Music Trade Review
Issue: 1908 Vol. 47 N. 11 - Page 8
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
THE SECRET NOW IS OUT.
The "Man on the Street" Tells the Inside Story
of the Pointed Anonymous Letters Which
Caused the New York Publishers to Sit Up
and Take Notice—That They Did Untold
Good Is Undisputed.
But a few months ago the '•popular" publish-
ers of New York were somewhat mystified to
find in their morning mail an unsigned letter
setting forth in no mild manner numberless
abuses, which the publishing fraternity were
tacitly putting up with, without so much as a
complaint. The letter in question was read by
some (who were amuserl at the forcible diction
of their unknown correspondent), and discarded,
unread, by others. Hardly had the episode been
forgotten when another letter arrived, taking up
some similar form of abuse. And so started a
crusade by mail, which not only went far to
correct a number of existing evils but also set
the publishers at their wits' end to discover
who was the new "Moses" who had suddenly
arisen to lead them out of the wilderness. Many
imagined that the writer was responsible for the
verbal onslaught, others were perfectly sure tha.
Leo Feist had a finger in the pie. And so
guesses were made and remade, and strangely
enough the "guilty" party remained undiscov-
ered.
The good is now done. The giving away pro
miscuously of "professional" copies, the free
slide and orchestra music "graft," and numerous
other evils which were dealt with at the time
without gloves, are now partially cured, and the
credit for the result is due to F. B. Haviland,
the well-known publisher.
And this is how it all came about. At the time
of which the writer speaks, he himself was busy
attacking abuses in these columns, and in this
wise he came almost daily into contact with Frel.
Haviland, who had come to the realization that
something would have to be done, if the publish-
ing business was to remain a business and not
degenerate into a farce. "I wish," said Mr. Havi-
REVIEW
land, one day, during a somewhat depressing
interview, "that your articles could, be made
into a sort of personal letter ouch week and sent
direct to the publishers through the mails.
While they read what you say, they don't thor-
oughly digest it, as they would do a persona!
letter, for instance." "Why don't you write a
here reprinted, as it tells in its own forcible way
of what was accomplished. It reads:
"Mr. Publisher—It is gratifying to learn, as
we have from many sources, that our little talks
with you and others (on paper) are doing some
good. The fakers are still after the professional
copies and the slides, but when we turn them
down they say, 'Gee! but what's geitin' into all
the publishers, anyhow; we can't get any copies
anywhere—no more free slides, either—Great
Scott! what's it coming to?' These gratters used
to come into our shop with 8 or 10 rolls of stuff
—now they come in almost empty-handed, and
you can gamble on it they go out the same way
every time. The fake cards (so-called profes-
sional cards) that we put in the trash basket
('waste' is too good a name for it) are countless.
They don't even hand you a clean one, they are
dirty cards—have been the rounds for weeks, the
same old card picking up your good stock. Just
notice how they ask for tho card back—they do
in many instances.
"By the way, if you read our leUers, don't you
think they are worth passing along to your em-
ployes? Wouldn't be a bad scheme to have
every man in your employ look them over and put
his O. K. as having read them. Not a bad idea,
is it? A brother publisher suggested this, and
it's all to the good. Impossible to acquaint too
many of your people with facts some of them
do not know, and we think they should know,
and we hope you think so, too.
"Not many years ago big song hits were made
by legitimate performers, were they not? Then,
why not stick to the legitimate performer now?
There are even more of them in the business
ritKI) U. HAVII.AXL).
to-day than there were ten years ago. All the
few pointed letters?" inquired the writer. Havi- more reason why you should cut out the faker,
land shook his head. "If I ever wrote a circular the amateur and the grafter, and stick to the
letter to the publishers half of them would think man or woman who does legitimate theatrical
I had some sort of axe to grind," he replied, "and
work. Get them to sing your songs and the
after seeing my signature would put them in ihe public will buy. The amateur and the laker
waste paper basket." "Then why sign them?" will buy if you slick to your good resolution
queried the writer. Haviland thought for a to make them buy.
minute, and replied: "I'll do it." And he did.
"Some publishers pay performers, and you
One of the last letters that he sent out is won't, so you are going to fall back on the ama-
ERSIAN LAMB BAG
A Pepperette by Percy Wenrich.
A NEW SENSATIONAL "RAG" HIT.
NOVELTY TITLE PAGE.
