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TO
THF MUSIC TRADfc
classes are interested in these schemes.
Millions of dollars are tied up in them that
should now be in circulation, and not
alone that but millions are still being tied
up, and by the very people that help to
make the country prosperous. Money that
might be spent for the home, money that is
needed for the many things in life, for the
very necessities of existence, is in many
cases scraped together and paid out for
land so that that which has already been
paid is not lost. We live "the pace that
kills" to-day; we crave luxuries, enjoy-
ments, and possessions beyond our means.
We want houses and land when we can
hardly pay rent, and burden ourselves
with obligations, in order to attain our ob-
ject, that a Vanderbilt or Gould in compar-
ison would hesitate to undertake.
Second. You ask, "If we are to believe
with the poet that 'behind the cloud the
sun is still shining,' how long do you
think it will be before the genial rays of
that important element will help to bright-
en existing conditions?" I do believe
that with McKinley's election a betterment
of the times will surely take place. Being
a Republican, this would seem a natural
conclusion on my part, but I judge in this
instance by what I have heard and seen in
my travels. The one great element needed
to bring about an improvement in the de-
pressed condition of trade as it exists, is
confidence; something entirely lacking at
the present time. Investors and capitalists
have no confidence in any enterprise—no
new ventures are inaugurated—the silver
craze and the amount of talk it has created
has frightened the bank depositors, and in
consequence money is being hoarded, and
that means withdrawn from circulation.
McKinley's election, I think, will mean an
immediate general improvement.
Third. You ask, "What impresses you as
being to-day a good live subject for discus-
sion, relative to the advancement of music
trade interests?" There are a good many
live subjects for discussion, relative to the
advancement of music trade interests.
The consigning of pianos.
The renewal of notes.
The commercial piano.
Fourth. You ask, "Do you look for a
large increase in the anuual output of pianos
in this country during the next few years ?"
The number of pianos will and must in-
crease every year, if trade shows any up-
ward tendency at all. I believe the piano
industry to be really only in its infancy,
despite the fact that so many are now made.
No home seems complete without a piano,
and the tremendous activity in the world
of music of the past 3^ears promises even
better results in the future. Naturally this
exercises an influence on all the people.
Thousands are now interested in music
where formerly but few gave attention,
and the result is an ambition to play or
sing. This fact is most noticeable in that
part of our population which we term the
Fifth cause: Suburban land speculation middle class, but even those that labor for
is another evil that will stand for some of their daily bread have musical aspirations,
the causes for present day depression. andjno instrument appeals to them more
Thousands and thousands of the working strongly than a piano. At one time a lux-
please, and it has shut factories, mills, work
shops, etc., etc., and consequently thrown
hundreds out of employment. The foun-
dation of all prosperity is labor. Make it
idle, and not alone that prosperity will flee
from the spot, but despair, distrust and de-
pression will carouse together, arm in arm.
Third cause: The establishment of trades
unions and federations, at first a blessing to
labor, has, in my opinion, turned out a
curse. What was intended as a beneficial
movement, the uniting of all forms of lab-
or to secure a betterment of conditions gen-
erally, is to-day nothing more than a trust,
but with this exception, its organizers (that
is, those for whom the trust was organized)
reap none of the benefits. What with
high salaried officers, walking delegates,
strikes, lock outs, and the hundreds of ail-
ments with which labor is to-day affected,
no doubt can exist but what labor is worse
off than it ever was.
Millions of dollars have been lost to the
workman because of labor troubles which
would never have occurred if unions were
unknown, and when business has suffered
most labor has only made matters worse by
adding to the depression in "strikes" and
other troubles, for as I have said before,
labor brings prosperity; it is the workman
who circulates money, but let him shut up
the source of supply, and the circulation
naturally ceases.
Fourth cause: Overproduction. Herein
we see one of the great causes for the de-
pression of to-day. It matters not what
line of trade it is, let it be known that it
is remunerative, and on the morrow the
production is greater than the demand.
Take it in the music trade. We read al-
most daily of some new enterprise. In-
stead of manufacturing enough to supply
the demand, instruments are made without
number or reason. Then comes the search
for the customer. But unless at a great
sacrifice in price, the search has been in
vain. But one thing can result—the sacri-
fice or failure. The former being the lesser
evil for the time, that is, then, the course
to pursue. The dealer buys because of the
price—not because he wants to; ties up
capital he needs, and his other business re-
lations wonder what is up. They send
salesmen or go themselves, get orders on
longer time and better conditions; the
dealer gets more stock, until finally he be-
gins to force sales, and then when the de-
pression in trade strikes him he has lots of
stock out on which he is receiving little or
nothing. Instead of meeting obligations
when they come due he renews; instead of
buying he repossesses and resells that
which he bought long ago. I have seen
lots of salesmen send pianos to dealers who
never gave an order for them, simply hop-
ing that the dealer would take them be-
cause he would not feel like sending the in-
strument back. That is the effect of over-
production in its worst form, and yet how
often has this been done.
ury, andjound only in the houses of the
great and wealthy, it to-day is heard in cot-
tage, flat, and tenement, and in many cases
to better advantage than in the palace.
Because of its popularity the demand will
increase; because it is the instrument for
the people the people will buy it. Ambi-
tion, envy and pride are the component
parts of the factor that will create the de-
mand.
Fifth. You ask, "Do you expect prices to
remain comparatively stationary? If you
look for an appreciable decline or fall will
you state your reasons?" I believe prices
have reached the lowest notch. I do not
see how a further decline is possible; in
fact, I look for an advancement. I speak
now of the medium-priced instruments.
Those known as "high grades" will have to
reduce their prices, if they have not already
done so—with possibly one exception.
The day of paying for a name is past, and
has been for some time, although a lot of
"high grade" manufacturers have not
found this out. I know medhim priced in-
struments that are better than many so-
called "high grade" makes, and I am not
alone in this knowledge. Nearly every
dealer is aware of this fact, and the public
is fast being educated on this point.
But the medium and even low-priced pi-
anos have reached "rock bottom;" so has
material and labor. A reaction must take
place, and when both material and labor ad-
vance in price, the cost of manufacturing
naturally will too. The manufacturer can-
not cheapen the piano because the dealer
knows the standard—the dealer will not re-
quest it, knowing the cause of the advance.
Sixth. You ask, "Do you look for a
marked improvement in the case architec-
ture of pianos during the next few years?"
I do not see that a marked improvement
incase architecture can take place unless it
is a revolution, such as the change from
square to upright. We have heard a great
deal about great changes in uprights in past
years, but I cannot see them. We change
a pilaster, panel or fall, but the general
make up is the same as it has been for
years. A radical change I do not look for,
because I do not see where it could be
made.
Seventh. You ask, "You have had con-
siderable experience on the road, have you
not, Mr. Janssen ? Nowadays 'value for
money,' we imagine, far outweighs 'engag-
ing personality' in the matter of influenc-
ing trade?" I have had quite some exper-
ience on the road, and to-day as in the past
"value for money" outweighs "engaging
personality" and to the bright businessman
it always will. Personality, of course, is a
factor, but of very little value unless in
conjunction with '' value for money.'' This
is especially true in the piano trade.
Eighth. You ask, "What, to your way
of thinking, are the main characteristics
necessary in the make-up of an A No. i
road-man r" The main characteristics
necessary in the make-up of an A No. i
road man are character, diplomacy, good
fellowship. The man that takes the road
with the resolve to do by his patron the