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COMMENTS B Y - •
We do not know who J. Murray Allison is, but
we have evidence that he is—or has—a piess
agent with some degree of originality. On
Wednesday afternoon last he invited the follow-
ing list of notables and nonentities to form a com-
mittee for the purpose of judging the musical
compositions of a batch of hitheito unknown
composers. To add insult to injury, Mr. Allison de-
cided to hold the amateur contest at the Casino
Theatre. Among those reported present were
Reginald De Koven, Gustave Kerker, Miss Connie
Edi?s ? Acton Davies, Glenmore Davis, Irving S.
Cobb, Ed. Pidgeon, Roy L. McCardell, Charles
Somerville, Frank W. O'Malley, R. T. Fechheimer
and Lloyd Dorsey Willis.
No actual details of the contest were given
out, but a Review man who waited patiently
for bulletins outside the theater observed Regi-
nald De Koven leaving somewhat suddenly.
He was last seen tacking in the direction of
Brown's Chop House, whistling strains from
"The Snow Man." To a friend he afterward
confided that on the strength of the after-
noon's entertainment he was thinking of writ-
ing a new comic opera. Roy L. McCardell
came dashing out of the stage door shortly after
4 o'clock and excitedly asked a policeman to di-
rect him to the nearest sanitarium. He was last
seen trying to write an Indian love song on the
sidewalk with a pretzel. Ed Pidgeon flew. Irvin
S. Cobb walked silently away and refused to be
interviewed or comforted. He subsequently said
that for the first time he realized how good Funa-
bashi really was. Charlie Somerville was still
asleep at 5:30, but the theater watchman reported
that as he was sobbing peacefully it was quite
likely that he was dreaming of some exclusive
interview which would make good "copy"; there-
fore the kind-hearted custodian refused to dis-
turb him. Frank W. O'Malley and R. T. Fech-
heimer, two young Irishmen who as yet are un-
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
known to fame, passed out unnoticed and drove
to police headquarters, Mr. Fechheimer complain-
ing that he had lost an afternoon. Taking it all
in all, the whole event can be chronicled as a
typical Shubert success.
Stop Yer Ticklin'.
Mr. Harry Lauder, who has made himself
famous as the only Scotch comedian who ever
reached these shores able to make himself under-
stood without the aid of an interpreter, writes
that any persons other than the Gaumont Co.
who reproduce him on a moving picture ma-
chine are "fraudulent liars." If Mr. Lauder
would only describe some of the comedians who
are endeavoring to imitate him in the same kindly
manner he would receive the moral support of
ninety per cent, of New York theatergoers.
This That Is That That.
Joseph Stern, of Joseph W. Stern & Co., sends the
following amusing paragraph to add apparently to
our "The Review Hears" column "That T-H-A-T
spells that, and that that was originated by that
'Man on the Street' for that one and only trade
paper that gives us that news that we most need."
In thanking Mr. Stern for giving us credit for
originality, we would remind him that if that
"that" has not already been claimed by some of
our excellent contemporaries it is only because
they have temporarily overlooked it.
Music Hath Charms.
"Beautiful," murmured the prospective singer
to the composer of the latest popular ballad. "Do
you know that your playing takes me back to my
childhood days, when I lived in Eau Claire, Wis-
consin, next door to the dear old saw mill." And
the singer and composer wept in unison.
Once More the Theatrical Shyster.
Where is the theatrical shyster's "graft" going
to end. Not only has he in the past insisted
upon the publisher paying him for placing a
song in his production, but now he is endeavor-
ing to force author and composer to share their
royalty with him. The burning question at pres-
ent is, what are the members of "the Words and
Music Club" going to do about it? One would
C
imagine that things had gone far enough when
the publisher was asked to submit to this kind
of blackmail, but when the unfortunate author
is "bled" for a part of his miserable earnings,
then the body that professes to represent his in-
terests should step in and blacklist these jack-
alls by refusing to bolster up their rotten pro-
ductions with the brains and energy of its mem-
bers. So long as authors and composers submit
to being held up in this fashion they deserve no
sympathy. A speedy and effective remedy for the
methods adopted by the shyster theatrical mana-
ger would be for a good "husky" song writer to
gently, but firmly take the offending party and
administer a sound good thrashing. And it is to
be earnestly hoped that this will be done before
long and done well.
