Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
York. The gamblers and thugs at present
flaunt their glittering attractions in a less
attractive way, but every sensible man
knows that the reformation does not go
very far below the surface. It is only a
thin veneer which for the present serves as
a shield to remove from public gaze the
festering spots of corruption which exist
within our city, the removal of which de-
pends upon how high up we go in political
affairs to reach the right men who control
the necessary influence. We are, however,
not blinded by the mock reformation, for
we know the moment the investigation is
withdrawn the dives and brothels will
again be in full blast. The trade roaster
when in immediate danger will undergo a
mock reformation. Men, however, will
not be misled by it.
Just now when it is extremely probable
that there will be definite action taken by
the Association towards removing unclean
trade journalism from its sphere of influ-
ence, there is a scramble on the part of the
Roaster to convince the members of that
organization that he has only been indulg-
ing in the quiet, innocent pastime of criti-
cism. Honest criticism at that. He is
even writing letters to his own paper to
prove that he has the right to criticise the
Association, just in a playful, modest man-
ner. Of course he has only been toying
gently with Association members, but the
singular part is that all of these members
are non-advertisers, men who have with-
drawn, undoubtedly for good reasons, from
his publication.
Awfully funny—is it not?—how criticism
should invariably descend upon the unpro-
tected heads of non-advertisers. There
will come ultimate good out of this last at-
tack, and all of the little attempts to hedge,
to turn from the real issue, to win sym-
pathy, will fail utterly, because there will
soon be delivered a number of clever
thrusts which will penetrate even the pachy-
dermic covering of the Royal Roaster.
WHY NOT A TESTING STATION ?
X H E peculiarities of the varnish ques-
tion as presented by recent editorials
in The Review have occasioned much com-
ment over the country. We have been in
receipt of a number of letters referring to
this rather interesting condition which ex-
ists in one of our kindred industries
Piano manufacturers have admitted that
the system of bribing varnish foremen ob-
tains to an alarming extent, yet they see
no way in which to remove this corrupting
influence.
Why not a central testing station for
varnish, a point where all varnishes could
be subjected to an impartial test? There
would be some mighty interesting develop-
ments if this test question were adopted.
Why not introduce a little varnish discus-
sion at the Convention in Chicago? Surely
we would not be punning when we would
say that this varnish discussion would
brighten matters up a bit at the Chicago
meeting.
WORTH FIGHTING FOR,
A LL of the Chicago piano factories are
now teeming with industrial life.
Months of idleness have been replaced by
days and nights of hustling activity and it
would seem as if this condition of affairs
would long continue.
Chicago manufacturers made a long,
gallant and expensive fight for the main-
tenance of a principle, and as one manu-
facturer recently remarked to The Review
while discussing this matter: "That prin-
ciple alone was worth fighting for, and
what is more we won. No matter what
the cost to us, we are now free agents, and
we can reward individual workmen, take
on and discharge help without the fear of
a strike being precipitated."
The labor troubles in Chicago have, too,
developed a fraternal feeling among the
piano manufacturers of that city, one of
the most prominent of whom recently re-
marked to The Review: " T h e strike has
brought us all closer together and I have
a higher regard for my fellow members of
our local industry than ever before, because
I was not acquainted with them. I knew
so and so slightly, but nothing of his per-
sonality. To-day it is a pleasure to meet
the men who compose our local industry,
and who have stood shoulder to shoulder
for the maintenance of those principles for
which America stands."
It is noticeable what a spirit of cama-
raderie has developed among the Chicago
men during the past few months. They
have discovered that in union there is an
element of strength which the single iso-
lated institution does not possess either to
promote trade interest or to ward off im-
pending danger.
nected with the institution. It reflects
that the store is conducted on progressive
and up-to-date lines, that it is not one
of those dreamy standstill establishments
which exist in spite of themselves and
their unenterprising proprietors.
Next to the artistic interior comes the
value of the window as a business reflec-
tor. It is the mirror which opens to pub-
lic view the entire store and the instru-
ments displayed therein. Being such an
important adjunct to progressive store
keeping the window should come in for a
good portion of one's attention.
In this connection it is indeed a pleasure
to note the care taken in this trade by such
establishments as the Weber-Wheelock Co.,
the ^Eolian Co., Sohmer & Co., Estey &
Saxe, the Tway Piano Co., the Needham
Piano & Organ Co., Wm. Knabe & Co.,
Hardman, Peck & Co., and others. These
establishments pay not only particular at-
tention to interior attractiveness but one is
convinced they are up-to-date stores be-.
cause the windows always present an up-
to-date appearance. Changes of instru-
ments are frequent and there is no evi-
dence to lead one to believe that this matter
of window display is neglected. As is the
window so is the store; that's the logical
conclusion at which the public arrives.
Too much stress cannot be laid on the
value of interior decoration in connection
with piano display. Such houses as Stein-
way and Knabe have recognized the im-
portance of having special art rooms for the
display of special instruments. The same
spirit must prevail in a simple way in the
decoration of warerooms generally. This
is an age where the aesthetic sensibilities
are keenly sensitive to decorative influ-
ences if they are conceived in a proper and
consistent manner. The wareroom of W.
F. Tway & Co., for instance, is a magnifi-
cent example of good taste in colorings
and other essentials in the way-of well
balanced equipment. It is a model to
pattern after.
LET THERE BE DISCUSSION.
H Y all means let there be good, healthy,
WAREROOM DECORATION.
honest, impartial discussion of the
D I A N O dealers are steadily recognizing
the value of artistically decorated ware- relative value of the several trade papers.
rooms as a desirable environment for the The blackmailer and roaster should be re-
instruments which they handle. It is only legated to an unhappy past. Together
necessary to note the improvements made with him should be the house organ, the
in the piano emporiums of this city, or in man who draws his sustenance from two
fact any of the leading cities of the coun<- or three concerns—the man who makes no
try, to demonstrate this. It is a grati- effort to produce a newspaper which re-
fying sign and reflects much. It reflects flects trade sentiment or trade thought,
the managerial policy of the firm. It re- but simply pads and cribs from his harder
flects the condition and class of the mer- working contemporaries—and side by side
chandise dealt in. It reflects the alertness with him will go the non-progressive
or backwardness of the individuals con- journalist who is still wondering why he