Music Trade Review
Issue: 1897 Vol. 24 N. 13 - Page 7
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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
.;»».»•,,»ui«i.,i tt 4^»^ffrtt;^J»»,»».-s?nTT
From a Traveler's Note Book.
^
HERE are some advantages in
living in a country with a vast
territorial area even if loosely
joined politically. While some
one portion may be afflicted
with drouth, flood or famine,
the remainder moves tranquilly along with-
out more than passing comment upon the
situation of those less fortunate, unless
there should be a call for aid, then it is
given and to the everlasting glory of our
people be it said that no call for aid by
stricken brethren has passed unheeded.
The response has always been spontaneous,
and unstinted in dimensions. That the
American people are generous in their in-
stincts maybe appreciated by their actions
when Memphis was ravaged by yellow fe-
ver, Johnstown flood swept, and on hun-
dreds of other occasions when there has
been an appeal for aid. Last year, when
St. Louis was devastated by a cyclone, how
quickly from all parts of America the peo-
ple stood ready to pour their millions into
the stricken city and were dissuaded only
by the selfish action of that city's ruler. I
question if the people of the East and far
West realize how serious the floods have
been throughout Ohio and Indiana. Travel
has been seriously affected by reason of
great washouts which have not only delayed
the regular service but have rendered travel
accompanied by more than a modicum
of danger. All along the flooded sections
great damage has been done, and much
suffering and privation has been the direct
result of the great floods, and if the rivers
continue to rise in their riotous sway those
located in more favored regions will have
to contribute to the relief of the flood suf-
ferers.
With only a short tarry in New York, I
have been traveling continuously since the
middle of December, and it is with feelings
in which there is a large element of satis-
faction that I swing across the Appalachian
chain on my home run.
Travel hath its charms, likewise its trials;
but, after all, I think that we are amply
repaid for the outlay and for the annoy-
ances and discomforts to which we are sub-
jected by an added knowledge of the
ever-changing trade conditions, a closer
acquaintance with the local environments
of the far-away trade, a greater discrimi-
nating power to deal with the intricacies
of application peculiar to the close of the
century. And how trade methods have
changed during the past decade!
With as great changes during the next ten
years as we have witnessed during the
*y?
past, it will amount to practically a revo-
lution. The business man who fails to
appreciate the situation as it exists to-day
and direct his craft accordingly will find
that he is hopelessly stranded, without a
shadow of a chance of getting off the
shoals.
Times have changed things in every de-
partment of life. Politically, industrially,
and commercially the world has undergone
a complete metamorphosis, and no man
should handicap himself with the issues of
the past when a nervous, restless present is
with us. Sometimes I wonder if the great
men of the past would have accomplished
as much had they lived in this age.
Looking back, we must be forced to ad-
mit that there was a certain simplicity in
the problems that confronted the country in
the early days of the century. There were
no pressing sociological questions. Eco-
nomics, though in confusion, was, after all,
not complex and intricate.
The problems of state could be viewed at
long range, and could be decided with a
calm judgment, unvexed by a thousand
contradicting interests clamoring at once
for recognition. I question if Washington
would have been as successful a President
had his term ended in 1897, instead of
1797;
The problems which would have con-
fronted him at the end of the nineteenth
century are of an entirely different com-
plexion than those which he encountered.
The President of to-day has to deal with
intricacies which demand different solu-
tions and are infinitely more testing than
our early rulers had to encounter. It is
the same in the industrial world. The
business man of to-day requires a more
comprehensive power of coordination, a
subtler sense of values, a sterner moral
courage than was necessary to achieve suc-
cess in America when it was in a strict
sense an agricultural country. Would some
of our old-time manufacturers and mer-
chants have achieved the same degree of
success in these later days that they did in
days agone ? A difficult question to answer;
but one thing is sure, and that is, that some
of the men who have deemed their position
impregnable are surely being forced to a
rear position.
