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THE
dealers organization, unless there is plenty
of work behind it, will amount to naught for
the. trade welfare, but we believe there are
men supporting this move who will fight to
a finish. Baltimore will give them an excel-
lent opportunity to develop the Association,
germ.
D Y looking up the piano statistics of a few
years ago one will be impressed with
the tremendous increase which has been
made in this particular line of industry, and
there is no reason to believe that we have by
any means reached the limit. With the easy
way methods in vogue of purchasing goods,
the rapidly increasing wealth of our people,
and the ability of men who earn modest
wages to become owners of pianos, we have
an easily absorptive power of more than
double the number of instruments which we
arc turning out to-day.
The development of the piano industry is
in harmony with the vast advance which
America has made in all lines of manufac-
tures. We are a developing nation, and are
just beginning to learn our strength. Man's
physical powers may have already reached
perfection as scientists are wont to inform
us, but the brain of man has not reached its
culmination, and the mental vision of to-day
is far surpassing anything known in the com-
mercial lines of former years. Tn the 19th
century seven figures were as much as the
commercial man could understand and grasp,
but the first year of the 20th century necessi-
tated men who could understand the mean-
ing, in all its branches of ten figures, and
who shall say but that the close of this cen-
tury we will see men grappling with fifteen
figures as easily as their great grandfathers
with ten?
()ur piano men of those days will all have
become multi-millionaires.
T H E relations existing between a publish-
er of a trade publication and his adver-
tisers arc frequently likened unto those of
a lawyer and his clients—at least no one can
doubt that they are of a confidential character
Notwithstanding this, there is a ground
for argument whether a trade editor is jus-
tified in publishing matters in which his
clients are directly interested before such
time as they may desire publicity, But there
can be no reasonable ground for argument
that when a newspaper man has once given
his word to withhold a certain matter, he
should stick to it, that is, if he possesses a
spark of honor.
7VYVSIC TRADE
REVIEW
deemed advantageous to the interest of the
contracting parties before it was actually
fettled. For, as a matter of fact, some of the
arrangements said to have been made, have
not been adjusted up to the present time.
One man, however, who has not an over
high regard for pledges made, rushed into
print with a premature statement, notwith-
standing the promise which he had made to
withhold the announcement. When a man
violates a pledge fairly made he can no longer
be considered a safe confident in anything,
and it is hardly necessary to dwell, even
in an explanatory way, upon the man who has
no conception or appreciation of what consti-
tutes personal or journalistic honor.
\ \ J HEN Theodore Roosevelt was Governor
of New York he said he wanted nothing
to do with newspaper men, that he could not
trust, and at first he was perfectly frank to
all regularly accredited representatives in Al-
bany. He was open in any statement, in so
far as the press was concerned. He used to
say to the newspaper men, "I will give you
this on Monday, but understand it is not
to be used until Wednesday." If any news-
paper man violated the trust reposed in him
he was never again permitted to enter his
presence, and to the honor of the craft it may
be said that no man ever betrayed the con-
fidence placed in him by Roosevelt.
business articles are appreciated. The trade
paper is essentially a business publication. In
a number of States, particularly Massachu-
setts, there are existing conditions which
threaten the industrial supremacy of those
Slates. If the old Bay State would only re-
vise her corporation laws so as to make them
safe and progressive and anchored to safe
business principles she will not fall in the
rear ranks of industry. Massachusetts
should adopt the sound business methods
which ask a value when it uses a dollar,
whether it is in money, or in note, or in
stock. What she needs is sound legislation
regarding corporation laws, and she will
continue to lead as she led in the past along
safe and sound business lines.
Q O M E piano manufacturers are predicting
a future business depression.
Of course, it may come, so may earth-
quakes, floods and plagues—but why talk of
them ?
No use to borrow unhappiness. The present
business activity, realized in all parts of our
country is not likely to continue indefinitely.,
and the wise men figure that the present is a
pretty good time to prepare for the business
depression which is certain to succeed these
years of plenty. The solidifying of our or-
ganization in a business way is a necessity.
This industry will present a pretty solid front
Unfortunately there are men who mas- to adverse circumstances, because it is being
querade under the cloak of journalism, like run more and more on business lines every
the music trade editor, who so grossly day, and that means modern lines, up-to-date
violated his pledge. Such men deserve to lines, for business is becoming more and
be kicked out of every decent, man's pres- more a science; competition grows more and
ence. They will break bread with a man more intense each year, and to meet these
to-day, and profess their friendship for him changing conditions business organizations
iv the most endearing terms, and they will must be run on correct lines. It becomes an
cut his throat to-morrow with the same lack actual necessity that such be the case, if suc-
of sensitiveness that they exhibit in the ac- cess is to follow.
ceptance of a commission on a salesman's
A TO INTER to men who have not as yet
salary whom they desire to make a creature
realized the benefits of good illustra-
of their own bidding.
tions :
But, thank Heaven, that class of men rep-
Fine paper, careful printing and pains-
resent the minority, not the majority, and taking literary work amount to little if
there are men engaged in journalism who are economy is practiced in the preparation of
safe custodians of secrets, and who have de- cuts of instruments shown.
.cent regard for journalistic honor.
A catalogue is primarily designed to give
T H A T eminent piano manufacturer of recipients an idea of the instruments made,
Boston, Henry F. Miller, says to The and no matter how argumentative and force-
Review, "Your editorial on 'driving away ful the literary features of the catalogue
capital' is good. I think you are doing ex- may be, they are largely nullified unless the
cellent work in giving information to the engravings are all that up-to-date work in
entire trade about the matter which, until re- that line can produce.
cently, there has been an immense amount of
prejudice against, based on a thorough lack
The details of the move of the Loeser dry of knowledge in regard to its corporation
goods house of Brooklyn and their confi- laws. And whilst what 3-011 have said is of
dential negotiations with certain piano man- special interest in Massachusetts and pos-
ufacturers relative to taking agencies were sibly in New York, it also must be of great
well known to us for weeks, but for reasons interest to all business men in all sections of
which it is hardly necessary to explain, the the country."
publication of this pending deal was not Tt is most gratifying to us to know that our
JOURNALISM is one of the subjects
taught at Heidelberg University, the lec-
turing being done b\ r a professor, who is
himself a journalist. It might pay the trade
editor who viewed the piano trust schemes
with such longing eyes to pay a visit to
Heidelberg and learn the honest professor's
opinion of what constitutes decent journal-
ism.