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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
this sort of skirmish competition that really
injured his business.
Why would not the same conditions gain
ground in the piano trade ? Would not the
small manufacturer be afforded a magnifi-
cent opportunity in which to enlist the
sympathies of the people in his behalf,
strongly cutting into trust sales every-
where ?
It is said, as an argument further, that it
would be an excellent thing for some men
who are to-day running their business at a
loss, and whose affairs are in a bad way
financially.
PICKING UP NUOGETS.
Now, at this point a ridiculous belief
which has obtained in some quarters
should be exploded. Some have an idea
that it would be a great thing to join the
syndicate or trust because, by the move,
they can have all their debts paid, super-
vise their property as before, draw a fat
salary, have nothing to bother them, and
just clip off nice fat coupons when the
regular quarterly dividend periods come
around.
This is an absurdity. Trusts pay the
outstanding indebtedness of men who join
them, but their whole assets are gone over
carefully, and everything of an objection,
able nature is thrown out and they receive
virtually no cash, but only a block of syn-
dicate stock; and naturally, if the trust is
desirous of cutting down expenses, it has
no particular use for the employment of
men as heads of factories in isolated dis-
tricts. These men lose their business, in
return for which they hold stock in the
company.
BOILING DOWN.
Then the boiling-down process con-
tinues. A few more names which are
found not profitable are discontinued; a
few more factories which could be run
better, if concentrated, are sold, and so on,
the industry becomes more and more con-
centrated, so that probably in a few years
three cities would contain the entire manu-
facturing industry of the piano-manufac-
turing lines of America.
All this, provided it works smoothly,
and the "antis" form no appreciable op-
position.
The thousands of salesmen,
travelers, together with the music trade
editors,will in the meanwhile have found
employment elsewhere.
EFFECT UPON THE TRADE PRESS.
One word as to the trade press. No man
connected with the trade newspapers who
takes a logical view of the situation can
fail to understand that his destruction as a
trade paper factor is inevitable, provided
the trust can absorb the entire industry.
It ii a carving of expense here and there,
and after a while this syndicate through
their great capital could have their own
branches in principal cities, and outside of
that control all the dealers of good finan-
cial standing, why it naturally follows that
they would have no special use for trade
papers, as they would work their trade di-
rect, and what a certain paper said against
their wares would not particularly affect
their own agents, when they controlled,
all opposition having succumbed. It is
not one or two papers as syndicate papers,
but it is the annihilation of all, provided
the trust becomes an established success.
GRAND OPPORTUNITY.
It's a tantalizingly lovely picture, but
this annihilation process does not some-
how always work to our liking.
But on the other hand there opens up
one of the grandest futures for the anti-
trust trade papers that it is possible to
imagine. To illustrate:
The "antis" would naturally concentrate
upon such papers as possess a determina-
tion to oppose the trust. Those papers if
rightly managed and containing the proper
support of the "antis" would be distributed
in immense quantities not only to the trade,
but through the independent agents to the
homes as well. Thus, the music trade pa-
per instead of having a few thousand cir-
culation solely among the trade would pos-
sibly reach a circulation of hundreds of
thousands in the homes. Simply from
the fact that it could employ the best writ-
ers to oppose the trust idea among retail
piano purchasers.
CIRCULATE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS.
What anti dealer would not purchase,
say twenty-five to one hundred copies a
week, and what manufacturer would not
also be willing to purchase from one hun-
dred to several hundreds of copies? Thus,
placing advertising on a basis of circula-
tion alone, it would be possible for trade
papers rightly managed to reach a circula-
tion in the homes of hundreds of thousands.
When this point was reached they could
appeal to an outside clientele of general
advertisers, thus their advertising columns,
instead of being depleted, would become
largely augmented. Trade paper lines
would be completely revolutionized. The
field opened upis vastly larger, more impor-
tant and rather exciting. On the who-lewe
rather like the idea, and the annihilation
of the trade press to our mind is a long
ways off. From a purely selfish stand-
point we welcome the trust. It means op-
position and plenty of fight that interpreted
in the newspaper tongue means large fat
business.
OUR POSITION.
As for our true position, we never hav
hesitated when an important event has
arisen in this trade to express our views.
We never have been willing to remain
neutral, and at the proper time jump on
the winning side.
While business patronage is always most
gratifying, yet at the same time there is
above all this a business principle. There
must be behind every successful news-
paper property—character, and the editor-
ial opinion of this paper is, we believe,
valued in many quarters.
A LONG FIGHT.
It has been stated that it would be of
vastly great benefit to some of the manu-
facturers who are weaklings financially to
be bolstered up by a great moneyed com-
bination.
The people who are in a money combi-
nation of the proposed nature do not espe-
cially require the assistance of the lesser
men to manipulate the combination idea.
After having successfully wiped them out
as competitors, the future would be clear
for them, and rest assured that the great
minds would dominate.
If the trust comes, there will be a bitter
fight for years, and what then ?
Well, we shall not lack topics to write
about for some time to come.
From the many letters which we have
received from different parts of the coun-
try referring to the editorial which ap-
peared in The Review last week, and from
the many interviews which we have had
with members of the local trade, we must
say that we are amazed to see the develop-
ment of strong anti-trust feeling. Of
course, it is only in the strictest confidence
that men will state whether they propose
to join the combination or not, but those
who are antagonistic do not hesitate to ex-
press themselves regarding the subject in
unmistakable language.
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DOES NOT HELP THE SCHEME.
If it were especially desirable to kill the
piano trust in its incipient stage, no surer
or safer way could have been devised than
to have connected with it a newspaper
man whose very name suggests intrigue
and cunning.
If it were desirable for the interests of
the trade that a trust be formed, then in
order to insure the confidence of piano
manufacturers, the move should have
come directly from the men who control
great moneyed interests. As it is there is
a following in the trade which is decidedly
suspicious of the motives behind the ten-
tative organization.
Mr. Blumenberg's connection with the
trust move has been unfortunate for its suc-
cess. The private data of inside informa