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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE WORLD GIVES NOTHING FOR THE ASKING
(Continued from page 3)
traveled very far who has not encountered them; but handicaps never disconcert the man who is really-
ambitious because he pushes obstacles aside, eats crow when he has to, keeps his gloomy thoughts to him-
self but always injects real ginger into his work and does things.
That is the kind of men who are making the wheels of progress revolve everywhere and it is the kind
of men who are on the firing line pressing ever on to higher and greater accomplishments!
The dead poet of the Sierras had the spirit, and he sang struggle and attainment all his life. He was
the poet of the "firing line."
"For glory? For good? For fortune or fame?
Why, ho for the front when the battle is on!
Leave the rear to the dolt, the lazy, the lame;
Go forward, as ever the valiant have done;
Whether city or field, whether mountain or mine,
Go forward, right on, to the Firing Line!
Whether newsboy or plowboy, cowboy or clerk,
Fight forward, be ready, be steady, be first;
Be fairest, be bravest, be best at your work;
Exult and be glad; dare to hunger, to thirst,
As David, as Alfred—let dogs skulk and whine—
There is room but for men on the Firing Line!
Aye, the place to fight and the place to fall—
As fall we must, all in God's good time—
It is where the manliest man is the wall,
Where boys are as men in their pride and prime,
Where glory gleams brightest, where brightest eyes shine,
Far out on the roaring red Firing Line!"
The
r
Wages of Sin.
I ^ HE verdict in the conspiracy trial which closed at Joliet
JL last week did not come in the nature of a surprise to anyone
who had followed the testimony in this case; and ; as the jury was
composed of men who measured well up to the average American
intelligence, it was assumed that thejr decision would not be hasty
or unjust, but rendered in accordance with the testimony pre-
sented.
The trial lasted a full month and many witnesses were placed
on the stand, but it seemed, as the trial progressed, that the State
of Illinois had welded a strong chain of evidence against the de-
fendant Geppert.
Link by link this chain was welded by corroborative evidence
in such a manner that there appeared to be no question as to the
result of the trial.
The defendant had ample means and had employed one of the
best known lawyers in Illinois, so that it cannot for one moment
be asserted that he lacked anything in the way of support from any
source; but, the case was dark at the outset. He was caught in
his own meshes, and the task which he took on to extricate himself
proved too great; and, as the trial progressed and the evidence con-
tinued to accumulate against him, he commenced to realize in what
a terrible position his deliberate acts had placed him.
There will be, of course, an attempt to create sympathy for
him, but we see no reason why justice should be sympathetic when
a man deliberately and intentionally plans conspiracy.
The sympathy should be rather for the man who has had to
stand up under years of malicious attacks and who at last was com-
pelled in order to protect himself to resort to the courts of law.
It is said that Geppert was but a tool.
If that be true there is no record of unwillingness on his part
to perform the dictates of his chief.
If such were his desires he carefully concealed them and his
deeds show that perfect harmony existed between himself and the
power which controlled his business acts. So it is useless to argue
sympathy for a man past fifty who knowingly engages in acts which
his own intelligence must have told him were dangerous.
When a man commits some crime in the heat of passion there
should be at least a modicum of pity and consideration shown, for
such acts do not always represent intent or purpose on his part; but
a man who willingly maintains a certain policy for years must be
judged and weighed by that policy, whether good or bad, for we
are all daily contributing to our own reputations.
To John V. Steger and his associates all credit is due for
waging a fight for justice which meant many sacrifices on their part.
Mr. Steger was accused among other things of being cowardly.
It was frequently asserted that he had a yellow streak in him,
but we must judge men by their acts. Mr. Steger has shown that
he possessed courage of the genuine sort—rare courage, if the truth
be told.
He was forced to submit for years to abuse of the lowest
nature, and not merely his business affairs, but his personal and
family matters were shown up in a most outrageous manner; but
Mr. Steger determined to fight for justice, and he has demonstrated
before the entire world what a man may accomplish when he has
right on his side and has the courage to make the fight.
It may be truthfully said that while the sentiment of the trade
was strongly with Mr. Steger, many carefully refrained from ex-
pressing their feelings or lending encouragement to the fight which
Mr. Steger was making for justice, so he made it alone and un-
aided; and through him the State of Illinois has won a victory
against a conspirator which will long act as a deterring force upon
others.
But the end is not yet.
The poor cringing man upon whom sentence was pronounced
at Joliet is not all—the ends of justice have not been met until
through stern and inexorable laws all the guilty ones are brought
trembling before the bar of justice.
The conditions which led up to this trial and made it neces-
sary have been a disgrace not only to music trade journalism, but
to the music trade industry itself which has supported conspirators;
but it is shown that no matter how bitter the experience that in the
end right will triumph as it should and the wages which sin de-
mands are too high for anyone to pay.
The price is prohibitive.