Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
WHY IMPORTERS OBJECT.
BUI to Have Supreme Court Review Customs
Cases Opposed—Maintain That They Should
Have Same Right as Government to Appeal.
Strong opposition was expressed this week by
customs attorneys and importers to the bill intro-
duced in Congress last week by Representative
Clayton, amending the law regulating the pro-
cedure before the United States Court of Customs
Appeals, whereby the Government is granted the
right to apply to the Supreme Court for writs of
certiorari in important issues decided adversely to
the contentions of the Department of Justice and
the Treasury Department.
While some difference of opinion exists among
the attorneys and lawyers in this city as to the
desirability of clothing the Supreme Court with
authority to hear tariff cases, the sentiment is
unanimous that the bill should be so amended as
to give an equal right to the importer or his legal
representative to apply for a writ.
The position of the importing and legal inter-
ests of the country concerned in customs litigation
was set forth Monday by Frederick W. Brooks,
Jr., of the law firm of Brooks & Brooks. Mr.
Brooks pointed out that many of the cases decided
by the Customs Court involved large sums in re-
funds of excessive duties, and that, apparently un-
der the Clayton bill, the importer must ask the
Attorney General to apply for the writ, not as a
right, but as a privilege. On the other hand,
the Attorney General is to petition for review
only when the Government is the defeated party
in the Customs Court.
"If the Supreme Court is again to be given
Reliability
Golden Virtue
is a
Nowhere is that fact better
exemplified than in that
favorite of generations, the
S. S. Stewart
Banjos
and
S.
S. Stewart "Student"
Banjo-Mandolin.
Banjo-
Mandolins
S. S. Stewart on an instrument or string is like
sterling stamped on silver. It immediately relieves
the purchaser's mind of all elements of chance.
THE S. S. STEWART CO.
4 6 East 13tH Street
New YorK City
49
jurisdiction over customs cases," said he, "it would
seem more equitable to return to the old practice,
where the defeated party in the Circuit Court of
Appeals had the right to petition the Supreme
Court for a review, regardless of whether that
party was the Government or the importer."
Mr. Brooks said that the Customs Court was
formed expressly for the purpose of providing a
speedy determination of litigation in tariff cases.
Prior to the establishment of this court these
cases were frequently under consideration by the
Board of General Appraisers, the Circuit Court
and the Circuit Court of Appeals, for from three
to five years. This period under present practice
has been so reduced as to bring an end to such
litigation in the average case to less than two
years. With the calendars of the Supreme Court
already from two to three years behind, the enact-
ment of the Clayton bill is expected to delay
materially the settlement of important customs
issues.
HARPS GROWJN FAVOR.
H. L. Hunt, Manager of the Musical Mer-
chandise Department of the C. H. Ditson
Co., Tells of the Growth of This Branch of
the Business—Clara Morris a Purchaser.
"Our harp business is showing a steady and sure
growth that is very pleasing," said H. L. Hunt,
manager of the musical merchandise department
of Charles H. Ditson & Co., 8 East Thirty-fourth
street, New York. "During the past few months
we have added the names of a number of well-
known musicians to our harp patrons, and just
now we are planning to construct several addi-
tional rooms to be devoted exclusively to the dis-
play and demonstration of harps. We now have
general display rooms on the second floor with
several special rooms on the third floor, but even
these are inadequate, and a number of new rooms
will soon he erected on the fifth floor.
"Notwithstanding the storms that have naturally
handicapped our business during the past four or
five weeks we have closed a very satisfactory Feb-
ruary and March business, numbering among our
sales that of a $2,000 harp to a prominent local
harpist. Other harp sales the past fortnight in-
cluded $800 and $900 instruments.
"A considerable portion of our new business in
the harp department is closed with children who
purchase the smaller sizes of harps with' every
thought of securing larger models in future years.
It is this interest in the playing of the harp that
is being manifested by children which insures
the prosperous future of the harp industry. As
long as the children appreciate the music of the
harp and evince a desire to play it the continued
growth of the industry is assured.
"Our guitar business is holding its own. Clara
Morris, the prominent actress, who is an excep-
tionally talented guitar player, purchased a very
fine Martin guitar last week. The better grades
of guitars are proving the best sellers at the
present time.
PATENTS IMPROVED MOUTHPIECE.
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, March 16.—Frank Holton &
Co., Chicago, 111., are the owners through assign-
ment by Charles E. Stacy, Dayton, O., of patent
No. 1,089,876, for a mo.uthpiece, which was granted
him last week and which has for its primary object
the provision of an improved mouthpiece which is
so constructed as to relieve from pressure the
vibrating lip of the operator.
Capt. and Mrs. Victor Hugo Starrak, the son-
in-law and daughter of Wm. R. Gratz, president
of the Wm. R. Gratz Import Co., will sail to-day,
March 21, on the steamer "Martha Washington"
for Trieste, Austria, after an extended visit to
this country.