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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The Value of the Trade Press.
DISCUSSED BY JOSEPH SHONINGER
REVIEW
PERFORMS AN IMPORTANT MISSION
ITS ESPECIAL SERVICE WELL DEFINED
P. J. Healy Leaves for Europe.
DEALERS WELCOME THE
THE SHONINGER OUTLOOK
THE
NEW CATALOGUE AND STYLES WIN APPROVAL.
The Review found opportunity on Wed-
nesday for a brief talk with Joseph Shon-
inger, of the B. Shoninger Co., concerning
trade conditions and other current topics
of interest. Mr. Shoninger reported busi-
ness as very active in the wholesale de-
partment, with a healthy retail demand at
the Fifth avenue warerooms.
Asked if the new Shoninger catalogue
had met with the approval of Shoninger
representatives throughout the country, Mr.
Shoninger said: "In every way the result
has been highly gratifying. We have heard
from them all, and the opinion is practically
unanimous that it is the best catalogue we
have ever issued. Our representatives
comment favorably on its general appear-
ance and contents.
'' They are pleased with our new styles
and consider them to include several mas-
terpieces of piano architecture and case-
making, excelling even the best of our
previous efforts. We have shipped a
number of the new instruments since the
catalogue was issued, and those receiving
them declare their entire satisfaction with
tone, style and general construction."
The Review asked Mr. Shoninger if,
from the information gained by him from
time to time, he believed that Shoninger
representatives, as a rule, read The Re-
view and noted what it said, as occasion
demanded, concerning the Shoninger prod-
ucts.
"Most certainly I do," he replied un-
hesitatingly. "They see pretty much
everything that is said regarding our
pianos. I do not say that I believe every
dealer reads every trade paper every week,
but I do believe every dealer reads at
least one of the trade papers. This comes
to our knowledge in various ways, directly
or indirectly, and we appreciate the fact."
"According to your belief, then, Mr.
Shoninger," said The Review, "the trade
papers do some service in keeping manu-
facturers and dealers in touch with each
other."
"Most assuredly," was the reply. ' 'Along
that line they perform an important mis-
sion. We are free to acknowledge—and I
should think no one acquainted with the
trade would attempt to deny—that there
are only three ways in which a manufac-
turer can reach a dealer. They are: first,
by means of traveling representatives;
second, through direct correspondence,
and third, through the trade press.
"Now, it is impossible, under ordinary
conditions, for a traveling man to visit a
dealer more than once or twice a year. If
he were, we will say, to visit each dealer
every week the dealers would soon get
very tired of his persistence and would not
hesitate to tell him so with marked empha-
sis. I question if you could get a travel-
ing'man to do such work continuously at
any price. His life would not be worth
living.
"If, again, we were to write every
dealer every week, the chances are that
before the system got properly into work-
ing order some of our letters would come
back unopened, and, after a while, our
list of dealers would diminish perceptibly.
Finally, there would be but a very small
and select crowd to address. The ordeal
would be too much for them.
" But every dealer likes to get the news,
if he is a live man, and desires to keep up
with the procession and I am glad to say that
all of our representatives are built in that
way. He does not care to see our repre-
sentative every week, nor does he care to
be receiving and answering letters after
every meal, yet he welcomes the trade
paper because it is new and his business
interest demands that he shall look first
of all for news concerning the products in
the sale of which he is personally in-
terested.
"So you see, along this particular line,
we appreciate The Review as a means of
reaching our dealers when we cannot well
reach them in other ways."
Ricca Co. Hustling.
The Phoenix of ancient history or tradi-
tion did not rise from its ashes with much
greater celerity than has the Ricca Piano
Co. factory since its partial destruction by
fire on Tuesday, the 28th ult. Work has
been resumed in every department, and it
has been found possible to make several
shipments. The basement and main floor
are in the hands of carpenters and build-
ers. They expect to have all renovations
completed at an early date.
System must be Perfected.
It requires many perfect parts to make
a perfect whole. If there is one wheel
of the clock out of gear, it fails to do
the work it is capable of doing—so in
retailing. To get out of a business all
there is in it (which should be the desidera-
tum of every proprietor) every part of the
system must be perfected. How many
stores we see in which the degrees of per-
fection vary from the merest commonplace
efforts to the height of intelligent and
scientific attainments.
Of course, the fault lies with the execu-
tive authority. Most men are too easily
satisfied. They do not hold themselves to
strict enough account, and consequently do
not hold others to it. This accounts for
the different degrees of success of the vari-
ous departments in the same store.
P. J. Healy, of Lyon & Healy, accom-
panied by his son, Paul J. Healy, sails to-
day by the "Augusta Victoria" fora three
months' stay in Europe. It is their inten-
tion to visit all the principal cities in the
old world, including Genoa, Nice, Rome,
London and Paris.
The death recently of Mrs. Healy was a
severe and sad blow which has largely un-
dermined Mr. Healy's health. It is hoped
that a change of scene and an extended
rest will restore him to his old-time phy-
sical condition. " 'Tis a consummation
devoutly to be wished " say we all.
The Newby & Evans Colonial.
The Newby & Evans Co. have been very
successful with their new Colonial design,
NEWBY & EVANS STLYE 26.
style 26, shown on this page. It is a hand-
some instrument and has proved to be a
good seller, satisfying to purchasers in
tone, finish and every other essential. It
is being made in mahogany, walnut and
oak, including all modern improvements
and the best constructive work.
Opposition to Treaty.
As predicted some time ago in The Re-
view there is developing a strong opposition
on the part of American manufacturers to
the ratification of the reciprocity treaty
with France whereby a reduction in the
tariff on musical instruments is made from
forty-five per cent, to thirty per cent.
Many of the representative organizations
in various industries have officially en-
dorsed the action of the Tariff Commission
League, which some time ago announced
its opposition to the treaty.
We may say that The Review was the
first and only paper which contained any
detailed information regarding this treaty,
which, by the way, has not yet been of-
ficially promulgated by the governments
of France and the United States.
Connor Prosperity.
Francis Connor was found by The Re-
view at the Connor factory on Wednesday
busily engaged in preparing a number of
the latest Connor uprights for dispatch to
the freight depot close by. This has been
The Gorgen Piano Action Co. of Castle- a lively season and a prosperous one for
ton, N. Y., are enlarging their plant, and Mr. Connor, and it is safe to say that every
around the opening month of the new manufacturer and every dealer in the
year they will be well prepared to handle country who knows him—and there are
a larger share of the trade which seems to few who do not, either personally or by
be coming their way in very liberal slices representation—is glad to hear that he is
getting a fair share of the general prosperity.
these days.