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THE MUSIC TRHDE
19
Convention of the National Piamo Manufacturers Association.
PC.
?
Y.
13
to
1€S,
19O3
An Important Gathering—The Report of President Button Full of Weighty Suggestions—The Report of
the Executive Committee Full of Interest—D. M. Parry, of Rational Fame, Sounds the Keynote of
the Labor Discussion—Chas. H. Parsons Elected President—Afext Convention in Atlantic City.
Early in the week there was a hum of
interest pervading the corridors of the Iro-
quois in Buffalo, which, hour byjhour, be-
came more intensified as the rrfembership
roll of registration on the clerk's desk be-
came larger.
^
We question if there was ever a hostelry
in the world which has contained as many
music trade men at one time as congregated
under the roof of the Iroquois this week.
The gathering was a most pronounced suc-
cess, and in extent and interest surpassed
that of Baltimore last year. The Manufac-
turers' Association is stronger in numbers
and in interest than ever before and drew to-
The association germ is steadily expand- very near although appreciably not so distant
ing and to-day it will be indeed difficult to as a year ago. The only spot upon the hori-
remove from the piano system.
zon seems to be that of labor. I do not de-
Heart to heart talks were in evidence on sire to cast any aspersions upon honest,
every hand. Many of these, however, will human endeavor in any form, but what we
not be recorded in the trade press.
have to fear is the misguided zeal of the
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laboring man. He may for the moment con-
The formal opening of the Convention of sider himself wise in the attitude which he is
the National Piano Manufacturers' Associa- tempted through false advisers to assume, but
tion occurred at the Hotel Iroquois on Wed- he must learn, perhaps in the school of bitter
nesday morning, the meeting coming to or- experience, that justice is the only safe rule
der about 10.30 with President Wm. Dalliba in the long run and that the rights of em-
as well as employees must be con-
Dutton in the chair. The names of the mem- ployers
served or the fabric of enterprise will fall in
bers, who responded to the roll call, appear ruins. For these reasons the utmost care
elsewhere in this issue. The reading of the should be exercised in dealing with this mo-
minutes of the previous meeting by the sec- mentous subject. It is to-day, in this coun-
retary then followed, after which the Presi- try, of the first consideration. In our limited
dent made the following interesting ad- sphere of activity we must endeavor to im-
press upon those under us that it is the right
dress :
of every man to manage his own business,
REPORT OF PRESIDENT DUTTON.
Gentlemen of the National Piano Manufac- and that although the right of organization
exists in every department of work, coercion
turers' Association of America.
The past year—the sixth in the life of this or dictation in any form whatsoever will not
organization—has been a remarkable one not be tolerated for an instant. Above all, the
only in the piano trade, but for the whole laws must be maintained absolutely, and the
country. Never in the history of the world has right of every man to earn an honest liveli-
such a magnificent period of prosperity been hood be upheld, no matter what the circum-
known. Prominent instances of business stances. No man shall be deprived of his
and speculation are common in the records personal right to work under such conditions
of every nation, but never before has such a as may be satisfactory to his employer and
vast volume of successful trade been ap- himself; this is the bulwark of American lib-
proached anywhere. Nor is this true only as erty and must stand.
It seems almost unnecessary for me to de-
regards the quantity of the vast movement,
but it is equally true in reference to its fine the objects of this association. In view,
character. In the past great and "sudden in- however, of the fact that the conditions con-
crease of business activity has generally been stantly change, that younger men are com-
the result more largely of speculative enter- ing upon the scene and that the activities of
prises and conditions than of legitimate man- business are constantly increasing, it may be
ufacture and trade. But the history of this well to say here what some of the older mem-
country since 1898 has shown a different bers so well understand, that the National
state of affairs. The vast aggregations of Piano Manufacturers' Association of Amer-
capital which particularly during the two ica is primarily an educational body. No
years previous to 1903 were employed in the man can prosecute successfully a business or
a profession unless he has been trained in it
gether more piano men than any time since formation of enormous corporations, al- or has at least learned its fundamental prin-
though
used
speculatively
to
a
certain
de-
the organization was started seven years ago.
ciples, and has had some experience of life.
Each hour witnessed the arrival of large gree in creating such corporations, were Almost all large industries years ago availed
brought
into
these
enterprises
almost
invari-
numbers of members of both organizations
themselves of the advantages of association,
on trains arriving from East and West. Buf- ably as a result of a legitimate and, in some not only for the purpose of making larger
instances,
an
enormous
demand
and
a
very
falo was the middle ground, and was easy of
profits at the time, but in order to prepare
access for music trade men in all sections of sound condition of the various businesses themselves individually for the changing con-
amalgamated.
The
great
increase
in
the
the country.
ditions which constantly take place, particu-
The members of the two organizations wealth of the country is therefore a genuine larlv in this country. Our business being to
addition—one
representing
real
value.
So
who have had the entertainment immediately
a certain extent a specialty and the output not
in charge entertained the visiting delegates solid are the business conditions that we have being comprised among the staples, so to
seen
gigantic
strikes
occur,
paralyzing
at
in a most charming manner. Buffalo offered
speak, every concern has been more or less
her best brands of hospitality, which were times' great industries for long periods of for
itself alone in the battle for success. The
time
and
yet
no
appreciable
falling
off
has
keenly enjoyed by visiting music trade men.
warfare which resulted became at times so
been
noticed
in
general
trade.
The
ma-
Considerable time was given up to the
intensely personal and bitter that it gave the
cultivation of good-fellowship, and man- jority of those engaged in it have been stead- entire business an unenviable reputation
ily
increasing
its
aggregate,
and
events
ufacturers and dealers were afforded an op-
among people brought in contact with the
portunity to become acquainted with men which in former times would have resulted men
connected with it. To change the
in
commercial
crises
have
produced
hardly
a
whose names were familiar but whom they
character
of this name and to put the trade
ripple
upon
the
surface
of
business.
These
had never had the pleasure of meeting be-
in
an
approved
position, naturally it was
facts
mark
a
new
era
and
show
that
it
is
the
fore. These association gatherings are cer-
necessary
to
bring
its members together in
brain
of
the
practical
scientific
business
man
tainly incubators of good feeling all around,
order
to
arrive
at
some
common ground of
that
now
is
at
work,
the
man
who
strives
for
and are doing much to bridge over the many
differences which have hitherto existed in what is substantial and profitable in the agreement as to what were legitimate and
future rather than the shortsighted con- what illegitimate methods of doing business.
both departments of the trade.
The line had to be drawn somewhere, and
The directors of each organization had scienceless speculator who in the past was how
else could it be done than by bringing
the
prominent
financial
figure.
mapped out a vast amount of work, but they
Competition of course is the force which the men engaged in the business together to
were equal to the test, and the Convention
in Buffalo outranked all its predecessors in ultimately will reduce profits, and although discuss the means? It could not be hoped
point of numerical attendance and in general it may not curtail for some time to come the that a messenger would come from heaven
aggregate of business it will limit the profit or some other remote place to give us the law,
association interest.
but we had to make a law unto ourselves.
The business matters taken up and of individuals. Competition, however, is That
such a law must be based upon reci-
healthy
unless
carried
too
far.
The
point
handled obviously were of advantage to all
where safety cease? does not as yet seem procity, fairness and freedom from ignoble
interested in the welfare of the industry.