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THE MUSICAL CRITIC AND TRADE REVIEW.
whose obliging intervention the Museum is indebted
for tho gift in question, has just communicated that
the Messrs. Broadwood propose completing it
shortly by two models of the piano action according
to Cristofori, which will serve as a basis to the
growing collection. That tho idea originated by the
Museum cannot be speedily realized is plain; and,
seeing that necessary types have disappeared, its
complete realization may present serious difficulties.
The results already secured, however, afford a happy
angury for what is to come; and bearing in mind
tho readiness with which manufacturers have re-
sponded, it may be taken for granted that the Brus
sels Museum collection will, at no distant time, be
at least one of more than ordinary interest,"
THE EFFORT FOE A NEW BANKRUPTCY LAW.
LETTER from Topeka, Kan., has the follow-
ing regarding the responses received by
Senator Ingalls to the circular of the Senate Judi-
ciary Committee, asking suggestions as to the pro-
posed new national bankruptcy law:
"Much interest has been manifested, and replies
are being received by Senator Ingalls very general-
ly from those addressed, from all parts of the
country and from persons representing every class
of business interest. The general tenor of the
replies from the commercial interest is: (1) That
a national bankrupt law is needed; (2) that all
officers should be compensated by salaries, and not
by fees; (3) that, as compared "with the law of 1867,
the powers of registers should be increased; (4)
that the amount of indebtedness authorizing the
filing of a petition should exceed $500, the average
amount suggested being $1,000; (5) that composi-
tion settlements should be continued, if carefully
guarded; ((5) that, as compared with the law of
1867, the disci-etionery powers of the court relative
to the granting of discharges should not be en-
larged; (7) that, whatever law is enacted, it should
be simple, inexpensive and speedy in the settle-
ment of the estates. All unite in condemnation of
the law of 1867, not so much on account of the
principles of settlement between creditor and
debtor, as the features of its administration and
system of practice, it being insisted on every hand
that the assets of the bankrupt were wasted and
consumed by the expensive machinery of the court.
It will be remembered that the act of 1867 was re-
pealed in response to the importunate demands of
the creditor class. Many members of Congress in
both houses (Senator Ingalls among the number)
voted for its repeal under protest', stating in their
speeches that the interests of the country required
a bankrupt law, and, therefore, the repeal was un-
wise, and the demand for the retinactment of a
similar law would soon follow.
" Many of the leading commercial and manufac-
turing firms corresponding with the committee op-
pose the enactment of a bankrupt law, believing
and arguing that it would be ruinous to the coun-
try, and open the door for fraud and speculation.
They claim that the honest debtor can always make
a satisfactory and prompt settlement with his credit-
ors. The opposition, it is noted, comes indiscrim-
inately from all parts of the country, and not from
any particular section or sections which could be
regarded as the debtor or creditor portions; and
those opposing legislation in this direction are
generally in favor of the provisions enumerated
above, in case a law on the subject is passed.
'' Some very exhaustive replies have been re-
ceived by Mr. Ingalls from boards of trade, cham-
bers of commerce, and from several of the United
States district judges and ex-registers in bank-
ruptcy, giving the results of their experience under
the old law. Among these, the reply of Judge R.
W. Hughes, of Virginia, is of special interest.
Judge Hughes is emphatically of the opinion that,
unless a different practice and administration from
the old law of 1867 is incorporated in the new law,
none should be enacted. He urges that there
should be no registers, assignees or messengers;
that in bankruptcy cases chancery rules should be
adopted; that a receiver of the estate should be
appointed, and held strictly accountable to the
court, and lie should settle with a commissioner,
likewise appointed by the court in each case for
that purpose and to take testimony, everything to
be under the supervision of the court. Further,
that a liberal discretion should be allowed the
judge as to discharges, subject to a limitation by
law; that all oilicers should be compensated by
fees, as now allowed for similar services in chan-
cery proceedings; that a bankrupt should be re-
quired to waive his right to all State exemption
laws, and only be entitled to a uniform exemption,
which should be a part of the law. The sub-com-
mittee have been greatly aided and assisted in
their endeavors to obtain light on the subject by
the willingness with which editors of some of the
principal commercial papers have furnished from
their files articles and communications bearing
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xipon the general question which have been pub-
lished during the past two years.
