Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
LYMAN
Editor and Proprietor.
PUBLISHED
EVERY
SATURDAY
3 East 14th St.. New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage) United States and
Canada, $3.00 per year; Foreign Countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
tauertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts s special dia*
•onnt i% allowed.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency form, should
to BUkde payabl* to Edward Lyman BilL
Hnttrtd mt ths Ntw Y»rk Post Offic* as Second Oass Mmttm.
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 23,,1897.
TELEPHONE NUriBER. 1745.-EIGHTEENTH
STREET.
The showing is gratifying for all who
have held to the belief that protective laws
are beneficial to the commercial advance-
ment of this country. With imports de-
creasing and exports increasing, the pros-
pects are bright for the American manu-
facturer.
#
#
AGAINST DISHONEST FAILURES.
The National Association of Credit Men
is taking steps for the investigation of
fraudulent failures and for the prosecution
of the perpetrators thereof. The secretary
of the Association has issued to local
organizations in all sections of the country
the following suggested form:
The National Association of Credit Men,
F. R. Bocock, Secretary,
20 Nassau Street, New York.
189
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review
wtll contain a supplement embodying the liter*
ary and musical features which have heretofore
appeared In The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a trade
paper.
THE TRADE DIRECTORY.
The Trade Directory, which is a feature of
The Review each month, is complete. In it ap-
pear the names and addresses of all firms en-
gaged In the manufacture of musical instruments
and the allied trades. The Review is sent to
the United States Consulates throughout the
world, and is on file In the reading rooms of the
principal hotels in America.
OUR IMPORT AND EXPORT TRADE.
HE figures published elsewhere in this
paper bearing on the imports and ex-
ports of musical instruments are of espe-
cial interest, as showing the changed con-
ditions which exist under the present tariff
law as compared with the Wilson bill which
was in force a year ago.
The decrease of $35,000 in imports for
August as compared with the same period
last year is a pretty big showing for the
first month under the new law. It demon-
strates that the increased duty on musical
instruments is effective in keeping out for-
eign wares.
Of course it is logical to assume that this
$35,000 has been spent for musical instru-
ments, because the country is much more
prosperous this year than last, but, mark
you, it is spent with home manufacturers;
thus the claims of the protectionists are
clearly substantiated.
In the meantime our export trade for
August has increased, thereby proving that
our products are becoming almost a neces-
sity in European countries. The chief
gain, strange to say, is in pianos, which
amount to 95 exported for the month, as
compared with 59 for the same period last
3 r ear.
T
Dear Sir: We shall be glad to have the associa-
tion investigate the failure of (Name)
(Address)
which took place on
(Date)
in the form of a (style of
failure)
We will agree to no set-
tlement, nor enter into any negotiations with the
debtors, previous to your report; and if fraud is
indicated and prosecution determined upon, we will
make no compromise settlement whatsoever of our
indebtedness, and will be willing to contribute not
more than 5 per cent, of the amount of our claim
to cover such expenses as may be incurred in
bringing the perpetrators to justice.
(Firm Name)
(Address)
CONFIDENTIAL.
The circumstances and conditions of this transac-
tion as they appear to us are as follows:
The matter will be fully discussed at the
next regular meeting of the various branch
and local associations and the prospects are
that it will be adopted. It is expected that
the investigating department of each
organization will consider theevidence of its
interested members in any failure and com-
pile these facts into affidavits to be turned
over to the national secretary to be used by
him at the place of prosecution.
In case the failure occurs in a com-
munity where there is a local association
the accumulated evidence will be entrusted
to its investigating committee and the
prosecution conducted under its super-
vision.
The Credit Men's Association are now
represented by local associations in almost
every city throughout the country and the
steps which they are taking in the matter of
fraudulent failures will no doubt meet with
the approbation and support of all progres-
sive business men.
#
#
THUGGISH BUSINESS METHODS.
In the last issue of Music Trades Mr.
John C. Freund throws further light on the
desperate methods employed by the editor
of the Little Pinklet in its endeavor to
terrorize and coerce the music trade—in
this instance the Estey firm—into paying
" hush " or " blood " money for withhold-
ing editorial utterances.
The modus operandi of the Little Pink-
let has been to defame the memory of the
late Isaac N. Camp, followed by an ultima-
tum to Gen. Estey, that unless he would
compel the resignation of a certain member
of the Estey firm who refused to patronize
the paper, a series of attacks would be in-
augurated on the standing of the Estey
instruments and the credit of the Estey
companies.
The thuggish scheme has not worked,
however.
The editor of the Little Pinklet did not
know his man.
Now, then, let us see if the threat will
be carried out.
The sandbagging methods exposed by
Mr. Freund are, it is needless to say, not
new to the trade. They have long been
practiced by the editor of the Little Pink-
let and manufacturers have apparently,
by their silence, approved of them.
How long, oh Lord, how long, will this
state of things be allowed to continue?
We have for some time been fighting
this nefarious system which seems to have
got a hold on the music trade of this coun-
try, and our remarks on this subject in The
Review of September 4th are germane to
the situation to-day :
" It is a sad commentary on modern civil-
ization as applied to trades that more
money should be paid the man who assaults
business virtue than to the men who seek
to hold journalistic virtue untarnished.
"How is this?
"Are we all wrong?
"And the old world upside down after
all, and life's game best played cold blood-
edly?
"Then there should be a premium paid
on crime, likewise to the thuggish music
trade editor.
" If the men prefer it that way, why not?
" By all means continue to contribute to-
wards alleviating the well developed and
growing appetite of the Judas of music
trade journalism."
#
#
THE POWER OF THE MUSIC TRADE.
It has well been said by some writer that
there is no trade which appeals to the
higher instincts of humanity than that of
musical instruments. The business is so
dignified in character that it never fails to
elevate the locality in which trade empo-
riums are located. This is as true of Bos-
ton, Chicago and other large cities as of
New York. It has been so evident to real
estate men that they have not overlooked
charging excessive rents in keeping with
its dignity.
Notwithstanding the growing tendency
to govern the piano trade on those com-
mercial lines so popular in other industries,