Music Trade Review
Issue: 1896 Vol. 23 N. 17 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SPECIALTY TALKS.
to enter upon an era of unprecedented pros-
perity in the history of this country?
MR. WEBB—Yes, I do, under certain con-
QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED BY THE " REVIEW " UPON THE LIVE MATTERS OF THE DAY AND
ditions. But to talk of those conditions
ANSWERED BY LEADING MEN IN THE TRADE.
would, no doubt, tire your readers without
doing any good, were I to explain my ideas.
Interview XXI.—Robt. n , Webb.
They have been gone over so many times
that it would really amount to nothing
HIS is the twenty-first interview which
MR. WEBB—No. I went merely for a but a discussion of politics, a subject of
which I think we are all weary just now.
THE REVIEW has published under the rest.
But to state my belief in a few words, I be-
above head.
These "Specialty Talks"
REVIEW—Would you care to make a state-
lieve that the "McKinley Bill" has had more
have created widespread interest, inas- ment regarding the comparative merits of
to do with the past two years' bad busi-
much as they present to our readers the European and American pianos?
ness than any other one thing. Of course,
personal views of prominent members of
MR. WEBB—It goes almost without say- I know that the expenses of our glorious
the trade upon matters which are of live ing that the American piano is much Government must be met, and by taxation.
interest.
superior to those made anywhere else.
And it is all right to make the foreigners
It should be understood that the answers
REVIEW—As you are representing, to a
(the importers) pay a good share of it; they
to our inquiries are published in every in- certain extent, the product of Paris firms, are willing to do that. But "protection"
stance without editorial criticism.
Each have you anything to state regarding the to my mind is wrong; I believe in a tariff
"Talk " fairly expresses the sentiment of
use of Billion felts by piano manufacturers for revenue. Supposing you are an im-
porter and I a manufacturer. You are a
the individual under whose name it ap- in Europe ?
citizen
of this country, the same as I am;
pears rather than the editorial belief of
MR. WEBB—No.
in case of war, you are
THE REVIEW. There is no distortion, no
T
boiling down, and in every case the an
swers are published without change or
comment, thus preserving the individuality
of ideas of the person whom we have
interviewed.
"
r
-
The " T a l k s " have been extended to
every branch of the trade, and have been of
great value inasmuch as they have invari-
ably touched upon important trade topics.
Our interview this week is with Robt. M.
Webb, the well-known supply man.
•
REVIEW—Mr. Webb, as you are fresh
from European shores, THE REVIEW be-
lieves that some of your ideas gleaned from
travel would be read with pleasure. Pass-
ing from the past period of depression-
we say past advisedly, because we think
that dull times are of the past—how does
Europe, as a whole, regard America?
MR. WEBB—As "not guilty, but don't do
it again."
REVIEW—The election had not taken place
when you left European shores, therefore
it is fair to presume that there was consid-
erable interest there regarding
what
America would do at the polls on Nov 3d?
MR. WEBB—I talked with a good many
on that subject, but found no one who had
a moment's doubt that the election would
be different from what it has proved to be.
REVIEW—No doubt in your travels you
had an opportunity to meet prominent men
in the business circles of Europe. Would
you care to say just how they viewed the
political struggle in America?
MR. WEBB—They cannot understand why
the "great American people" will allow
themselves to be so often upset, and busi-
ness so disturbed, by politicians—and po-
liticians, too, who make their living by
keeping things continually in a turmoil.
It seems to me that there is something in
this.
REVIEW—-While away, did you find an op
portunity to visit piano factories in Lon-
don and on the Continent?
MR. WEBB—No.
REVIEW—Have you any special observa-
tions to make regarding the results of your
visit?
1
'
at the service of your
country—can be com-
pelled to serve just the
same as I; you conform
to all its laws, and
love it as much as I;
then why should the
Government f o s t e r
my business and try to
p r e v e n t you f r o m
doing business? What
right has the Govern-
ment to "protect" me,
and refuse to " pro-
tect" yon/ I believe it
to be unfair, un-busi-
ness-like, and uncon-
stitutional,and as long
as the G o v e r n m e n t
tries to protect one
citizen or favo: one
business man, and tax
another, it is following
what I believe will be a
most harmful policy.
Let the G o v e r n -
nient run the Govern-
ment, and let business
men attend to their
own business without
any interference by
the G o v e r n m e n t .
Then I believe we shall
have p r o s p e r i t y in
every s e n s e of the
word.
The curse of
this c o u n t r y is too
much politics.
REVIEW—Aren't you
„
ROBERT M. WEBB.
REVIEW — Business conditions, we be-
lieve, have been excellent in Europe dur-
ing the past twelve months?
MR. WEBB—Yes.
Everyone is very
busy, and the}' all seem to be quite con-
tent.
REVIEW—What do you think of the pros-
pects of the piano trade for an increased
business during '97 ?
MR. WEBB—I think that '97 should and
will be one of the best years, if not the best
year that the piano trade has yet experi-
enced, both as regards the number of
pianos manufactured, and
the profits
made.
REVIEW—Don't you think we are about
1
m i g h t y glad to get
back to America, and
don't you think that,
after all, it is the greatest country on earth ?
MR. WEBB—Yes, this is the greatest
country under the sun, and I would rather
live under the Stars and Stripes than under
any other flag that floats. Yet this country
is not what it might be. It is not what it
7c'/// be. I believe that some day (perhaps
not in our time) the American people will
find some method of preventing politicians
from exercising so powerful an influence
over business. Or rather, I suppose I
should say, that some day business men
will wake up and take a hand in politics,
attend primaries, and put more of the
honest, upright and honorable men into
the places now controlled by "politicians."
