Music Trade Review

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Music
A0TOft,UMOKAMD
THE
6
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
1
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
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l.ymnn Hill.
Directory of Piano
—
; ~
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
found on another page will be of great value, as a refereuct
for dealers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
a rand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Meda/.Charleston Expolstion, l!)0i»
Diploma. Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. . St. Louis Exposition, 1004
Gold Aledal.Lev.is Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
NEW
YORK,
MAY 12,
190 6
EDITORIAL
I
T was in 1897 when the Piano Manufacturers" Association was
horn at Manhattan l>each, down by the sounding sea. It was a
lusty youngster at the start, and, in fact, it promises such healthy ma-
turity that it was deemed worthy of attacks which were made upon it
for no other purpose than to kill off its healthy expansion. I lowever,
it improved under hard usage, and each succeeding year it has shown
a fair growth. Each president, and the list is a good one. including
Henry F. Miller, A. H. Fischer. Handel Pond. F. S. Comvav, Wm.
Dalliba Dutton. Chas. H. Parsons, Ceo. P. Bent, 11. Paul Mehlin,
has endeavored to build up the organization in every possible way,
and certainly if we scan the roster of the present year it will show-
that this organization to-day has a membership which gives it a
strength which is indisputable. In fact, it is so strong now that the
discredited trade journal which sought to destroy it at its birth, and
during subsequent years, is now begging for favors at its hands.
I
T is difficult to analyze the feelings which would prompt a trade
journalist to violently attack, and by every means attempt to
disrupt an organization which was founded primarily, for the wel-
fare of an industry, unless the motive behind the attack might be
interpreted as meaning that association strength would be the extin-
guishing force to effectually wipe out that form of journalism which
preys upon the weaknesses of the individual. With the industry
presenting an united front, it was impossible to wield the bludgeon
upon the isolated individual, and while attacks upon individuals have
never wholly ceased they have been infrequent and lessening as the
organization has developed in power and strength, and it is gener-
ally conceded to-day that the Manufacturers" Association has been a
tremendous force which has placed blackguard journalism in a state
of senile decadence. The molten lava of abuse which with surpris-
ing frequency Mowed down the mounta'n side of dishonest journal-
ism has cooled, and only now and then occasional outbrusts remind
us that life is not whollv extinct.
T
HE officers, however, can well afford to look with indifference
upon any attack made upon it. It has proven its permanency
REVIEW
by long years of existence and steady growth, and to-day it is con-
cededly a great power in this industry.
The meetings at Washington which have occurred this week
have been more largely attended than any other since the associaton
was started—a fact which shows that interest in it, far from bee >m-
iug decreased, is constantly augmented. It is truly national in scope,
for every part of the Cnion where there are piano manufacturers is
fairly lepresented in the association roster.
T
ill*, organization has bet 11 criticised for not accomplishing more,
but it is an easy thing for a bv-stander to say of this runner
that he limps, of another his stride is ungainly, and of another that
he should have better training, but to be in the race with the rest,
strair.ing with the rest to reach the goal, is qu'te another thing.
Whatever result has been accomplished by the association has
been through the earnest work of a few of the members, and in this
particular, it is not different materially from all other organizations,
whether industrial, financial, or political. It seems that the work
of conducting an organization rests upon a few men, and these are
too frequently unjustly criticised for not having accomplished more.
T
HE administration of the retiring president, II. Paul Mehlin,
has been marked by increased interest in the association, and
Mr. Mehlin has invited the members to assist him in making the
organization a more potent power for trade good.
In criticising organization work we sometimes forget that it is
impossible for anv bodv of men to make rules, which would be fol-
lowed by outsiders, when they infringe for a single moment upon the
liberty of the indivdual or firms in the conduct of their business
enterprise. For that reason associations which attempt radical
changes will not accomplish much. The Piano Manufacturers" As-
sociation has been helpful in creating certainlv a better feeling
in the industry than has ever existed before. Full credit must be
given for helping to plane down some of the rough edges which have
been constant sources of irritation in tin's trade for many years.
T
HEX, too, the Piano Manufacturers' Association was instru-
mental in forming the Piano Dealers' National Association,
because under its auspices, this latter association was formed which
will plav the host to the older organization in Washington next week.
W
A S H E \ ( i T ( ) \ will be the pulsing center of music trade
interest all of next week, because the dealers" reign begins
early in the week, and the week will be well on to its close before
all of the music trade men will have taken their departure from the
Capitol City.
From indications it would seem as if the attendance next week
at the dealers' meetings would he extremely large, for, judging from
the reports at hand, there will be more music trade men in Wash-
ington than have ever gathered previously in one city upon a given
date.
The banquet which takes place at the New Willard Hotel on
next Tuesday evening will be given by the Dealers' Association, and
it will be the great function of the Washington trade gathering.
Philip Werlein, the president of the Dealers" Association, has worked
indefatigably to make the dealers' meeting a great success, and it
would seem from present indications that splendid results will be
achieved under his leadership.
S
() quickly do we forget a great calamity that the San Francisco
news has ceased to be of all absorbing interest and now occupies
a secondary position in the columns of the papers. Most of the music
trade houses, as will be shown in our special reports, have commenced
active operations in San Francisco, where they have created tem-
porary quarters. Others have gone across the bay. where they have
opened up temporarily at least in ()akland.
How to finance the great loss is interesting, and the great fire
has directed attention to the manner in which an insurance company
goes about to adjust a settlement of a large bill:
Although the compatres are abundantly able to pay, and main
of them possess very heavy bank balances, the adjustment of claims
calling for the payment of $150,000,000 or more represents a finan-
cial operation of sufficient magnitude to involve rather careful
financing. How are these huge claims to be met, where will the
companies get the money, from, and how long will it take to effect a
settlement? These questions have direct bearing upon the money
market, and to a limited extent the future cost of security prices for