Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPLULANE V Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GLAD. HENDERSON,
A. J. NICKLIH,
H. E. JAMASON
AUGUST J. TJMPE,
WM. B. WHITE,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. E. BOWEKS.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room S06.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHM H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GBAY, 88 First Street.
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE, MD.i A. ROBERT FMNCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., £. C.
Pabltohed Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
EnUted at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $8.00 per year; Can.
ada. $S.fiO; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $76.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
t ; o n s o f a technical nature relating to the tuning, reg-
ulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
p
dealt with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
anil
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Pri*
Paris Exposition, 1000
Silver Medal. . .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1604
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 5982-5983 MADISON SQUARE
Connecting all Deportments.
Cable address •• "FJbill. New York."
NEW YORK, MARCH 9, 1912.
EDITORIAL
T
HE initiative has been taken by President Taft in a movement
to bring- the business men of the country into touch with the
Government for advice and counsel in the administration of laws,
the enactment of new statutes and the development of commerce.
Virtually, the President proposes a National Board of Trade
broadly representative of the commercial and industrial organiza-
tions and of such character as the Government may properly recog-
nize by a charter from Congress.
As one of the first steps in this plan, Secretary Nagel, of the
Department of Commerce and Labor, by direction of the President,
has called a convention of delegates from commercial organiza-
tions in all parts of the country to meet in Washington on April
15 for discussion and to plan the organization. Invitations already
have been sent to 1,000 local chambers of commerce, boards of
trade and other commercial bodies. Responses to the announce-
ments of the tentative plan have been such that President Taft is
convinced that the time is ripe for putting the proposal to the test
of practical experiment.
The President first recommended such a plan in a message to
Congress last December, in which he suggested that officials of the
Department of Commerce and Labor and members of appropriate
Congressional committees might be made members ex-officio of
such an association.
In a statement made public on Monday, President Taft out-
lines the purposes of such an organization. It would give to the
Government the opportunity to consult the business world on all
problems of trade supremacy; it would afford co-operation in the
expansion of commerce at home and abroad, and would provide a
means by which Government officers charged with the enforcement
of laws could become acquainted with the complexities which sur-
round their administration in the business world. Further than
that, Congress in framing new statutes affecting trade and com-
merce would have first hand advice of an official nature.
REVIEW
In some respects, the plan would not be unlike the German
Government's system of co-operation with boards of trade through-
out the German States, although many of the features of that sys-
em probably would not be applicable here.
T
HE President's statement was in part as follows: "It is not
my intention to define the purposes of such an organization,
or indeed in any manner to anticipate the scope of the discussion
upon which delegates may conclude to enter; but it appears to me
to be obvious that such an organization must be instrumental in a
very large field to aid and assist the executive and legislative
branches of Government in the intelligent and impartial develop-
ment of domestic and foreign trade.
"For illustration, such an organization properly represented
at the seat of government could be of incalculable assistance in
advising the executive branch of government with respect to the
methods and rules to be adopted in the administration of existing
law. It could be of like assistance in giving advice in regard to
new proposed legislation and in counseling representatives of the
executive branch when asked to submit recommendations upon
bills introduced and pending before committees.
"Such an organization would be in the best possible position
to suggest fields for new inquiry at home and abroad, the methods
by which such inquiries should be pursued, and the means by which
the results can be most advantageously brought to the attention of
our merchants and manufacturers, and it is safe to assume that
if such an organization is created its chief activities will be de-
veloped in the light of our own experience.
"It may not be necessary that we adopt a course in all respects
patterned upon the system of any other commercial or industrial
country, but it is obvious that by some means immediate relation
between the Government activities and the commercial and indus-
trial forces of our country must be established if we propose to
enjoy the full advantage of our opportunity in domestic and for-
eign trade.
"I have accordingly instructed the Secretary of Commerce and
Labor to take the necessary steps to initiate as soon as practicable
at Washington a conference of delegates from organizations which
are engaged in the promotion and development of commerce and
industry in their respective districts, such conference to consider
the establishment of a representative National organization for
commercial development and to outline the principles by which it
should be governed.
"The development of the plan will be left entirely with the
accredited representatives of such commercial organizations, the
essential principles being that the National association shall be
broadly representative of the commercial interests of the whole
country, and that its organization shall be such that those in con-
trol of the association shall be readily responsive to the will of the
majority of the constituent members."
T
HE plan as outlined is most admirable, and should meet with
the heartiest support of business men in the music trade and
every other industry in this country. The interchange of opinions
among representative business men, particularly when it bears upon
the extension of the foreign trade of the Nation, will be most
valuable and stimulative.
It is clear that if we are to take advantage of the building of
the Isthmian Canal, and if it is to be of value to our commerce, it
is time that some action were taken in regard to getting a fair share
of the trade in the South American Republics which is now con-
trolled by foreign countries.
This, however, is only one of the many topics which will come
up for consideration at this meeting. It will also afford an oppor-
tunity for the officials at Washington receiving at first hand the
opinions of business men on the attitude of the Government toward
business and finding out whether it is fair that the sins of the few
should be visited on the many.
President Taft's move in soliciting the opinions of representa-
tive business men as an aid to the executive branch of the Govern-
ment in regard to new proposed legislation or administering exist-
ing laws, has come in for much favorable comment throughout the
music trade industry.
Viewed from any standpoint, President Taft is to be con-
gratulated on this move which means so much for the future of
the country in a business way.