The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-06-25
barometer Of Public Opinion


Editor World. In today's issue Of your paper
! notice an article in Barometer Of public op!n.
ion, from Laurence Simmons, and ! wish TO auu
these few remarks. | viii soon be forty -iN'
years of age and every since can r'm'Hln'i'
boys as well as men, have been rohbing' stca'-
ing and numbering. ! do not know What w
rcformcrs laid It To before the advent OF the
motion picture, but they did II then Just lnc
same as they do II now and the motion picture
has been here only about fifteen years | nave
been running the Wonderland theatre at TINS
place for the past nine years. and have yet
TO see u single incident In motion picture where
the criminal escaped punishment for his crimes.
then where Is the incentive to the man or woman
to commit crime. The motion picture II human
life, and the evil characters in the picture are
the evil characters In real life with the ex-
ccption that tho criminal In the picture never
goes unpunished. The criminal character IL
put in the picture, not to teach crime but 10
teach good by showing up the consequence OF
crime | agree with MIR simmons that no pic
turc produced by an eN-outlaw should be shewn,
and last January l, sat In a convention NJ
oklahoma city that voted unanimous to not
show these pictures In the state OF Oklahoma,
and for one am living up to this agreement.
and believe the majority OF the exhibitors OF
the state who have the future welfare Of their
profession, and the moral teachings of our busi-
ness above the dollar mark are also living up
to this agreement | have lived in the old
Indian Territory and the new Oklahoma for the
past thirty ono years ana have seen many out
laws come ana go, and am personally acquainted
with Henry star, and am a close friend of some
Of his near relatives, yet do not believe and
I am honest I'm my belief, that Mr.. star should
exploit his past deeds on the motion picture
screen, even though nc does show that his
career failure, in order 20 make capitol
by 30 doing. Neither do believe that cx-
outlaw should go on the lecture stage or profess
religion and go in tho pulpit, though some of
the so-called reformerS viii not agree with
me- and II star had OF chosen this course you
Sould not have heard OF any asking some
Tulsa. | know from personal contact for years
that In teaching education the motion picture
screen stands right up next to the public schools,
and the screen brings the whole world and all
beautiful q
the world to your feet, brings all the races Of
the earth and their strange customs to our very
doors. And in teaching morals religion and the
right way to live and treat your fellow man,
the motion picture screen stands right up next
see there are things that ! would have left out
II | had Of been making II, also in every book
! read ! find paragraphs that does not suit me,
Also In every sermon hear preached, there are
things that | cannot agree with, yet others do.
In fact there has never been but perfect
thing in this world and ne was crucified
Mr.. simmons says that he attends the motion
picture entertainments, and / am glad he does
for he can discuss the subject so much more
intcliigently Most Of the so-callcd reformers
are 50 prejuclde that they will not see motion
pictures and are therefore ignorant Of what they
are talking about In almost every paper one
may find crmo committed and the criminal
never caught and punished | feel safe In say
ing that the two boys who robbed and shot
the old man in hts store In Tulsa a few days ago
never saw motion picture OF crime COM
mitted and the criminal go unpunishcd, yet
YOU never hear OF anyone asking for a censorship
or dallN papers, ana no ono never asks for their
circulation 10 be Kept out OF the corporation Of
any town or city. We have In our little city
so-collcd saints. who have never witnessed the
great scenes ON my screen, who fight my place
Of business every chance they have but when
a Niger minstrel or cheap vaudeville show,
under canvas, makes It's appearance they almost
break their nccks to see who can get there first
and sometimes even dismiss their religious scr-
vices to attend. There Is stll great room for
the Improvement of motion pictures and those
who attend know that they are improving every
day The greatest writer's and the greatest
artists In the world arc today writing and play
ing for tho screen. The thing for the people
who have the welfare ~ their country nj heart
To- do Is TO got behind the exhibitor who brin rs
the good pictures to their town patroni2c him
and encourage him, and not stay away and
condemn the whole thing as many do. Too
many exhibitors are willing TO play TO the class
of people who pay them the most money
whether they are the better element of their
town or not.
T.. H. RUGHER
Sallls1w, Okla, June %,