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. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GLAD. HENDBKSON, EUGENE C. MAYER, H. E. JAMASON, B. BKITTAIN WILSON, W. H. DYKES,
A. J. NICKLIN,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
WM. B. WHITE,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHM H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HAKLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room 806.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JKNNINGS
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First Street.
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE. MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Enttted at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Can-
ada, $8.60; 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
Lvroan Bill.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, reg-
ulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
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.
REVIEW
shame, openly attack in their publicity the fair name and fame
of our industry and would drag it down in the mire of fraud
and deception, to satisfy purely selfish aims. Of course, we are
not responsible for the methods of these merchants, but we are
responsible if we continue to retain them as members of the
National Association of Piano Merchants of America. Our
association has attained its majority and it is now time to act.
Have no fear, for 'truth is mighty and must prevail.' For every
offending member expelled from our association there will be
two new ones ready to join, ready to espouse and abet our
stand for the right."
Mr. Foster's remarks, which appear elsewhere, arc worthy
the closest and most serious consideration. They are the utter-
ances of a close student of trade conditions and of a sincere man
who has the interests of the industry at heart. He believes
that the objects of the association, which shall be "the promo-
tion and elevation of trade interests and the uniting for mutual
protection against trade abuses," shall not be an empty statement,
but be practiced by all members. People differ as to plans and
policies; each man has a right to conduct his business as he pleases,
but there must be a line of demarcation between wrong and
right in the industry, and it is a mockery to have an association
with members who do not believe in it.
E
XECUTIVE heads of two thousand corporations capitalized
at $1,000,000 or more arc to meet in New York early in
February to organize the Society for Promoting Efficiency. The
Player-Piano and
society is to be national. James G. Cannon, president of the Fourth
Technical Departments.
National Bank, is chairman of a provisional committee of one hun-
dred that has tentatively drafted a constitution describing the so-
ciety's object as "promoting efficiency in commercial and industrial
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
enterprises of all kinds." "Efficiency," as the society will use it,
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal... Charleston Exposition, 1802
Diploma. ...Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
is merely another name for "scientific management." "Last sum-
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
mer," Mr. Cannon said, "a little group of men, students of the
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
growth of industrial plants from the small factory, with its hundred
Cable address - "Elblll. N e w York."
employes, to the trust with its thousands, were talking over the
causes for the unsettled state of affairs. They concluded that it
NEW YORK, JANUARY 20, 1912.
might be a good idea to get together the elements which enter into
industry, compare notes, cancel out the processes and methods and
systems which have not been satisfactory, and introduce in their
EDITORIAL
place more modern schemes of organization and management. We
want results not only satisfactory to owners, but results satisfactory
as
well to the working people, who, after all, are the element upon
TRONG and timely words were those uttered by President
which
success depends."
Foster, of the National Association of Piano Merchants
of America, at the meeting of the executive board held in New
According- to the preliminary announcement of the coming
York on Monday last in regard to the danger that threatens the
meeting, sent out by Mr. Cannon's committee, a great many men in
very integrity of the industry through what he terms "mislead-
various lines of business and in the business professions have come
ing, deceptive, and, in some cases, even criminal, methods of
to realize the necessity of formulating and standardizing systems
distribution."
of organizations and methods and principles of management.
Through the activities of private firms, of universities, of publica-
The conditions which Mr. Foster is combating are those
tions, and of various local associations much of this work has
which The Review has been vigorously fighting for many long
already been accomplished. "These efforts," says the committee,
years. It is true, as Mr. Foster says, that "a crisis is fast ap-
"have gone far enough to convince everyone who is familiar with
proaching in the affairs of our industry. The battle is between
them of the immense benefits that can be effected through the
honest and dishonest methods of distribution. The credit, dig-
application of order, system, and common sense to the investigation
nity, the very integrity of our noble trade, is at stake. There
and adoption of modern methods which, properly introduced, have
are many sides, many angles, many conditions to this complex
problem. Towering high above all other conditions, and the repeatedly demonstrated their efficiency and value."
only condition that I shall consider at this time, is that of mis-
leading, pernicious, fraudulent, and, in some instances, criminal
NE of the principal things that bankers and others interested
advertising. It is a waste of time to enter into any description
in the establishment of a modern system of financial business
of the many forms of these deceptive propositions; they are
in this country hope to get is something that Congress has set its
familiar to all; the misleading contest; the advertising of the face against for time out of mind—bank acceptances. As it stands,
old-time makes—the very life-savers of our trade—at injuriously
banks are forbidden to rediscount paper, though in every other
low prices, and not one word said about their having been used;
civilized country the rediscounting system is the bulwark of busi-
new pianos for $52.50 and even less, and a host of other schemes
ness. The Aldrich plan, if adopted, will permit banks to discount
to mislead the public, thereby throwing great discredit on our proper commercial paper, and then* instead of keeping their money
entire trade."
locked up in these securities, to take the paper to some other bank
In this connection Mr. Foster stated that members of the and borrow on it in turn. In this way the commercial banks will
association are to-day advertising along the lines above de-
be able, with no additional risk, to utilize their credit, supplying
scribed, and urges that in future such questionable advertisers, facilities over and over again, instead of only once, and business
after a fair warning has been given, be immediately expelled
will have a sound credit foundation on which to expand. When
from the organization. He says further: "There is really no
business is bad this additional credit will automatically contract,
other course to follow in order to retain our integrity. Under
since merchants will not increase their stocks of goods in the face
our new constitution it is impossible for us to harbor merchants
of depression, nor, by implication, their obligations. And the con-
who, actuated only by a sordid thirst for gain, without fear or
verse when business is good,
S
O