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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
. MEMBERS OF THE TRADE PAY TRIBUTE TO THE LATE PRESIDENT
In no industry, perhaps, has the death of
President McKinley been more widely or
more genuinely lamented than in the music
trade. Wherever The Review has journeyed
this week eulogies of our late President, both
as a statesman and as a man, have been the
order of the day. Had we space at our dis-
posal we might fill page after page with the
sympathetic sentiments expressed regarding
the great loss which this nation has sustained
through the wanton and abominable crime
perpetrated by the assassin. We give here-
with, however, some of the many expres-
sions by prominent members of the indus-
try, which may be characterized as voicing
the views of almost every member of our
craft:
NAHUM STETSON, of Steinway & Sons:
"So much that is entirely favorable has al-
ready been said since his death regarding
the late President McKinley that it seems
almost superfluous to add even another word.
He has been eulogized most freely in press
and pulpit, yet without exaggeration. Of
his merits as a publicist and his goodness as
a man it would be impossible, from my
point of view, to speak too highly. Strong
as have been the friendly expressions of opin-
ion in every quarter, without regard to party,
those who gave utterance to them kept well
within the bounds of actual fact. William
McKinley's name will forever stand out in
bold relief as one of the greatest and best
of our presidents.
"In President Roosevelt I have the great-
est possible confidence. Those who are
fearful of his impulsiveness and alleged
'strongheadedness' should bear in mind
the fact that young men frequently exhibit
tendencies of a similar character. With age
comes greater wisdom, however, and those
tendencies disappear. There is no reason
why, under our system of government, the
recent sad event should cause any serious
commercial or financial disturbance."
a slight flutter in the commercial world for
a few days, but nothing serious. There is
no reason for it."
.
dents so long as they lemain in office from
the slurs and insinuations of malicious, po-
litical enemies.
"I believe Mr. Roosevelt will make a good
President. To err is human, and he may
err, but the people like him, and that means
much. I do not think business will be in-
terfered with to any perceptible extent a^ a
result of Mr. McKinley's death, and Mr.
Roosevelt's accession."
H. FISCHER, of J. & C. Fischer:
"The traits of character in our late President
that seemed to stand out most conspicuously
were his conservatism, his loyalty to the peo-
ple, and his home life. He had many other
admirable traits, but these have impressed
me most in reflecting on his qualities as a man
and as a president. His home life was an
HENRY BEHR, of Behr Bros.: "Without
example for the whole country. To Mr. doubt, William McKinley was one of the
McKinley's good judgment is due, to a large finest presidents we have ever had—if not
extent, the prosperity we now enjoy. He the finest. His first thought at all times was
for his country, not for himself. In fact,
his career from the start shows a manly,
honest, unselfish, patriotic spirit, worthy of
emulation for all time. The people of the
United States did not fully realize, I think,
until he was stricken down by an assassin's
bullets, how much of their present prosper-
ity and exalted position among the nations
of the earth was, and is, due to the ever-
faithful work of McKinley. He was, indeed,
a great man.
"Roosevelt, in my opinion, will make a
good President, We all feel relieved since
he announced his intention of continuing the
late President's policy. I do not anticipate
any commercial disturbance."
ADOLPHO
FERDINAND MAYER, of William Knabe &
Co.: "One strong, praiseworthy feature of
President McKinley's administration, in my
opinion and in the opinion of many others,
was the admirable manner in which he up-
held the dignity of his office. There can be
has earned the everlasting gratitude of the
no two opinions on that subject. Looking
nation.
back, I fail to remember any previous admin-
"Concerning his successor, Mr. Roosevelt,
istration wherein this quality of real states-
1 would say that I have every confidence in
manship was so marked. From the day he
him. He has filled every office to which he first assumed office he added, by reason of
has been appointed, or elected, creditably, and unfailing courtesy and superb diplomatic con-
there is nothing to indicate a falling away in duct, to the prestige of the United States
this instance. He does not yet, in my esti- among the nations of the earth. He was a
mation, fully measure up to the standard of great and good man. We have all lost
H. PAUL MEHLIN, of Paul G. Mehlin & his predecessor, but that is hardly to be ex- a tried and true friend.
Sons: "It matters not which way one looks pected. Like the rest of us, he must gain
"I have no misgivings concerning Roose-
upon our late President's record, the result experience, and with it will come greater wis- velt. He has knowledge and experience. His
is the same. There is the deep-seated con- dom. I do not anticipate any commercial natural impulsiveness will be held back by
viction in one's mind that he was, in every or financial disturbance."
his responsibility to the whole people. His
sense of the term, a good man—an ideal
Buffalo declaration before taking the oath
PETER D. STRAUCH, head of Strauch
American. He proved his unselfishness over
of office has satisfied the nation as to his
and over again in ways that admitted of no Bros.: "It would be impossible for me to attitude. I do not anticipate any injury to
misinterpretation. As President, he took speak too highly of our late President. Per- trade as a result of the change."
hold of the reins when the country was finan- sonally, be was a pure and clean man, and
HUGO SOHMER, of Sohmer & Co.: "The
cially and commercially in a terribly mud- what is true of his personal and home life
wonder
to me is that any man could be base
dled, unsatisfactory condition. Within his was equally true of his administration. His
and
heartless
enough to kill, deliberately and
first term, by giving the United States a assassination has been a great shock to us
without
provocation,
such a noble example
business administration, he brought to us a all. It is my firm belief that the ridicule to
of
true
manhood
as
our
late president. He
lasting prosperity. To President McKinley, which Mr. McKinley was subjected in some
did
his
very
best
for
all,
ascertaining,
when-
for this reason, if for no other, we owe of the sensational papers led up to the event
ever
possible,
the
real
wishes
of
the
people
a big debt of gratitude. His first thought we now deplore so much. Like the anar-
chists themselves, the people who are re- and carrying out their views faithfully when-
was always for his country's welfare.
"One hesitates to say much of his success- sponsible for such attacks mistake liberty for ever, in his judgment, they did not conflict
or's probable conduct of affairs. He is clever, license. I think it is a shame that those with the best interests of the nation as a
has had political experience, and promises who hold our chief executive up to ridicule whole.
"His successor is a brilliant man. Brilliant
well. I sincerely hope he will prove equal should be permitted to go unpunished and un-
men
are not deemed the safest in such an
to this emergency, as he has in the past checked in their vile business. I hope some
office,
but the weight of his responsibility
proved equal to many others. There may be way will be found of protecting our Presi-