Music Trade Review
Issue: 1908 Vol. 46 N. 20 - Page 4
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILL ANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
GKO. It. KELLER,
L. E. BOWEUS,
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J. HAYDEN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L». J. CHAMBERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 100 Bo.vlston St. K. 1". VAN HARLINGEN, Koom 80G, 156 Wabash Ave.
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
K. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
ST. LOUIS:
CHAS. N. VAN BUKEN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. II. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI, O.: BERNARD C. BOWEN.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: GS) Kasinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDX, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, .*p:i.r>U ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2,00 per inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Jiill.
Music Publishers*
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
Department v» v
ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW
YORK,
M A Y 16, 1 9 0 8
EDITORIAL
W
HILE the number of failures reported by mercantile agen-
cies during the month of April was extremely large, yet
an analysis of the causes leading up to the collapse of these con-
cerns shows that in the main they were over-capitalized and many
of them were not rated at all and but a small percentage as strong
commercial institutions. There will necessarily be a weeding out
of a good many concerns in every industry, some which have been
a menace to legitimate institutions. When corporations or indi-
viduals who are unworthy of credit, can through misrepresentation
secure merchandise to a considerable amount it follows as a
natural sequence that in order to tide over certain dangerous
periods that they will put out goods on all sorts of terms and prices,
thus demoralizing the trade which meets its obligations and pays
one hundred cents on the dollar. The fake concerns have neither
cash nor reputation at stake.
In the music trade some of the reputable, straightforward deal-
ers have had certain unfair and dishonest competition to meet, and
by no amount of argument can it be made clear that a man who
pays his bills can meet the kind of competition which does not. and
if many of the firms which have made it difficult for legitimate
trade to exist have been forced to surrender to the pressure which
has been brought to bear upon them, it is not and should not be
damaging to the sound business interests of the country. On the
whole the atmosphere is becoming clearer all the time, and it is a
fixed belief in the minds of the best business men of the country
that trade in all industries will be run on sounder, saner and safer
lines than heretofore. The sifting out process has been going on
for some time, and many of the weak concerns have been unable to
stand the tests which have been imposed upon them.
REVIEW
year ago were inclined to believe that there never would be a reduc-
tion in consumption or in the output of manufacturers East and
West. Some of them argued even that if one class of consumers
would not take their goods another would. The past six months,
however, have dissipated these beliefs and satisfactorily demon-
strated to all kinds of trades that it is impossible to disturb the
financial interests of the country or even the resources of the rich
without affecting the other classes.
T
HERE is no prospect of a boom in trade this year even with
good crops, but there is ample evidence of a good demand,
although somewhat irregular. There are many leading business
men in this country who take an optimistic view of the business
situation and believe that should Taft be nominated and the crop
report throughout the country turn out to be fully up to the present
indications there will not be enough goods in the hands of manu-
facturers and jobbers to supply the demands that will come for
them during the fall and winter. They base their theories on the
curtailment of production and the inability of manufacturers to turn
out goods on a few days notice. Also on the fact that manufac-
turers are not making up goods in advance of trade requirements.
There is no doubt as we view the general situation but that trade
is improving, but before we can have a general return of prosperity
there must be a reduction in the number of unemployed so that the
consumption can be increased. Wage earners are vast distributing
mediums and when they are unemployed there is necessarily a big
slowing up in demand.
T
HERE is a radical change in the matter of buying from the
conditions which have existed' during the past few years.
Few indeed are buying more than they absolutely require to meet
with immediate demands of their trade. Advance buying is light,
although it is somewhat better than it was a few weeks ago, and it
is now a case of the manufacturer being forced to carry a supply
in order to meet with the demands of the dealers as they come •
irregularly in upon them. Merchants are taking few chances on
the future. While this in some points is a sound position and is
in line with old time conservative methods of doing business, it puts
heavier expenses upon the manufacturer, as he is forced to carry a
stock to meet promptly the demands from the retailers.
