Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
their list of customers, yet we are forced to
admit that when a firm—say makers of
medium grade pianos—advertise them as
possessing- the Wessell, Nickel & Gross
action, then it is a direct compliment to
that firm's standing. Again, without dis-
cussing the merits of any particular action,
we will ask when a customer objects to a
piano because it does not contain a cer-
tain action, is it not a compliment and does
it not demonstrate, indisputably, the busi-
ness ability of the action firm to place their
goods in such a position before the public
that there is an actual demand for them?
Is such work wise on their part?
Well, we rather think yes.
Advise the action manufacturer not to
advertise and not to push his wares to a
point where there is a demand for them
from a variety of sources?
Tommyrot!
Will action manufacturers commit busi-
ness suicide? They do not evince a
marked desire to do this.
In the meantime, can some one well in-
formed tell us just exactly where the
Courier Trade Extra is at?
We should like to know.
And there are others.
#
#
Few men in this trade are better quali-
fied by intelligence and experience to
analyze trade conditions than Henry B.
Fischer. A close student of the trend of
affairs, a traveler of many years, a manu-
facturer of standing, when Henry B.
Fischer talks, he talks wisdom and common
sense straight from the shoulder. He does
not evade a reply or dodge an issue. An
entertaining interview with him, upon
topics of the times, appears in another part
of this paper.
#
#
The Western trade papers are now in-
dulging in a bloodless war regarding the
carrying of deadhead advertisements. If
there were less of this hysterical shouting
and a more rigid adherence to the strict busi-
ness lines laid down by The Review, there
would be no occasion for these wordy pyro-
technics. When a contract is closed, the
card is immediately withdrawn from our
columns. While we believe ingivinggen-
erous treatment to our advertisers, we do
not believe in giving something for noth-
ing. Every business card seen in The Re-
view is there because it is desired there.
Business on business principles and no
dummy advertising is a custom to which
we adhere with unswerving regularity.
The whole thing, as we view it, is simply
service in a business way only to those
who contract for it. News always, but not
a particle of prominence to those firms
who fail to pass the cup of patronage our
way. That is The Review platform, and
those who stand upon it pay the price. If
a publisher does not place a fair value upon
space in his publication, how can he ex-
pect others to?
A business cannot be run by sentiment
alone, and if trade-paper conductors hope
to hold the esteem of the trade they must
work upon dignified and firm lines, with
courteous and fair treatment to all.
Charged with Embezzlement.
St. Swithin's Day, if then dost rain,
For forty days it will remain.
St. Swithiu's Day, if then be fair,
For forty days'twill rain nae mair.
Mason & Hamlin have secured another
victory. Early in the year several of the
choicest grands and uprights were sent to
the Central American Exposition, which
opened at Guatemala in March. On
Thursday, in an official letter received at
the Mason & Hamlin warerooms, the fol-
lowing paragraph occurs:
'• Your grand pianos I find most excel-
lent and so does everybody who has tried
them. They have gained the first prize in
the competition for American pianos."
HE Dingley Tariff Bill is new
the law of the land, and, ac-
cording to expert authority, it
is the best all around tariff
bill that has ever been passed
by the American Congress.
Owing to the great diversity of products
and manufactures it is impossible to ever
frame a tariff bill which will meet with the
approval of all sections of our country. It
can be said for our present tariff, that it
has met with less opposition and delay than
any previous bill of a like nature since the
early days of the republic. Therefore it
is safe to say that in its present form it is
acceptable to a large proportion of our
law makers.
The tariff struggle is over and the peo-
ple are heartily glad of it and it is reason-
able to predict that for a decade at least
the tariff will cease to be the one absorb-
ing topic in American politics.
The
free traders are sure to see that they can
not gam what they desire and the business
element of both the great parties will frown
upon any attempt to force the tariff issue
again upon the people. They know that
its agitation will mean a prostration of
our industries and with the experience of
the past few years still green in their mem-
ories they will be exceedingly careful not
to renew the struggle, which can only re-
sult in industrial chaos.
No nation on earth can prosper while a
continual juggling with its tariff laws is
going on.
Naturally there will be some slight mod-
ifications in the existing law but it is safe
to say that the Dingley tariff in the main
will remain the law of the land for the
next ten or fifteen years.
Importers have taken advantage of the
delay in the passage of the bill to rush in
great quantities of goods and owing to the
large stocks held now in warehouses for a
limited time the new tariff bill will not
produce the revenue which will come when
the accumulated stock shall have become
exhausted.
With the tariff agitation at an end let
us give the promotion of business our
undivided attention.
Mr. John Shaw, of John Shaw & Sons of
Buenos Ayres, S. A., this week selected a
beautiful Weber grand for a wedding pre-
sent for his daughter.
" I have just signed the final papers for
the property which I intend to add to my
factory plant in Brooklyn this fall," said
that young old man, Freeborn G. Smith, of
J. A. FRITCH ARRESTED ON CHARGES MADE BY
THE WATERLOO ORGAN CO.
[Special lo The Review.]
Middletown, O., July 28, 1897.
J. A. Fritch, of J. A. Fritch & Co., a
prominent and respected piano dealer of
this city, has been arrested, charged with
embezzlement, and is now in jail. His
arrest has created a great sensation.
Constable William Morton came to this
city last night from Hamilton armed with
two warrants for Fritch's arrest, sworn out
by R. M. Summers, of the Waterloo Organ
Co., of Waterloo, N. Y., and charging the
young merchant with embezzlement.
When Fritch was placed under arrest he
did not seem surprised, for he knew the
storm was coming, as the piano company
has had Mr. Summers in this city for the
past month on this mission. It had been
known for some time that his business af-
fairs were in a bad shape, but no one sus-
pected the nature of his troubles.
Fritch was seen just before boarding the
train for Hamilton, and said that the mat-
ter could be settled in a few days. He has
been in the piano business here for the
past ten years, and came from a prominent
and wealthy family at Dayton, O. The
exact amount he is alleged to have embez-
zled is not known. Fritch is about thirty
years of age, and, with his wife and two
children, lives in an elegant home on Cur-
tis avenue.
Gains First Prize.
MASON & HAMLIN PIANOS HONORED AT THE
GUATEMALA EXPOSITION.