Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
8
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TWENTY-SECOND YEAR.
a specialist was Alfred Dolge. Schuyler
Ingham was employed by them to obtain
special information from members of the
piano industry. Other specialists were se-
cured by them, so that from three sources,
confidential information regarding piano
firms was obtained. We may say that the
trust papers, including the statistics, dealing
with the tentative trust which existed in those
days, are not now in the hands of Alfred
Dolge. Some of the leading men of Wall
street, such as Seligman and Belmont, sub-
scribed five million dollars for the purpose
of bringing about the organization of the
piano industry in '98. The piano manufac-
turers then were given no particular insight
into the operations of the proposed trust,
but were asked to go into a sort of blind
pool, and in order to do this they must have
implicit confidence in the promoters.
there are certain conditions which exist in
our own industry which shows its non-affilia-
tion with principles which exist in many
others. In the furniture trade, a trade which
is first cousin to the piano industry, it has
been reported that Chas. P. Flint, a well-
EDWARD LYMAN BILL,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
known promoter, has had the matter of a
J . B. S P I L L A N E , MANAGING EDITOR
trust well in hand, and that articles for in-
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND
corporation would be filed by April 15th.
WALDO E. LADD
Executive Staff:
GEO. W. QUERIPEL
It has also been alleged that Belmont and
A. J. NICKLIN
Morgan were assisting Mr. Flint. It has
PnHlishecL Every Satprday at 3 East 14th street, New York.
been announced with equal positiveness that
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States, Mexico
the proposed combine had fallen through.
and Canada, $2.00 per year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount
It is now stated that it is Boston parties,
is allowed. Advertising Pages $:o.oo, opposite reading matter,
$75.00.
instead of Messrs. Morgan and Belmont
REfllTTANCES, in other than currency form, should be
made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
who are backing up Mr. Flint, and that
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter
these men insist that all factory contents
NEW YORK, APRIL 20, 1901.
and earning capacities of the various com-
TELEPHONE NUMBER. 1745-EIQHTEENTH STREET.
panies shall be appraised by a board of three
THE
On the first Saturday of each
men to be named by the promoters. This
1
ARTISTS
month The Review contains in its
DEPARTMENT " Artists' Department" all the cur-
With the Spanish war—the panic which was one of the stumbing blocks.
rent musical news. This is effected
without in any way trespassing on the size or ser-
The high prices asked for stocks of the
existed in the money market at that time—the
vice of the trade section of the paper. It has a
special circulation, and therefore augments mater-
crash of Dolge—all disorganized maturing more successful concerns was another obsta-
ially the value of The Review to advertisers.
plans so completely that it has never since cle encountered by the promoters. Another
DIRECTORY OF
The directory of piano manu-
been
possible to arrange them for the forma- rumor was that Seligman was backing
al ANO
facturing firms and corporations
MANUFACTURERS
tion of a piano trust. Mr. Mathiessen is Flint, and one of the most prominent furni-
fod
m b
f
t
p g
value as a reference for dealers and others.
dead, Mr. Dolge is on his ranch in Califor- ture men in the country states to The Review
DIRECTORY OF
A directory of all advertisers
nia, and the former magnates who were that he does not believe the combine can
ADVERTISERS
i n The Review will be found on
page 6.
connected with the embryo enterprise in '98 be effected. Another New York furniture
have nothing to do with the proposed trust man says that he knows nothing about the
of to-day, which, we affirm, is largely in the matter. Another says that the plan has been
EDITORIAL
nature of a bluff, and which never can.suc- entirely dropped, and still another that seri-
ceed unless there are men connected with ous set-backs have been encountered.
A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL. it in whom the members of the industry have
We mention this to show that it is the
T 1 HERE is no occa- confidence, and who can command enormous same batch of highly-colored rumors that
The Piano Trust Spectre
—flen Who Were In
sion for anyone sums of money to buy up the various plants. are flying about in the furniture trade that
the Old Organization
to
stand
in fear and
—Dolge and Others-
Within the past week, Alfred Dolge has have become so well known to us in the music
No Probability of a
trembling
of
the
pro-
Trust at Present.
stated: "I do not believe that any outsiders, trade industry regarding trust matters.
posed piano trust. Its speculators, or promoters, can ever succeed These rumors are of a kaleidoscopic char-
spectre should not haunt the couch of the to bring about a combination in the piano acter. They are positive to-day, doubtful
piano man and disturb his midnight slum- trade. At the same time I am just as firmly to-morrow, and out of sight the next day.
bers.
convinced that the piano industry will be
As we stated at the beginning, there is no
Notwithstanding all sorts of piano trust driven into a combination in time, as have reason for the alarmist to parade his highly-
rumors that have been circulating during all other industries. We are nearing more colored trust rumors and statements, for
the past month, no positive headway has and more the long-sought-for condition there is no foundation for even a reason-
been made as yet regarding its formation. where the fierce competition which carries able belief that a trust will be formed in this
There are some men who are desirous of its barbarous warfare, not only into the industry in the immediate future.
impressing others that they are in possession counting room, but also attacks the private
THE CONDITION OF TRADF.
of inside facts and that a great organiza- life of people engaged in trade, must make The Trade Situation-
CPRING trade has
Why the Piano Busi-
tion is now being formed—that it even exists way to combination which eliminates the
been a trifle slow.
ness is Dull—Things
Will Brighten With
in a tentative way. They are fond of assum- objectionable part of the competition, and
We
may
as well ad-
the Weather—General
ing a mysterious air and express themselves where only a competition exists to produce
Conditions Encourag-
mit it, for it is of no
ing
in sentences pregnant with mystery and im- the best results with the least efforts."
use to state that trade
portance.
No thinking man can deny that it is possi- is continually booming when business re-
The Review exploded the trust myth a ble for the piano industry to be concentrated sults point unmistakably to the contrary.
short time ago, and it may be depended into what we commonly term the trust, yet
No one can explain just why this state
upon to furnish reliable information con- there are many who believe that the day is of affairs should exist. The stock market
cerning the development—if that develop- far distant when such combination will be is exceedingly buoyant, and the prolonged
ment ever reaches a stage by which it will made, if ever. There are plenty of others strength of that market despite occasional
be proper to designate it as an existing com- who assert that the piano industry will for- temporary set-backs, is one of the remark-
bination.
ever remain aloof from participation in trust able features of the present state of busi-
One of the strongest forces in the pro- schemes.
ness.
posed trust of '98 was F. O. Mathiessen, a
There are many industries wherein it has
It is evident that this condition must have
sugar trust man. Associated with him as been impossible to form combinations, and its origin in something deeper and broader