" One of the greatest difficulties to be encounter-
ed in treating the question in this country will be
in connection with the homestead and exemption
laws of the different States. The constitutional re-
quirement is that Congress shall have power to pass
uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcy, and, as
the exemption laws in tho different States vary from
a few hundred dollars to an indefinite number of
thousands, there is much trouble in drafting a pro-
vision that will meet this objection. Take the Kan-
sas exemption law for illustration : It covers 160
acres of land in the country, one acre within an in-
corporated city, with all the improvements thereon,
together with much valuable personal property, if
in the form embraced by the law. It is thought
possible, under the Kansas exemption law, to with-
hold property from seizure to the value of $100,000,
and other States have equally liberal enactments.
" T h e sub-committee will probably arrange for
sittings in Chicago, New York, and possibly one or
two other of the principal commercial cities, some
time in October, to hear and receive suggestions
from the merchants and interested parties in con-
nection with the proposed bankruptcy law, in order
that the results of all the information they have
been enabled to obtain may be presented to the en-
tire Judiciary Committee, and by them reported to
the Senate, whose action will doubtless be govern-
ed thereby."
THE WORLD'S FAIR PROJECT.
MONEYED MEN PKOrOSE TO HAVE THE EXHIBITION
AFTER ALL.
REVIVAL of the World's Fair project in this
city, which was generally believed to be dead
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and buried, has been undertaken by a number of
solid capitalists, whose high standing in the busi-
ness community is a sufficient guarantee of the im-
portance of their efforts. The originators of the
new movement have thus far maintained the utmost
secresy in developing their plans, none being ad-
mitted to their confidence save those Avhose co-op-
eration they have desired to enlist. Gentlemen
who are in a position to gain some knowledge of
their intentions, however aver that the dry goods
trade and the hotel business will be largely repre-
sented in the proposed commission, and that strong
pressure will be brought to bear on ex-Judge Hil-
ton to induce him to accept the Presidency, and
thus take the lead among the promoters of the
scheme. Judge Hilton has not yet been approach-
ed on the subject, nor is it a part of the programme
to consult him until the movement has assumed
definite shape. The dry goods men, it is said,
regard him as one of the few men in the city pre-
eminently qualified to fill the position and to carry
the enterprise to a successful end. It is well known
that he is enthusiastically in favor of holding a
World's Fair in New York. Several gentlemen
were conversed with in relation to the project, on
Aug. 20th, by a Times reporter, but none of them
were prepared or at liberty to give definite inform-
ation. Mr. L. M. Bates, of the firm of Bates, Reed
& Cooley, in answer to questions, said : " Last week
a prominent gentleman of this city came to me and
asked if I would join the leading merchants in re-
questing Judge Hilton to make one more effort to
organize a World's Fair. I readily consented, and
I expressed the opinion that if the enterprise had
been left in the hands of Mr. Hilton by the defunct
commission it would have been brought to a suc-
cessful issue. I did not know then, and in fact I
would not venture to say now, that Judge Hilton
would accept the responsibility of striving to resus-
citate an enterprise that almost everybody thought
was dead. In response to a request of the gentle-
man who called on me, I shall write a personal note
to Judge Hilton early next week urging him to ac-
cept. I am convinced that the World's Fair can
be held, and that plenty of enthusiasm can be awak-
ened in its behalf among business men and capital-
ists."
" Are you at liberty, Mr. Bates," the reporter
asked, " t o give the name of the gentleman who so-
licited your co-operation ? "
" N o ; he requested that it should not be men-
tioned," was the reply.
For further particulars Mr. Bates referred the re-
porter to the proprietor of one of the leading Broad-
way hotels, who could only say that such a move-
ment had been started. " I have no knowledge as
to their plans," he remarked, "nor can I inform
you who are the promoters of the scheme. That
the big dry goods men are enthusiastically in favor
of the fair I know to be a fact, for I have talked
with many of the representatives of that trade on
the subject. They are business rivals of Judge
Hilton, yet they all want him to take the lead in
the effort to revive the project. So am I a business
rival of his, but I am willing to give $10,000 if he
September 5th, 1881.
is made President of the World's Fair Commission.
