Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
EDWARD LY MAN BILL
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
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REMITTANCES, In other than currency form, sboald
bo made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at tfu New York Post Office as Second-Cla . t Matter.
"THE BUSINESS MAN'S PAPER."
I
T is possible that Rufus W. Blake, of
the Sterling Co., Derby, Conn., may
leave for Europe the first week in Sep
tember.
•
T
HE important announcement is made
elsewhere in this paper that the
agency for the Knabe piano for the Re-
public of Mexico has been transferred
from H. Nagel Succs. to E. Heuer & Co.,
Mexico City, Mex.
SOMETHING OF THE AWARD SYSTEM
AT THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION.
HE directors of the Atlanta Exposi-
tion are pursuing a plan regarding
awards which surely must meet with the
approval of exhibitors, particularly when
the absurd management of awards at the
Chicago Fair is still fresh in mind. It
seems that the Atlanta Board fully under-
stand that something is due to the Ameri-
can name by having it disassociated from
a system of exposition awards which has
become a laughing stock of two hemi-
spheres. John Boyd Thacher's preposter-
ous notion that everybody should have a
T
medal who deserved honorable mention, command public respect. We shall watch
and that the real distinction would be with interest the development of the "At-
sought in the wordings of the diploma, has lanta System" of awards.
been promptly discarded by the gentleman
who has the matter in charge at Atlanta.
COPYRIGHT IRREGULARITIES.
President Oilman, of the Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, accepted the posi-
AST week we referred to the irregu-
tion of head of the Bureau of Awards with
larities which were brought to light
some definite ideas in mind, and he is not in the investigation of the affairs of the
going to follow John Boyd Thacher's idea Copyright Department at Washington . It
that the real distinction would be sought seems that the further the Treasury offi-
in the wording of a diploma, having no cials delve into the matter the more seri-
visible gradation of merit, and thus leaving ous appear the irregularities, and the be-
every exhibitor free to claim that he se- lief that the errors in Mr. Spofford's ac-
counts were due to his peculiar methods
cured the "highest award."
At Chicago there were two classes, the of bookkeeping have been dissipated
people who received medals and those who
Two points of an extremely grave char-
did not. The first were so numerous that acter have come up during the past week
it has not been found to be of a distinction which Mr. Spofford has been asked to ex-
to be among them, and as comparison of plain. The first of these grows out of his
merit was sedulously avoided, the claim of alleged action in transferring fees received
everyone who was noticed at all to be in at the library for copyrights into his pri-
the front rank could hardly be disputed.
vate bank account. It is claimed that
President Gilman has made a good start moneys received, if they were not covered
by making inquiries over the country of in the Treasury, should at least have been
experts who are up to the ideal in every kept separately from the librarian's private
respect of theoretical and practical knowl- accounts, and it is said that there is a vio-
edge of the special lines involved, and he lation of law in a combination of public
records with satisfaction that although they and private accounts.
include only the highest authorities, few
The other point upon which an explana-
have declined the invitation to serve.
tion from Mr. Spofford has been demanded,
Four degrees of excellence will be recog- also relates to copyright fees. For some
nized in exhibits. The lowest and most time past complaints have been received at
general award being one of honorable men- the Treasury Department from persons
tion. A bronze medal will be given in taking out copyrights, that they failed to
recognition of originality of design, su- receive an acknowledgment of the money
perior workmanship and other special ex- they forwarded to secure these documents.
cellencies. When these reach the ait of Treasury officials consider this an ex-
being a noticeable achievement in the tremely serious matter.
given art or industry they will be recog-
It will be readily conceded that the
nized by the award of a silver medal. It management of this office has been simply
is also proposed to recognize by special a disgrace. In this practical age, no sane
diplomas and gold medals, a considerable man would allow a department of his busi-
number of exhibits which are not only of ness to be conducted for almost twenty
pre-eminent worth themselves, but are also years without investigation. It is, how-
of exceptional importance when considered ever, a grand illustration of the influence
with reference to the progress of the coun- of "pull."
try, for example, inventions of far-reaching
Mr. Spofford has the reputation of being
significance, public works of widespread scrupulously honest and all that, but the
influence, new and noteworthy educational public at large are entitled to protection,
establishments, improvements in the pro- and their interests are all important.
duction ol staple articles, advances in the Hundreds of thousands of dollars have
arts of transportation, and contributions to been paid into the copyright office for a
the enjoyments of life, such as parks, certain definite purpose, and there is no
museums, etc. These latter awards will guarantee that the protection sought for
be restricted to actual exhibits which ade- has been accorded. The entire affair has
quately set forth the characteristics or re- a tendency not only to bring this import-
sults of the works ard processes to which ant office into contempt in the eyes of the
public, but in foreign countries it will
attention is directed.
President Oilman calls his idea the "At- afford another argument that honesty is an
lanta System," and it is thought that it impossibility in public office in the United
will stimulate exhibitors to their best States.
efforts. There is certainly room for a sys-
During the past twelve months we have
tem of awards which will be calculated to heard many complaints, particularly among
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