ONE order to Dealers mentioning this paper 10 cents, per copy, net.
Mr. Sheet Music Dealer:
The following is a selected list of our best sellers. If not readily obtainable from your jobber-
order direct.
Prices will be right.
Our publications are never out of print'
VOCAL.
Big Chief Battle-Axe. Comic Indian Novelty.
Come Back to Connemara. Ballad with March Refrain
Give My Love to Dixie. Ballad with March Refrain.
Good-bye, Jennie Jones. Rube Song.
Good-night, Goodnight. Conversational Duet.
Let Me be Your Lemon Coon.
Let Me Call You Sweetheart Once Again. Ballad.
My Dusky Rose. Companion Song to "Lindy Lou."
On Yo' Way. Coon Song.
She Was a Soldier's Sweetheart. March Song.
Some Day When Dreams Come True. Ballad (3 keys).
Strolling Home With Jennie. March Song.
Think of the.Girl Down Home. March Song.
Three Little Words, "I Love You." Semi-classic.
Trading Smiles. A Flirtation Novelty.
Under the Silv'ry Congo Moon.
When the Robin Sings Again. Ballad.
Why Did You Break My Heart? Ballad.
Special:
INSTRUMENTAL.
Dreamer, The. Waltz.
Four Little Blackberries. Schottische.
Fun in a Barber Shop. March Novelty.
Gartland, The. March.
Heap Big Injun. Two-Step Intermezzo.
Home, Sweet Home. Medley "Good-night" Waltz.
Kentucky Wedding Knot. Novelty Two-Step.
Kidder, The. Characteristic March.
Kiss of Spring. Waltz.
Laughing Sam. Characteristic March.
New Arrival, The. March and Two-Step.
Pansies for Thought. Waltz.
Romance of a Rose. Reverie.
Sand Dance. Moonlight on the Suwanee.
Sissy Giggles. Characteristic March.
Starland. Intermezzo Two-Step.
Summer Dream, A. Morceau Charactcristique.
Tehama. Intermezzo Romantique.
Write for prices on " Kiss of Spring," Waltz, and " Some D a y
W h e n Dreams Come True," Ballad, in 50 and 100 copy lots.
167 TREMONT STREET
BOSTON, MASS.
WALTER JACOBS,
THE
MUSIC TRADE
THE SECRET NOW IS OUT.
The "Man on the Street" Tells the Inside Story
of the Pointed Anonymous Letters Which
Caused the New York Publishers to Sit Up
and Take Notice—That They Did Untold
Good Is Undisputed.
But a few months ago the '•popular" publish-
ers of New York were somewhat mystified to
find in their morning mail an unsigned letter
setting forth in no mild manner numberless
abuses, which the publishing fraternity were
tacitly putting up with, without so much as a
complaint. The letter in question was read by
some (who were amuserl at the forcible diction
of their unknown correspondent), and discarded,
unread, by others. Hardly had the episode been
forgotten when another letter arrived, taking up
some similar form of abuse. And so started a
crusade by mail, which not only went far to
correct a number of existing evils but also set
the publishers at their wits' end to discover
who was the new "Moses" who had suddenly
arisen to lead them out of the wilderness. Many
imagined that the writer was responsible for the
verbal onslaught, others were perfectly sure tha.
Leo Feist had a finger in the pie. And so
guesses were made and remade, and strangely
enough the "guilty" party remained undiscov-
ered.
The good is now done. The giving away pro
miscuously of "professional" copies, the free
slide and orchestra music "graft," and numerous
other evils which were dealt with at the time
without gloves, are now partially cured, and the
credit for the result is due to F. B. Haviland,
the well-known publisher.
And this is how it all came about. At the time
of which the writer speaks, he himself was busy
attacking abuses in these columns, and in this
wise he came almost daily into contact with Frel.
Haviland, who had come to the realization that
something would have to be done, if the publish-
ing business was to remain a business and not
degenerate into a farce. "I wish," said Mr. Havi-
REVIEW
land, one day, during a somewhat depressing
interview, "that your articles could, be made
into a sort of personal letter ouch week and sent
direct to the publishers through the mails.
