weapons can be handled. A comedy scene, "Sunny Africa," takes place in a concert hall on Eighth avenue, New York, frequented by the colored element. Buck dancing, cake walking, etc., are indulged in. The bully resents the attentions paid to his sweetheart by a dusky gentleman. Immediately razors are drawn, and the affair winds up in a rough house. In "Sons of the Ould Sod" we show a laughable scrap between Haggerty and Fogarty, caused by the accidental dropping of a wet sheet by Mrs. Haggerty from her window upon the head of Fogarty. The men battle furiously, until that soothing balm to hurt feelings—beer—is proffered by the ever-thoughtful Mrs. Haggerty. "America" then serves as an appropriate finale. The scene is magnificently decorated with emblems of all nations, the American eagle surmounting them. In harmony, peace and good-will the characters of the different nations appear, making it an allegorical representation of "Peace," with Uncle Sam presiding at a congress of the Powers.
Correspondence.
A LONG-FELT WANT.
Editors, Moving Picture World:
For some time past, it has been patent that the trade actually required a medium through which its requirements could be made known, but that medium to be absolutely fearless and independent. Thus far no publication has been introduced, and it is, therefore, with great pleasure I hail the advent of The Moving Picture World and View Photographer and wish it Godspeed. If, as it has been reported, The Moving Picture World will be subject to no certain class (and I believe it will be all that is claimed for it), your success is assured.
The only regret I have at the present time is that you cannot discriminate between the legitimate and the illegitimate, and by that I mean, refuse to accept advertisements from those who do not originate, but who copy all that is good in machines and films and have the brazen audacity to claim that they are originators. However, that may come later on.
There are pirates in all branches of trade, and it could not be otherwise than that they have been introduced in this line; but I frankly believe that the public, to use a popular expression, is becoming wise to the fact, and the angel born every day, popularly designated under a more homely term, will be induced to make extended inquiries before he invests his money.
There are sufficient good machines and good pictures on the market to-day to supply the demand without going into the cheap imitations. These imitations appeal to the "cheap" class of showmen, who lose sight of the fact that, generally speaking, an article cheap in price is likewise cheap in quality, and this explains more eloquently than words why a machine breaks down during a performance, whether it is concert or Nickelodeon work, and the audience invariably condemns the operator, whereas they should condemn the proprietor, who, in order to save a few dollars, has bought a worthless article.
I hope in your editorials you will try to train a prospective purchaser of an outfit to buy a good article at a slight advance in price and thus save him the humiliation he will be subjected to if he buys an article merely because the catalogue is handsomely illustrated.
I wish you unbounded success, and remain,
A PLEA FOR FAIR TREATMENT OF THE OPERATOR
The Editor of Moving Picture World:
What is an operator? A machine, a slave, a dog to be kicked, or a man to whom some consideration should be shown? We have in mind two types of operators, how they were treated, and the results. One class were working for a firm, and were treated as though they were serfs. We first noticed some fifteen or eighteen youths varying from seventeen to twenty years of age waiting in a corridor on Saturday at 2, and asked one, "What was doing?" "Oh," said he, "we are waiting for the dough, and have been here since 12 o'clock, waiting the boss's pleasure." While doing our business there was a scuffle, a fall, and some hearty laughter; when one of the principals of the firm went into the corridor and railed at these youths, with some of the vilest language ever heard outside Hades, thoroughly cowing and frightening all the fun out of them, threatening to keep them another two hours before he paid them their stipends of from eight to ten dollars, which he ultimately did do, they getting away about 4:15 o'clock. Now, note the sequel! We met one of these youths during the week, and commiserated with him. He said: "Oh, that's nothing; we are used to that. But I got even with him." "How?" we naturally asked. "Why, I cracked three condensors, scratched about 60 or 70 feet of film with a file, and took a $40 job off the boss to So-and-so, with whom I am going to work on Monday next." There he was better treated, and, we believe, is doing well. We tried to argue about the principal and the morality of the matter, showing there was no justification for being so spiteful. It was all in vain. He made up his mind to get even according to his light; and he got it. He was treated like no human being ought to be treated; and, like a dog who has been whipped without cause, when his master turned his back he snarled and bit his heel.
Now a brighter picture. A friend of ours who has held his present position for some years, speaking of his experiences, said his employer made it worth while to keep everything spick and span. He received a commission on all repeat orders he secured, and he often sold his machine outright at the place of exhibition. He never had a quarrel or harsh word all the time he had been em-
