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THE 7V*\/SIC TRKDE
any bill should be passed which would work an injury to the army
REVIEW
A R E P R E H E N S I B L E practice has sprung up in certain parts
of decent, honest men in this State who are making a living in the
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of the country on the part of piano dealers who are photo-
piano, the furniture, the jewelry, the book publishing and other
graphing certain attractive piano styles from catalogues of lead-
lines where the instalment plan is in vogue.
ing makers, and substituting on the fall board names of some of
the cheapest makes, or principally stencilled titles, simulating prom-
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HIS brings about the delicate question: Is it fair that a major-
inent names.
ity of honest merchants should be compelled to suffer for
tlve dishonesty of the minority? Unfortunately our legislation, both
in Albany and in Washington, has been governed largely by the
demands of certain individuals, and the general wishes and good
of the community has not been entirely respected. Hence it is that
These are being used in advertisements and in other literature
sent out by the dealer, the purpose being obviously to use these
designs to attract prospective purchasers, and then endeavor to sat-
isfy their disappointment by holding out the "bait" of price to close
a sale.
time and time again bills have been placed on the statute book which
are absolutely injurious to the best interests of the State and nation,
and which, had matters been viewed in a broad way, would never
have been passed.
M
The entire matter is fraudulent and despicable, and should be
stopped at once. Several manufacturers who have sold dealers a
few pianos and whose designs have been stolen are complaining,
but we notice some are still selling the same dealers who have
R. ULMANN should be able to find some other means of
treated them in this unbusinesslike way.
remedying conditions on the East side without encroaching
on the prerogatives of the piano dealers of this State.
Their mar-
Why?
What is needed is more backbone, more principle in conducting
business, so that when a dealer endeavors to be dishonest—for this
gin of profit to-day is mighty close, and it would be an un- is the grossest type of it—he should be not only shunned by that
just burden to compel them to pay an annual fee of $500 and give
a bond of $5,000 for "the honest and lawful conduct of their busi-
ness."
The piano dealers all over the State should aid the New
York association by writing their assemblymen at Albany and see
that this bill is killed for all time.
manufacturer, but he should be blackballed by the entire trade.
'T'HE public clamor for a regulation of the trusts is likely to
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result in some curious legislation.
Those who are charged
with the making or executing of laws realize the impossibility of
such peremptory proceedings as are urged by the would-be trust
AREFUL observers of the general attitude of organized labor
killers. At the same time they* feel the political necessity of doing
are impressed by the activity which the leaders are display-
something to convince the public that the trusts are not to have
C
ing in endeavoring to break down the employer's control of labor
their own way in regulating the industries and commerce of the
so much so as to constitute themselves a serious menace to the
country.
Consequently an unusually large number of bills have been
progress of the industry.
The subject has become such a dominant one that scarcely a
introduced in Congress which are designed to regulate the oper-
branch of productive industry can now be found in which some
ations of great corporations, and in some way restrain them from
kind of an association does not exist, which, although organized
acquiring too much power.
for a purely social, educational and commercial purpose, has been
forced into taking up the labor question by the development of
the last few years.
ibly regarding these bills is that none of them meets the demands
of the radical element for a measure which will absolutely destroy
all trusts already formed and prevent others from being formed.
This seems to be considered either impossible, or impracticable.
The present trend of labor unions—the extreme demands made
by the men, their disposition to break contracts—have forced man-
ufacturers to combine for self-protection.
One point which impresses itself forc-
In quite a number of these bills a new feature has been incorpor-
ated.
Hitherto the formation of combinations or great consolida-
tions has excited the fear that prices might be advanced to an exor-
HE labor union movement to-day if allowed to pursue its course
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untrammeled, cannot fail to work a serious injury to the wel-
fare of the country, inasmuch as its worst feature is that it sub-
verts discipline, which is the essential to success in any undertaking
involving the employment of a number of men.
Moreover, it has removed the substantial feeling of friendship
bitant point, but according to these bills the danger now confront-
ing the country is that the trusts may reduce prices so as to make
business unprofitable for their competitors and thus drive them
out of existence,. Hence we observe provisions making it unlawful
for goods to be sold below the market price "in order to restrict
or destroy competition."
which has long existed in the piano and other industries between
This trust business is a mighty complicated affair!
the men and their employers.
For, after all, the employers of to-day were the workmen of
yesterday.
In other countries, notably Germany and England, where em-
ployers do not rise from the ranks, so to speak, friction may be
expected, but in the United States, up to a recent date, we always
prided ourselves on things being different.
The autocratic sway of the labor union and its organizers, how-
ever, have done much to reverse the old and agreeable state of
things, and friction and suspicion now prevail where only the best
of good feeling should exist.
I
N this industry there is opportunity for good journalists, and
in our opinion they will be more appreciated in the future
than they have in the past—men who will work loyally, usefully,
honestly in a line of special work.
Such men will gain the re-
spect and confidence of the trade, and they will leave behind them
good names which alone makes a proud inheritance.
It is better
far to be known as a true friend, a brave man, an honest man,
than it is to show marvelous perfection in details incident to in-
trigue and blackmail.
Common-place honesty is a trait which
will become more and more dominant in trade journalism.