Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
be found on another page of this paper, and
while it gives an outline of the vast interests
controlled by this go-ahead house, to thoroughly
realize the important part this firm plays as manu-
factors of piano supplies, it is necessary to pay
a visit to the pretty town of Deep River, Conn.
You will come away with a deep appreciation of
what energy and perseverance has accomplished,
and impressed with hearty New England hospi-
tality.
W. KIMBALL, of Chicago, has been in
' New York for the past week, and the
'' know alls '' have opened warerooms and start-
ed him in business at different locations in this
city. The fact of the matter is, that while the
Kimball Company could with safety open a
branch house here, and do a splendid business
on their unequalled achievements at the World's
Fair, yet the condition of business throughout
the country has kept them wisely conservative,
and they prefer to work from the old reliable
headquarters. It is not an improbability that
'' some time '' the magnificent products of the
Kimball Company will be housed in palatial
style, side by side with other celebrated firms in
New York's chief avenue.
a very interesting contribution to the cur-
rent issue of the North American Review
Hon. W. E. Simonds asks, "Are our Patent
Laws Iniquitous ? '' and proceeds to demonstrate
the success of the patent law and its stimulus on
the industries of the United States. In so doing
he shows up many radical defects very similar
to those in the Copyright Laws which we had
occasion to call attention to in recent issues of
this paper. The article closes with a list of the
great American inventors whose reputations
have become national and whose improvements
have formed the foundation of manufacturing
industries of great magnitude, among which we
notice the honored names of Jonas Chickering
and Henry Steinway in relation to pianos.
ROBT. M. WEBB is a rising and pro-
gressive personality in the field of piano-
supplies. He has built up an excellent trade
upon sound business principles, and it is no sur-
prise to see him succeed in all his undertakings.
Heretofore he represented others to a large ex-
tent; now he is about to start in for himself. He
will soon have 35 hammer machines in opera-
tion in his new Brooklyn factory where he has
splendid facilities, and will be able to supply
any and all demands. He has taken the step
believing that goods made under his personal
supervision would be more acceptable to cus-
tomers. We have no hesitation in predicting the
largest measure of success for Mr. Webb.
is rumored that A. H. Hammond will rele-
gate W. A. Munn, who has for some time
paraded the title of Secretary and Treasurer of
The Loring & Blake Organ Co., to an obscure
position in the affairs of the concern^ Before
Mr. J. B. Woodford, the man who really made
the Loring & Blake Company, discovered
Mr. Munn, surrounded by the suds and steam
of a laundry, he had never been able to impress
his fellow men with his budding genius, and
there were many who felt that Mr. Woodford
was spoiling a good laundryman when he ele-
vated Munn to a clerk's position.
In order to maintain successfully a position
in the industrial world of to-day, a business in-
stitution must have at its head a man of educa-
tion and business training, a man who can com-
mand the respect of those with whom he is
thrown in contact. No silly inflation or self-
elongated cranium can supply the real natural
deficiency. Now, there are cases in which good
laundry men make good business men, but there
are others, as in the case of Munn, where they
do not.
SOHMER & CO.
magnificent line of pianos in the hand-
somely furnished booth of Sohmer & Co.,
at the World's Fair Prize Winners' Exposition,
which is now being held at the Grand Central
Palace, is a stellar attraction to visitors, and it
is the central point for all musically inclined.
It was certainly a wise move to bring these mag-
nificent instruments, that won golden opinions
from all who saw them in the West, before the
appreciative musical public of New York, and
it could not be done in a better way. Here we
are enabled to see World's Fair prize winners
and pianos that have been winners all along the
line. The great success achieved by Sohmer &
Co. throughout the States as a result of their
exhibit at Chicago, will, without doubt, be
duplicated in a local way, as this exhibit affords
a splendid " object lesson " of the standing of
the house of Sohmer.
Sohmer & Co. are entitled to all possible suc-
cess. They are progressive and enterprising,
and they make an instrument that has fought
its way to the front solely on its merits, and, we
are pleased to say, stays there. It is not sur-
prising to learn that notwithstanding the late
depression in trade, business orders are being
received in a way to afford the greatest satisfac-
tion to this popular house.
CHICKERING & SONS.
is clearly evident that the distinguished
house of Chickering & Sons have acquired
a new and distinct force in the management of
their extensive business. They have already
attained an altitude in the piano industry that
would suggest "nothing more beyond," but
the present management seems determined to
adopt a new and progressive business policy
which will give the Chickering piano a greater,
and if it is possible, a more far-reaching popu-
larity than ever.
A potent demonstration of the progressive
order of things in the Chickering house is the
decision, come to during the past week, to
make radical interior changes in the famous
Chickering Hall—an old land mark that has
exercised a decided influence on the musical art
of the metropolis for the past twenty years. It
has been found necessary, owing to the grow-
ing demands of their business, to demolish the
familiar concert hall, and instead, there will
probably be three floors devoted to offices and
studios for teachers. This will give opportun-
ities for displaying their magnificent instru-
ments to the greatest advantage. It is estim-
ated that these changes will be effected by
next March. The present will undoubtedly be
the last musical season at this house, and
music lovers will experience a pang of regret at
the disappearance of a hall made famous by
such masters as Gottschalk, Thalberg, Herz,
Von Bulow, Josseffy and De Pachman.
The house of Chickering & Sons have
assumed a veritable renaissance in a business
sense, and with an unequalled prestige and
standing as a leading American house, the
Chickering piano is bound to attain larger and
broader scope in the musical world which con-
servative methods alone prevented it from ob-
taining: years ago.
THE TARIFF BILL.
jjffT is rather premature to discuss or speak of
STsP the bill to amend the tariff, recently intro-
duced, as the tariff bill which will survive the
battle royal that is bound to ensue between now
and the final passage. Nevertheless, a direct
assault has been made upon the industries of
the country, and it behooves the piano and con-
comitant industries to keep a close eye on Wash-
ington. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
As far as it concerns the musical industries the
bill is confusingly broad, and it is impossible to
form an estimate as to how it will effect the
duty on pianos. After a careful reading, we
fail to find any mention of pianos, organs or
musical instruments, hence the duty will prob-
ably come under the head of component parts,
or a special clause may be introduced later on
covering musical instruments. It will be the
duty of the manufacturers to pay close attention
to the progress of the bill, and suggest such
needful changes as can be effected with advant-
age to the trade.
A rather strange thing, in this connection, is
the amendment recently presented to the Com-
mittee on Ways and Means by the musical
merchandise importers, through their board of
trade, to make '' musical instruments and parts
thereof, including strings not otherwise speci-
fied, 35 per cent." By the acceptance and
passage of this amendment the tariff would
remain just as at present. This is a rather odd
position for importers to take, as the change in'
duty as planned in the new bill would, undoubt-
edly, be to their benefit; but as business men
they see—as we all see—that the change of
duty on their wares would create uncertainty
and misunderstanding, and dealers would hesi-
tate to place orders until the question had been
finally settled. By that time an irremediable
amount of injury would be done their business.
A plethora of talking and thinking will be
done between now and the time the bill receives
the President's signature, and the sooner the
" long talk " commences and terminates, the
sooner will the business interests of the country
get a chance to obtain equilibrium and pros-
perity.