Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-11-30
Centennial Awards.


The newspapers have been lately
teaming with ingeniously worded ADVERTISE
ments regarding the awards. These publica-
| tions have been skilllully prepared, So as to
convey the impression that this or that en-
hibitor has really received the highest and
best award. Thus, instead of informing the
public as to the true state of affairs, they have
simply confused the reader. Visitors at the
Centennial find themselves bewildered by the
placarded on every hand, and they do not
know which way to turn to discover the truth.
In no department has this system of misre-
presentation been carried to so great an ex-
tent as that devoted to piano fortes. There
has been "a war; between piano exhibitors
skirmish line of placards since the awards
| were officially announced. They have We'd
! with each other in the use of extravagant Ian
guage to prove their respective claims to di:-
| tinction. The most ingenious methods have
been devised; disinterested correspondents,
whose sole object was to instruct the ignorant
public, have volunteered their services (tor
consideration); ex-judges ofawards, in the Ill
terest OF certain piano manufacturers, have
made pretended revelations of the secrets
! the jury room, for the sake Of supporting the
claims of their particular favorites, and light
ming calculators have been appealed to and
| have found convenient mathematical rules by
of their clients, OH the pretense OF the somuch
| abused maxim that figures cannot lie. All
! these efforts, while ridiculous to those ac-
quainted with the subject, have been attempt
! ed to influence the uninitiated. In fact, the
piano men have left nothing undone to mis-
lead the public, and by their efforts have
looked upon with distrusf, and have made
themselves the laughing stock of the public.
BY these means injustice is not only done to
the public, but to those who are not only en-
titled to the leading position, but who were
awarded it by the judges. Your correspondent
has taken the trouble to submit all the vari-
GUS reports, which are the basis OF the awards,
to careful scrutiny and comparison, and the
| result is that the pianos of VIM. knabe Il Go.
are found to head the list. This house, from
the commencement of the Exhibition, relied
solely upon the merits OF their instruments to
secure them just award; and since the off.
creed the highest honors in the Piano depart
ment, they have modest]y remained in the
background. It is fortunate that the judges,
in preparing the Knabe report, SO framed it as
to leave no doubt about their pre-eminence.
They especially commended all their four
styles of pianos, concert grand, parl0r grand,
square and uprights, and accorded them the
| praise of unequaled excellence in all the de-
| tails of perfect instruments. The report is
| plain, straightforward and comprehensive,
| specifying all the elements of merit which it
is possible for the best piano-forte to possess
power, richness and singing quality Of tone ),
! ease and elasticity of touch ); effectiveness Of
| action; solidity and originality of construc-
ton, and excellence Of workmanship. BY
comparing it with the other reports in the
same department, even the most skeptical
will acknowledge that no stronger language
could have been used to express the unani-
| nous approval ofthe jndges.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. II, 1876.
WHAT A SMELL you have Ill your
nose; 1t is all stopped up; get some of
DR.. j. II. McLean's Catarrh Snuff. 1t
soothes, heals and will cure any dis
ease in your nose or throat. Trial
boxes so cts. by mail. DR.. J. H. Nc
Lean, 3l4 Chestnut, st. Louis.