Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
It has been alleged by some that a certain clique has run the
Piano Manufacturers' Association. In our opinion the criticism is
not founded on fact, but it is a truth that the organization never
would have succeeded unless a few men had taken hold and pushed
it on to greater success. If they had all set back and been indifferent
to the association it would have reached that position fondly desired
it by the paretic egotist.
H P HERE must be good men at the head of any organization to
win success and nothing is truer in business life than that a
man who accomplishes most is the one who has learned how to ac-
complish the best. He is the man who outlines a definite policy and
sticks to it. Work carefully thought out beforehand systematized
and then pushed according to system is the way to succeed.
We know of one successful man in the trade with whom we
were recently conversing about some business affairs which oc-
curred some twenty years ago. This man repeated with unerring
accuracy the conversation in which he took part and which was re-
ported in The Review at that time. He remarked that he cultivated
his memory, that he found it useful to do this, and that he could
recall with perfect distinctness incidents which occurred a quarter
of a century ago.
H
OWEVER, there are others who figure that such methods over-
tax memories and that one of the best ways in which the
REVIEW
and submits to a moral pressure next to which the brutal physical
force of a boycott of workmen is infantile. That is the Terrorism
against which I have been protesting, and I -am going to follow ex-
actly in the footsteps of Mr. Bent in refusing to submit to such an
existence. Before I would submit to it I would relinquish my resi-
dence in any free land like America or Britain and live in Finland
or Mombasa, where one at least knows that he is and must be a
slave.
"The cases of Mr. Bent and myself are therefore so analogous
that it would seem as if we had consulted and prearranged all this,
being men of exactly the same identical mental stripe; but nothing
of the kind has happened. It is merely two souls with but a single
thought; two hearts that beat as one. And now let us see what will
happen."
If such mouthings do not portray senility in an advanced stage
then what shall we say of them? Perhaps it were well to draw
the veil of pity over the hallucinations of such a disordered mind.
Just let him quietly depart for that congenial land of Mombasa
where the natives are ignorant of "terrorism." In the meanwhile
we imagine that Geo. P. Bent will not feel complimented by the
declaration of the paretic egotist, who says that Bent is "the same
identical mental stripe," and that their hearts "beat as one."
Geo. P. Bent has a big, generous, tender, sympathetic heart
through which rich red blood courses. An anatomical examination
of the other would reveal a mass of muscles performing the func-
tions of a heart and brain cells in which the solidifying process had
already begun.
'""pHE growth of our manufacturing industries is a matter for
*
congratulation, and one of the oldest American industries, and
systematization of business can be carried out is to ease one's mem-
the one that is carried on in this country on the largest scale is that
ory and avoid costly and unpleasant errors by keeping everything
of lumbering and wood working—an industry closely allied to piano
on a record, working on the basis that it doesn't pay to overtax one's
making. Those who would form some idea of the variety of woods
memory.
with which Uncle Sam's continent, to use Max O'Rell's phrase, is
It is said that President Roosevelt never makes the most unim-
provided, should pay a visit to the Museum of Natural History in
portant engagement without having his private secretary enter it
New York where specimens of no less than 480 woods are on exhibi-
immediately.
He thus prevents a conflict of engagements and
tion. Were it possible to estimate the value of the forests standing
avoids the overlooking of things he has promised to do. Each morn-
in various States a gigantic sum would be added to the list of the
ing the record is laid before him, and it is one part of that secre-
country's resources.
It is interesting too to note how the center of manufacture has
tary's duty to see that he misses nothing that he has promised to do
throughout the day.
The only safe way to conduct business matters is to set them
steadily moved westward, and to-day would be located not far from
the piano manufacturing district of Indiana.
down with sufficient fulness and clearness at a time when all the
OME readers seem to have a mistaken idea of the position of
dqtails are fresh in the mind, and before the memory has a chance
the editor of a publication. They believe that he scans every
to play tricks with any of the points at issue.
line written by the various members of the staff as well as matter
AINE is now to rival New York as a State for the organiza-
tion of corporations. Jersey has for a long time held the
lead, but now it bids fair to relinquish some of its corporation patron-
age to Maine, which now, by reason of its enactment of new laws,
is attracting to it a big corporation business.
turned in by outside correspondents, before publication.
M
HAT ringing communication of Geo. P. Bent's in reply to the
communication which he received from the Union urging
him not to advertise in the Los Angeles Times and reproduced in
The Review some weeks ago, was brimful of independence and
true Americanism and well worthy of the man. But what shall we
say of the discredited trade editor who claims that his position and
Mr. Bent's are analogous ? Listen to this:
"The Terrorism against which I have been protesting consists
of the sword of Damocles hanging over the head of Trade Jour-
nalism ever since the establishment of the Piano Manufacturers'
Association. The fearful so-called 'moral suasion' which tells a
trade editor that the work of a lifetime is endangered unless he re-
signs his manhood and his independence of thought and expression
T
Now in a paper like The Review it is a physical impossibility
to do this. The editor may direct the policy of a publication. He
may exercise a personal supervision of the various departments, and
the editorial pages may fairly depict his views upon topics of the
day, but beyond that it is pretty difficult for an ordinary individual
to go, even though he works sixteen hours out of the twenty-four.
PIANO merchant must be ever on the alert for anything and
everything that will contribute to the growth and develop-
ment of his business. He must be quick to adopt all new ideas,
methods and schemes which are legitimate and pleasing.
A
Piano selling as it is carried on to-day develops keen business
faculties, and the up-to-date piano man compares favorably with
the merchants in other lines. The business itself in order to be suc-
cessful demands the closest attention and no avenue leading to ad-
vancement should be overlooked.