Overdue- conservatism and a disregard
of the new methods do not contribute to
business success.
Personally, I do not wonder that some
of the men are loath to cast aside the
conservatism of old and in its place ac-
cept the new methods, for, like the " new
journalism," there is much about it which
is distasteful.
Still we must go with the stream, not
against it; and no matter how much we all
would prefer the days of old, our very ex-
istence demands unrelaxing vigilance and
unremitting application to maintain our
position.
Some of the old houses who have disre-
garded the lessons of the times have lost
their position, and I question if they will
ever regain it.
The time has gone by when dealers come
to market clambering over each other in
their haste to secure wares.
There are mighty few manufacturers
who can afford to occupy an independent
position. If they remain with relaxed en-
ergies, encroachments are steadily being
made upon their preserves by more ener-
getic men.
It is the same in trade journalism.
A dozen years ago The Review was pub-
.lished fortnightly, and its size was from
eight to twelve pages.
It had in those days a good circulation,
considerable influence, and business came
to it readily.
To-day we are publishing from thirty to
fifty pages weekly, and giving in every
way an infinitely superior service. And
does business come in easily?
It comes, but only
"Through long days of labor
And nights devoid of ease."
If I had clung to the old principles and
theories, I should have been simply wiped
out of existence. The fact is we must all
give more for the money than ever before,
or else be crushed by the modern Jugger-
naut—competition.
Like Canute of old, we may command
the waves to stop, but they sweep in heed-
less of our wishes.
- *
*
*
*
When I reached Cincinnati the cit3 r itself
and the country tributary were suffering
from the effects of the recent floods. In
fact there was only one road running trains
out of the city on the day of my arrival.
Cincinnati is the home of three music
trade houses of national importance. I re-
fer to the John Church Co., D. H. Bald-
win & Co., the Krell Piano Co. Unless
one is familiar with the trade over the
country they" can scarcely form an ade-
quate idea of the vast ramifications of the
John Church Co. 's interests. We must first
consider that the John Church Co. with its
allied interests control a vast music pub-
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
.;»».»•,,»ui«i.,i tt 4^»^ffrtt;^J»»,»».-s?nTT
From a Traveler's Note Book.
^
HERE are some advantages in
living in a country with a vast
territorial area even if loosely
joined politically. While some
one portion may be afflicted
with drouth, flood or famine,
the remainder moves tranquilly along with-
out more than passing comment upon the
situation of those less fortunate, unless
there should be a call for aid, then it is
given and to the everlasting glory of our
people be it said that no call for aid by
stricken brethren has passed unheeded.
The response has always been spontaneous,
and unstinted in dimensions. That the
American people are generous in their in-
stincts maybe appreciated by their actions
when Memphis was ravaged by yellow fe-
ver, Johnstown flood swept, and on hun-
dreds of other occasions when there has
been an appeal for aid. Last year, when
St. Louis was devastated by a cyclone, how
quickly from all parts of America the peo-
ple stood ready to pour their millions into
the stricken city and were dissuaded only
by the selfish action of that city's ruler. I
question if the people of the East and far
West realize how serious the floods have
been throughout Ohio and Indiana. Travel
has been seriously affected by reason of
great washouts which have not only delayed
the regular service but have rendered travel
accompanied by more than a modicum
of danger. All along the flooded sections
great damage has been done, and much
suffering and privation has been the direct
result of the great floods, and if the rivers
continue to rise in their riotous sway those
located in more favored regions will have
to contribute to the relief of the flood suf-
ferers.
With only a short tarry in New York, I
have been traveling continuously since the
middle of December, and it is with feelings
in which there is a large element of satis-
faction that I swing across the Appalachian
chain on my home run.
Travel hath its charms, likewise its trials;
but, after all, I think that we are amply
repaid for the outlay and for the annoy-
ances and discomforts to which we are sub-
jected by an added knowledge of the
ever-changing trade conditions, a closer
acquaintance with the local environments
of the far-away trade, a greater discrimi-
nating power to deal with the intricacies
of application peculiar to the close of the
century. And how trade methods have
changed during the past decade!