It is a downright shame that the enterprise was per-
mitted to languish and apparently die. It is a stain
on the reputation of the city and State. You can
hardly have an idea of tho universal interest felt in
it by the people all over the country. Why, out
on the Pacific slope, early in the year, business men
were always asking me questions about it and I
boasted that it would assuredly prove a success,
little dreaming that it was dying a lingering death,
and would be abandoned before my return home."
The manager of a large sea-side hotel said, in re-
sponse to the inquiries of the 1'eporter: "Yes, there
is a very strong movement on foot to revive the
scheme of holding a World's Fair, and the men di-
rectly interested in it are very heavy capitalists.
Money does not stand in the way. Yes, sir, these
men are determined that it shall succeed. More
than this I cannot tell you, for I have taken an oath
of secrecy."
"What did you mean," he was asked, "when
you said that money does not stand in the way of
its success '? "
"Well, I mean that it is not wanted in the shape
of subscriptions. There was a great deal of inju-
dicious talk about subscriptions before, which did
much harm."
" Is it true that ex-Judge Hilton will be tender-
ed the Presidency of the new commission ? "
" That I don't know. In fact, I have not heard
his name suggested, but then I have been so con-
fined here that I am ignorant of what has been go-
ing on in the city lately."
"Are the dry goods dealers and the hotel men to
have a large representation in the commission ? "
"No ; that is, I am inclined to think not. But I
am solemnly pledged to maintain secrecy for awhile.
I have already divulged more to you than I should
to my own brother."
Mr. William L. Strong, who was a prominent
member of the late World's Fair Executive com-
mittee, was also seen. He was disinclined to talk,
merely remarking, " I don't know anything at all
about it." His lack of knowledge on the subject
is not surprising in view of the fact that the gentle-
men interested in the new movement have been ex-
tremely careful not to consult any of those who
took part in the recent abortive effort to organize
a World's Fair.
THE MILWAUKEE EXPOSITION ORGAN.
ORK on the organ for the Milwaukee Exposi-
tion is being pushed as rapidly forward as
possible. It is an organ of 4 manuals, and 52
stops. Nine of them are mechanical registers and
the rest are musical. The organ has a pneumatic
action, with six pneumatic couplers. The manuals
have 61 notes and the pedals 30 notes. The great
organ has 13 stops; the swell has 14 stops; the
choir has 7 stops; the solo 2 stops; and tho pedals
7 stops. There are 9 mechanical movements. The
following is the list of stops in the great organ:
Clarion, trumpet, acuta, mixture, fifteenth, twelfth
octavo, harmonic flute, doppel flote, gamba, viola,
open diapason, 8 feet, open diapason, 1G feet.
The choir has Jhe following stops:
Melodia, dulciana, geigen principal, flute, fugara,
piccolo, clarinet.
The swell has the following stops:
Vox huniana, comoptoan, oboe, octave, violina,
flautina, mixture, salicional, stopped diapason,
quintadena, flauto, traverso, open diapason, vox
celestes, bourdon,
The pedals have the following stops:
Violone, bourdon, violoncello, open diapason,
trombone, great quint, bass note.
The following are the mechanical stops:
Tremolo, swell to choir, solo to pedale, choir to
pedale, swell to pedale, great to pedalo, solo super 8
vo., great to solo, bellows signal.
The organ is built by E. & G. C. Hook & Hast-
ings, Boston.
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CORRESPONDENCE
INQUIRIES AI3OUT THOS. ItAVEN.
TENNESSEE correspondent writes us as fol-
lows :
" Please be so kind as to write us fully who Thos.
Raven is, where his factory Is, and the grade of his
pianos—how they are rated in New York, and the ex
tent of his manufacure, in fact any information con-
cerning it you can.
"Your answer shall be strictly confidential if you
request it so. By an early answer you will confer a
great favor."
[We do not consider it necessary that our reply
to the above letter should be confidential. Mr.
Thos. Raven is well known to the trade here as be-
ing a member of one of the oldest firms in this
city, although in consequence of financial em-
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