kard's home" were pose,
with only BE- crudest attempt at gen6
ire realism. Nine 81 The largest cor
Germs So fhl United STATES and Fnr0D