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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
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TO P I ^ ^ O AND ORGAN MAKERS.
IN advocating, during these many months, the forma-
tion of a Piano and Organ Makers' Protective Union,
we have not lost sight of the fact that those who fight
for the establishment of any good and worthy cause
must be content to remain awhile without •encourage-
ment. The history of the world bristles with stories
of benefactors of their species whose early efforts to
benefit their fellows were ignored, ridiculed, and das-
pised, but who patiently and gallantly pressed toward
the goal which they had marked out, and on arriving
there received the crown of laurels from the very in-
dividuals who had formerly spat upon and derided them.
have'no manner of fear or concern as to the ultimate
apportionment of ho«ors and rewards. What we are
anxious about is the firm establishment of the Piano-
makers' Union, and pending such establishment we
shall continue to make the desirability for that union
our leading issue.
We have again and again spoken of the disabilities
under which our musical instrument manufacturers lie
in consequence of their disorganized condition—long
credits, cutting of prices, and so forth. It is not neces-
sary to dwell on these particulars hare, or now. The
great point is to form the Piano and Organ Makers'
Protective Union, which, once started, will speedily ar-
range for the discussion and redress of grievances.
No such chaos as now characterizes the business
affairs of piano-makers exists in other trades. The
grocers have their union; the boss builders have their
union; the brewers have their union; the boot and shoe
men have their union; all these and many others meet
annually or at other intervals to discuss and take action
upon matters that are of vital importance to their re-
spective trades.
Let us hear from our manufacturers upon this matter,
of such serious import to them. All questions having a
legal bearing will be answered, and all information in
any way relating to the subject will gladly be imparted
by THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
AS we were the first
and most persistent advocates of the movement, so will
we stand by it and foster it until it has attained a strong
and perfect development.
As a primary practical step, we would ask that some
of the leading manufacturers write to us with sugges-
tions as to the proper time and place for holding a pre-
liminary meeting.
TRADE REVIEW.
These attacks filled up a certain
amount of space, all of which is vacant now that he has
been ignominiously defeated and disgraced in his every
encounter with us. Then, again, he does not steal so
many items from our columns as he formerly did, and
as, if he can't have them without giving proper credit,
he won't have them at all, there goes so much more
blank space to his credit. Further, a glance at THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, with its columns ever replete
with matter of interest to the trade, will show by con-
trast what sort of care our trade contemporary takes of
the interests of his advertising patrons.
*
JUDGING from the letters that have come to our notice
in regard to the alleged uncommercial conduct of Mr.
A. A. Fisher, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the reports
that have been published in the music trade press in
reference to the same matter, it appears to us that, even
if Mr. Fisher's action does not render him liable to legal
prosecution, he has committed such serious breaches of
confidence as to deserve the just condemnation of the
trade, which would be brought into much unmerited
disrepute were his proceedings allowed to remain un-
challenged.
The slurring remarks upon certain leading dealers,
made by Mr. Fisher in his letter to the Cedar Rapids
Gazette, will not, in the minds of impartial and honor-
able men, tend to strengthen his case.
* •
IN order that this issue of THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
might be distributed before the glorious Fourth, our
last form of the present number was sent to press at
noon of Monday the 1st inst.
*
Up to that date, by-the by, we had not received our
* *
copy
for the 26th ult., of that music trade paper which
In one respect, the course of THE MUSIC TRADE
OUR PARIS LETTER.
is " published every Wednesday." How is this ? Where
REVIEW, in this matter of a trade protective union,
ON another page will bAfound the first of a series of
was the Courier when Wednesday came around ?
n*as baen doubly difficult. The man who is hotly op-
letters from Miss j a |j(^Lilian King, our special cor-
Is it " in the soup ?"
posed, maligned, or derided is thereby stimulated to
respondent at the Paris Exposition. This communica-
*
further fight, but he who is met with mere stolid in-
tion, remarkable as evidencing the powers of observa-
* *
difference, being neither opposed nor encouraged, has
tion and the charming naivete" ol the writer, cannot but
THE reports published in the New York dailies, and
to wage a doubly hard battle.
prove of interest to our readers.