Then I believe we would have an ideal
Government, but that would also be the
millennium.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SPECIALTY TALKS.
to enter upon an era of unprecedented pros-
perity in the history of this country?
MR. WEBB—Yes, I do, under certain con-
QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED BY THE " REVIEW " UPON THE LIVE MATTERS OF THE DAY AND
ditions. But to talk of those conditions
ANSWERED BY LEADING MEN IN THE TRADE.
would, no doubt, tire your readers without
doing any good, were I to explain my ideas.
Interview XXI.—Robt. n , Webb.
They have been gone over so many times
that it would really amount to nothing
HIS is the twenty-first interview which
MR. WEBB—No. I went merely for a but a discussion of politics, a subject of
which I think we are all weary just now.
THE REVIEW has published under the rest.
But to state my belief in a few words, I be-
above head.
These "Specialty Talks"
REVIEW—Would you care to make a state-
lieve that the "McKinley Bill" has had more
have created widespread interest, inas- ment regarding the comparative merits of
to do with the past two years' bad busi-
much as they present to our readers the European and American pianos?
ness than any other one thing. Of course,
personal views of prominent members of
MR. WEBB—It goes almost without say- I know that the expenses of our glorious
the trade upon matters which are of live ing that the American piano is much Government must be met, and by taxation.
interest.
superior to those made anywhere else.
And it is all right to make the foreigners
It should be understood that the answers
REVIEW—As you are representing, to a
(the importers) pay a good share of it; they
to our inquiries are published in every in- certain extent, the product of Paris firms, are willing to do that. But "protection"
stance without editorial criticism.
Each have you anything to state regarding the to my mind is wrong; I believe in a tariff
"Talk " fairly expresses the sentiment of
use of Billion felts by piano manufacturers for revenue. Supposing you are an im-
porter and I a manufacturer. You are a
the individual under whose name it ap- in Europe ?
citizen
of this country, the same as I am;
pears rather than the editorial belief of
MR. WEBB—No.
in case of war, you are
THE REVIEW. There is no distortion, no
T
boiling down, and in every case the an
swers are published without change or
comment, thus preserving the individuality
of ideas of the person whom we have
interviewed.
"
r
-
The " T a l k s " have been extended to
every branch of the trade, and have been of
great value inasmuch as they have invari-
ably touched upon important trade topics.
Our interview this week is with Robt. M.
Webb, the well-known supply man.
•
REVIEW—Mr. Webb, as you are fresh
from European shores, THE REVIEW be-
lieves that some of your ideas gleaned from
travel would be read with pleasure. Pass-
ing from the past period of depression-
we say past advisedly, because we think
that dull times are of the past—how does
Europe, as a whole, regard America?
MR. WEBB—As "not guilty, but don't do
it again."
REVIEW—The election had not taken place
when you left European shores, therefore
it is fair to presume that there was consid-
erable interest there regarding
what
America would do at the polls on Nov 3d?
MR. WEBB—I talked with a good many
on that subject, but found no one who had
a moment's doubt that the election would
be different from what it has proved to be.
REVIEW—No doubt in your travels you
had an opportunity to meet prominent men
in the business circles of Europe. Would
you care to say just how they viewed the
political struggle in America?
MR. WEBB—They cannot understand why
the "great American people" will allow
themselves to be so often upset, and busi-
ness so disturbed, by politicians—and po-
liticians, too, who make their living by
keeping things continually in a turmoil.
It seems to me that there is something in
this.
REVIEW—-While away, did you find an op
portunity to visit piano factories in Lon-
don and on the Continent?
MR. WEBB—No.
REVIEW—Have you any special observa-
tions to make regarding the results of your
visit?
1
'
at the service of your
country—can be com-
pelled to serve just the
same as I; you conform
to all its laws, and
love it as much as I;
then why should the
Government f o s t e r
my business and try to
p r e v e n t you f r o m
doing business? What
right has the Govern-
ment to "protect" me,
and refuse to " pro-
tect" yon/ I believe it
to be unfair, un-busi-
ness-like, and uncon-
stitutional,and as long
as the G o v e r n m e n t
tries to protect one
citizen or favo: one
business man, and tax
another, it is following
what I believe will be a
most harmful policy.
Let the G o v e r n -
nient run the Govern-
ment, and let business
men attend to their
own business without
any interference by
the G o v e r n m e n t .
Then I believe we shall
have p r o s p e r i t y in
every s e n s e of the
word.
The curse of
this c o u n t r y is too
much politics.
REVIEW—Aren't you
„
ROBERT M. WEBB.
REVIEW — Business conditions, we be-
lieve, have been excellent in Europe dur-
ing the past twelve months?
MR. WEBB—Yes.
Everyone is very
busy, and the}' all seem to be quite con-
tent.
REVIEW—What do you think of the pros-
pects of the piano trade for an increased
business during '97 ?
MR. WEBB—I think that '97 should and
will be one of the best years, if not the best
year that the piano trade has yet experi-
enced, both as regards the number of
pianos manufactured, and
the profits
made.
REVIEW—Don't you think we are about
1
m i g h t y glad to get
back to America, and
don't you think that,
after all, it is the greatest country on earth ?
MR. WEBB—Yes, this is the greatest
country under the sun, and I would rather
live under the Stars and Stripes than under
any other flag that floats. Yet this country
is not what it might be. It is not what it
7c'/// be. I believe that some day (perhaps
not in our time) the American people will
find some method of preventing politicians
from exercising so powerful an influence
over business. Or rather, I suppose I
should say, that some day business men
will wake up and take a hand in politics,
attend primaries, and put more of the
honest, upright and honorable men into
the places now controlled by "politicians."
Then I believe we would have an ideal
Government, but that would also be the
millennium.
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