Evening star., 1923-12-26
CIRCUS BUSINESS
/ HAS BOOM YEAR
records Prove Whole Nation
Is Prosperous - Huge
: Taxes Paid Government.
BY j. c. ROYLE.


NEW YORK, December 3G.-The
outdoor showmen of the country have
lad wonderful year in 1929. They
AVE paid into the national Treasury
more, money in amusement taxes
han all the other outdoor amuse-
-ients put together, including pro-
5essional base ball. OF far more sig
ai1cance, however. than the sums
which have accrued to the Treasury
department, or than the fact the
howmen closed the season with
: took and pocketbooks both fat, is
he assurance the year has given
through the circus that almost all
ines and localities have experienced
rosperity.
The larger part Of the golden
NarTest of the circus was gathered
n the ticket wagons of about 130
abroad shows. which boast from
zen cars of rolling stock up to the
, retentious forty-car carnival shows,
:; nd of about 400 "gilly" shows.
rsctions, which demand on local
ransfer companies to move their
quipment stock and paraphernalia.
ne taxes these shows pald into
1922 and 1923. and as they formed
&. definite proportion of gross re-
eipts 1t Is evident the industry had
60 big year.
The real point of origin of all re-
eipts to the circus" said Thomas
u. Johnson, general counsel and com
missioner of the Chowmen's Legisla-
i've Committee of America, who oc-
- upies position somewhat similar
that of Commis sioner Lands in
,ase ball and Augustus Thomas in
he theater, sis the pocketbooks Of
he people living in thousands Of
tiles, towns and villages in every
tate in the Union. We have pros
cred greatly this year. Therefore
he folks of this country cannot be
cry poverty stricken"
he shows over which his authority
sxtends, however. do not include the
argest c.rcuses, which play only the
cry large cities in thickly populated
.istricts. Officials of the latter stated
oday, in reply To questions us to
low they Jared in 1923, that the
he best in the history of the saw
tust rings
Cattle show is barometer.
One interesting phase of the com
lents made by Johnson and a dozen
ther shoWmen was their statements
mat of course, we knew. way back at
he start of the season that we d
aake money" They explained that
hey based this prediction on the re-
ults of the Fort Worth, Tex. fat
soek show. This. showmen say: is
heir outlays, itineraries and other
Dlans for the year. At is tradition
mong them that this indicator has
lever gone wrong.
Showmen estimate that carnival
md midway crowds during the year
numbered far over 100, ,000,0 900 people,
many of course being ''repeaters."
.ctual cash Customers who paid their
way into one or more of the various
.yttractions totaled 100000 men.
women and children. or more.
Circus people. however, emphasized
ross receipts and the net profits
here lies a tremendous expense
tai.road and other transportation
sDls are enormous even for the small
en- ar shoWs and large sums are re-
luired to feed the animals and the
rmy of human workers every day.
On strictly Cash Basis.
However. the circus is one business
n which there is little, il any, waste.
is the one enterprise which is run
N strictly cash basis. Even the
orse feed is bought and paid for
ally and each night the circus man
cement knows exactly where 1t
tanus so far as profits, loss. receipts
md expenditures are concerned. Nat
rally a knowledge of this sort en-
bles the management to find the
eaks and stop them.
The circus a.so reflects conditions
n each locality with accuracy. since
ts supplies must be purchased at
ocaI Lrice levels and its receipts de-
'end on the purchasing power of the
Inhabitants.
One Of the features of the year was
he development of the rodeos or cow
.oy sports tournaments into a factor
n the amusement field. There has
rown up a rodeo circuit followed
VI professional riders, ropers and
romeo busters during the summer,
nfbracinE Cheyenne, Pendleton and
. ther cities, and winding up in the
winter at Madison square Garden,
here the youngest of the Rtngltne.
anily introduces the western sports
Q the easternerS.