Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
-TWENTY -SECON D _Y E A R.
REVIEW
EDWARD
LYMAN
BILL,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
J . B. S P I L L A N E . MANAGING EDITOR.
E M ! LIE FRANCES BAUER,
Executive Staff
:
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND
WALDO E. LADD
GEO. W. QUERIPEL
A. J. NICKLIN
Published Every Saturday at 3 East Utb Street, New YorK
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage). United States, Mexico
and Canada, $2.00 per year ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount
is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite reading matter
$75.00.
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, NOV. 24, 1900.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745—EIGHTEENTH STREET.
On the first Saturday of each month The
Review contains in its "Artists Department"
all the current musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or
service of the trade section of the paper. It has
a special circulation, and therefore augments
materially the value of The Review to adver-
tisers.
THE QUESTION OF LABOR.
COME of the old-time piano manufactur-
ers of New York allege that there is
a scarcity of skilled and reliable workmen,
and this state of affairs they attribute to
the fact that the old-fashioned apprentice-
system, having become a thing of the past,
has taken with it the superb mechanical
training with which young men were
equipped in the early days of the industry.
There can be no doubt but that the piano-
maker—that is, the man skilled in all de-
partments of piano making—has become
practically obsolete as far as mere numbers
go in the ranks of factory workers to-day.
This condition has been brought about,
to our minds,' not so much by reason of
the removal of the old-fashioned apprentice
system as from the fact that the gravitation
towards specialism has been felt in piano
factories as well as in every other sub-
division of industry. In early years the
contract system was not in vogue and the
piano maker of those days was one who
could follow a piano through every depart-
ment, and was a skilled workman.
To-day through the contract system the
various bosses have held men for years in
one special department of the business and
in this way they are entirely without
knowledge of general piano work, their
employment having been along specified
lines.
This is emphasized by men who apply
for employment. When asked if they are
piano makers, they invariably reply in the
affirmative and state that they have worked
in such and such factories for a term of
years. Closer investigation reveals the
fact that they have only learned one branch
of the business and are wholly ignorant of edge be bundled together and forced hand
all the other departments even though in hand, but men will be compelled to un-
dergo certain examinations in order to es-
closely related.
Herein lies an opportunity for serious tablish their mechanical ability, which will
work for the Piano and Organ Makers also constitute a recommendation to the
Union, if it really desires to promote the favor of employers in their respective
welfare of the men whose energies are de- trades.
voted to piano making. If thfey can or- The labor unions of this country cannot
ganize their unions on the basis of eligi- make men equal because they were never
bility to membership, or the grounds of a created that way. As long as there is
knowledge of specified departments of the great discrepancy existing in mental pow-
business, and then work towards reaching a ers, unions cannot by ridiculous rules at-
higher scale for proficient men in all de- tempt to make them all equal.
The ambitious man will refuse to be
partments of the industry than can be oc-
yoked
with the drone and it is precisely on
cupied by a man who can only drive a few
tuning pins or do a little polishing. Such that rock that unions will split.
They cannot make men equal by their
a workman can be then naturally encour-
aged by reason of the high wages paid for own union enactments any more than fifty
a higher knowledge along certain lines cents worth of silver could be made by
and will become a skilled piano make*r in legislation equal to a dollar's worth of
gold.
the broadest interpretation of the term.
If a union is worth supporting it should
BUSINESS CONDITIONS.
work along lines which tend towards •"THERE are some men who had expect-
the mental, moral and financial advance-
ed to see an unprecedented boom in
ment of those who have membership trade immediately after the Presidential
in it, and there is no reason in the election took place.
world save a purely selfish one why the It was hardly reasonable to expect this,
piano and organ makers union should not and as a matter of fact there has been no
conform to the laws which are operative in surprising boom, nor has there been a
many other industrial organizations.
depression.
The men at the head of the union will
The element of uncertainty was how-
understand that the American piano man- ever removed from the business horizon by
ufacturers do not propose to be held up by the settlement of the Presidential contest,
ignorant, insolent and dictatorial labor and we are assured that all branches of the
agitators.
Government will be in accord and that no
Piano manufacturers, however, are in- possible doubt can be entertained as to the
variably keenly appreciative of fair work, policy that will be pursued in all matters
and when the men show the desire to build fundamentally affecting business interests.
their own organizations along lines which It is reasonable to suppose that business
tend to trade advancement they will be will move along lines of easy resistance
heartily encouraged by the manufacturers. the next four years. Manufacturers and
But just so long as they continue to listen merchants are free to make projects and
to the foolish dictation of the men of the lay out their plans for business campaigns
calibre of Dold and others, just so long without any fear of monetary disturbances.
will the manufacturers themselves look Under these circumstances, with an abund-
with suspicion upon their efforts.
ance of capital wages for investment and far
In days to come the work of different surpassing anything previously known in
trades unions must be formulated so as to the history of the country, and with a mul-
gain the respect and esteem of manufac- titude of the keenest and most enterprising
turers. Special committees appointed by men in the world looking for promising
the government of the unions selected opportunities to engage in fresh under-
from their members will be named from takings, it is within bounds to prophesy a
those actually engaged in work in the dif- trade development in the next four years
ferent trades, and not men who possess no that will add greatly to the wealth and
knowledge of the industry in which they commercial prestige of this country.
are trying to exercise authority, like Dold,
It is only reasonable to suppose that the
the cigar maker, for instance, who is try- piano industry will prosper in common
ing to wield the dictatorship over the work- with all others. More pianos will be man-
men in the piano lines.
ufactured and sold, and we will reach out
The unions of the future will examine for widening foreign markets, and, in the
candidates for the different degrees, and meanwhile, the tariff will keep out the
they will not all be brought together so cheap German and English pianos from
that ambition will receive no higher wage creating even a trifling disturbance in our
than idleness, nor will ignorance and knowl- home markets.
;•