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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Dealers Express Their Views as to Fall Trade.
FIRST INSTALLMENT OF RESPONSES TO A LETTER OF INQUIRY SENT OUT BY THE REVIEW.
OPINIONS THAT WILL INFORM MANUFACTURERS AS TO THE SITUATION IN EVERY
SECTION OF THE UNION DIVERGENT OPINIONS EXPRESSED BUT UNAN-
IMOUS AS TO PROSPERITY AFTER M'KINLEY's ELECTION.
FACTS AND NOT HEARSAY OUR MOTTO.
A
UTHENTIC information regarding
the prospects for fall trade is being
anxiously sought for by manufacturers with
a view to preparing stock and making other
plans in this connection. It must be con-
ceded that reliable information on this vital
subject can best be furnished by the dealers
of the country, who from their own exper-
ience, and the conditions which surround
them, are enabled to make intelligent fore-
casts as to the coming season.
Recognizing the importance of obtaining
definite information as to the prospects for
fall and winter trade, THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW sent out this week the following
letter to prominent dealers in all sections
of the United States:
What are the prospects for trade in
your line say during the months of Sep-
tember and October?
Do you expect a steady trade, or will
it be fitful until after the Presidential
election ?
Alter the election what then ?
In your section is there a growing sen-
timent favoring free silver or does the
gold standard maintain the most adher-
ents?
Have there been more delinquents on
piano installment paper during the pres-
ent summer than for several years pre-
vious ?
Any statements regarding the effect of
the great political contest upon business
in your locality will be read with inter-
est, and any personal opinions that you
may interject will likewise be highly
appreciated.
In sending you this communication it
is my aim to gain the opinion of some
of the leading dealers in widely separated
localities regarding trade conditions in
their respective States-
Quite a number of replies have already
been received, the first installment of which
appear herewith. As it is impossible to
print the entire symposium in one issue of
the REVIEW, answers will appear during the
coming issues until the opinions of repre-
sentative dealers in every vState and Terri-
tory are placed before our readers.
We feel that this means of gaining a
knowledge of present trade conditions will
be of the utmost value to the trade. The
writers represent the conditions actually
existing in the various sections; hence these
contributions will be appreciated and val-
ued because they are authoritative.
BAILEY'S MUSIC ROOMS, Burlington, Vt.
In,regard to the prospects for trade in
our line during the months of September
and October judging from the way Septem-
ber started in, business looks like a tangible
increase. Last week we sold more pianos
than in the four preceding weeks, and this
week it looks very favorable for an equal
amount of sales.
Your second question, Do I look and ex-
pect a steady trade. From the fact that
however confident people may feel in re-
gard to the result of our coming Presiden-
tial election, yet they are not down on a
solid basis, and will not be until after that
time. Then I believe we shall see a strong
and steadty growth, and increase of busi-
ness, for I have no doubt of the success of
the Republican party.
The third question I think is most em-
phatically answered through the result of
our recent State election; 39,000 majority
for our Governor, which is some ten or
twelve thousand larger majority than Re-
publican Vermont ever carried before.
We attribute it to the gold and silver con-
test, and a man must indeed be possessed
of an immense amount of moral courage to
declare himself a free silver man in Ver-
mont. The fact is, this great political
contest is affecting business seriously. In
my opinion there is no less money than
formerly, but it is being hoarded, and those
who have it are loath to part with it. One
thing strikes me as indicative of an im-
provement and that is, that five pianos out
of the seven we sold last week were bought
by customers whom we had been impor-
tuning a longtime, but who desired to wait
and see how political matters were to ter-
minate, and the result of our election and
other strong indications apparently settled
their minds, and it has started off in the
same way this week. I presume, however,
that we know but little of the real silver
excitement in Vermont, but cannot think
of any circumstances existing in any State
that we do not confront.
Our farmers, as a rule, are mortgaged
more or less, and if honorable inducements
could be brought to bear upon them where-
by they could be convinced that it would be
for their benefit to advance the silver stand-
ard, I believe their intellect would grasp
the situation second to no State in the
Union.
Vermont, as you know, is a rural State,
but intelligently so, as our farmers are well
read and well educated, as a rule, and en-
deavor to take hold of the situation in a
sensible and intellectual way. I have yet
to find one that is ready to maintain the
fact that by paying their debts in the ratio
of two to one that it will not be fully as
hard to procure the two dollars to pay it
with as it would be at the present time by
paying it in gold or its equivalent. But
notwithstanding the difficult times, if peo-
ple would pay their obligations to us any-
where near as agreed upon there would be
no difficulty, and I believe that 90 per cent,
of them could do it, were it not for the hue
and cry of hard times, which makes them
scary about parting with their money, and
I really believe that if our newspapers and
business men would reverse this matter and
talk good business and not hold the scare of
national bankruptcy over their heads it
would make a tangible improvement in our
financial affairs.
JANES STEELE, Nashua, N. H.
The prospects for trade for September
and October are somewhat brighter than the
previous summer months. We do not look
for much increase of trade until after the
Presidential elections. After that, with
honest men and honest money, we think
there will be business enough for all. My
installments for the last three years on
pianos have been very poor, especially so
the last year. My own personal opinion
is, with the Republican party once more
in power, an honest dollar, and a tariff for
the needs of the Government, and an hon-
est protection of our labor, our business
men will rejoice in the good times. "So
say we all of us."
QRINNELL BROS., Detroit, nich.
Trade here, we think, will not be very
large for the next two months. The close
money market is causing every one to go
slow, and most business houses and manu-
facturers are very cautious, and as a conse-
quence are laying off considerable help.
If Bryan is elected the present conditions
will probably continue for some time, but
if Mac is elected we think we shall see con-
fidence restored at once, and a feeling of
security will prevail throughout the coun-
try and an immediate improvement in bus-
iness will be the result.
ALEXANDER BROS. & CO., Greenville, S. C.
We think our trade will be equal for the
months of September and October as for
the. same months heretofore.
We think trade will be steady, and not
materially interfered with by the election,
either before or after.
There is a growing sentiment for silver,
and a very large majority are against the
single gold standard.
Our collections for last summer are up to
former years .
Personally we do not think business will
be affected very greatly in anyway by the
decision made in the political contest now
upon us. Our farmers in this section are
in good shape, indeed, better than for a
number of years, and while they are almost
unanimous in favor of silver, yet if the
present standard is maintained there will
be no hesitancy in proceeding in business
as heretofore.
D. Q. PFEIFFER & CO., Washington, D. C.
The indications at this time seem to point
to a fairly good trade for the early fall, but
it is likely to be fitful until after the elec-
tions.
Our situation in the District of Columbia
is a peculiar one; the prospect of a change
of the administration would have more de-
pressing effects upon the piano trade here
for a year or so before and after the elections
than the success or failure of either of the
great questions at issue. However, so far
as we can judge, the gold standard "has
the call" among Government clerks and
business men alike.
In regard to delinquents we believe the
usual number of our customers have gone
to the seashore or mountains at our expense
this summer, and are now returning with
renewed strength and vigor to make glad
the heart of the piano man with smiles and
promises to catch up.
We have lots of faith in the future, and
look for a steady improvement in trade
which will, together with a victory for
sound money this fall, soon put the piano
industries in their normal healthy condi-
tion.
J. P. SinnONS & CO., Louisville, Ky.
Prospects for September and October of
this year for this section are not as good as
last year and year before. We expect some
increase in our small goods and sheet music
departments on account of the change of
the season and the schools opening up-.