Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1899 Vol. 29 N. 8

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . XXIX. N o . 8.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, August 19,1899.
fa.oo PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS.
names. It is, strictly speaking, a com-
mercial directory, but includes nearly all
the well-to-do people, and embraces not
DEMAND FOR COMPETENT TUNERS EUROPEAN PIANOS MAINLY SOLD OPPORTUNITY FOR
only the city proper, but the suburbs of
AMERICAN PIANOS HOW THE CUBANS LIKE THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION.
Jesus del Monte, Cerro and Vedodo.
'' The difficulties we encountered were
[Special to The Review].
"As
conservative Americans it has been very enormous," continued Mr. Cox.
nothing of the kind had ever been done
unwise.
New Orleans, Aug. 14, 1899.
F. A. Wells, who was a former resident
"Another order that was incredibly ab- before, a good many of the native mer-
of this city, is now engaged in the music surd forbade any man to appear in public chants were at first inclined to be suspici-
They thought it might be some sweet
business in Cuba. He recently visited this without an overshirt. It has always been ous.
city and I had an interesting interview the custom of the laboring classes to work American trick to entrap them into finan-
with him regarding Cuban affairs.
in their undershirts and the new rule cial obligation, but we finally made them
The American regime is not at all means an immense amount of discomfort. understand. Our advertising patronageHE^EV
•
popular with Cubans. According to Mr. It has caused no end of grumbling that has been unexpectedly heavy, and, oddlyn ^r TT T Jp <
enough,
is
the
first
general
advertising
might
have
been
avoided
and
gives
the
Well?, there is too much red tape, and the
military government smacks too much of natives an idea that Americans are simply that has ever been done in Havana. Here-
meddlesome busybodies. Only a few days tofore it has been practically throttled by a-.
the old Spanish order of things.
Speaking of affairs in general at Havana, ago quite a prominent citizen was arrested tax of five cents a word. The tax was a
concession farmed out by the Spanish gov-
because he went out in a sweater."
Mr. Wells told some interesting things.
Speaking of the music trade affairs in ernment, and the privilege expired last
"The sanitary transformation of the
city has been marvelous," he said. " The Cuba, Mr. Wells said that he had done ex- month. That opened the gates, and we
normal sick rate has fallen off eighty-two ceedingly well since he commenced busi- were overwhelmed with applicatiops for
and one half per cent, and it will soon be ness there and has sanguine expectations space. It was a curious state of affairs,
one of the cleanest and healthiest parts in for the future. The old method of con- impossible anywhere else in the world."
the world. The streets are scrupulously ducting the music business in Havana was
'' What are the prospects for the general
swept, the sewers and gutters are flushed far behind the American idea. The stores census? " asked the reporter.
with ' electrozone' and sanitary plumbing were uncleanly and the stock poorly kept
"Very good, indeed, I think. I go to
is going in as rapidly as facilities will and displayed. "Pianos of cheap Euro- Washington to-morrow to confer with the
permit. The sanitation of the residences pean manufacture," said Mr. Wells, "seem authorities there in regard to it, and feel
is still bad, but that is being remedied to have had the run entirely. The ebon- reasonably certain that our firm will get
right along, and strict regulations in regard ized cases with candle sticks on them were the contract to do the work. If so we will
to cesspools and so on are being enforced the only things that were sold as far as the begin at once. We have already looked
to the letter. Inside of a year everything general appearance of the instruments go. over the field and know exactly what there
will be in tiptop shape from one end of the They are very sloppy indeed compared is to be done. I estimate that it will re-
with the American idea. There is a splen- quire about seven months to complete the
city to the other."
The enumeration will include data
"How are the people taking to American did opportunity in Havana for tuners. In job.
fact
there
is
a
dearth
of
tuners,
and
I
think
as
to
property, occupation and nativity,
ideas?"
that
the
music
business
in
Havana
is
capa-
and
from
what I understand the govern-
"Very well. There was a great deal of
ble
of
considerable
expansion.
