Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
Co. It further demonstrates the absolute
faith of the trade in this reputable concern.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Matter.
T
HERE is a remote possibility that the
much-talked-of medals promised suc-
cessful exhibitors at the World's Fair will
be ready for distribution around the end of
the century. It is now announced, how-
ever, that the process of manufacture has
so far progressed that they will leave the
workmen's hands by next July. These
promises, it will be remembered, have been
made before. Whenever the medals make
their appearance they will act as an ever-
lasting reminder of the one and only John
Boyd Thacher.
TRANGE, indeed, what changes the
whirligig of time brings forth. In 1889
when we were advocating the formation of a
Piano Manufacturers' Association for more
than social purposes, many members of the
trade press dissented from us. Among other
things we advocated the formation of a
Music Trade Club in the cities of New
York, Boston and Chicago. It is rather
amusing just at the present time to see
members of the craft who were strongly op-
posed to the establishment of such clubs,
now strongly advocate their formation.
Verily " the world do move."
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S
fOR U)e cause tfeit lacks assistance,
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For tfes future \nj.\$ (fistaBce, 1 ^' 'j<\
flijd tfe« good ftal we can do."
W
UST compare this paper typographically
with any that you receive this week.
Our new dress of type has wonderfully im-
proved the appearance of THE MUSIC
TRADE REVIEW. Our news department, we
think, is rather improving in tone; in fact,
taken altogether, our service was never bet-
ter than to-day. We are not given to in-
dulging in pyrotechnics regarding our own
work, yet occasionally we like to emphasize
improvements which we are making.
-^•^
J
T
HINGvS have assumed a roseate hue
with Hardman, Peck & Co.. Not
only have they paid the business install-
ment of the settlement agreed upon in Oc-
tober, '93, but they have taken up and
cancelled over $175,000 of their indebted-
ness running far beyond Feb. 1st, the date
of the legal maturity of their first notes.
This is certainly a wonderful record, and
the courageous and business-like way with
which Mr. Leopold Peck took hold of the
financial helm and steered the fortunes of
his house from danger shoals to the deep
water of financial prosperity, illustrates the
ability of the man, and the bright future in
store for the house of Hardman, Peck &
ILLIAM I. BUCHANAN, United
States Minister in the Argentine
Republic, reports under date of Janu-
ary io, that a new tariff bill has passed
through the Argentine Congress. Owing
to the friendly spirit of the Argentine Min-
ister of Foreign Affairs, and the tariff Com-
mission, considerable reductions have been
made in favor of a large number of pro-
ducts of the United States. In fact, the
new tariff displays a strong partiality in
favor of the manufactured and other pro-
ducts of this country. This is good news
for our exporter.
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HINGS have been lively among the
National Guardsmen in New York
during the past week, owing to the Brook-
lyn strike. Albert and William Strauch, of
Strauch Bros., Robert Kammerer and
George N. Grass, of George Steck & Co.,
are prominent Seventh Regiment members
who have been ready to serve their State on
all occasions. There are also others in the
music trade who are prominent Guardsmen.
The National Guard is made up of men
most of whom are young, and who are in-
spired only by the fascination of the mili-
tary life. No such compensation as they
receive would induce them to submit to the
service, discipline and the great, great dis-
comforts and frequent dangers of the life of
a citizen soldier. It is sometimes surpris-
ing that so many are willing to undergo
the hardships and exactions of the service
for the pleasure to be found in it. Hardly
any influence is better in the life of a young
man in a large city than this, and in no
other school of patriotism could so large a
proportion of our young men be taught so
high a respect for law. Dignity, manly
bearing and a keen sense of duty to the
State and organized society are the results
of service in the National Guard. Certainly
a more liberal recognition of the value of
our citizen soldiers by legislators, both
National and State, ought to result upon
their quick response to summons on such a
crisis as the Brooklyn strike.
.
, ..
BUSINESS CONDITIONS.
TALK with many of the leading
manufacturers and dealers in the
piano and kindred industries during the
past week affords a pretty good foundation
on which to base expectations anent the
outlook for Spring trade. The most im-
portant conditions of the present situation
are that stocks all over the country are de-
pleted, and, so far as can be estimated,
there is no serious obstacle in the way of a
return to more presperous conditions. In-
deed, this may be safely affirmed. The
picture to-day is a more pleasing one than
that of a year ago. At that time impend-
ing and unsatisfactory legislation barred
progress, and the hopes entertained of
bettered business conditions were not en-
tirely realized. That barrier at least has
been removed, and the outlook can now be
gauged with more certainty than was the
case twelve months ago.
A
A prominent factor at the present time,
which is thought by some as likely to ad-
versely affect the prosperity of the present
season, is the disorganized state of the Fed-
eral finances. This may interfere somewhat,
it is true, but we have the opinion of very
eminent men that it is- not likely to be a
serious danger or a paramount hindrance to
the development and growth of the season's
business. Manufacturers with whom we
have talked are not only anticipating a
heavy Spring trade, but they are quite
optimistic as to the future business pros-
pects. With this view of things in mind,
manufacturers all over the States will
wisely keep a goodly stock of manufactured
instruments on hand, for contrary to the
condition of things a year ago, instruments
will be in demand early in the season. This
is supported in a measure by the number of
dealers in town for the past ten days. In
fact the number is far above the average