Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MUJIC T^ADE
VOL. LX. N o . 21
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, May 22, 1915 SING ^OO C PE I R
Mirroring the Inner Conditions.
T
HERE is nothing more interesting in a personal sense in trade newspaper work than to peruse
the assortment of letters representing almost every phase of human thought which are
directed by readers to the editor of a paper.
I always feel when I am perusing these communications that I am getting closer to the
army of Review readers all the while. I know their thoughts, their needs, their wishes and I feel
their criticisms. I may remark here that I enjoy criticism as long as it is sincere. It makes one view
things in a different light with the cocksureness lifted out of our system.
,
The opinions that are sought upon diverse topics simply make one's mind active in a number
of different ways.
These varied communications are always of intense interest to me, and while it is a physical im-
possibility to read them all T have made it my duty for many years to go over all that is possible.
I claim that the editor of every successful trade newspaper must be appreciative of the moods,
necessities and leanings of his reading audience. Without that knowledge he cannot sympathize with
them. He cannot shape the affairs of his journal so that it is constructive in the truest sense.
I have always been fond of being on the trade firing line, so to speak. In other words, of trav-
eling among the men who sell, because I think they are in closer touch with the real needs of the
industry than any other element.
Again, I find that a closer knowledge of a situation often changes one's views, and first opinions
which I have formed have sometimes been badly shattered by the inside knowledge which has come
to me later.
A newspaper is not, as Schopenhauer says, "a shadow on the wall," although many a newspaper
is a mere shadow of what a newspaper should be.
A newspaper reflects oftentimes in a defective sense, but nevertheless it mirrors forth things
which are not discernible to the average passer-by. We see this illustrated in the papers of the dif-
ferent nations. They reflect with more or less accuracy the life of these countries, and the paper
representing a special industry reflects to a large degree the conditions of that industry.
The trade journalist who is working along constructive lines may do a number of important
things.
^ '
He may teach, which translated means nothing more or less than the performance of construct-
ive work in aiding the industry in a fundamental sense.
He may attack, and an honest attack upon reprehensible methods oftentimes is most unpleas-
ant, although absolutely necessary. A malicious attack represents nothing more or less than black-
mailing journalism.
He may defend, and the steadfast defense of good causes requires at all times intensive, strenu-
ous work.
He may praise, and unquestionably praise is often neglected, and there are many men who per-
form most praiseworthy w r ork whose efforts are not faithfully recorded.
There are many things in life which we should praise, but for various reasons we fail to, but all
of these conditions reflect more or less on our inner trade life, and it is pretty safe to say that, while
some newspapers may startle readers now and then, they are lead up to certain conditions by rea-
son of the development of the industry to a certain point.
There is no newspaper which would dare advocate things far in advance of what the public, or
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