It
is
not
ment
expects
to so adjust its home rule
obstruction among the Cubans at first, but
overdone
by
any
means.
Of
course
one
program
as
to
have
an election immediate-
that has been quashed by public opinion,
needs
a
pretty
good
knowledge
of
the
Span-
ly
afterwaru.
It
would
be very difficult
and they have finally consented to be clean.
ish
in
order
to
carry
on
a
live
music
busi-
to
make
a
guess
worth
anything
as to the
The greatest trouble that has been encoun-
ness."
total
population.
That
of
Havana
itself I
tered has been a foolish attempt to localize
estimate
at
about
235,000."
blue laws that might be all right in a New
With Mr. Wells was Mr.W. A. Cox who is
England village but are ridiculously out of interested in compiling a directory of Cuba.
It is probable that Mr. Wells will visit
place among a free and easy Latin people.
No systematic effort has ever been made New York before he returns to* Havana.
The regulation that has caused the most to obtain the exact figures of Cuba's popu-
It would seem to me with American
complaint has been in regard to the closing lation and all estimates have been more or ideas growing in Cuba that the possibili-
of places of amusement on Sunday. In less guess work. Nobody knows the num- ties there for a music business are consider-
Havana Sunday has been, from time out ber of adult males or how many would be able, at least worth looking after.
of mind, a day of recreation and pleasure, entitled to franchise by birth or naturaliza-
and it is impossible to make the people un- tion. In other words, the census is the
Frank Clark, who is manager of the
derstand that there is anything wicked or first move toward autonomy.
piano department of the Crawford dry
immoral in the custom. The new order
"We. expect to have out our Havana goods store, St. Louis, is on a trip East.
has closed the theatres, stopped the music directory in about thirty days," said Mr. Mr. Clark was in New York last week and
in the parks and prohibited anything sav- Cox. "We began work on it last Novem- spent the early days of the week in Bos-
oring of sport. In the opinion of even ber and the book will contain about 60,000 ton.
.
. . THE MUSIC TRADE IN CUBA . .. .
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TWENTY-FIRST YEAR.
• EDWARD LYA1AN
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION including postage), United States,
Mexico and Canada. $3.00 per year ; all other countries,
|joo.
ADVERTISEflENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read-
ing matter $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
great New York houses to the fact that he
had received a special order from a cus-
tomer who desired an oak piano stained to
almost an ebony hue and dull finished as
well.
It was thought a few years ago, when
the trade swerved around from the old
ebony and rosewood cases to all shades of
light woods, that it would never revert
again to the dark colors; but history re-
peats itself, and we find there is a growing
tendency towards darker woods.
TRUSTS AND STRIKES.
No doubt organized labor has honest
grievances, and there can be no doubt but
that it is also at times unjust in its demand.
Capital is frequently unjust also, and the
result of these two conflicting forces must
be a national arbitration board which must
be something more than a mere name.
The rapid changes which have taken
place in our industrial life are radical,
amounting to a revolution almost, and we
have not completely adjusted ourselves to
the changed situation. Under the present
condition there must be clashes, and many
workmen will go to extremes and employ
methods which will defeat the very object
which they desire most to attain. Then
again by their incendiary actions they will
quickly lose the sympathy of the public,
which has through the trust octopus been
enlisted in their favor.
One of the most striking illustrations of
public sympathy we find in the great strike
at Cleveland. Think of a whole city walk-
ing to demonstrate its sympathy with the
strikers.
It would seem as if manufacturers had
endured hard enough times during the
past few years without having their busi-
ness interests jeopardized and seriously
crippled by strikes during the early dawn
of prosperity. Still, the manufacturing in-
terests of the country will never be free
from that sort of disturbances, but all de-
mands should be tempered with reason,
and there should be no trouble in making
a satisfactory arrangement with men who
wish to act fairly without resorting to for-
cible and revolutionary means.
