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THE
MUJIC TRADE
V O L . L X I . N o . 12 Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI at 373 Fourth Aw., New York, Sept. 18,1915 SING |- 2 E OO C PER ES VEA^ ENTS
R
OSES and thorns! Yes, and the dewy fragrance and velvety petals of the roses do not deaden
the sharpness of the thorns.
But why always think about the thorns?
Why not enjoy the roses, revel in their fragrant sweetness?
The roses in this case are the splendid conditions which are seen on every hand.
The Government crop reports reveal a veritable horn of plenty. Of wheat, the prospect is for
a record yield, and in all other crops there is a substantial increase over any recent year.
Although prices in the great primary markets w^ere higher a year ago than they are to-day, they
resulted from feverish speculation when the European war was new and did not accurately represent
the returns received on the farms.
The probability is that this year's crops are of greater value in the hands of those who have
produced them than any others ever harvested.
With the sources of prosperity more prolific than ever before, the people of Ihe United States
may easily share their abundance with the world.
Such are the roses in the business situation. Now for the thorns!
Of course the war, which has dislocated credit, commerce and industry, would be the chief
thorn that pricks.
The other thorns are the pessimists who never can view a rose without thinking of the thorns;
who can never see the fleecy clouds float by—who never can see a river, a thread of gold in the
sunlight, without thinking of the storms and tornadoes that may follow.
Let us cut out the thorns, the roses are good enough to look at, and surely they ought to be a
signal for business men to go ahead and do things this fall above all others.
Now, the pessimist is the man who sees only the thorns. He is a trade hindrance and nothing
else. He sees thorns where flowers abound. But is lie wise?
Pessimism in business insures defeat, and it requires neither brains nor energy to reach that
point.
For the man who slows up and exhibits lack of faith in his country and sees no roses but always
Ihorns in his path, it is good-night for him every time.
The business world respects those who help themselves. It responds to the smile of self-confi-
dence—to well-founded optimism.
Nothing is truer than success succeeds, and success is made up of sincerity and tenacity of sensible
purpose, combined with industry.
If we wish to join the happy procession, we must cultivate the feeling of optimism and develop
business courage.
If all the piano men of this country start out with the fixed purpose of doing business, depend
upon it business will be done.
Pulling together for a common purpose is nothing more nor less than business co-operation—
each man independent in the conduct of his own affairs, but all united with the purpose of creating
business and subordinating petty prejudices and fear to the broader objective of a great common
prosperity.
As I view conditions, if we just work unitedly the biggest results will be accomplished in a trade
(Continued on page 5.)