T
HERE are, however, many elements steadily at work endeavor-
ing to better the present conditions, and the united force of
these is considerable. And there is nothing like a campaign of
cheerfulness to start things up. In St. Louis they have inaugurated
a National Prosperity Association. This association has for its ob-
ject the cultivation of optimism and sentiment, and plays a very
important part in material affairs. It will, however, require some-
thing more than a mere crusade of optimism to remove the pessimist
from the land and to again establish a complete reign of prosperity,
but the proper way to start recovery upon its course is laid down on
lines of cheerfulness. Given rest from the ceaseless disturbances
which have so unsettled the commercial and industrial community,
and given sunlight for the maturing harvests and confidence will
surely return and with the return of confidence comes prosperity.
There is lessened business activity everywhere, but it is certainly
relative. Upon any other occasion except that encompassed in the
last two years the measure of activity even now prevailing would
have been accounted most abundant. The country feels blue, prin-
cipally because we are making comparisons with last year or the
one immediately preceding. When we feel blue over present con-
ditions compare the volume of trade this year with three or four
years ago for instance.
W
HAT motives inspire a trade newspaper to devote columns
weekly for eight or ten consecutive issues to a dissection
of the internal affairs and business policies of certain non-adver-
tisers? What are the logical conclusions arrived at by the readers
as to motives who have had sufficient patience and interest to fol-
low the drift of the argument? Surely no one can be so blind as
T must be admitted that the music trade has stood up wonder-
fully well when compared with other industries, and one of to overlook the mercenary inspirations behind continuous insolent
criticism of methods adopted by business concerns. Then again
the most surprising features of the business situation is that some
of the factories are enjoying a spring trade which is quite up to when men are thus cowardly attacked other manufacturers are
not likely to stand calmly by while their confreres are held up to
normal times. There is an evident growth of a more hopeful senti-
ment everywhere. Of course, consumption has fallen off in all ridicule and abuse in the columns of an alleged music trade publica-
tion. Blackguardly trade journalism can only exist through ad-
lines and this change in trade conditions has been an educator, for
it has opened the eyes of many manufacturers and jobbers who a vertising support, and why should the men in any industry be
I
THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILL ANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
GKO. It. KELLER,
L. E. BOWEUS,
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J. HAYDEN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L». J. CHAMBERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 100 Bo.vlston St. K. 1". VAN HARLINGEN, Koom 80G, 156 Wabash Ave.
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
K. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
ST. LOUIS:
CHAS. N. VAN BUKEN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. II. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI, O.: BERNARD C. BOWEN.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: GS) Kasinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDX, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, .*p:i.r>U ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2,00 per inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Jiill.
Music Publishers*
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
Department v» v
ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW
YORK,
M A Y 16, 1 9 0 8
EDITORIAL
W
HILE the number of failures reported by mercantile agen-
cies during the month of April was extremely large, yet
an analysis of the causes leading up to the collapse of these con-
cerns shows that in the main they were over-capitalized and many
of them were not rated at all and but a small percentage as strong
commercial institutions. There will necessarily be a weeding out
of a good many concerns in every industry, some which have been
a menace to legitimate institutions. When corporations or indi-
viduals who are unworthy of credit, can through misrepresentation
secure merchandise to a considerable amount it follows as a
natural sequence that in order to tide over certain dangerous
periods that they will put out goods on all sorts of terms and prices,
thus demoralizing the trade which meets its obligations and pays
one hundred cents on the dollar. The fake concerns have neither
cash nor reputation at stake.
In the music trade some of the reputable, straightforward deal-
ers have had certain unfair and dishonest competition to meet, and
by no amount of argument can it be made clear that a man who
pays his bills can meet the kind of competition which does not. and
if many of the firms which have made it difficult for legitimate
trade to exist have been forced to surrender to the pressure which
has been brought to bear upon them, it is not and should not be
damaging to the sound business interests of the country. On the
whole the atmosphere is becoming clearer all the time, and it is a
fixed belief in the minds of the best business men of the country
that trade in all industries will be run on sounder, saner and safer
lines than heretofore. The sifting out process has been going on
for some time, and many of the weak concerns have been unable to
stand the tests which have been imposed upon them.
