Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J . HAYDBN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. J. CHAMBERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
GEO. B. KELLER,
L. B. BOWEKS,
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 100 Boylston St. E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Room 806, 156 Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
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PHILADELPHIA:
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ADOLF EDSTEN.
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BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
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Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
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Music Publishers'
Department V y*
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
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.
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Cable a d d r e s s : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW
YORK, MAY 30, 1908
EDITORIAL
J
UDGING from indications, the music trade convention, which
occurs in this city next month, will be largely attended. A
good many dealers have announced their intention to visit New
York. Some say that they are not over busy at home and can
well afford the time to weigh up association matters and exchange
views with other business men engaged in the same trade. When
all is said and done perhaps the fact of meeting and obtaining from
each other special views as to the conduct of business is of greater
benefit than all of the resolutions passed by the association. The
spirit of good feeling and camraderie which is developed at the
various meetings has a far reaching effect not only locally, but
nationally, and it would seem with such splendid membership in the
two associations a powerful lot of good should result from such a
rousing gathering of music trade clans as will occur in New York
in June.
Certainly everyone will be made welcome and the hospitality
of New York will not be of a narrow type. It will be generous,
spontaneous and hearty and from indications we are inclined to
think that when the convention has passed into history that the
departing hosts will carry home with them pleasant recollections
of their convention stay in New York during 1908.
H
E would be a pessimist indeed who would cavil at the aims
of the National Prosperity Association, recently organized
in St. Louis for the spirit of confidence and general revival of in-
dustrial and commercial activity. That the idea has caught on with
business men is attested by the endorsements which it has received
from merchants' associations in the various centers throughout the
Union. The association does not urge business men to talk opti-
mism when there is no ground for .it, but it urges the "let alone—
•give us peace" policy. Any organization which has for its aim the
re-establishment of confidence should be supported by every busi-
ness man in the country.
P
Committee of the two music trade associations will not have ex-
tended reports to make.
Of course, to tempt the shy and backward dollar tempting
offers have been made and selling competition has necessarily, been
accentuated through the fear that another may get away with some
business which the other fellow wants, but as far as disreputable
and demoralizing practices are concerned it must be admitted that
the music trade as a whole has pretty thoroughly cleansed itself of
the illicit methods which were formerly employed to make piano
sales, which at times meant the assassination of piano reputation inj,
various cities.
.
'
The associations must primarily be credited with a good deal,
of trade betterment, not accomplished through resolutions passed^
but through a delightful feeling which is engendered when men who
are disposed to be fair meet each other and discuss business and
methods.
CHAS. N. VAN BDREN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
• LONDON, ENGLAND: 6ft Basinghall St., E. C.
REVIEW
RICE wars are not so popular in any trade as formerly and the
competition in the music trade has been remarkably clean
during the past twelve months, and, in our opinion, the Grievance
T
HE commercial and transportation interests of this country are
so completely interwoven that what is injurious to one must
of necessity reflect on the other, and the average business man does
not believe that the present time is a propitious one for.the railroad
companies to advance their freight rates. It would seem as if
the business interests of this country had about all that they could
shoulder with comfort at the present time without assuming a load
caused by increased cost in transportation.
The commercial interests of the country will resist to the ut-
most an advance in freight rates and if the proposed increase be
put into effect the mercantile interests of the country through the
Interstate Commerce Committee have a forum in which the ques-
tion of the reasonableness of any such advance may be adjudicated
and by which any unreasonable increase may be reduced or abol-
ished. If this proposed increase is put in force the manufacturing
and mercantile interests which are close to The Review will be
immediately affected and it will cost piano merchants more to ship
pianos than ever before, and as a matter of fact the freight tariff
on pianos has been higher than conditions warranted for some
time past. Eor many years piano merchants were forced to pay
extremely high rates on pianos. In fact, when the rate was first
established the industry was in an embryo state and it was easy for
the railroads to place any kind of excessive freight rates upon musi-
cal instruments. These rates remained unchanged for many years
while the industry developed at a phenomenal rate. Pianos were
still held at the old schedule, which was glaringly out of all kind of
proportion with the tariff rates on industrial shipments of lesser
importance.
T
H E welfare of every trade, however, is affected by this pro-
posed increase in the freight tariff. The railroad men present
their side by saying that the continued shrinkage in their gross and
net earnings as assigned to various causes beyond their control has
for many months been a matter of serious comment in transporta-
tion circles and under the present conditions they feel it essential
either to reduce wages or advance their freight rates, as in a num-
ber of states due to the operation of the two-cent law they are
debarred from advancing their passenger rates.
A reduction of wages would deprive numbers of workers of
the very narrow margin they possess above the bare necessities of
existence. Should the railroads nevertheless reduce the wages ,a
strike would ensue and the result would affect not only the railroad
employes, but every citizen in the country. In any case a wage cut
would lessen the consuming power of a large section of our popu-
lation and must necessarily have a depressing effect upon trade.
The over-watered railroads must suffer and the whole thing
resolves itself back to the proposition of squeezing all the water
out of over-capitalized corporations. That was the trouble with
the Metropolitan Railway in our city. Over-capitalization and loot-
ing placed the Metropolitan in a receiver's hands, when if fairly
capitalized it should be among the best paying corporations in the
world.
U
LTIMATELY the advancing of the cost will be paid by the
consumer, and if the advance were added to the income of
the railroads it would place them, it is argued, on the way to in-
creased earnings. This in itself would have an .uplifting effect
upon the business community, who are accustomed to regard rail-
road earnings as a reliable criterion of general conditions.