Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE M-:W Yoir-"
IPUBLIUJ
THE
HWIW
MUSIC T^ADE
VOL.
L I V . N o . 3.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 1 Madison Ave., New York, Jan. 20,1912
SINGL
$ioS 0 PER S YE 0 AR ENTS
Some Predictions
W
H I L E I do not claim ancestry which would entitle me to pose as a prophet, yet I am going to
do a little prophesying concerning 1912.
I do not believe that the year will annihilate the high water-mark record, yet T do be-
lieve that it will be one of the most progressive that this country has known' for quite a
period. There are many factors which will contribute to make it so.
In the first place, the New Year brings us opportunity. The mistakes we made and the triumphs we
won in the last twelve months are a part of a record that is closed, and we have just commenced to turn
the pages of a year which to my mind is full of business promise.
Trade conditions are steadily improving, and best of all the fundamentals are good, and a large
amount of housecleaning has been accomplished in business institutions during the past few years.
Men generally have a more intimate knowledge of the details of their affairs than ever before, and it
must be admitted that business is on a firmer foundation and that there is an undeniable absence of un-
healthy speculation.
The attitude of the Government in making a determined fight against the fraudulent use of the
mails, and the newspapers keeping out grafters and gold brick men, as well as guessing contest certificate
men, has been excellent. All such kind of work helps the legitimate business.
Factories which have been running on greath reduced time in the great manufacturing districts of
New England have recently started up on full time.
Railroads have placed large orders for betterments which will mean the distribution of many millions.
A single railroad, the Xew York Central, has ordered new equipment amounting to more than
$23,000,000. Other Western and Southern roads have ordered new rolling stock aggregating as many
millions more, and in the opinion of the best-informed men, all of the railroads of the country must expend
large sums for equipment during the next two or three years.
The steel industry, which corporation is perhaps the greatest single employer of labor in this country,
is booming.
Then, too, the farmers, who constitute a great purchasing class, are making more money than ever
before.
Now, when we come to sum up the whole business situation it must be admitted that it is decidedly
favorable, and that 1912 certainly looks well from a business viewpoint.
It is true we face a Presidential campaign, but we are largely immune to-day from business disturb-
ances caused by political campaigns during the Presidential year.
Once upon a time they upset everything, but the great financial and business interests of the country
are too important to be relegated as a side issue.
Business must go on, and it will go on, for progress must be made.
All conditions to my mind indicate a year of splendid prosperity, and I do not see why the piano trade
in all its various related branches should not enjoy a full measure of this widespread prosperity.
It is not a time for drawing in or making too radical retrenchments in any way.
Wise men thoroughly understand this.
Tt looks like a good year and now to take the fullest advantage of it.
Prosperity is like happiness.
It comes to those who seek it, and let us, as sensible people, start in to do business and plenty of it.
Let us be through with waiting for business to pick up.
Let us pick it up and keep it going.
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