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THE
fULJIC TRADE
V O L . XLVI1. N o . 1 1. Published Every Saturday by Edward LymanBill at I Madison Ave., New York, September 12,1908.
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ROM every point of view the music publishing year
upon which we are now entering looks propitious.
It is worse than useless in the present article to
hark back upon what has been. The burning ques-
tion-just now is, what will be? And the answer will be partly
found within the pages of this our Special Music Publishers'
number. That optimism is rife, cannot be doubted, and that
there is a good reason for this feeling is evidenced by the fact
that already the trade "doldrums" have been relieved by the
soft zephyrs of returning prosperity, which it is to be earnestly
hoped will stiffen into the sharp breeze that will carry not only
the music publishing ship, but that of every other trade and
profession into the harbor of financial success. That the first
zephyr has been felt is undisputed. On all sides is heard the
glad news that "things are picking up," and this, so early
in the season, is gratifying to a degree.
F
It may be said with truth that the most faithful barometer
to the state of the sheet music trade is the theater. Already
innumerable musical productions have seen the light, and the
number of successes which have been produced compare
favorably with the most prosperous season of the past ten
years. When the public can afford to patronize the play
liberally, and especially the musical play, then it is safe to say
that money is plentiful, and when money is plentiful the de-
mand for luxuries—for sheet music is, of course, included in
this category—is alwayr-normal.
It is utterly useless to endeavor to analyze the sense of
security which is now in the air and which has been strangely
absent during the past twelve months, but it exists beyond a
question of doubt, as is proved by the general financial condi-
tion of the country. One thing must be remembered, how-
ever : Times may help, but they do not make business.
The publisher must profit by the lessons which the past
year has taught him—and Heaven knows he has had a hard
schooling. On the other hand, the retailer must remember
that the time has past when he can sit down and, like Micaw-
ber, "wait for something to turn up." The music field has
been entered by men who do things—men who have brought
the sheet music trade to the level of a prosperous separate
business, and who no longer regard it as a segment of a music
trade circle of which a dozen separate lines form the whole.
"While in the past The Review has had a great deal of criticism
to make regarding the methods of publishers, it has spared to
some extent the retailer, who only too frequently has had him-
self to blame for the invasion of his territory. When he be-
gins to realize that the sheet music trade is now a serious
business, and not a "side line," the sooner the retailing pub-
lisher will awaken to the fact that he has plenty to do to at-
tend to the publishing end of the business without entering
into competition with the retail trade.
Again, the year in prospect promises much, for the reason
that a far more friendly feeling exists to-day between the
music publishing fraternity than has been apparent since the
unfortunate "cut-rate war" inaugurated in its present form a
year ago. Of course, rivalry exists—and it is a fortunate
thing that it does exist—but the petty jealous) which has been
so apparent among the fraternity has recently been chastened
by the realization that their wrongs have emanated frjoni sev-
eral quarters and that no individual is altogether to blame.
It is now understood that conditions as well as individuals
were in no small measure responsible for a great many of the
abuses which have recently beset the trade. Jiut conditions
have now vastly improved, although it is unlikely that for the
present the larger cities will be entirely free from rate-wars.
It is quite likely, however, that conditions will remedy them-
selves or be remedied within the near future. During the
year in prospect, it is to be earnestly hoped that some fair and
equitable decision will be reached on the copyright Act which
is now pending at Washington. Right nobly have the pub-
lishers and authors worked during the past year for some
settlement of this weight)' question, and it would be a grave
injustice if the name of Isidore Witmark on behalf of the pub-
lishers and Harry Williams on behalf of the authors and com-
posers were not mentioned for their active fight for justice.
A casual glance through the pages of this number will
show that the offerings of the various publishers are far
superior to those of preceding years. Young as the season
is, there are already several "hits" on the market, and we use
the word "hits" advisedly. The enormous sums spent in
advertising in this number should convince the retailer that
the various publishers have confidence in the songs which
they are exploiting. The retailer is the legitimate heir to this
confidence and it is for him to impart it in turn to the pur-
chaser. In this wise, the year in prospect will remain an
epoch in the history of the sheet music trade.
I. HAYDKN-CLARKKNDON.