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TH£ MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL.
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY1
3 East 14th St., New York
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Mexico and Canada, fajoo per year; all other countries,
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
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Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Clast Matter.
NEW YORK, MAY ' 13, 1899.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-EIQHTEENTH STREET.
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.
of manufacturers, some of whom openly much opposing elements may be brought
admit that they manufacture pianos under to bear against the workings of the com-
different names, still as a unit it unanimous- mittee upon this matter, the fact remains
ly approves of the position taken by the that the organization at Washington pro-
committee appointed to report on the duced the most important trade document
stencil problem.
of the century. A careful analysis will
Nothing could be more open or clearer reveal the truth of this statement.
•in purpose than this, for as sensible men
• they realize that indulging in the practice \ X / E may say while writing upon this
subject that the attempt of a dis-
of stenciling pianos has exercised a per-
nicious influence upon the trade and they credited and decomposed journal to slander
do not hesitate in stating publicly virtually individuals and question the sincerity of
the action of the committee upon this mat-
this:
"We have been stencilling pianos, legit- ter, only serves, if it were possible, to bring
imately, purely as a matter of business, that attenuated paper into greater disre-
knowing that in it lay no personal wrong. pute.
To those uninformed we may state that
Still, it has opened the door to fraud and
the
positions of all the gentlemen who
misrepresentation, and we believe, on the
whole, our business would be better, and were prominent in forming the resolutions
the conditions now existing in the trade were thoroughly understood.
The ridiculous attempt to foment jeal-
much elevated, were the practice discon-
ousy
and discord among individual mem-
tinued entirely. Now, let us get together
as sensible men and see what can be done bers as well to discredit the association
towards effecting a remedy. In the mean- before the world has obviously miscarried.
In this connection it is hardly necessary
while, however, let us go before the world
in no uncertain attitude as condemning to mention names, because our duty in that
these practices, and let us ask all members case might be construed as a reply to the
of the industry to support us in the move attack upon the individual members. We
have nothing whatsoever to do with them
for trade betterment."
The closer we dissect the document individually, but when, as a committee,
issued at Washington, the more we find in they make a firm advocacy of that which
it to admire. The result most desired we believe leads to trade betterment, then
stands out prominently the more it is dis- they may count at all times upon the support
cussed, and the manifest desire of the of The Review. We have not, like our
organization does not lie in the personal or once formidable contemporary, fought the
selfish ambition of individual members, stencil for some "steen" years, but we have
but in benefits to be won by the entire always advocated the manufacture of goods
industry in fighting the stencil or abolish- with the brand of the maker imprinted
ing it entirely. It stands as an organization, thereon. We have maintained the legiti-
composed of manufacturers who condemn macy of the stencil product, as long as it
the practices in which they themselves was confined to regular lines, but we have
have indulged. ' The organization says to claimed for years that the influence of the
the trade, we want others to support us in Stencil had a deteriorating effect upon the
this move, because we believe that it will trade, inasmuch as through the stencil
better the industry, and consequently im- medium operations of a doubtful and de-
prove the conditions of everyone who has ceptive character could be continually ex-
tended. It has even been the open door
trade interests at stake.
The whole history of industrial organi- to trade deception, and the "white man's
zations does not show the issuance of such burden" for many years.
THAT STENCIL REPORT.
I T is but natural when manufacturers come
together for the mutual protection and
promotion of trade interests that they
should deal with those issues which are of
manifest importance to themselves in-
dividually and collectively as an indus-
try as well.
If we analyze the stencil report made
at Washington we will find that the piano
manufacturers have acted somewhat at
variance with other industrial organiza-
tions. They have produced, probably, the
most unique document of its kind ever
fathered by an organization. In the first
place they declare and so record that
stenciling is a detriment to trade interests.
They recognize it as an evil and openly
admit that the practice of marking in-
struments with names which'remove their
traceable prgin has assisted in bringing
the piano business into disrepute, and
that this same mediumship has been in-
strumental in deceiving the public. They
admit this and they go further and state
that this same subject is so far-reaching, an unequivocal, commendable document.
and involves so many points of practical No matter what the individual views of a
business that no one heretofore has member of this organization may be, he
cared to treat it publicly. They admit, must be forced to admit that the associa-
too, that many manufacturers have in- tion is honest in its declaration anent the
dulged in this practice and that it has been stencil. The very agitation of this matter
a difficult question to consider properly.
will be helpful in bringing about desired
It occurs to us that these resolutions results, and a powerful factor in accom-
stand as the most singular and unique of plishing certain ends will be the Piano
their kind on record. An organization, Manufacturers' Association.
composed wholly of manufacturers does
Never before has any organization in
not hestitate to condemn the practices in- this industry exhibited the strength and
dulged in by some of its own members and courage to issue a document of similar
by other manufacturers in the trade as character. There is no evasion, whatso-
well. Though the association is composed ever, of the issue, and no matter how
Now that the manufacturers have gotten
together, have intelligently considered this
matter, and have determined to take con-
certed action we may hope for better
things, and how much fairer for a publica-
tion, which is uttered in the interests of an
industry, to support such moves man-
fully than to remain silent, or infinitely
worse, to heap columns of vulgar personal
abuse upon committee members who
are striving their utmost to get out of
trade darkness into stronger mercantile
light. The poor stumbling fool, who to-
day controls a remnant of a sheet forgets
his pitiful position when he seeks to