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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
• >. ^EDWARD LYMAN BILL-*—?
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
r
3 East 14th St., New York
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
NEW YORK, JULY 30, 1898.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 174S--E1QHTEENTH SIREET.
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
WILL SUPPLY THE WORLD WITH
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
T H E American people have given added
expression to the confidence which
they have in the Government through their
subscriptions for bonds for the war loan,
and the confidence of our people expressed
in times of war will be even greater when
the cessation of hostilities occurs.
America has given evidence to the world
of her wealth and of the patriotism of her
people, and wealth plus confidence equal
prosperity. One without the other would
mean business stagnation, as it is not alone
wealth that produces confidence. The
widely spread condition of the monetary
resources is an assurance of national
stability, and it will give an impetus to the
industrial conquests of America. For,
having proven her prowess on land and
sea, industrial America will sweep on to
greater bloodless conquests.
Time was when this country was termed
the granary of the world. That was when
it was in a large sense a purely agricultural
country. That time, however, has passed,
and the country's remarkable advance into
the markets of the world, is one of the
greatest phenomena the century has
produced. Our exports of agricultural
products have increased tremendously dur-
ing the past year, but more than that, our
sales of manufactured goods abroad have
continued to extend with facility and
promptitude and with results which have
excited the serious concern of countries
that for. generations have not only con-
trolled their home markets, but have prac-
tically monopolized certain lines of trade
in other lands.
America has invaded the markets of the
world with her manufactured products,
and it is almost daily that we see re-
ports of large orders placed in this country
by European Governments for contracts
for special lines which were entirely lacking
within a few years, and still this country
is comparatively in its infancy as far as in-
dustrial development is concerned.
The energy of our people, however, is
aroused, and in all lines there is a stimu-
lating atmosphere which portends greater
accomplishments.
The young Colossus
of the West is not only reaching out for
colonial conquests, but industrial con-
quests as well.
America will dominate the world in
manufactures as well as agriculture. The
restless energy of our people is becoming
aroused to a greater degree every day, and
each day augments our triumphs—our
peaceful triumphs as well as triumphs of
war.
The gigantic strides which have been
made in the piano industry are only a reflex
of what has occurred in other lines. There
are facts at hand which,,to our mind, form
a strong chain of evidence that America
within the next decade will control the
music trade markets of the world.
How can the smaller factories of Europe
with their machinery which is practically
obsolete, compete with the gigantic and
perfectly systematized musico-industrial
establishments of the new world ? The
cheap labor of Europe cannot compete
with the scientific and mechanical advance-
ment which is so largely in evidence
throughout America.
American organs are now sold through-
out the world. They have a strong foot-
hold in London, in the very heart of the
British industry, and on the Continent as
well. American pianos, too, are being ex-
ported in great numbers which wiH be
largely augmented When our manufactur-
ers build pianos specially for the European
markets. When we cultivate more closely
the wishes of other countries as to their
likes and dislikes regarding the tonal and
architectural qualities of pianos, we shall
then largely increase our export trade.
To-day in Europe the great mass of the
people prefer the thin tone of the Euro-
pean pianos to the heavy, sonorous tones
of the American instruments. Their
senses have been cultivated in this direc-
tion, and they prefer the architecture and
tonal qualities of their own instruments to
those of American manufacture.
As soon, however, as the American
manufacturers build instruments which
conform more closely to those of European
make, and to the particular styles to which
the people of those countries are educated,
then we shall have a largely increased
trade, for we shall certainly be able to
undersell European makers on the same
grade of goods in their home markets. All
of these changes will come within a few
years. America must dominate the world
in musical instruments.
One reason why we have not devoted
more attention to the trade of other coun-
tries in musical instruments is, that our
home market has never yet been supplied,
and America to-day is the best market on
earth for pianos and organs. But as com-
petition becomes keener here and profits
become materially reduced, the wide-awake
American manufacturer will seek other
fields which shall be productive of greater
profits. All this will come in time.
T H E thieving, throttling clutch of Spain
will be swept forever from the West-
ern world and likewise will the blackmail-
er's power be broken in this trade.
The wonder grows how we should have
tolerated both so long.
RAPID ACTION.
a business there will be next
fall. With peace near at hand,
everything points to an enormous trade in
all lines," said Wm. R. Gratz, the well-
known manufacturer and importer, last
Wednesday.
"And," continued Mr.
Gratz, " we propose to be ready for it.
We shall take rapid action. "
" Rapid action."
There's a mine of meaning in these two
words.
The advantages that lie in rapid action
are obvious. This is particularly the case
when the thing done is competitive, and
therefore peculiarly applicable to business
methods, for business is indissolnbly con-
nected with rivalry. The thing is to get
there first. The Confederate general,
Forrest, used to say that success in war
meant getting there first with the most
men, which is substantially another form
of the saying that " success lies in the legs
of an army." Though the actual conflict
of rivalry may be, and generally must be,
open and above board—the preparations
for the conflict are not. The preliminaries
of every act are secret. The beginning of
every scheme that begets competition is in
the inner thoughts of the originator, and
much of the work of preparation and de-
velopment must be secret, or there can be
no expectation of final success. When the
actual, open conflict begins, rapid action
takes the place of secrecy and contributes