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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
say something to-night upon a very broad
and general subject. I might talk about
almost anything under the head of organ-
ization. Really, when we realize it, or-
ganization is almost synonymous with civ-
ilization itself. For what is civilization
but the growth of organization. In what
respect does the man in his barbarous, un-
civilized condition differ more from man as
he lives in civilized society than in this
respect—that the natural man is unorgan-
ized, whereas the modern man is organ-
ized. The man of the age is a more or-
ganized being than those who have pre-
ceded him, he is more organized in rela-
tion to his fellows. This age in which we
live is distinguished from the ages which
have preceded it in the extent to which
organization has been carried. Society is
better organized. Business is better or-
ganized. Government is better organized.
The old idea was that the individual
business man was isolated from his fel-
lows,—that there was necessarily rivalry
with those engaged in the same line of
business. It seems to me to mark a most
gratifying advance that we have grown
out of that old idea of business isolation,
and* have come to accept, and are coming
more and more every day to accept, in the
different lines of industry in which we are
engaged, the more modern, the more
civilized, the more correct idea that those
who are ehgage,d in a common line of in-
dustry are not contending against each
other. They have common interests, com-
mon objects, and they can profitably co-
operate. You, gentlemen, who are engaged
in the .manufacture of pianos, are to a cer-
tain extent in rivalry with each other, but
R. A. WIDENMANN.
still you are, I see, co-operating with each
other in the development of this industry,
in the elevating of this branch of manu-
facture which partakes very largely of
an art, to a higher plane, and in plac-
ing the whole business in which you
are engaged on a higher basis.
You
have common interests, therefore you
can promote them by such co-opera^tion
and organization, representing and carry-
ing out, all the different local organiza-
tions which have been formed in the vari-
ous States, and which represent this in-
H. L. MASON.
dustry upon a national scale. It seems to
me that this is a wholesome thing in our
national life to have organizations of this
kind. It seems to me a sign of progress.
I am always glad of an opportunity to say
a few words of encouragement for the idea
of business organization in its relations
particularly to the public affairs of the
country, and to the larger interests of the
community upon which the business inter-
ests are to such a great extent dependent.
We are proud in Boston of the fact that
we have carried to some extent the organi-
zation of the different lines of trade and
commerce. The subject of organization
is a fascinating one to me, Mr. President,
because in my work I become more and
more impressed with the importance and
the value of organization. It will not do
everything. It will not supp*ly the force
or the intellect to guide the machinery any
more than a mechanical apparatus will run
itself. But as there is enormous differ-
ences with the same operator between an
imperfect machine and a perfect one, so
there is a great difference in our business
affairs, in our political affairs, in our gov-
ernmental affairs, between the results that
can be realized from defective machinery,
from defective organization, and those re-
sults which can be obtained by judicious
application of means to ends; by a judici-
ous direction and organization of those
affairs in the community which are valua-
ble to the accomplishment of good objects.
There is nothing it seems to me of greater
importance than the work of developing
and adaptation of organization. I want to
talk, if you will permit me, upon one spe-
cial recent development of organization in
the municipal government of the city of
Boston which perhaps can have special in-
terest to you gentlemen who are engaged
in the manufacture of pianos. I have be-
lieved for some time that in the develop-
ment of our American cities increased spe-
cialization was desirable. I am a great be-
liever in proper specialization, and place
upon a separate basis each branch of
municipal work which is of importance.
Now we have an illustration in Boston of
what I am speaking, in creating a depart-
ment of music. I take great pride in the
fact that Boston is certainly the first
American municipality to recognize music
as a branch of municipal work. And to-
day, so far as organization goes, music
stands upon just the same footing in the
city of Boston as the care of streets, sew-
ers, public grounds, or parks, or any of
the other functions of municipal govern-
ment to this extent—that we have now in
the city of Boston, a separate and distinct
department of music which is presided over
by a separate board. To that extent we
have recognized music as coming within the
scope of municipal government, as a
proper object upon which the expenditure
of the money of the taxpayers should be
looked out for, and it is placed under the
special direction of people who know
something]about music (cheers).
We have been spending $10,000 a year
in Boston on band concerts in summer;
the city messenger usually [took charge of
the concerts and no one took any special
interest in [it. The city of Boston has to-
day a musical commission at the head of
which is a gentleman distinguished in
music in this city, whose name I think
some of you from a distance know—Mr.
Carl Zerrahn (applause). The"re are five
on the commission; the other four repre-
sent the different branches of music. That
commission has already proceeded to or-
ganize a municipal band and to give these
public band concerts. The first thing
\
WM. DALLIBA DUTTON.
that we decided to do was to make no con-
tracts with any existing musical organiza-
tions, but to pick out the best musicians
we could find in the city, engage our own
conductor, get that conductor to organize
these musicians into a band, and give the
30 or more band concerts which the city
usually gives. We have formed to-day a
band of 37 musicians under a competent
leader, and we are confident that we shall
give to the citizens of Boston this year
better music, better programs and larger