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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Being Equipped for Larger Responsibilities.
N these days when unrest and dissatisfaction seem to be rife
in the industrial world, when it is common to hear men com-
plain of lack of opportunity, it is interesting to turn to some re-
cent events in the music trade which demonstrate how men who
set out seriously to equip themselves for larger responsibilities
win out in the battle for preferment and success.
Take, for instance, those two energetic New Englanders who
figured in the news columns of The Review last week—Geo. J.
Dowling, president of The Cable Company, Chicago, 111., and A.
L. Jewett, who now has a controlling interest in the National
Piano Co., Boston, Mass.
Here are two examples of men who, by training and experi-
ence, and close observation of trade problems and their elucida-
tion, so equipped themselves that when opportunities came their
way they were enabled to take advantage of them.
Their lives illustrate the value of intensive work—of knowing
one's business thoroughly. In their relation with others they
have been developers and stimulators. They have always looked
on the optimistic side of things, and fitted themselves to sur-
mount all problems and difficulties that come their way.
Despite the general assailment of corporations and the much
discussed lack of sympathy with those who labor for them, there
are plenty concerns throughout the United States which have
recognized and are selecting for the most responsible positions
men who have worked up from modest posts. The great trouble
nowadays is that too many men do not fit themselves by educa-
tion and training, and lack that enthusiasm and interest in busi-
ness which entitles them to consideration for larger responsi-
bilities.
Years of service, while a factor to be considered, is not the
great essential to recognition in any institution. There must be
also manifest ability and developed knowledge gained in the busi-
ness which can be applied to its advantage and betterment.
Industry, skill and progressiveness are recognized to-day by
great corporations, whether in the commercial or railroad field, as
never before. But the laggards, the men who drift along com-
plaining without making any serious effort to make their service
I
more valuable will, like the poor, be always "in our midst."
When a man isn't successful he usually attributes it to ill-
luck, and that same man will always designate a successful man
as being a "lucky fellow," overlooking the fact that back of this
so-called luck there is plenty of persistent and unremitting toil—
that hard work in all its different degrees lies behind all success
in life.
The most hopeless failures are those who hold themselves
blameless, and who never admit their own lack of ability and in-
dustry—who blame fate, conditions, luck, everything but the real
cause.
It is true that most of us do not achieve that degree of success
to which we imagine our abilities especially entitle us. It may
be that we cannot secure the employment which we believe our-
selves specially fitted for. But more men drift into slothful in-
dolence through waiting for real "business snaps"—in other
words, for positions which they are not competent to fill—than
those who achieve distinguished success.
There are plenty of men who always wish to play the leading
parts in the great drama of Hfe when they have failed to demon-
strate that they have ability to play even the minor ones. Then
these men believe they are shunted to a siding through lack of
appreciation of their merits—that it is ill-luck that keeps them
down.
A man's unconsciousness of the direct or tributary causes
of failure doesn't make it any less a fact, but contributes lament-
ably to the hopelessness of his condition. When he once gains
a knowledge that in himself lies success or failure there is a possi-
bility of success. The knowledge gives him his chance to climb,
and he begins in no half-hearted way. It lies with him to decide
whether the apple of success is worth climbing for. We can re-
spect the man who looks at the apple, sizes up the labor and
decides it isn't worth the climbing; but the man who thinks he
deserves the apple, and waits for some one to come along and
loan him a ladder—well, he is waiting yet, and invariably he is
the man who is the most emphatic in his protestations against
ill-luck.
Reform in National and State Legislation.
T has often been stated that fewer and simpler laws, stripped
of ambiguous legal phraseology, would tend to facilitate the
working of the judicial machinery of the Government. To those
who have had dealings with either the civil or criminal courts the
desirability of laws of non-technical and of understandable char-
acter has been deeply impressed. .
Special interest, therefore, attaches to the announcement
that a number of business men of New York City have banded
together for the purpose of advocating a general reform in Na-
tional and State legislation by having laws drafted in such man-
ner that their meaning may be clearly defined. It is the claim
of the reformers that the present laws are drafted by legislators
who are almost without exception lawyers by profession, and
that the laws are therefore'calculated to give the members of
their profession constant employment in interpreting the laws for,
and at the expense of, the business man.
The stand of those back of the movement is clearly set forth
in the following letter sent out to commercial organizations
throughout the country: "The country is not only inflicted, but
is further threatened with laws, governing commercial business,
and including in a large measure imprisonment penalties. These
laws, such as the Sherman law, proposed Norris law and the pro-
I
posed legislation in various States, is so ambiguously worded that
it is impossible for a business man to clearly understand.
"Do you not think that it is time for a country-wide move-
ment among the commercial bodies to come forward unitedly
and ask for clear, concise legislation, and that the business men
of the country should have a voice in the drafting of laws that
will govern business? Our present legislators are nearly all
lawyers, and our present laws give them the opportunity of con-
stant employment."
While it can hardly be charged that the laws are made for
the special purpose of giving additional employment to the mem-
bers of the bar, there are many piano men who have suffered
severe financial losses through questions regarding the legality
of contracts, leases, name rights, consignment agreements and
other matters, who could have prevented those losses had the
laws been simple enough to permit of a thorough understanding
of their real meaning without the aid of lawyers.
With laws simple in language much of the legal controversy
in trade circles would be done away with, for there would not
be any opportunities for clever lawyers to interpret the involved
phraseology at the expense of the contestants and to their own
gain.
Boston comes third, but much behind the leaders, having handled
less than half the number of this city. All expect an increase
with the spring.
This is the showing of a service that politicians halted over
for years; that men of stand-pat minds said would never be profit-
able to the people or to the Government. And the express
companies, instead of dying, are sitting up and taking notice.
A good many people believe that the music roll business will"
be stimulated by reason of the parcel post; but there is a reverse
side to the medal, and we shall in a subsequent issue touch upon
the parcel post and its effect upon the music roll business and
other branches of the music trade,,.