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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
That question may be answered emphati- the influence of trusts or of concentrated
cally in the affirmative, because if there money power.
were no opposition, it would be an easy
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE •• ANT1S."
march; but let us step hastily through the
It is only fair to say that there is no in-
corridors of time and see what conditions dustry in which the anti-trust element has
might be wrought by the formation of a such a magnificent opportunity to work as
EDWARD LYMAN BILL
piano trust. It will be necessary to take a in the piano trade, because a piano is not
Editor and Proprietor
few names at random, and in this case it is purchased instantaneously; it possesses
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
understood they are purely suppositions.
individuality; it is not sold by the yard or
3 East 14th St., New York
Suppose a combination or trust should pound; there is always time devoted to
be formed including,we will say, Chicker- listening to the various arguments which
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage, United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per ing & Sons, the New England Piano Co.,
different dealers present. Hence the anti-
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed.
W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago Cottage Or- trust man is afforded superb opportunities
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
gan Co., Smith & Barnes, and a few others in which to carry on his campaign.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second- Class Matter.
which should gather in, we will say for What a fertile field is afforded in which
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 27, 1897.
the sake of argument, sixty per cent, of to work upon the sentiments of the com-
the producing power of the piano trade. mon people against supporting a trust by
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745—EIGHTEENTH STREET
Now what would the remaining forty per purchasing its products? Then, again,
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
cent, do in the case? Would they sit there are many who believe that a trust in
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which hav€ heretofore
quietly down and succumb to the combined the piano trade will end as disastrously,
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing opposition, or would they devote their even-if it were formed, as has been the
on our regular news service. The Review will
energies to the up-building of their own case in many other lines.
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
industries? They would naturally work,
TRUSTS HAVE GONE TO PIECES.
THE TRADE DIRECTORY.
and work on such lines as to win a tre-
The Trade Directory, which is a feature of
According to statistical authority, fifty
mendous trade which the trust could not
The Review each month, is complete. In it
per cent, of the trusts which have been
appear the names and addresses of all firms reach.
engaged in the manufacture of musical in-
formed
have gone to pieces. By this we do
struments and the allied trades.
The Rview
Pianos are not bought in the same man-
is sent to the United States Consulates through-
not mean to be understood as saying that
the world, and is on file in the reading rooms ner as sugar, oil and soap. Orders are not
of the principal hotels in America.
they have failed utterly, but fifty per cent,
placed in the morning at the store to send
have failed on their first organization, and
SUPPOSE THE TRUST COMES.
a piano around in time for a meal,as is the
it has been necessary to reorganize them,
case with groceries, but they are usually
Trust or Anti ?
the first investors invariably being the
That has been the chief topic of conver- purchased after considerable investigation,
losers, the remnants being absorbed by the
sation in trade circles during the week. research and consideration by all members
great manipulators.
It will be a large juicy subject upon which of the household. Think for one moment
In other words, it is the old story over
what tremendous arguments could be
to dwell for some time to come.
and over again, the absorption of the lesser
Some of the trade papers show no incli- brought to influence every member of the
powers by the larger. That may come in
nation to enter into a fair consideration of household against the purchase of a trust
a natural way in the course of time, but
this important matter.
Is this silence made piano?
men who are influenced by glittering allure-
caused through fear or lack of editorial
ANTAGONISM TO TRUSTS.
ments oftentimes lay down their arms
ability ?
There is away down in the hearts of the before they are compelled to, which they
Whether the piano trust ever reaches the
common people a feeling of antagonism to are never again able to regain, and their
experimental stage or not it is certain that
trusts. It cannot be successfully disputed power of resistance is gone forever.
already there is generated a large anti-
but that this feeling is steadily growing,
We do not say that a piano trust would
trust feeling. We find too that some of the
and even some of the most profound go to pieces, but it is only right to state
men who have previously expressed them-
thinkers of modern times consider that the that there would be tremendous obstacles
selves as rather favorable to the organiza-
influence of trusts will only be broken by in the way before attaining success for the
tion, but who have not yet gone so far as
a revolution which shall dethrone money original stockholders.
to sign the provisional contract, are at the
as king.
It is said that the proposed trust will
present time of the belief that it is not an
Every
generation
of
the
world's
history
have a stock valuation of $50,000,000.
assured fact, and that a majority of the
has
been
confronted
by
important
prob-
This on a property valuation estimated at
trade are not in favor of it. Others, too,
lems,
the
solution
of
which
has
oftentimes
from $30,000,000 to $40,000,000. If only
refuse to have their name associated in the
been
found
alone
in
sanguinary
tides.
about fifty or sixty per cent, of the trade
slightest way whatsoever with the trust
There
is
no
question
but
that
our
time
has
enter into the combination, it would be
scheme and do not even hesitate to de-
a
vast
problem,
and
there
are
those
who
rather
a delicate question of financiering
nounce it.
believe that needless burdens are heaped to pay fair dividends on that amount of
As it is to-day a leading question it is
upon the mass of the people by the con- stock.
only fair to discuss it, reviewing the bene-
WOULD THE INDIVIDUALITY PREVENT?'
centrated power of wealth, backed by
fits and disadvantages which might be
There is about the piano a certain indi-
privileged legislation.
reached by the trust form of amalgama-
viduality
which would, some allege, pro-
We have not the time or space or in-
tion.
clination to enter into the discussion of hibit its successful marketing by a trust.
CAN A TRUST SUCCEED ?
Can pianos be manufactured and mar- this social and economic problem at length, Again, the anti-trust element would not
but it is only necessary to emphasize the be slow to make the statement that no
keted by a trust?
fact that there is a deep feeling against matter whether a customer purchased one
Most assuredly.