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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The maximum penalty for failure to
comply with the provisions of this new
law, is one year's imprisonment or five
hundred dollars fine or both.
The law is plain upon this subject, and
TWENTY-SECOND YEAR.
no
evasions can be made and it is said that
^ jt j* EDWARD LYMAN BILL # J* J*
examples will be immediately made of
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
those who do not heed that which has be-
come a law in the Empire State.
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION! (including postage), United States, Mexico
We do not interpret this law as applying
and Canada, $2.00 per year ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
to
partnership concerns, for the full names
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount
is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite reading matter
of the individuals usually appear on all of
$75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be
made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
their business literature, but if there is a
Entered at the New York Post Office « J Second Class Matter.
company—for instance, we will say Smith,
NEW YORK, SEPT. 22, 1900.
Jones & Co.—it is necessary that the State
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745--E1QHTEENTH STREET.
should know just who constitute the "Co."
T H E KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month The Review
department of the business.
oontains a supplement embodying the literary
The law, to our minds, is an admirable
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. The amalgamation
one,
and will serve to protect the best in-
is effected without in any way trespassing on
our regular news service. The Review con-
terests of the business community, so that
tinues to remain, as before, essentially a trade
paper.
everyone will know definitely the names of
the parties who constitute the concerns
THAT NEW LAW.
E V I D E N T L Y there is some misunder- with whom they are doing business and
standing-regarding the new law regu- who frequently desire credit.
A case in point: The Yorkville Piano Co.
lating- unincorporated concerns, reference
to which was made in a recent issue of was the title assumed by a local concern
The Review. We have been in receipt of started by H. B. Groeneveld, who was for-
correspondence from a number of parties merly a traveling piano salesman. This
who desire information concerning it and concern asked credit, and claimed to have
to whom the reports already out are evi- responsible parties behind it. It was next
dently not quite clear. We refer to the succeeded by Groeneveld & Rosen, and
law which became active on the first of lastly Joseph Bloch and Christian Hen-
the month, which requires that all unin- derlier became proprietors. These changes
corporated concerns doing business in this have occurred within four or five months.
State shall file in the office of the clerk of Mr. Groeneveld has made the statement
the County Court in which such business that the last-named assumed all liabilities
is located, the names of the persons who and guaranteed the prompt payment of all
constitute the company and who are re- claims. Concerns who have placed their
past due accounts in legal hands for collec-
sponsible for indebtedness contracted.
This is not to include incorporated insti- tion have been informed that the present
tutions of any kind, for a complete record owners of the business repudiate the out-
of their affairs is already filed with the sec- standing indebtedness and affirm that they
retary of State. The law was framed to never agreed to pay the liabilities; and, as
act as a protection for reputable business Mr. Groeneveld appears to be pecuniarily
men who opened up or who are now run- irresponsible, the matter ends as far as col-
ning factories or retail establishments un- lecting accounts against the Yorkville Piano
der names which afford no clue as to who Co. is concerned.
Now, had the statement been made by
the parties really are who are interested in
this concern when it was first started as to
the business.
who
were the men who composed the firm
There has been previously much diffi-
culty in bringing legal action against peo- there probably might have been some
ple who conduct business under fictitious satisfactory recourse for the creditors of
names and there is no way of ascertaining this kaleidoscopic institution.
There are to-day a number of reputable
just who the men are who have secured
business
institutions who have extensive
credit. Further, it has been next to im-
possible in many cases to bring suits interests in the music trade of New York
under the name of a "Co." when really the
against them.
The records of the Courts show that "Co." does not exist, therefore they should
suits have frequently been brought against at once speedily comply with the require-
the wrong persons, and the plaintiff, al- ments of the law and file statements with
though a legitimate creditor, has been the County Clerk stating the names of the
compelled to pay legal costs and to then parties who are included in their "Co."
follow up and begin new suits against If this is not done then they become liable
to fine and imprisonment.
other individuals.
There are some institutions which to-day
are run under names of the early founders
of the business who have passed away
these many years, and while the present
owners are running business under a per-
fectly legitimate title, yet, as a matter of
fact, they are not complying with all the
requirements of the new law unless they
file immediately the names of the parties
who to-day are interested in the business.
WHY NOT.
'"THE statement has frequently been
made by some salesmen in different
parts throughout the country, that they
are unable to procure their favorite trade
publications, owing to the fact that they
are usually found only in the proprietor's
private office.
That is precisely where they should be,
unless as in many cases, subscribers have
specially requested The Review forwarded
to their homes, for they know that a paper
that goes through our laundry is of such
cleanliness that it does not require a
hose turned on it before admitting it in-
to the family circle.
But this statement on the part of the
salesmen suggests a matter which it may
be well to agitate. Why should not a
salesman pay a couple of dollars for fifty-
two issues of a paper that he likes to read?
He then could have it on his desk, or in
his own home for that matter, where, after
the trying piano cares of the week, he can
peruse it on the Sabbath after he has read
his regular chapter in the Bible.
Salesmen subscribe to daily papers
which keep them posted regarding the af-
fairs of the country, and why in the world
should they not subscribe to trade publi-
cations which contain mines of informa-
tion concerning their own profession?
The best posted salesmen in this trade
are the ones who follow closely the col-
umns of leading trade publications. By a
careful perusal of trade papers they are al-
ways en rapport with trade happenings,
what their competitors are doing, in fact,
what all business institutions of the trade
are doing to advance their interests, and a
fund of general trade matter which is of in-
finite value to them in their business. A
well conducted trade publication affords a
variety of information which is of incalcu-
lable value to salesmen. It helps them to be-
come more valuable to their employers,
and why should not they, as well as deal-
ers, purchase at the regular market price
that which aids them to advance their own
pecuniary position? They surely cannot
expect publishers to forward copies free,
for, Heaven knows, the publishers are
fairly well worked on the free list as it is. !
We should like to place on our books a j