REVIEW
year ago were inclined to believe that there never would be a reduc-
tion in consumption or in the output of manufacturers East and
West. Some of them argued even that if one class of consumers
would not take their goods another would. The past six months,
however, have dissipated these beliefs and satisfactorily demon-
strated to all kinds of trades that it is impossible to disturb the
financial interests of the country or even the resources of the rich
without affecting the other classes.
T
HERE is no prospect of a boom in trade this year even with
good crops, but there is ample evidence of a good demand,
although somewhat irregular. There are many leading business
men in this country who take an optimistic view of the business
situation and believe that should Taft be nominated and the crop
report throughout the country turn out to be fully up to the present
indications there will not be enough goods in the hands of manu-
facturers and jobbers to supply the demands that will come for
them during the fall and winter. They base their theories on the
curtailment of production and the inability of manufacturers to turn
out goods on a few days notice. Also on the fact that manufac-
turers are not making up goods in advance of trade requirements.
There is no doubt as we view the general situation but that trade
is improving, but before we can have a general return of prosperity
there must be a reduction in the number of unemployed so that the
consumption can be increased. Wage earners are vast distributing
mediums and when they are unemployed there is necessarily a big
slowing up in demand.
T
HERE is a radical change in the matter of buying from the
conditions which have existed' during the past few years.
Few indeed are buying more than they absolutely require to meet
with immediate demands of their trade. Advance buying is light,
although it is somewhat better than it was a few weeks ago, and it
is now a case of the manufacturer being forced to carry a supply
in order to meet with the demands of the dealers as they come •
irregularly in upon them. Merchants are taking few chances on
the future. While this in some points is a sound position and is
in line with old time conservative methods of doing business, it puts
heavier expenses upon the manufacturer, as he is forced to carry a
stock to meet promptly the demands from the retailers.
T
HERE are, however, many elements steadily at work endeavor-
ing to better the present conditions, and the united force of
these is considerable. And there is nothing like a campaign of
cheerfulness to start things up. In St. Louis they have inaugurated
a National Prosperity Association. This association has for its ob-
ject the cultivation of optimism and sentiment, and plays a very
important part in material affairs. It will, however, require some-
thing more than a mere crusade of optimism to remove the pessimist
from the land and to again establish a complete reign of prosperity,
but the proper way to start recovery upon its course is laid down on
lines of cheerfulness. Given rest from the ceaseless disturbances
which have so unsettled the commercial and industrial community,
and given sunlight for the maturing harvests and confidence will
surely return and with the return of confidence comes prosperity.
There is lessened business activity everywhere, but it is certainly
relative. Upon any other occasion except that encompassed in the
last two years the measure of activity even now prevailing would
have been accounted most abundant. The country feels blue, prin-
cipally because we are making comparisons with last year or the
one immediately preceding. When we feel blue over present con-
ditions compare the volume of trade this year with three or four
years ago for instance.
W
HAT motives inspire a trade newspaper to devote columns
weekly for eight or ten consecutive issues to a dissection
of the internal affairs and business policies of certain non-adver-
tisers? What are the logical conclusions arrived at by the readers
as to motives who have had sufficient patience and interest to fol-
low the drift of the argument? Surely no one can be so blind as
T must be admitted that the music trade has stood up wonder-
fully well when compared with other industries, and one of to overlook the mercenary inspirations behind continuous insolent
criticism of methods adopted by business concerns. Then again
the most surprising features of the business situation is that some
of the factories are enjoying a spring trade which is quite up to when men are thus cowardly attacked other manufacturers are
not likely to stand calmly by while their confreres are held up to
normal times. There is an evident growth of a more hopeful senti-
ment everywhere. Of course, consumption has fallen off in all ridicule and abuse in the columns of an alleged music trade publica-
tion. Blackguardly trade journalism can only exist through ad-
lines and this change in trade conditions has been an educator, for
it has opened the eyes of many manufacturers and jobbers who a vertising support, and why should the men in any industry be
I
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