With as great changes during the next ten
years as we have witnessed during the
*y?
past, it will amount to practically a revo-
lution. The business man who fails to
appreciate the situation as it exists to-day
and direct his craft accordingly will find
that he is hopelessly stranded, without a
shadow of a chance of getting off the
shoals.
Times have changed things in every de-
partment of life. Politically, industrially,
and commercially the world has undergone
a complete metamorphosis, and no man
should handicap himself with the issues of
the past when a nervous, restless present is
with us. Sometimes I wonder if the great
men of the past would have accomplished
as much had they lived in this age.
Looking back, we must be forced to ad-
mit that there was a certain simplicity in
the problems that confronted the country in
the early days of the century. There were
no pressing sociological questions. Eco-
nomics, though in confusion, was, after all,
not complex and intricate.
The problems of state could be viewed at
long range, and could be decided with a
calm judgment, unvexed by a thousand
contradicting interests clamoring at once
for recognition. I question if Washington
would have been as successful a President
had his term ended in 1897, instead of
1797;
The problems which would have con-
fronted him at the end of the nineteenth
century are of an entirely different com-
plexion than those which he encountered.
The President of to-day has to deal with
intricacies which demand different solu-
tions and are infinitely more testing than
our early rulers had to encounter. It is
the same in the industrial world. The
business man of to-day requires a more
comprehensive power of coordination, a
subtler sense of values, a sterner moral
courage than was necessary to achieve suc-
cess in America when it was in a strict
sense an agricultural country. Would some
of our old-time manufacturers and mer-
chants have achieved the same degree of
success in these later days that they did in
days agone ? A difficult question to answer;
but one thing is sure, and that is, that some
of the men who have deemed their position
impregnable are surely being forced to a
rear position.
Overdue- conservatism and a disregard
of the new methods do not contribute to
business success.
Personally, I do not wonder that some
of the men are loath to cast aside the
conservatism of old and in its place ac-
cept the new methods, for, like the " new
journalism," there is much about it which
is distasteful.
Still we must go with the stream, not
against it; and no matter how much we all
would prefer the days of old, our very ex-
istence demands unrelaxing vigilance and
unremitting application to maintain our
position.
Some of the old houses who have disre-
garded the lessons of the times have lost
their position, and I question if they will
ever regain it.
The time has gone by when dealers come
to market clambering over each other in
their haste to secure wares.
There are mighty few manufacturers
who can afford to occupy an independent
position. If they remain with relaxed en-
ergies, encroachments are steadily being
made upon their preserves by more ener-
getic men.
It is the same in trade journalism.
A dozen years ago The Review was pub-
.lished fortnightly, and its size was from
eight to twelve pages.
It had in those days a good circulation,
considerable influence, and business came
to it readily.
To-day we are publishing from thirty to
fifty pages weekly, and giving in every
way an infinitely superior service. And
does business come in easily?
It comes, but only
"Through long days of labor
And nights devoid of ease."
If I had clung to the old principles and
theories, I should have been simply wiped
out of existence. The fact is we must all
give more for the money than ever before,
or else be crushed by the modern Jugger-
naut—competition.
Like Canute of old, we may command
the waves to stop, but they sweep in heed-
less of our wishes.
- *
*
*
*
When I reached Cincinnati the cit3 r itself
and the country tributary were suffering
from the effects of the recent floods. In
fact there was only one road running trains
out of the city on the day of my arrival.
Cincinnati is the home of three music
trade houses of national importance. I re-
fer to the John Church Co., D. H. Bald-
win & Co., the Krell Piano Co. Unless
one is familiar with the trade over the
country they" can scarcely form an ade-
quate idea of the vast ramifications of the
John Church Co. 's interests. We must first
consider that the John Church Co. with its
allied interests control a vast music pub-
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