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THE: MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE TAINT OF AN INDUSTRY
(Continued from page 3.)
but frequently they miss, and when the legal tribunals of the country are called into action they imme-
diately get on their knees and beg for peace.
They endeavor through various sources to have influence brought to bear to the effect that the
actions may be withdrawn.
That is their plan of campaign, and, reviewing the history of hold-up journalism in this trade, there
is one most astonishing thing which must be considered, and that is that reputable business men have so
long continued to pay tribute to a venal press.
They hold the whip hand, and yet they have bowed the head and bent the knee to a brutal ring-
master.
It is hardly fair to blame trade journalism when apportion of the blame should be placed upon the
shoulders of the men who, by their very tributes, have made it possible for the demoralizing forces to
exist.
This trade newspaper institution has never ceased to express itself strongly, and by denouncing dis-
honest trade journalism I have won the eternal enmity of the men whose plans to a certain extent I have
destroyed, because the rise of straightforward journalism means the end of dishonest journalism.
However, in my entire campaign I have avoided personalities, but my efforts obviously have been felt
by the guilty ones. And surely there has been nothing in my individual work which would have offended
in the slightest the honest trade journalist.
Therefore, if the ones who are guilty squirmed and twisted under my editorial lash it only shows that
after all they possess what I never believed they owned—a conscience.
It proves even that they have hearts where I believed a mass of muscles performed the functions of
that organism.
So, after all, there are surprises for every one; but I have held to one point consistently for years, and
that was that wrong could not sit forever triumphantly on the throne; and it would seem that the mills,
although they have been slowly grinding, are grinding resistlessly, and now the men who are beginning
to feel the pressure are showing extreme anxiety.
We have reached the point where bluffs will not delay action—where abuse and slander must be an-
swered—where no evasion will be permitted.
Let the wheels continue to grind.
Suppose there is wailing and gnashing of teeth!
These fellows have made others squirm—in fact, the shafts of sarcasm and abuse have wounded
many a good man in this trade. Take the late Robert Proddow. A kindlier, gentler-hearted man never
existed, and it is said by Mr. Proddow's closest friends that his noble life was shortened by the malicious
attacks made upon him by the men to whom he would not pay tribute.
It is said that spies have been placed upon the trail of individuals, and that some of their follies and
weaknesses have been discovered, and through fear of publishing same they paid enormous tributes.
It is said that the life of one of the most successful men of this industry was shortened by reason of
blackmailing tactics, which pursued him unrelentingly until his last fatal illness.
Surely it is not gratifying to an industry to have shown such weakness in support of a cruel, venal
press, and is it not about time, gentlemen of the trade, that these foul, blackening influences were wiped
out forever?
"Out, damned spot!"
It is told that an exponent of decadent journalism approached a well known supply manufacturer
through an intermediary, whom he had well under his control and whom he has since thrown over after
extorting large sums from him. The supply man listened to the argument of the pleader for the news-
paper decadent, and when he had completed he said to him:
"I wish you would convey the words to this man that I consider that he is a d
blackmailer,"
adding a few other pungent and characteristic word garnishments. The man who was waiting for a peace
call in the lobby of the hotel went out from that edifice with his head bowed, perhaps not in shame, but
at least in disappointment.
Not to be cast down, however, he made an approach to an action manufacturer, demanding a large
sum of money for "service." At first there was considerable demurring, but the various tools of the trade
were applied, and possibilities were hinted at where the man's product would be injured unless he acceded
to the demand, and he finally succumbed and paid the price. It took a number of meetings, but in the
end the violator of piano peace succeeded in accomplishing his desires, and the action manufacturer paid
a big sum for "exploitation."
And so it goes—but for how long!
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