Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
dollar. These people must be protected
from themselves. That is why a bill is
now before the Legislature of this State, for
the purpose of preventing private house
sales and compelling any persons engaged
in such business, to put a prominent sign
in front of their private house, or club,
boarding house, or wherever they are re-
siding, stating the nature of their calling.
This class of trade has proved so re-
munerative in recent years, that a lot of
"sharpers" have gone into the business.
They make a specialty of buying pianos
and stencilling thereon the names of some
prominent makers, and advertise and sell
them from fashionable houses as the "real
thing." Of course the standard arguments
of " breaking up housekeeping," or "go-
ing to Europe," or " death in the family,"
or "short of cash," etc., are brought into
play. Meanwhile, the amount of money
paid for the fake instrument is of such
dimensions as would enable the purchaser
to go into any of our warerooms and buy a
first-class piano made by a reputable firm.
Human nature is weak; meanwhile, is it
not a peculiar commentary upon the
boasted increase of intelligence that such
practices can obtain so largely? It is ap-
parent that familiarity with this humbug
does not, as the poet says, "breed con-
tempt."
THE ADVANCE IN PRICES.
A T the recent meeting of the Piano
Manufacturers Association of Paris,
the increase in the price of materials enter-
ing into the manufacture of pianos came
up for consideration. After a lengthy dis-
cussion it was formally decided that a let-
ter should be addressed by the Association
to all manufacturers asking them to in-
crease the price of instruments leaving
their factory 4 per cent. This was to com-
mence March 1, and last three months
from that date when further action for a
greater increase or a lessening of price will
again be taken up.
The English and German manufacturers
have also been discussing the advance in
prices without definite action being taken.
Our esteemed contemporary, Music, of
London, speaking of this matter says:
How can any association of piano manu-
facturers hope to deal successfully with one
of the greatest trade problems of the
present time, viz., an advance in prices
owing to the increase of materials? Surely
this is a question which does not affect all
piano makers alike. Some have large cap-
ital ; some have small. Some have large
stocks of materials bought when prices
ruled much lower; some have no stock to
speak of, but buy when they can or are
compelled to buy. Some have a clientele;
others literally hawk their stuff from one
town to another. No, this problem of
raising prices must be solved by the makers
individually, not collectively. But it is a
problem that must be solved somehow or
other, or the consequences will be serious.
Admitting the difficulty of adjustment,
as stated by our contemporary, we fail to
see why conditions should be different in
this than in any other industry. In any
other business if a man has foresight
enough to lay in stock of materials in ad-
vance of rising prices he reaps the benefit.
Why shouldn't a manufacturer in the music
trade industry?
In this matter of prices, the maker, in-
dividually, whether in France, England,
Germany or America, will not take action
unless he feels that the great majority of
his colleagues are acting with him. How
is this to be ascertained? Only by such
action as the Paris manufacturers have
taken.
In August last, speaking on this
same subject we said:
Would it not be in order for the national
association as a deliberative body to con-
sider the present market price of pianos
and its relation to the steady advance in
nearly all raw materials which enter into
their composition?
The answer might be made that such
action would not properly come within the
legitimate scope of association work—that
the matter of the regulation of prices be-
longs rather to the individual, firm or
corporation than to a national organization.
The same trend of argument could also
be found in the statement that the matter
of credit, warranty, pitch, stencil, all be-
longs to the province of the individual
rather than the organization.
But when we view the association field
unencumbered with superfluities, we find
that the very reason for its existence is for
the promotion of trade welfare, and pray
what more momentous situation is there
for the piano manufacturer to face than the
question of prices? What graver problem
confronts him?
The question of the hour is the adjust-
ment of wholesale prices to conform fairly
with the advance in materials. Will a ten
per cent, raise equal it ? Hardly. Then
there comes the rub—Will the dealer pay
the advance ? Will he demur and finally
cancel his business contract and turn his
trade elsewhere ?
No manufacturer wishes to lose a desir-
able agency, and we may state with equal
truth that no manufacturer is particularly
exuberant over the idea of manufacturing
and selling instruments at a loss. There
are two discordant elements to harmonize
before the pathway to business success is
made easy.
Can they not be materially harmonized
by the strength which lies within an organ-
ization which is made up of an aggregation
of manufacturers?
In line with these ideas, the New York
Piano Manufacturers' Association placed
itself on record as favoring an increase in
wholesale prices.
Dealers understand the conditions exist-
ing to-day in this country, and comprehend
as well as the manufacturers, that there is
ample justification for an increase in the
wholesale price of instruments. And to
their credit, be it said, many dealers have
willingly met the increase without serious
objection and reconstructed their sale
schedule to this end. This is the proper
spirit. Meanwhile, we are of the opinion
that an expression of opinion from a rep-
resentative body on this matter of increased
cost of manufacture would be a great in-
centive toward supplying strength to the
wavering—it would stiffen the vertebrae of
the weak.
ADVERTISING AND QUALITY.
'"TALKING about the value of advertising
with one of our leading and successful
dealers recently—a man who has made a
fortune in a prominent Western city—he
said: " I believe a man to be a good ad-
vertiser, must, first, be a good buyer; sec-
ond, he must be thoroughly honest with
his trade. This naturally brings up the
question of quality in goods that we han-
dle. I shcild say to every dealer: if you
have a second, or third class article in stock
that you have bought at a low figure,
do not advertise it as a first-class article.
Stick especially to good, reliable goods,
even if you cannot make as much profit
on their sale at the time as you could on
some cheaper brand. If you can get the
people in your section to believe that a cer-
tain line of pianos, organs, music boxes or
any instrument coming under the head of
'small goods,' are the best of their kind
made and thus build up a large trade
with them, your business, to that manufac-
turer, is worth more and they can afford to
give you closer prices than if you handle a
half dozen different kinds of instruments
and try to tell the people that they are all
equally good. There can only be one best
thing. Satisfy yourself who makes that
best thing in each line you handle, then go
to work for that line and continue to
handle it from year to year, as long as
you are satisfied that it remains at the
head. Ask a fair legitimate profit, and no
more, on these lines, and then maintain
your prices without regard to what com-
petitors ask for similar goods. Make good
to your customers every statement and
warrant made on your best lines, without
regard to what it costs you. Keep posted
on what your competitors are selling, and
if they are getting more trade on any line
than you are, find out the reason, then di-
rect your advertising so as to change this
state of affairs as soon as possible."
"I'M GOING TO."
E should like to preach a homily on
the proneness of so many people in
this industry to use the phrase "I'm going
to." Erring humanity can have on its
tongue no more dangerous "stand-by.'
The first time or two a man says it, it
means something. He feels he has made
a promise to himself; one that he intends
W