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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
one of the trade papers published Novem-
ber 20, 1897, you will find a letter signed
" Occasional," written froni Temple, Tex.,
which gives an account of the way the
piano business has been conducted in
Texas, to the injury thereof, for many,
. many years.
The same work is still going on, and so
long as it continues, the piano business in
Texas will be a failure to those carrying it
on in this manner, and the legitimate
dealers will continue to suffer.
We cannot suggest a remedy for this, as
it is entirely in the hands of the manufac-
turers themselves.
We are opposed to trusts, as a general
thing, but if it was possible that a com-
bination of all the manufacturers could be
secured, it strikes us that rules and regu-
lations could be made so that the piano
trade could be carried on successfully, and
with a profit to dealers as well as manufac-
turers.
Please remember we are only
writing you about the Texas trade.
JOHN T. ROE MUSIC CO., Meriden, Miss.
I do not think that the piano business is
conducted on proper lines, and it is not as
satisfactory in results as it ought to be. We
can make it so, however, by working
together, and the remedy is unity and in
local organizations.
H. SINSHEIMER, Portland, Or.
I think you are right; pianos are sold on
too close margin in the city, but I don't see
how to remedy it; also sold on too small
installments, $5.00 per month with no
more than $5.00 down. On my part I can
stand it, but I don't like such business. I
have been here for the last 36 years, so I
have to do as others do, not to be run out.
I know where pianos—new, of the highest
grade, were sold for less than cost for
cash.
I think the manufacturers could
remedy this by not selling pianos to deal-
ers on such long time, and make low prices
to cash buyers. If you pay for your goods
cash, then you won't sell without you get
a fair profit.
GILES B. MILLER, Rochester, N. Y.
The piano business to-day as a whole is
not conducted on proper lines. It is over-
solicited, and not altogether fruitful in
satisfactory results. Dealers could make
it so, however, and the remedy is not to
over-solicit either at wholesale or retail.
To over-solicit the poor people—offer
to. sell them on "time;" "installments,"
telling them they can buy as well as their
neighbors, breeds discontent, and loss,
frequently to the dealer. And it's a fault
of the manufacturer or his representative,
when he cannot get an order from a good
responsible dealer to sell to an irrespons-
ible one, and still worse for the trade,
when he cannot get an order from a dealer
to get a good salesman without capital to
start in business and the factory consign
him stock.
Thus transforming a good
salesman into a poor dealer—making good
salesmen scarce and poor dealers numerous.
THE LUDWIG PIANO CO., Wilmington, Del.
The piano business, as far as we are con-
cerned, is O. K. We have no fault to find,
as business at present is fair, with pros-
pects of being very good in the near fu-
ture. Our success in the business we attri-
bute to hard work and fair dealing. When
work is properly done, success is sure to
follow.
FRANCIS & BLACK, Buffalo, N. Y.
We presume every one will answer your
queries from their own standpoint. As
such the writer believes after fourteen
years' experience in four different loca-
tions, viz., Buffalo, Philadelphia, St. Paul
and the State of Iowa, that the piano
business, as a whole, is not conducted on
proper lines, and is not as a consequence
fruitful in satisfactory results to all en-
gaged in the industry. The remedy—ah,
there's the rub! Each fellow thinks the
other fellow is a rotten competitor. Envy,
hatred and malice unfortunately seems to
be the characteristic attribute of the aver-
age piano man.
This applies alike to manufacturer,
dealer and salesman. I know of no other
industry where this condition prevails. I
think the remedy lies solely with the
manufacturer and jobber, who in order to
get an outlet for their goods, consign their
instruments to every "Tom, Dick and
Harry," who imagines he can sell a few
pianos or organs in his town in connec-
tion with his jewelry or drug business.
This brings into the business a class of
men who have no conception whatever of
the cost of marketing a piano. I think a
local association working under the juris-
diction of the National Association might
be of some advantage in correcting abuses
which prevail pretty much the same all
over the country. Other industries com-
bine for their mutual protection. Why
not the piano and organ industry? In my
opinion a purely local organization would
avail nothing. We sincerely trust that your
agitating the matter may result in some
permanent good, but just as long as their
are men in the trade who resort to per-
sonal vilification, "who offer to furnish
their competitors goods," who advertise
fake sales, such as " a Lady compelled to
leave city" etc., to sell their goods, just
so long will it be hard for the men who
are trying to conduct a clean, decent busi-
ness to make a success of it.
JOHN A. JONES, Huntington, W. Va.
In regard to the condition of the piano
trade of to-day, I most heartily agree with
you that something should be done in this
matter. Evidently pianos and organs are
being sold throughout the country at too
small profits, and the condition of the
dealers throughout the country, is I be-
lieve, sufficient evidence of this fact. I
believe the manufacturer and wholesale
men are responsible in a great measure,
for this condition of affairs. They put
their goods out to irresponsible parties,
men who are incapable of, or who do not
calculate the cost of selling an instru-
ment. I am glad to know you have taken
this matter up and hope that much good
may come of it.
C. F. Grobman, the enterprising piano
dealer of Milwaukee, Wis., has secured
the agency for the Poole piano.
The Raymore Piano Co.
Harry J. Raymore, president and mana-
ger of the Raymore Piano Co., Albany,
N. Y., has been spending the past week
visiting Scranton, Reading, Mauch Chunk,
Philadelphia, Camden, New Haven and
Waterbury, making the acquaintance of
some of the old Marshall & Wendell
agents.
Things are moving briskly with the
Raymore Piano Co. A portion of their
new machinery arrived on Monday, and is
being put in place rapidly; meanwhile the
new scale and case designs for the Ray-
more pianos are being pushed to a finish
and within the next week these instru-
ments will be well under way. Those
who had an opportunity of examining the
new scales are enthusiastic in their pre-
dictions that they will make a great big
hit, and win no small share of apprecia-
tion from the trade.
Foreign Demand for American
Goods.
There is evidently a wide and growing
market for American goods in Great Bri-
tain and it needs but push and energy to
secure a permanent and profitable trade.
The same may be said of continental
Europe, where in spite of restriction and
traditional exclusiveness American goods
are capturing public appreciation.
In
English-speaking colonies, Canada, Au-
stralasia, Africa and the West India is-
lands the same trend of popularity is
distinctly perceptible. In China, Japan,
Russia and British India the same can be
said. In some countries legislation has
been invoked to curtail if it cannot elimi-
nate the growing demand for American
goods and products. In some lines these
obstructive tactics are more or less success-
ful, and it is not impossible that in such
competing countries as Germany a more
determined opposition may yet develop
itself. The fact, however, remains that
American-made goods are gaining prestige,
and it is neither bombast nor prophecy to
anticipate the time when our present ex-
port trade will be the largest and most
widely distributed of any contemporary
nation. We have the secret in our labor-
saving machinery, that in spite of the
higher wages paid to labor, we can produce
at lower cost, and with more intelligence
and energy generally diffused in all me-
chanical pursuits we can easily keep at the
head of the procession.
Damaged by Fire.
In the destructive fires which broke out
in the Greenpoint district of the city last
Saturday morning, in which property was
destroyed valued at $100,000, Louis Che-
vallier's piano warerooms at 138 Green-
point avenue, were gutted by flames, and
the damage done is estimated at from
$1,000 to $1,500. Mr. Chevallier is the
agent in that part of the city for the Pack-
ard pianos and organs. The fire will only
cause a temporary let-up in business. The
insurance is ample.