Music Trade Review
Issue: 1914 Vol. 58 N. 2 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
FORTY YEARS DEVOTED TO IDEALS.
(Continued from page 3.)
has been conferred upon him by the Emperor of Germany, the Order of the Lion and Sun by the
Shah of Persia and the Order of the Liakat by the Sultan of Turkey.
Positions of honor and distinction have been proffered him, but these he has invariably declined,
preferring to concentrate his energies upon matters closely relating to the enterprise which bears
his name.
If it were possible to analyze in detail the business moves made in the forty years of devotion
to the business life of Chas. H. Steinway, we would find many incidents which would do the world
good to know, because these would relate to the life work of a man who has held conscientiously and
undeviatingly to high ideals.
^^jbi^^mM--^^^,-,- r ^^^-
~. .
It is easy to figure that a man wielding such power could have changed the modern policies of
the Steinway house—could have introduced many new features which may have been important
money makers, but which in the end would have had a tendency to have lowered the name from
its pedestal of eminence which it has occupied so long. It is easy to imagine this, because a man
who is not imbued with high motives can so change the business organization which he controls
that deterioration will set in. There will be a lowering of business morals as well as standards,
but none of the false lights on the shore swerved this man from his idealism, which amounts to
almost a religion with him.
The Steinway name must not only be safeguarded in every way, but its fame must be added
to in every legitimate sense. The Steinway piano must exercise the same influence in the musical
world that it has since 1857. It must be interwoven with the artistic life of the nation and the
world, and in order to do this the atmosphere must be maintained—the business built up by hav-
ing men associated with it in every department who are thoroughly in sympathy with the aims of
the house, and that is why such harmony of thought and action has been instilled in the house of
Steinway for many, many years.
A staff has been built up which believes in the Steinway tradition and in the Steinway great-
ness. Hence it was a proud moment when the Chief sat at the banquet table surrounded by his
loyal staff—men who believe in him and in whom he believes.
Well might they raise their glasses and drink their toasts to the man who has guided the des
tinies of the house of Steinway in recent years!
Well might the entire trade honor him, for he is indeed a man—
a man who has stood like England's Iron Duke:
"Four square to all the winds that blow!"
No Fear of Business Unsettlement.
to depress it by actions which suggest doubt and uncertainty ?
Will you boost or will you knock?
Along these lines John Wanamaker has suggested a motto for
the New Year which is very good. He says: "Don't be blue!"
And, in a recent address, the great merchant and manufacturer took
occasion to sound a note of distinct optimism and rebuke the calam-
ity howlers who have been so busy of late. Mr. Wanamaker, as
one of the greatest manufacturers and merchants in the country, is
thoroughly familiar with conditions, and what he has to say about
business affairs always carries great weight. As he aptly sums up:
"The man who sees nothing but diseaster ahead is not a true
American. If he brings a fresh bushel of doubts every morning he
is a pestilence maker. For myself I am free to say that I will put
such a man outside of my door to carry his infection to the winds.
The breeders of panic ought to be deported. I have no fear of any
serious unsettlement of business or of any long disturbance of pros-
perity.
"In a word, we have lots of room in this country for courage,
energy and enterprise, but there is no room or reason for a panic.
What the President wants and the country wants are men—strong
men, unselfish and broad visioned, able men—to help him and his
Cabinet to lead the way."
So, Mr. Business Man, start the new T year right. Look cheer-
ful and be cheerful, confident that a new era of substantial prosper-
itv is at hand. Don't listen to the croaker. Turn a deaf ear to him
and he soon will quit croaking. And, as Mr. Wanamaker says,
"Don't be blue." The time for that went with the passing of the old
year.
The opinions of other prominent manufacturers regarding the.
business outlook for the United States for the present year is very
interesting, and it shows that the business leaders do not look for a
period of hard times, but rather one of readjustment to new condi-
tions.
There is a distinct note of confidence, if not of enthusiasm, in
the utterances of men, who only a few months ago predicted many
things when the new tarff went into force, also if the Currency Bill
should become a law, but now there is a disposition on the part of
the people to accept these important legislative acts with reason and
discretion.
That is the only way to view it. Whatever weaknesses may
develop in both laws can be removed when the necessity arises, and
until such time, we may as well take a philosophical view of the
situation and go ahead and attend to business.
The high cost of living is still with us, to be sure, and the
more we study it the more hopeful we are that we will find ways to
get the better of it. The Government and business have never been
more friendly and communicative towards each other than at the
present time.
Ten billion dollars' worth of farm products is the record for
1913 in spite of drought and discouragement—the most successful
farming year in the history of the United States.
The country is all here. It is progressing over all obstacles.
Whv worrv!
enced men must realize that to secure men of ability and experience
means that somebody must have had the labor of training them, or
must have stood the expense of such training.
If the piano merchants in a body would each resolve to take a
proportionate share in the trouble and expense of training salesmen,
the individual expense through lost prospects and sales in the begin-
ning would be surprisingly small, and the benefits to the trade at
large would be beyond estimate.
RE you a booster or a knocker?
