Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1876-12-13
Centennial Awards.

From the New York Tribune, November IS.
The newspapers have been lately teeming
with ingeniouslY worded advertisements re-
garding the awards. These publications have
been skillfuily prepared, 80 as to convey the
immersion that this or that exhibitor has
really received the highest and best award.
Thus, instead of informing the public as to
the true state of affairs, they have simply con-
fused the reader. Visitors at The Centennial
find themselves bew;ldsred by the adverse
claims to distinction which they find placard-
ed on every hand, and they do not know
which way to turn to discover The truth. In no
department has this system of misrepresenta-
ton been carried to so great an extent as that
devoted to piano fortes. There has been "a
war" between piano exhibitors since the Ex-
hibition opened, and regular skirmish line
of placards since the awards were ofticiallyan-
noupced. They have We'd with each other in
the use of extravagsnt language to prove
their respective claims to distinction. The
most ingenious methods have been devised;
disinterestei correspondents, whose sole OBJ
jjsct WAS TO insirnct he ignnrant- public, haze
volunteered their services (for considera-
tion); ex-judges of awards, in the interest OF
certain piano manufacturers, have made pre-
ter dsa revelations of tie secrets tie jury
room, for the sake of supporting the claims OF
their particular favorites and lightning Cal.
culators have been appealed to and have
found convenient mathematical Iuies by
which to establish absolutely thesupremacy
of their clients, on the pretense of the so much
abused maxim that figures can't lie. All these
eff ,r!s, while ridiculous to those acquainted
with the subject, have been attempted to in.
| huence the uninitiated. In fact, the piano
men have left nothing undone to mislead the
| public and by their efforts have caused
| everything relating to pianos to be looked
upon with dis.rust, and have made them
selves the laughing stock of the public. By
these means injustice Is not only done to tn,
public, but to those who are not only en-
titled to the leading position, but who wsr,
awarded 1t by the judges. Your correspond
ent has taken the trouble to submit all th,
various r, ports, which are the basis of tn,
awards, to careful scrutiny and compari
son, and the result is that the pianos o
VIM. Knabe & Go. are found to head tn,
list. This house, from the commencement
Of the Exhibition. relied solely upon tn
merits of their instruments to secure then
lust award; and since the official an
nouncement, although they were decreet
the highest honors in the Piano Department
they have modestly remsined in the back
ground. 1t is fortunate that the judges, il
preparing the kuabe report, SO framed it q
to leave no doubt about their pre- eminence
They especially commended all their foI
styles of pianos, concsrt grand, parlor grand
square and uprights, and accorded them tn
praise Of unequalad exc sllence in all the de
tails of perfect instruments. The report j
plain, straightforward and comprehensive
specifying all the elements of merit whic
it is possible for the best piano forte to pos
sess-power, richness and singing quality o
tone; ease and elasticity Of touch; effective
ness of action; solidity and originality G
construction and ex cellence of workmaushi
By comparing it with the other reports i
the same Department. even the most skel
teal will acknowledge hat no stronger Lar
guage could have been used to express th
Unanimous approval of the judges
PHILADELPHIA. Nov. IL, 1876.