Workmen should understand that manu-
facturers cannot be reasonably expected to
make ridiculous concessions. They cennot
make unreasonable demands without ex-
pecting retaliatory measures in return. In
the words of Patrick Henry, "there are
blows to be received as well as blows to be
given."
'"THUS far during the year with one or
two exceptions this industry has been
Entered at the New York Post Office as Seamd Clast Matter.
entirely free from the incursion of strikers,
NEW YORK, AUGUST 19, 1899.
and it is to be hoped that the generous
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-EIGHTEENTH STREET.
treatment which piano manufacturers have
THE KEYNOTE.
extended to labor will continue to be ap-
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
preciated and respected.
and musical features which have heretofore
In the strikes which have recently oc-
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
curred
in the different industries, there has
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
been a noticeable materialization of inter-
trade paper.
est on the part of the public with the
DARK WOODS IN DEMAND.
strikers. This interest in some instances
\\7E are gradually drifting back again to has reached the point of active and organ-
the sombre woods in piano casings. ized sympathy.
Black wood-work in furniture is having a
That the intensified interest of the public
tremendous vogue now, and where once in the strikes that have occurred has
all was white and gold all is now of darker originated in the colossal formation of
hue and sometimes of ebony, when the entire industries into trusts there can be
house-owner can afford it.
no doubt. The enormous growth of trusts
There is a marked tendency toward the has given a hint to labor to expand its or-
mediaeval, and walls of heavy beams, ^re- ganization in order to form a successful
place, door and window frames of darkened bulwark of opposition. Or in other words,
oak are affected, and the furniture must be to meet colossal organizations of capital by
similar organizations of labor.
of a consistent tone.
In a recent talk with a representative of
The trust and strike problems are seri-
one of the most fashionable furniture ous ones, and although the trusts can fur-
stores in New York, he said: "We are nish goods at the cheapest possible rates,
supplying to-day a demand for dark fittings the fact remains that they have driven tens
for almost every room including, at times, of thousands out of business, and bid fair
boudoir as well as parlor and dining-rooms, to change the whole complexion of our
and as for hall effects, they are usually modern business life. Like all organiza-
very dark."
tions which have great power they are
There is also a demand for plainer ef- strongly tempted to abuse that power in
fects. Much of the heavy and ornate em- order to increase profits. At times this
CONDITION OF STOCK.
bellish.nent is now of the past. The Colo- temptation is too strong to be resisted, and ''THERE will not be enough pianos to go
nial arid Chippendale styles are specially in such abuse frequently affects the working-
around this fall. Travel over the
man and makes him feel through its auto- country, note the depleted stocks, and also
demand.
We have already seen a marked tendency cratic dictation that he has no rights which see how buoyant the feeling is everywhere
in thi9 direction in the demand for plainer capital is bound to respect.
regarding the business outlook; come back
casings in pianos. Nearly every firm in
But the most of the strikes originate in and look through the various factories for
America now has Colonial styles where two real or supposed grievances. Is there not accumulated stock, and then figure how
or three years ago they were a rarity, and an evident desire on the part of many of you are going to make the two harmonize.
in new styles there is a noticeable absence the strikers to dictate terms to employers
The facts are, there is comparatively
of the lavish embellishments which charac- without a fair consideration of their po- little stock manufactured ahead. Business
terized the piano architecture of two years sition and of their rights?
has been so active during the summer, and
ago. In other words, it is plainness in
The question comes to mind, are the the demand has been so frequent upon
everything.
Plainness, with a decided labor classes revolutionary? Or do they piano manufacturers that they have been
tendency toward sombre hues.
create trouble because they honestly feel unable to accumulate the reserve which the
It was only this week that our attention that they are not dealt with fairly and trade indications would seem to warrant
having for the early fall demand.
was called by a salesman of one of the justly?

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