A
In other words, are you going to help the business progress
of the country by being optimistic in your opinions, or are you going
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
FORTY YEARS DEVOTED TO IDEALS.
(Continued from page 3.)
has been conferred upon him by the Emperor of Germany, the Order of the Lion and Sun by the
Shah of Persia and the Order of the Liakat by the Sultan of Turkey.
Positions of honor and distinction have been proffered him, but these he has invariably declined,
preferring to concentrate his energies upon matters closely relating to the enterprise which bears
his name.
If it were possible to analyze in detail the business moves made in the forty years of devotion
to the business life of Chas. H. Steinway, we would find many incidents which would do the world
good to know, because these would relate to the life work of a man who has held conscientiously and
undeviatingly to high ideals.
^^jbi^^mM--^^^,-,- r ^^^-
~. .
It is easy to figure that a man wielding such power could have changed the modern policies of
the Steinway house—could have introduced many new features which may have been important
money makers, but which in the end would have had a tendency to have lowered the name from
its pedestal of eminence which it has occupied so long. It is easy to imagine this, because a man
who is not imbued with high motives can so change the business organization which he controls
that deterioration will set in. There will be a lowering of business morals as well as standards,
but none of the false lights on the shore swerved this man from his idealism, which amounts to
almost a religion with him.
The Steinway name must not only be safeguarded in every way, but its fame must be added
to in every legitimate sense. The Steinway piano must exercise the same influence in the musical
world that it has since 1857. It must be interwoven with the artistic life of the nation and the
world, and in order to do this the atmosphere must be maintained—the business built up by hav-
ing men associated with it in every department who are thoroughly in sympathy with the aims of
the house, and that is why such harmony of thought and action has been instilled in the house of
Steinway for many, many years.
A staff has been built up which believes in the Steinway tradition and in the Steinway great-
ness. Hence it was a proud moment when the Chief sat at the banquet table surrounded by his
loyal staff—men who believe in him and in whom he believes.
Well might they raise their glasses and drink their toasts to the man who has guided the des
tinies of the house of Steinway in recent years!
Well might the entire trade honor him, for he is indeed a man—
a man who has stood like England's Iron Duke:
"Four square to all the winds that blow!"
No Fear of Business Unsettlement.
to depress it by actions which suggest doubt and uncertainty ?
Will you boost or will you knock?
Along these lines John Wanamaker has suggested a motto for
the New Year which is very good. He says: "Don't be blue!"
And, in a recent address, the great merchant and manufacturer took
occasion to sound a note of distinct optimism and rebuke the calam-
ity howlers who have been so busy of late. Mr. Wanamaker, as
one of the greatest manufacturers and merchants in the country, is
thoroughly familiar with conditions, and what he has to say about
business affairs always carries great weight. As he aptly sums up:
"The man who sees nothing but diseaster ahead is not a true
American. If he brings a fresh bushel of doubts every morning he
is a pestilence maker. For myself I am free to say that I will put
such a man outside of my door to carry his infection to the winds.
The breeders of panic ought to be deported. I have no fear of any
serious unsettlement of business or of any long disturbance of pros-
perity.
"In a word, we have lots of room in this country for courage,
energy and enterprise, but there is no room or reason for a panic.
What the President wants and the country wants are men—strong
men, unselfish and broad visioned, able men—to help him and his
Cabinet to lead the way."
So, Mr. Business Man, start the new T year right. Look cheer-
ful and be cheerful, confident that a new era of substantial prosper-
itv is at hand. Don't listen to the croaker. Turn a deaf ear to him
and he soon will quit croaking. And, as Mr. Wanamaker says,
"Don't be blue." The time for that went with the passing of the old
year.
The opinions of other prominent manufacturers regarding the.
business outlook for the United States for the present year is very
interesting, and it shows that the business leaders do not look for a
period of hard times, but rather one of readjustment to new condi-
tions.
There is a distinct note of confidence, if not of enthusiasm, in
the utterances of men, who only a few months ago predicted many
things when the new tarff went into force, also if the Currency Bill
should become a law, but now there is a disposition on the part of
the people to accept these important legislative acts with reason and
discretion.
That is the only way to view it. Whatever weaknesses may
develop in both laws can be removed when the necessity arises, and
until such time, we may as well take a philosophical view of the
situation and go ahead and attend to business.
The high cost of living is still with us, to be sure, and the
more we study it the more hopeful we are that we will find ways to
get the better of it. The Government and business have never been
more friendly and communicative towards each other than at the
present time.
Ten billion dollars' worth of farm products is the record for
1913 in spite of drought and discouragement—the most successful
farming year in the history of the United States.
The country is all here. It is progressing over all obstacles.
Whv worrv!
enced men must realize that to secure men of ability and experience
means that somebody must have had the labor of training them, or
must have stood the expense of such training.
If the piano merchants in a body would each resolve to take a
proportionate share in the trouble and expense of training salesmen,
the individual expense through lost prospects and sales in the begin-
ning would be surprisingly small, and the benefits to the trade at
large would be beyond estimate.
RE you a booster or a knocker?
A
In other words, are you going to help the business progress
of the country by being optimistic in your opinions, or are you going
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