copied into some of the musical papers of the country, of
For a long time we wrote, and wrote, and wrote,
A number of musical exhibits are fully described, the the burglary of our Mr. E, L. Bill's home, were substan-
urging piano and organ makers to organize, and point-
chief contributions from this country appearing to be, tially correct. The writers omitted to state, however,
ing out how such a unification as we advocated would
at present at least, pianos from Albert Weber of New that among the articles abstracted by the thieves, who
operate to the removal of many evils that now afflict
York, violins and other stringed instruments from Boh- were apparently as devoid of sentiment as they were of
the trade, to the 49gendering of a spirit of natural good
manh of Chicago, and the files of THE MUSIC TRADE
honesty, were Mr. Bill's faithful grip, which had accom-
will, and to the general well-being of the trade. We
REVIEW—the only music trade journal in the English, panied him on many a triumphant expedition in all
need only call attention to the editorials appearing in
language, by the way, that has a special stand at tke Ex- parts of the country, and his favorite British Bulldog
our issues of August 5, Aug. 20, Sept. 20, Nov. 20,
position. In future letters from Miss King, possibly revolver, who was captured, teeth and all, without mak-
T888, and Jan. 5, Jan. 20, May 5 and June 5 of the
we may come upon some of the reasons why, in an im- ing a show of resistance.
present year, as showing the persistence with which
portant international Exhibition like that of Paris, there
*
we have urged the trade to take action in this matter.
should be a total absence of representation of all the
* *
Th«se urgings and beseechings did not bear fruit
great piano-makers of America save one firm. That
SPEAK UP, Mr. BLUMENBERG.
very rapidly. For a considerable time it seemed that
one firm, we doubt not, will hold its own, and reflect
T H E bellowings of Mr. Blumenberg, anent the recent
mahogany or mottled walnut could not have been more
honor upon the United States; but it seems to us legislation by the Legislature of New York State on
irresponsive to our most reasonable appeal than were
strange indeed that scores of American piano makers, the subject of trade-marks, are probably misleading.
our piano-making friends.
the very flower of their craft, and to whose labors and Some time has elapsed since we pointed this out, for
Within thp past week or two, however, we have ob-
genius the musical world will be forever indebted
the edification of the trade in general, and of Mr. Blu-
serted indications of ^ fact that the seed sown by us
should have refrained from demonstrating, in the face menberg in particular. Backed by eminent legal au-
was not thrown entirely upon stony ground. Other trade
of the nations of the earth, their position as the leading thority, we believe that we made it clear that this legis-
journals are falling in with our views, and here and there
lation, boldly called into requisition by Marc for the
spirits in so splendid and mighty an industry.
piano make*6 whose prices have been cut to a desper-
*
purposes of his so-called "Stencil war," did not in the
ately low figure have been heard saying that, after all,
least affect the right or power of a man to paint his
"PERMANENTLY ENLARGED."
there was something in the arguments of " those Bill
name and address on the fall-board of a piano. It was
SOMK months ago a trade contemporary was "per-
fellows." The cloud has arisen. At present it is only
not, we feel justified in affirming, intended to affect any
as big as a man's hand; but almost before the trade are manently enlarged," to use the words of some of its
such thing, and cannot by any Blumenbergian process
aware of its existence they will be participators in the satellites or readers, to forty pages. Within a week or
of mystification be shown to affect any such thing.
copious showers of blessings with which it is pregnant. two it came down to thirty-six pages; then it fell to
Several weeks have passed since we made Mr. Blu-
The other trade papers, though following our lead, twenty-eight, and lo ! its last issue is of but twenty-four
menberg acquainted with what we believe to be the
have not had the grace to admit that THE MUSIC TRADE
pages, of which less than four page6 are devoted to the
facts of this matter, and invited him to express his
REVIEW began the movement. That, however, is of no music trade.
opinion upon our presentation of the case. He has
consequence. We shall contpue to lead, to be in the
We can, in part, account for this. The would-be pu- not expressed any opinion upon it. We repeat the in-
van of the Protective Union Army, to receive the hard gilistic editor of this attenuated sheet, who foolishly
vitation.
knocl^, and to fight the littles nqt of a firm, or a news- tries to silence his opponents by hitting them below the
Let it not be understood that, in taking such action
kv or of an editor, b«t of a vast industry; and we bait, once upon a time saw fit to attack THE MUSIC
in this matter as we have done, we are actuated by any
love for the practice of stenciling pianos.
Mr. Blumen-