Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Association hereafter there will be, if this
plan becomes general, no pianos which will
not be directly traceable to the points of
manufacture, for they must bear the brand
of the maker, not burnt in the back, a la
Bent, but through a source of registration
become completely legitimatized.
T H E re-adjustment of freight rates came
up for a fair amount of attention, and
it is possible in the near future that
through arrangement a number of indus-
trial organizations composed of manufac-
turers may co-operate for national action
in regard to freight adjustment.
T^HE subject of varnish was discussed,
and it was considered advisable to
discover, if possible, some methods which
would reduce the liability of varnish to
check. To this end a prize of $500 was
offered.
TT must be apparent to all who have read
the work of the music trade cenvention
in Chicago that the association has con-
sidered the betterment of conditions in the
trade in a serious way which should win
for it at once hearty endorsement.
IN the vast amount of matter which was
wired to The Review from Chicago last
week it would seem almost impossible not
to have had some slight errors occur. The
errors which crept in, however, were of
trifling importance, and as a whole the
Convention story was told in detail not-
withstanding the immense distance in-
tervening between the Convention hall
and The Review offices. We may say,
however, that there were three telegrams
which were sent in fairly good time from
Chicago which owing to some delay on the
part of the telegraph system failed to be
delivered at The Review headquarters un-
til Saturday morning.
I T is extremely probable that within the
near future the journals worthy of
trade will be enabled by an increase of
patronage to become better papers, where-
as there will be a corresponding decline in
the business patronage of the others.
THE REVIEW AT THE EXPOSITION.
'"THE Review's special correspondent at
the Paris Exposition, Miss Lilian
King, writes that there are still important
exhibits not open to the public, and that
sections remain in the hands of the work-
men. It will probably be another month
before the Exposition is open in its en-
tirety.
While The Review is not burning any
red light anent the Paris Exposition it de-
sires to state that it has a special corre-
spondent in Miss King, who represented
The Review at the Exposition of '89 and
who will also keep us well informed re-
garding trade topics during the present
year. In the publishers' department of
the Exposition bound volumes of The Re-
view are also entered for exhibition pur-
poses.
ers. Notwithstanding the seemingly con-
clusive evidence which was introduced to
prove that these men conspired to injure
the business of Mr. Bent and the assault
upon his men, yet a verdict was rendered
which many will think was not in accor-
dance
with the evidence submitted. More
THE VALUE OF~SHOW WINDOWS.
\17OULD not the piano merchants in the hangs upon the result of this suit than ap-
smaller towns win materially in pa- pears upon the surface.
tronage, if more attention were given to
the matter of interior decorations and I AST Saturday morning every piano
manufacturer upon whom The Re-
window arrangements? The idea seems
to be prevalent in some quarters that view called in Chicago, expressed extreme
money or even time spent in making piano regret at the result of this trial. They feel
stores attractive is wasted. Competition that under the ruling regime in Chicago
is keen even in the smaller towns, and the justice cannot be obtained in the local
piano merchant at the present time needs courts, and that with such illustrations as
to put forth every effort to encourage trade. the Bent vs. Dold case before them, it is
An attractive store and a novel window is not encouraging to invest fresh capital in
one of the strongest advertising mediums manufacturing plants in that city.
Throughout the long-drawn labor trou-
and withal one of the cheapest.
bles
which began last summer inadequate
How many people understand that clean-
liness is the first law of the show window, police protection was afforded the Bush &
and that the illy kept bedraggled looking Gerts factory and later when the strike
window is too frequently the means of de- and lockout was in full blast, it became
terring people from entering an establish- more and more evident that the support of
ment? The window display should be well those in political authority was entirely
arranged, for a show window is too valu- with the disturbing element.
The Bent case has been watched, too,
able an advertising space to be lost. It
should be an index to the store, as it were, with extreme interest by manufacturers
like the scriptural definition of faith—the who are not interested in the piano busi-
substance of things hoped for, the evidence ness. It has been looked upon in many
of things not seen. Blank window space is ways as a test case, and Chicago has offi-
worth nothing at all, but if it is occupied cially pronounced herself as not in favor
by a good, attractive, striking show it will of protecting her manufacturing interests
bring business and make money. In the or the lives and properties of her citizens.
This is a serious arraignment, but never-
arrangements of pianos and musical instru-
ments there is not the variety or latitude theless the situation warrants the expres-
afforded for decorative purposes which ex- sion, and we will make the prediction at
ists in many other lines of retail trade, but this point that ere another twelve months
there is a field for the exercising of intelli- shall have passed there will be more auxil-
gent and inventive minds to arrange and iary piano factories operating outside of
maintain attractive show windows, so that Chicago.
one's establishment may be talked about.
FUNCTIONS OF TRADE PAPERS.
It pays in more ways than one, and the
I N the Association report concerning the
question of utilizing a window to the best
trade press appears the following:
advantage by placing therein something
It is evident that the true function of
attractive should not be overlooked by the the trade paper is to print advertising and
retail piano merchants even in the smallest disseminate legitimate news in the interest
of the industry which it should represent.
towns.
The moment that it adds to this function
and assumes authority or power which does
THE DOLD VERDICT.
not belong to it, that instant it becomes a
C O R more than a week previous to the menace.
We cannot endorse the position assumed
rendering of the verdict, Geo. P.
Bent's time was almost completely ab- by the committee in this matter. If the
sorbed by duties in connection with his legitimate functions of a trade paper cease
suit against Chas Dold, president of the in printing advertising and news, then
Piano and Organ Workers' Union, who, there could be no advance in trade journal-
with others, was charged with conspiracy ism beyond a certain automatic point. It
assuredly does not become a menace to the
to injure Mr. Bent's business.
The case was closed last Friday night industry when it adds to that function. A
and the jury passed only a surprisingly trade paper may indulge in honest criti-
short time in deliberation before they re- cism. A trade paper should be an exponent
turned the verdict of not guilty. Dold's of ideas and principles which are of vital
co-defendants were three other labor lead- importance to the industry and it should be