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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
has now come to be regarded by many as difficult to rehabilitate himself in business,
"being the very standard of prosperous con- as the mercantile community is growing
ditions. Everything in a business way for less and less anxious to sell merchandise
a number of years looks most hopeful. The to this class of men.
"The enactment of a National bankruptcy
year of 1899 promises to be a year of un-
precedented growth as far as industrial law is a great step forward and demon-
production is concerned, for there are in- strates the fact that a large majority of
dications of solid prosperity everywhere business men desire equity, justice, and
which throng in upon those who will look fairness in dealing with their debtors, and
for them even in the most desultorv manner. do not wish to take an undue advantage of
other creditors.
"While improper use maybe made of
ASSOCIATIONS of all kinds which
have as an object the betterment of this law by some few evil-minded persons,
our mercantile and commercial affairs are I venture the prediction that the number
doing much good.
In some organiza- of fraudulent failures will be far less dur-
tions, the good accomplished is more ing the next ten years than ever before,
strongly emphasized than in others. Last and that the placing of all creditors upon
week we referred to the object of the the same basis, in the distribution of the
Merchants' Association of New York in assets of an insolvent debtor, will not only
trying to secure a reduction in express directly work a great benefit to all, but
will indirectly exercise a salutary influence
charges.
Now in this matter the Association should over credits generally,
"The National Association of Credit
have the hearty support of every manufac-
Men
stands to-day for honest purposes,
turer and merchant. Music trade men,
particularly those engaged in the small honest business, honest goods, honest
goods line, send out many packages by ex- salesmen, honest advertisements, honest
press, and in fact, in the piano and organ' statements to creditors, honest payments
line there are also many packages sent by for that which is owing and for no more,
honest profits, and no speculations on the
this mode of transit.
When we consider the enormous ex- one hand or traps for the unwary on the
press charges as compared with freight other, honest competition, and honest
rates, it must be manifest to all that a laws."
There are solid nuggets of wisdom in
proper reduction should be made. The
Mr.
Cannon's remarks well worthy of the
Merchants' Association of New York is
doing much good in this particular direc- closest consideration by every reader of
The Review.
tion.
Another organization, known as the
TTUSTLING as never before, with anx-
National Credit Men's Association is also
iety depicted on every feature, is now
doing effective work in establishing a re-
our stencilled journalist. At last, his
form of credits. We have occasionally
scheming brain has realized the truth that
noted some of the important objects aimed
his position is most shaky. Now he says
at in the reformation of the credit system
in effect, how prompt and generous has
by this organization. It is composed of
been my treatment of the trade.
men who have been successful in the
Now that word "generous" for the
broad battle-field of life. James G. Can-
stencilled journalist to use is pretty good,
non, the well-known New York bank presi-
particularly when he thinks that the trade
dent, who is also president of the National
is forgetting all about him. Almost as
Credit Men's Association, in the course of
good in its way as Louis XIV's calm remark
an address last week said:
after his army's defeat at Ramilies, "Has
" Honesty and fair dealing are now the God then forgotten all that I have done for
rule rather than the exception in business him ? "
enterprises. The commercial world seems
to have realized at last that honesty is O I N C E The Review last appeared the
really the best policy, and that there is now
treaty of peace with Spain has been
manifested a stronger disposition to con- signed, and before Christmas the American
sider a man honest until he proves himself Commissioners will be home bringing this
the contrary, and when a man has once important document with them.
shown a lack of integrity he is cast out
It is safe to assert that within the past
from business circles.
fifty years no such change, as will result
"There is also a growing disposition from this treaty, has been wrought in the
among merchants to consider character as political geography of the globe, or has
among the strongest assets a man can have, been fraught with ultimate consequences
and the time is not far distant when a man so important to the race and the cause Q(
who makes a dishonest failure will find it free government,
The treaty alienates from Spain and puts
into the possession or under the protection
of the United States more than two
thousand islands with nearly two hundred
thousand square miles of territory and
eleven millions of inhabitants.
An idea of the importance of these
islands from a business standpoint, can be
gleaned from the fact that when general
conditions are normal, the foreign trade of
the islands in question amounts to about
$215,000,000 yearly. Under the American
flag, and with new and better conditions,
these figures, however, cannot be consid-
ered as affording any adequate idea of the
commercial value of our new acquisition.
1898 has, all in all, been a big year and
a memorable one in the history of the
United States. It will give us at the next
census a population of probably a hundred
million, including of course our recently
acquired possessions. Truly a country to
feel proud of.
T H E R E are a few moves which will be
made upon the chess board of the
traveling fraternity about Jan. 1st.
Speaking of traveling men, what an ex-
cellent opportunity this trade affords for
earnest young men who are competent,
trustworthy and sincere. Some of the
older ones will enjoy a well earned rest
from their labors within a few years, and
where are the young growing up to succeed
them ?
T H E summary of imports and exports of
musical instruments which appears in
this issue is cheering reading. It shows
the steady growth of our export trade in a
very marked way. For the last month for
which compilations have been made, there
has been an increase in exports of over
$11,000 as compared with the same month
a year ago, while for the same period the
imports show a decrease of over $30,000.
The figures indicate an increase in ex-
port trade for the twelve months of over a
quarter million dollars. This is a mighty
good showing.
A ND so some of our contemporaries are
at last awakening to the fact that the
department store competition is not merely
a shadowy creation emanating from a
newspaper office. It is well that the mat-
ter should be agitated, and every one who
has the interest of the trade at stake should
have something to say upon this matter.
T H E alleged trade paper problem is no,
problem at all. It is merely a matter
of intelligent discrimination in the selection
of the mediums. It does not require such
a deliberative mind either to tell where the,
successful publications are located..