Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SPECIAL MUSIC PUBLISHERS NUMBER
VOL.
LI. N o . 13.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, Sept. 24, 1910
SINGLE COPIES. 10 CENTS.
M.00 PER YEAR.
Moving with the Procession
I
T is obvious that the music publishers of this country regard this publication as their exponent, and the position which The
Review has won has been largely gained by devoting a goodly space in the paper to their interests.
A trained journalist has been in charge of the Music Section, and that The Review has steadily advanced in value to
music publishers is conceded by all who have traveled the country and who have ascertained the close hold this publication
has upon the men who sell music at retail in all sections of America.
Years ago the service rendered the music publishers was insufficient—sporadic—and lacked a definiteness of purpose; but
since The Review inaugurated a radical departure by devoting a large portion of the paper to the interests of the music publishing
trade it followed as a natural sequence that this publication would win a position as the representative organ of the legitimate pub-
lishing trade.
I say legitimate because I wish it distinctly understood that this publication never has nor never will encourage a degrading
or irresponsible element in the business.
We do not seek patronage from the fly-by-night concerns and we want none of it.
We do not believe in aiding or encouraging men in business who can fail to-day and start up again to-morrow, under some
other name, perhaps, closely approximating that of their old business institution.
This paper shall not be used for such exploitation purposes, but it shall faithfully represent the true business interests of
the music publishing trade.
It takes years of fair dealing to win a reputation, and the record of The Review for more than three decades has been
strictly honorable.
We have fought for the legitimate interests of the trade and have upheld them in every possible way.
We have denounced frauds and hypocrites.
We have endeavored to purge the music publishing trade of the leeches and excrescences which have clung to it, and it is
universally admitted that our influence has been for the upbuilding of decent business methods.
The better class of music publishers know that the utterances of this publication are not only closely read, but they are
relied upon as being accurate and fairly portraying conditions.
We have never found it necessary to abuse men who may have disagreed with us or could not see it to their business
advantage to advertise with us.
We have endeavored, on the contrary, to make the paper so valuable that on account of its increased influence it should
actually compel men, by reason of the values offered, to trade under our banner.
I feel that I cannot permit this opportunity to go by without extending my thanks to the better element of music publishers
who have faithfully stood by me in my fight for the true interests of the trade.
Of course, it is impossible that all should agree with us in all of our utterances.
That is hardly to be expected.
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There must be divergent views upon different topics.
'
Some of the old-timers at intervals criticize this paper for not denouncing the new blood—the virile energetic men whose
personalities have been felt in the trade in a telling way in later years.
Stuff and nonsense! Amusing, is it not?
It needs new blood to brace up things, and some of the antiquarians who are sitting back and wondering why they do not
sell more music should wake up and take a leaf from the lives of the men who are doing things to-day.
Men cannot live entirely in the memory of the past.
There must be a variety to supply our varied needs, but most of all it requires energy on the part of business men to keep
up with the procession.
If a man expects to sit by and live on the memories of the past he is quite sure to wake up some morning and find that the
procession has moved on and left him marooned, and that is precisely the position of some of the men whose minds are filled with
melancholy memories.
It's better to move with the procession, for the endless caravan of life moves on.
. '
We better make the best of life to-day,
Nor w y ait upon to-morrow for relief;
To-day, at eventide, will seem too brief.
To-morrow holds the kev to failures vast
As yesterday e'er buried in the past.
Tho' life be long or short, we've but to-day
To do our work-—accomplish what we may.