Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
V O L . XXX. No. 8. Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 3 East Fourteenth Street. New York, February 24,1900.
Taxing Invention.
A BILL INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS COMPELL-
ING THE PAYMENT OF A ROYALTY TO THE
GOVERNMENT OF FROM ONE TO TEN
PER CENT. AN OUTRAGEOUS
MEASURE THAT IS HARM-
FUL AND NEEDLESS.
Recently in these columns we made ref-
erence in condemnatory terms to the bill
then suggested by the Commissioner of
Patents and since introduced into Congress
by Mr. Reeves, chairman of the House
Committee on Patents, whereby any per-
sons or corporation that shall manufacture
any article, machine, device or thing here-
after patented shall pay into the hands of
the Commissioner of Patents for each of
the things so manufactured, as a royalty
for the privilege of manufacturing and
selling such patented article, a sum of
money not less than one per cent, nor more
than ten per cent, of the estimated
cost of manufacturing such patented .ar-
ticle, which royalty will be determined
by the Commissioner. Upon receipt of
this sum the Commissioner will issue a
stamp or certificate showing that the roy-
alty has been paid, and this stamp or cer-
tificate shall be attached to such manufac-
tured articles where practicable and in all
cases shall be delivered by the manufac-
turer to the purchaser, whether attached
thereto or not. No manufactured articles
will be allowed to leave the hands of the
manufacturer without the stamp or cer-
tificate.
The bill viewed from the most conserva-
tive standpoint is an outrageous one and
every manufacturer should make strenuous
efforts to aid in its defeat. As the Ameri-
can Machinist well says, " i t is one of the
most foolish and ill-considered measures
that have been proposed in Congress for
some time." There are too many peo-
ple who know nothing of the science of
taxation, who seem not to know who
finally pays all taxes, and imagine that
whenever any man, or class of men are
wealthy, it is the duty of somebody to de-
vise a new tax to be applied to them or
their business.
The proposed tax would unquestionably
be an annoyance to manufacturers, would
operate to prevent new inventions being
introduced, and would, by necessity, be
paid in the end, not by manufacturers,
but by the users of the particular patented
articles, just as users pay all other neces-
sary elements of the cost of producing
such articles.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
SINGLE COPIES 10 CENTS
Then too, let us imagine, if we can, the
Swindlers in Cincinnati.
difficulties and entanglements that would
[Special to The Review.]
arise from the fact that the Commissioner
Cincinnati, O., Feb. 19, 1900.
of Patents is to decide whether a man pays
For some time a gang of swindlers has
one per cent, or ten per cent. tax.
been operating in this city and locality and
This is vicious legislation and should be the victims include a number of piano
killed. This nation has become great dealers. A piano that was bought on pay-
through the encouragement held out to in- ments from Smith & Nixon was found
ventors and any deterrent in this field of Tuesday where it had been secreted in a
activity is not to be tolerated.
house on McMicker avenue. This piano
is one of several that the gang secured in
NEW INCORPORATIONS.
this city. Another piano dealer had a
Illinois.
The Melville Clark Piano Co., of Chi- warrant issued a few days ago for the ar-
cago, filed incorporation papers with the rest of R. B. Taylor on a charge of grand
Secretary of State, on Monday, for the larceny. He claims Taylor bought a piano,
purpose of manufacturing and dealing in agreeing to pay for it in installments, that
musical instruments. Capital $100,000. he paid seven dollars and then sold the
The incorporators: H. L. Kraft, E. T. piano. Taylor lives at 219 W. Ninth street.
There is only one way that this swind-
Wray and A. H. Bowen, all of Chicago.
ling business can effectively be stopped,
Ohio.
and that is for the dealers to know more of
The Secretary of State Saturday, granted each other through association work. An
a certificate of incorporation to the J. C. exchange of confidences regarding these
Sonard Co., of Dayton, for the purpose of dead beats would tend to save time, trouble
dealing in pianos and organs. The capital and cash.
stock is $20,000. The incorporators are:
J. C. Sonard, L. L. Ehret, O. M. Randall,
Morris, Feild, Rogers Co.
W. H. Conard, T. B. Herman.
Off for Europe.
F. W. Teeple, general traveler for the
Chicago Cottage Organ Co., sailed Wed-
nesday on the "Oceanic" for a tour of Eu-
rope. While in The Review office, Mr.
Teeple said: " I may be abroad three
months, possibly less time, as it is my in-
tention to visit the principal cities of Eu-
rope where we are now doing business.
These will include London, Paris, Berlin,
and a number of other points in France
and Germany, probably as far as St. Peters-
burg and Italy as well. While the war has
affected our trade in South Africa, yet one
day last week we made a shipment to Cape
Colony. On the whole, the outlook for
trade is most brilliant."
Treat & Shepard's New Quarters.
[Special to The Review.]
New Haven, Conn., Feb. 19, 1900.
The Treat & Shepard Co., of this city,
have just signed a lease for the large store
in the English Building on the north side
of Chapel street, known as No. 837 which
was rebuilt and improved after the big fire
which occurred there nearly a year and a
half ago. This place will afford enlarged
and improved quarters for the piano busi-
ness which this firm have established and
which is steadily growing. It is well lo-
cated and will prove an excellent centre.
ANNUAL MEETING OF SHARE HOLDERS
FICERS ELECTED.
OF-
The annual meeting of the shareholders
of the Morris, Feild, Rogers Co., was held
last week at their office in Listowel, Ont.
J. W. Scott was voted into the chair, and
F. C. McDowell acted as secretary. R. B.
Andrew, Manager, read the financial state-
ment, which showed a substantial pro-
fit on the year's business. The chair-
man analysed the report for the benefit
of the shareholders, and spoke of the
valuable asset the company possessed in
the growing reputation of their instru-
ments. He moved the adoption of the
report, seconded by Lieut.-Col. Campbell.
After some discussion the report was unan-
imously adopted. C. Tabberner was, on
motion, appointed auditor.
A ballot was then taken and the follow-
ing directors elected: B. F. Brook, Woollen
Manufacturer, Lt.-Col. D. D. Campbell,
John C. Hay, President Listowel Gas and
Electric Light Co., F. W. Hay, of Hay
Bros., Grain Merchants, J. W. Meyers,
Miller, A. H. Nichol, M. D., and J. W.
Scott, Banker, all of Listowel.
At a meeting of the directors held at the
conclusion of the annual meeting J. W.
Scott was re-elected President, and D. D.
Campbell, Vice-president, for the ensuing
year.