News Happenings.
To the casual observer the demand for 10
cent editions of popular music is little short of
marvellous. Raymond L. O'Neil, of the McKinley
Co., who has just returned from Boston, where
he established a branch office, has no less than
ten salesmen traveling in New York State, ten
in Massachusetts, and ten in other nearby states,
exclusively pushing the McKinley wares. No
wonder that the orders for this really excellent
edition vastly exceed the supply. An interesting
feature of last week was the "cable" that ap-
peared in the New York Herald, from Paris,
France, giving M. Witmark & Sons' publications
over half a column of reading matter. This is
really clever advertising. As reported last week
Jerome H. Remick has signed contracts with
Reginald de Koven and Clare Kummer for a term
of years. Not to be behindhand Jos. W. Stern
& Co. have secured the services of a number
of well known writers whose names appear in
another column. Trade conditions remain about
the same.
TO MANUFACTURE MUSIC WRITERS.
The Enterprise Specialty Manufacturing Co.,
Boston, Mass., have incorporated with a capital
of $30,000 for the purpose of manufacturing a
machine called the music writer. Directors:
Frank H. Beals, R. I. Cole and W. H. Cole.
M«KINLEY1O MUSIC
FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
are the publishers of all the songs
SUNG BY
HARRY LAUDER
and all the successful songs
SUNG BY
VESTA VICTORIA
NEW YORK 15 Wcsl 301b St. NEW YORK
A MONEY-MAKER
For MUSIC DEALERS
HANDLING IT.
"The Most Popular
Piano Duets"
The finest Duet Folio published. Arranged by
George Rosey. Special Dealers' Introductory
Rates on application. Send for them at once.
HINDS, NOBLE & ELDREDGE
31 W. 15th Street, New York City
These 1907 Sons Hits at 10c. percopy or $10 per hundred.
"EVERYONE IS IN SLUMBERLAND BUT YOU AND ML"
" TWINKLING STAR."
"SWEETHEARTS MAY COME AND SWEETHEARTS
MAY GO."
"WHERE THE JESSAMINE IS BLOOMING,FAR AWAY."
Instrumental
PAULA VAL.SE CAPRICE
will pay you to keep in touch with ua. Write to-day
THEBES-STKRL1N MUSIC CO., St. Louis, Mo.
McKINLEY MUSIC CO. WM. McKINLEY, Pres.
158 Harrison St., Chicago
74 5th Ave., N. Y.
VICTOR KREMER CO.
NEW YORK
1431 Broadway
PUBLISHERS
"Under the Tropical Moon," "Won't You
Let Me Put My Arms Around You,"
"Cinderella," Inst. and Song.
"Not Be-
cause Your Hair Is Curly," "Will the
Angels Let Me Play," "Paddy," "Can You
Keep a Secret," "Vanity Fair," "I Never
Can Forget You Dear," Kremer's Mandolin
Folio, No. 1, etc., etc.
TDAnr
I I\AUC
F O R THIRTY D A Y S OIVL.Y
Write To-Day for Samples and Special Offer
CHICAGO
152 Lake Street
HAVE YOU SEEN OUR NEW FOLIO
SPECIAL TO THE TRADE!
Costs You 3 Cents
THE T. B. HARMS c o . ARE NO LONGER
SELLING AGENTS FOR ANY OF OUR
SONGS.
"UINDER THE MATZOS
The best Jewish novelty song ever written, being funny without being offensive, and
"WHEN THE MOON PLAYS PEEKABOO WITH YOU"
By that writer, FRED. FISHER, author of "If the Man in the Moon Were a Coon." Take
notice that there is an imitation song with a similar title, but it is not I T
THE
FRED.
FISHER
MUSIC
PUBLISHING
COMPANY
FRED. FISHER
NAT. SHAY
1431-33 BROADWAY, NEW YORK