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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
encouraging and hopeful. In fact a revival
of prosperity is already here. We are not ex-
periencing it in the music trade perhaps but
in a number of other industries it is mark-
edly apparent. The leading authorities in
the commercial world who have made a
LYMAN
Editor and Proprietor.
special study of the situation are unanimous
in the opinion that the danger line has
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
been passed, and that after the passage of
3 East 14th St.. New York
the tariff bill, which is now certain to occur
SUBSCRIPTION (Including postage) United States and
within the next few weeks, an augmenta-
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
tion of confidence will result leading up
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, 6ingle column, per
Insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dia-
connt it allowed.
to a full measure of prosperity.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
fc* made payable to Edward Lyman BilL
The music trades cannot fail to share in
the
business betterment the coming fall.
B*t«r*d mi th* Ntw Ywk Post Offict as Second-Class Mmttmr.
Stocks are low; dealers have been buying
NEW YORK, JUNE 26, 1897.
cautiously, and manufacturers can feel safe
TELEPHONE NUMBER 1745. — BIQHTEENTH STREET.
in preparing for a very fair output—
nothing phenomenal, but a healthy and
THE KEYNOTE.
accentuating demand for their products.
The first week of each month, The Review
wHI contain a supplement embodying the liter-
ary and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a trade
paper.
THE TRADE DIRECTORY.
The Trade Directory, which is a feature of
The Review each month, is complete. In it ap-
pear the names and addresses of all firms en-
gaged in the manufacture of musical instruments
and the allied trades. The Review is sent to
the United States Consulates throughout the
world, and is on file in the reading rooms of the
principal hotels in America.
THE TRADE OUTLOOK.
HIS week we enter upon the close of the
first six months of 1897. An inventory
ot business for that period is not necessary
to reveal that the season's trade has been
somewhat of a disappointment. The ex-
pectations of manufacturers that there
would be a marked stimulus in business
after the present administration took
charge has not been realized.
This has been due to several causes.
A feeling of over-confidence prevailed.
People overlooked that "we had suffered
three years of unparalleled depression
and were unreasonable enough to expect
trade to rush in at once.
Again, the indifference of our legislators
to the business interests of the country
through their dilatory action in the matter
of tariff legislation has helped to prevent
the growth of that confidence which is es-
sential to commercial health and prosperity.
Although business on the whole for the
past six months has been better than for
the same period a year ago, yet a
greater feeling of dissatisfaction exists
because much more was expected.
Now that we are on the eve of a new
fiscal year, what of the future?
It is our opinion that the outlook is most
T
The Music Trades Association of Great
Britain will hold an exhibition of their
products in London at the Holborn Town
Hall, London, opening on the 28th inst.
and closing on July 26. This is to be es-
sentially a " trade" or business exhibition,
and designed not for the general public,
but for the dealers. It has no connection
with a somewhat similar enterprise which
will be engineered by Messrs. Benjamin
next month. We learn that from seventy-
five to 100 pianos will be on exhibition
and a large number of organs.
The exhibition as outlined above would
hardly be practical in this country, where
the principal manufacturers keep a good
display of their products on exhibition in
their own warerooms. For small manu-
facturers, however, whose wares are not so
well known, an exhibition of their pro-
ducts for the purpose of being brought to
the attention of dealers would be prolific of
good results. The London exhibition just
mentioned is purely an experiment.
4- +
Since the last publication day of The Re-
view, incorporation papers have been
granted to "Haines & Co., Rochester,
N. Y."
Upon the point of closing our last forms
we are in receipt of a circular letter issued
by Haines Bros. Incor., to the piano man-
ufacturers and dealers of America, which
conveys in forceful language just what they
think of the whole scheme.
The letter states that a certificate of in-
corporation of Haines & Co., Rochester,
N. Y., has been filed in the office of the
Secretary of State at Albany; that two sub-
ordinate employees of Foster & Co., Ro-
chester, Leonard H. Bennett and )ohn
D. Moran, have signed the certificate as
incorporators, and, in order to gain the use
of the Haines name, have induced John
Haines, Jr., to join them. Then the
letter proceeds to deal with the char-
acter and career of John Haines, Jr. They
state that the entire capital with which the
manufacturing business is to be carried on,
as stated in the certificate of incorporation,
is $3,000. This they say is sufficient to
reveal the true purpose of the incorporation
of Haines & Co.
They state further that the well earned
name and trade mark of Haines, through
the mediumship of the Haines Bros, piano,
has been before the trade and public for al-
most fifty years and has become well and
favorably known in all parts of America.
They declare, "What confronts us to-day
may concern you to-morrow when your good
name may stand in jeopardy through its
base simulation by any bold adventurer."
They state further if such methods are
permitted to go unchallenged by the trade
who of us are longer safe?
We shall deal with this subject at length
next week.
One fact stands out with the strength of
of the X-ray in the trade to-day, and that
is: that the firms who have kept before the
public by broad-minded enterprise and
skillful management during the past year
are those who firmly hold an undisputed
and certain place to-day and who more-
over, will reap the harvest when trade
comes along wafted by autumn winds.
Manufacturers who flatter themselves
with the idea that the spirit of enter-
prise is not essential to success—that past
reputation suffices to "oil the wheels of
progress," will one fine day realize that their
policy is a misguided one.
The world is moving—so is the conduct
of commercial affairs changing. Old me-
thods—old ideas must be relegated to the
past if success be sought, or ensured.
Conservatism—wise, intelligent conser-
vation—has a place in this as in every
other industry but old fogyism should not
bs countenanced.
The Music Trades Exposition in connec-
tion with the annual Convention of the
Music Teachers' National Association
which opened in this city last Wednesday,
has not apparently been taken up with any
degree of enthusiasm by manufacturers, not
more than seven being represented. While
the times may not be propitious for a sur-
plus cash expenditure in the matter of ex-
hibitions, yet we are certain that the enter-
prise would be more warmly supported had
not the idea prevailed that the Music Trades
Exposition was to be merely "a side show""
to help defray the large expense incurred,