Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ufacturing and jobbing trade and is mani- have only now visited this section and
fest in the handling of the retail trade by who have failed hitherto to keep in
the wholesalers. Healthy conservatism in touch with the wonderful development—
credits has become a necessity to the exis- the rapid transformation of this land of
tence of the dealer, and the wise ones h#ve romance and mystery, from a wilderness
TWENTY-SECOND YEAR.
long since taken heed of this view of into a land that is now sprinkled with tow-
Jt jt jk E D W A R D L Y M A N B I L L J* J* <*
things. They know pretty nearly where ering cities and musical with the busy hum
Editor and Proprietor. .
their money is coming from and when of men.
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
they are going to get it, or the instruments
It pays a piano man, whether at the head
3 East Nth St., New York
or the junior member of a firm, to travel—
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage). United States, Mexico remain in their stores. All this is right
and Canada, $2.00 per year ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
and
proper.
to come into close touch with dealers all
insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount
is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite reading matter
over the country. Travel broadens the
$75.00.
THE "NEW" WEST.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be
made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
mind, it takes the rough corners off pre-
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter. \ 1 7 R I T E R S continue to enthuse, and
judices and is a mighty good thing viewed
with good reason, over the growth
NEW YORK, SEPT. 29, 1900.
from any standpoint.
of the "new South."
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-EIOHTEENTH STREET.
It is regrettable that so few manufacturers
T H E KEYNOTE.
The supplanting of the old regime in
come in contact with dealers directly. There
The first week of each month The Review
that section by a new life—that of indus-
contains a supplement embodying the literary
are reasons for this, of course. The direc-
and musical features which have heretofore
try, thrift and progress—is truly a glor-
appeared in The Keynote. The amalgamation
tion of affairs at the factory or office occu-
is effected without in any way trespassing on
ious chapter in the story of the nation's
our regular news service. The Review con-
pies considerable, if not all their time; yet
tinues to remain, as before, essentially a trade
development.
we think it would be a paying investment
paper.
But what of the "new West? "
to set aside a couple of months each year
CLOSER ATTENTION TO CREDITS.
For the West of the frontiersmen, the
and make a trip to the Pacific Coast, and
A SIGNIFICANT and encouraging fea- cowboy and other picturesque types are no
learn what a fine body of men compose the
ture of the situation in the music more—in fact there is no longer any West
retail music trade of the West, and what a
trade field to-day is the close and careful except in point of geography.
great people and a great country they are
consideration given the matter of credits.
The West is the same as the East in its
catering to.
It was practically but a few years ago that mercantile and industjial capacity, in its
And travel is just as beneficial and as
the greatest laxity prevailed. Men with banks, its stores, its schools, in its appre-
important to the dealer as to the manu-
little capita], or with no capital at all, men ciation of art products such as high grade
facturer. A more frequent intercourse
without any experience and even men des- pianos—in its possession of all the appli-
with the large cities and the headquarters
titute of character were given lines of ances of modern civilization, and in some
of the establishments whose instruments
credit that reflected more to the trust re- respects it even excels the older and
they handle cannot fail to be educating
posed in fellow men than it did to com- staider settlements of the East.
and helpful in their business. The pro-
mon sense.
These remarks are born of the experi-
gressive dealer to-day is the man who stud-
Failures then were common enough, and ences of a member of the music trade who
ies to set aside sufficient time once or
so were breaches of trust and so long as recently explored this vast section of our
twice a year to stock up, not only his store
profits were large the same liberality of great country, and who, accordingly, is a
with instruments, but his mind with ideas,
credits and the same taking of foolish com- much wiser man regarding the resources
and these are best secured by travel.
mercial risks continued. With the cost and possibilities of the far West. He has
of piano production increasing and the learned, and he descants on the knowledge
GET TALKED ABOUT.
margin of profits growing beautifully less with enthusiasm, that not merely in the T R A D E papers are oftentimes criticised
all the time a reaction has taken place.
older states, but in Montana, Idaho and in
on the grounds that "they talk about
The condition of the majority of con- Washington, business is conducted on even certain firms more than they do about
cerns is now carefully scanned bet ore credit a more advanced and progressive plane others." This is true, only because cer-
is given. The man with the doubtful credit than in many states on the Atlantic sea- tain firms are constantly doing things
was in former times given the benefit of board. That the merchants who deal in which get them talked about. They are
the doubt, and the goods were sold and pianos and other musical accessories continually evolving ideas which are so
shipped. Now, the manufacturer or jobber in the principal cities there are novel or broad-gauged that they deserve
gives himself the benefit of the doubt and just as keen about the necessity of to be held up for the admiration of other
leaves his instruments in the factory or in beautiful interiors, suitable display win- merchants, or so striking and attractive
the warehouse until a better opportunity is dows, intelligent advertising, attractive that they become important from the
fixtures and other essentials requisite to a
offered.
amount of publicity bestowed on them.
sympathetic
environment for a display of
Credits are sensitive and are growing
Through these ideas such firms succeed in
still more so. It doesn't take much nowa- musical instruments, as their brethren in obtaining a large amount of advertising of
days to upset one's financial equilibrium, any one of the thirteen original common- the very best kind. The money value of
particularly when such heresies as the sil- wealths. And they give equal attention such ideas is self-evident; therefore the
ver question are making headway in the to buying, and although the distance is moral—it is not only well to spend money in
presidential campaign under the guise of vast they manage to visit the New York advertising, but it is a good thing to invent
market oftentimes more frequently than
other issues.
ways of advertising that will force the at-
those
whose abodes are located considera-
All of which is prefatory to the argu-
tention of the public, or your direct con-
ment that it is a mighty good time for bly nearer the second greatest city of the stituency, on your firm and your wares.
dealers to take the best care of their indi- world.
The utilization of ideas in your business
vidual credit. A policy of financial con-
Yes, this is a "new" West—an unknown pays.
servatism prevails. It is felt by the man- land to those who, like our friend,
One of our progressive piano men, in