While they read what you say, they don't thor-
oughly digest it, as they would do a persona!
letter, for instance." "Why don't you write a
here reprinted, as it tells in its own forcible way
of what was accomplished. It reads:
"Mr. Publisher—It is gratifying to learn, as
we have from many sources, that our little talks
with you and others (on paper) are doing some
good. The fakers are still after the professional
copies and the slides, but when we turn them
down they say, 'Gee! but what's geitin' into all
the publishers, anyhow; we can't get any copies
anywhere—no more free slides, either—Great
Scott! what's it coming to?' These gratters used
to come into our shop with 8 or 10 rolls of stuff
—now they come in almost empty-handed, and
you can gamble on it they go out the same way
every time. The fake cards (so-called profes-
sional cards) that we put in the trash basket
('waste' is too good a name for it) are countless.
They don't even hand you a clean one, they are
dirty cards—have been the rounds for weeks, the
same old card picking up your good stock. Just
notice how they ask for tho card back—they do
in many instances.
"By the way, if you read our leUers, don't you
think they are worth passing along to your em-
ployes? Wouldn't be a bad scheme to have
every man in your employ look them over and put
his O. K. as having read them. Not a bad idea,
is it? A brother publisher suggested this, and
it's all to the good. Impossible to acquaint too
many of your people with facts some of them
do not know, and we think they should know,
and we hope you think so, too.
"Not many years ago big song hits were made
by legitimate performers, were they not? Then,
why not stick to the legitimate performer now?
There are even more of them in the business
ritKI) U. HAVII.AXL).
to-day than there were ten years ago. All the
few pointed letters?" inquired the writer. Havi- more reason why you should cut out the faker,
land shook his head. "If I ever wrote a circular the amateur and the grafter, and stick to the
letter to the publishers half of them would think man or woman who does legitimate theatrical
I had some sort of axe to grind," he replied, "and
work. Get them to sing your songs and the
after seeing my signature would put them in ihe public will buy. The amateur and the laker
waste paper basket." "Then why sign them?" will buy if you slick to your good resolution
queried the writer. Haviland thought for a to make them buy.
minute, and replied: "I'll do it." And he did.
"Some publishers pay performers, and you
One of the last letters that he sent out is won't, so you are going to fall back on the ama-
ERSIAN LAMB BAG
A Pepperette by Percy Wenrich.
A NEW SENSATIONAL "RAG" HIT.
NOVELTY TITLE PAGE.
ONE order to Dealers mentioning this paper 10 cents, per copy, net.
Mr. Sheet Music Dealer:
The following is a selected list of our best sellers. If not readily obtainable from your jobber-
order direct.
Prices will be right.
Our publications are never out of print'
VOCAL.
Big Chief Battle-Axe. Comic Indian Novelty.
Come Back to Connemara. Ballad with March Refrain
Give My Love to Dixie. Ballad with March Refrain.
Good-bye, Jennie Jones. Rube Song.
Good-night, Goodnight. Conversational Duet.
Let Me be Your Lemon Coon.
Let Me Call You Sweetheart Once Again. Ballad.
My Dusky Rose. Companion Song to "Lindy Lou."
On Yo' Way. Coon Song.
She Was a Soldier's Sweetheart. March Song.
Some Day When Dreams Come True. Ballad (3 keys).
Strolling Home With Jennie. March Song.
Think of the.Girl Down Home. March Song.
Three Little Words, "I Love You." Semi-classic.
Trading Smiles. A Flirtation Novelty.
Under the Silv'ry Congo Moon.
When the Robin Sings Again. Ballad.
Why Did You Break My Heart? Ballad.
Special:
INSTRUMENTAL.
Dreamer, The. Waltz.
Four Little Blackberries. Schottische.
Fun in a Barber Shop. March Novelty.
Gartland, The. March.
Heap Big Injun. Two-Step Intermezzo.
Home, Sweet Home. Medley "Good-night" Waltz.
Kentucky Wedding Knot. Novelty Two-Step.
Kidder, The. Characteristic March.
Kiss of Spring. Waltz.
Laughing Sam. Characteristic March.
New Arrival, The. March and Two-Step.
Pansies for Thought. Waltz.
Romance of a Rose. Reverie.
Sand Dance. Moonlight on the Suwanee.
Sissy Giggles. Characteristic March.
Starland. Intermezzo Two-Step.
Summer Dream, A. Morceau Charactcristique.
Tehama. Intermezzo Romantique.
Write for prices on " Kiss of Spring," Waltz, and " Some D a y
W h e n Dreams Come True," Ballad, in 50 and 100 copy lots.
167 TREMONT STREET
BOSTON, MASS.
WALTER JACOBS,
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).