Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
What can we do to improve the condi-
tions which now exist in the industry? In
other words what is the remedy ?
Let us continue the discussion. The Re-
view is the forum of the trade, and all who
desire can be heard.
INJURING TRADE.
N
OT satisfied with the constant injury
which they are doing to the general
business of the metropolis by the issuing of
lurid war extras, the yellow journals
have in the past week contained many an-
nouncements with similar headings to the
following:
"War Closes Piano Shops;" "Couldn't
Get Employment;" " Music is Stopped;"
" War Hurts Piano Trade."
It seems that the statements in the main
have been given out by some disaffected
local labor organizations, and without go-
ing to the pains of investigating the
truth of the report, the papers have pro-
ceeded to publish these announcements
which can only have an injurious effect upon
the piano business.
The manufacturers and dealers of this
city spend vast sums annually advertising
in the columns of the daily papers. If
their business interests are to be injured
in such a manner by the journals, then re-
taliation of some kind should be adopted
by them.
Is it not a proper time for the local as-
sociation to take a hand in this matter ?
If the papers are to continue their work
of destruction, to paraphrase the words of
the famous Congressman—where are we
going to be at?
I
N the regiments which go forth to battle
in the cause of Cuban liberty there are
a number of men from the ranks of the
music trade in all parts of America. There
are in the New York and Vermont regi-
ments some prominent members of the
trade. In other states we have not a com-
plete record of the men who have volun-
teered to serve their country.
We ask as a special favor that our read-
ers in every State supply us with the names
of men who are connected with our musico-
industrial affairs who have donned the
Nation's blue.
It is our purpose to present as a supple-
ment in some future number of The Review
a group of music trade warriors. To that
end we ask that photographs of all music
trade soldiers be forwarded to The Review
office. Each week we shall print a biograph-
ical sketch together with a likeness of
some music trade man who has donned
Uncle Sam's uniform.
I
T begins to look as if the purification of
the trade press will not be, after all,
an iridescent dream. This becomes more
apparent as the vulgar sheet of the man who
has subordinated every principle of decency
to his hungry scramble for dollars, sinks
daily into a desuetude which is innocuous.
The disappointed snarl of the man who has
so long cracked the whip over the trade is
now harmless. A bite from him, years ago,
was deadly. The poison of his fangs was as
effective as those of the rattle-snake, but now
the poison has been extracted by the scalpel
of honorable journalism. Denuded of his
power, stripped of his covering, he stands
before the trade shivering and trembling as
he feels the red-hot pinchers, which means
for him a few more blisters.
Well, let him go. This vulgar, churlish
wretch is of the past. His sun is set. Why
stir the dying embers, when their very mem-
ory means an intolerable stench in the nos-
trils of decency.
R
EALIZING his inability to personally
thank his many friends in the trade
who have spoken so warmly and eulogist-
ically of his latest literary effort, " The Sword
of the Pyramids," the editor of The Review
takes this opportunity through the columns
of this paper, of expressing his sincere ap-
preciation of the many warm and generous
words accorded his recent work. He can say
that the support accorded him has resulted
beneficially. Already the first edition of the
work has been exhausted, and the publisher
has issued another paper edition, and what is
more, he has found such a demand for the
book that he has prepared a library edition
stamped in gold and handsomely bound in
cloth. In the book world it usually works the
other way, first a cloth, which is succeeded
by a paper edition. With " The Sword of the
Pyramids," however, through the influence
of many kind supporters it has been an ad-
vance rather than a decline.
Music Trades Pocket Directory.
From G. D. Ernest & Co., No. i Raquet
Court, Fleet street, London, E. C , publish-
ers of the London and Provincial Music
Trades Review, we have received a copy of
" The Music Trades Pocket Directory for
1898." It is a most complete work of 142
pages, containing a list of dealers in musical
instruments, and music sellers in England,
Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Isle of
Man and the Channel Islands. There also
appears a classified list of London manufac-
turers, the subsidiary trades, as well as im-
porters, agents and other concerns indirect-
ly connected with the music trade industry.
The book is edited with great care, and is
invaluable to any one desiring a knowledge
of the music trade of Great Britain. It is of
convenient size with pliable cloth cover, and
is sold at the reasonable price of one shil-
ling and six pence (36 cents). We take
pleasure in recommending this excellent
work of reference.
The Raymore Piano Co.
IS INCORPORATED AT ALBANY—WILL MANUFACTURE
RAYMORE AND MARSHALL & WENDELL PIANOS
HARRY RAYMORE PRESIDENT.
[Special to The Review.]
Albany, N. Y., April 28, 1898.
The Raymore Piano Co. was incorporated
in this city to-day. The officers are as fol-
lows : H. J. Raymore, president and mana-
ger; T. S. Wiles, vice president; Edward
N. McKinney, secretary and treasurer; C.
F. Reeps, superintendent manufacturing
department.
The purchase embraces the business of
the Marshall & Wendell Piano Co., as it
stands to-day, which consists of the good
will of the business, their patterns and
scales, lumber and material, both finished
and in course state of construction.
It is the purpose of the company to con-
tinue manufacturing the Marshall & Wen-
dell piano in connection with the Raymore
piano. New machinery and such other im-
provements that are deemed necessary to
fully equip the factory in a thoroughly up-
to-date condition will be purchased at once,
and no pains will be spared to have an in-
stitution here worthy of inspection, by any
of our brethren of the newspaper fraternity.
As to the Raymore piano, the members of
the company say, " Wait for its appearance,
and then see what you think of it. Mr.
Reeps, our superintendent, is at present
working on a new scale for the Raymore
piano, and as soon as that is completed he
will take up the matter of case designs, and
we believe that you can look forward to
some very handsome productions from the
city of Albany during the next six months."
National Bankruptcy Bill.
The concentration of public attention on
the Spanish-American question has not in-
Harfered, we are pleased to note, with some
progress being made in the matter of the
federal bankruptcy bill. A number of ses-
sions of the conference committee have been
held during the past two weeks, and the
differences which exist between the House
and Senate have been canvassed with great
thoroughness, as a result there is every
prospect of an agreement that will be ac-
ceptable to the business element of the
country and to Congress.
One important subject of discussion has
been gotten rid of by the agreement of the
committee upon the text of a provision re-
quiring the giving of bonds by persons who
might employ the involuntary features of
the measure, should it become a law, to have
a debtor declared or adjudged a bankrupt.
This provision is a wise one, and will tend
to remove much of the prejudice existing in
some quarters against an involuntary law.
A significant proof of the general desire
for a bankruptcy law is the fact that in spite
of the existing condition of the country, pe-
titions continue to pour in on Congress urg-
ing the enactment of a satisfactory National
bankruptcy law.
The Lindeman & Sons Piano Co. are pre-
paring a new catalogue which will be ready
for the trade within the next two weeks.