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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
than mere speculation, or the willingness and
ability of the investing public to absorb offer-
ings.
The backward Spring has naturally ham-
pered trade in our line very seriously. When
March weather extends past the middle of
April and almost impassable roads are found
in ten or twelve states in the Union, it is but
reasonable to presume that these conditions
have exercised a depressing influence upon
business, particularly such business as sell-
ing pianos and organs.
One dealer in the West last week stated
that he had been unable to deliver the pianos
which he sold weeks ago on account of the
condition of the roads.
When we get warm, cheering and settled
weather, business in all lines will at once
feel their accelerating influences, for in all
sections of the country, wealth and luxury
have succeeded the ability to consume only
necessaries. Then, again, look at the money
that has been distributed through the coun-
try by the great growth of our export and
manufactured products. This means an ad-
ditional increased earning power, not only
in the industries directly affected, but in
transportation lines; while production has
been magnified, new outlets have been found,
and the consuming power at home has largely
kept pace with the greater output.
cations, for it is a fact that hardly an adver-
tisement appears in this class of publications
save those of the catalogue houses. There are
half a hundred of these advertisements of
one house in a single issue of these papers,
the annual subscription to which runs from
twenty-five to fifty cents.
It is believed that these papers may be the
property of the catalogue house men who
are working the Government to the extent
of securing pound rate delivery for their
premium offers by using mediums which are
not legitimate publications, but purely house
organs of these different houses. It is hoped
that the Government will take this matter
up and investigate it thoroughly, and if
found that the catalogue houses are using
the Government as suggested, then all such
publications should be excluded from the
mails.
There are some interesting opinions from
dealers regarding this catalogue house com-
petition, which appear in another portion of
this paper. They are well worth reading.
The interest is steadily growing and tre-
mendous feeling is being engendered, not
only against catalogue houses, but against
manufacturing institutions through whose
influence this competition is kept alive.
However, the legitimacy of that matter we
do not propose to discuss. It is not the
policy of The Review to indulge- in per-
sonalities.
A manufacturer who sells to a catalogue
house is certainly conducting a legitimate
enterprise. He is selling his product and
receiving his pay for same, but by supply-
ing these catalogue houses with pianos and
organs, is he not helping to build up a com-
petition, which, in the end, will fully under-
mine his trade interests ?
It is a matter which should be considered,
not only for the present, but for the future,
and are not the men who are supplying cata-
logue houses contributing to their own future
ruin ?
A MATTER WORTH CONSIDERING.
T"^ HE campaign in-
Dealcrs Upon Catalogue
House Competition-
augurated by The
Opinions Presented—
P o s t a l Authorities
Review
anent the cat-
Aroused — flanufac-
turers Who Supply
alogue houses has
the Catalogue Men.
created widespread in-
terest among the dealers everywhere who
have felt the degrading influence of the cata-
logue house competition. Almost daily we
receive several communications from readers
in different parts of the country who have
been interested in The Review treatment
of this subject, which we class as one of
the most important, if not the most impor-
tant, problems which piano merchants have
BYWAYS AND HEDGEWAYS.
to face.
""THE ranksof piano-players are steadily aug-
An interesting development has recently
menting, and remarkable improvements
occurred, showing how the papers patronized are being made from time to time in these
by the catalogue houses are now creating players which render their power as an edu-
governmental antagonism. There are pro- cational factor in a musical way undeniable.
hibitory measures proposed, which, if passed, It is surprising how quickly, too, the players
will exclude from pound rate privileges, a have become the victims to the testimonial
number of publications which are almost habit. Some artists have endorsed no less
wholly patronized by the catalogue houses. than two players within a week. Travel-
These papers are made up entirely of plate ing at a faster rate even than piano testi-
matter, and contain all kinds of alluring offers monials.
to subscribers, which include not only arti- TP O our minds, the papers that are giving
cles of home adornment, but clothing as
great publicity to the schemes of an alleg-
well. Thev are sold at a surprisingly low ed ex-music trade editor along trust lines, are
subscription, and it is believed that there is simply assisting to create in the minds of
a catalogue house scheme behind the publi- readers an important man out of one who,
at best, is a combination of hypocrisy and
cunning. It is the best kind of advertising
for that individual, who, after all, has no
special forces behind him in the trust prop-
osition. It is a personal scheme, and those
who herald his name in startling type are
assisting to create a belief in the minds of
readers that this man has really succeeded
in interesting capital in his schemes. His
movements, thus far, have amounted to noth-
ing at all, simply vaporous mouthings.
*~r HOSE enterprising individuals in the piano
trade who incorporate companies with one
million dollar capital stock and one dollar
paid in, will be interested to know that an
extremely liberal incorporation law has re-
cently been passed by the Arizona Legislature
and signed by the Governor. In several
directions it is even more favorable than the
New Jersey incorporation law. It provides
that any number of perspns may incorporate
for any business, with stock fully paid and
nonassessable, and that private property of
directions it is even more favorable than the
corporate debts. None of the incorporators
need be residents of Arizona, and they need
not appear in the Territory, but the law re-
quires the appointment of a resident agent
upon whom service of summons may be
made. There is no tax on capital stock.
Altogether it is the most liberal law of its
nature in the United States, and makes Ari-
zona the cheapest place in which to incor-
porate.
Q O M E men look for fortune in social clubs
and secret orders. They expect their
growing acquaintance to lift them up as the
incoming tide lifts the fisherman's boat off
the sand bar. They spend so much time and
money on their club and society affairs that
their business suffers more from want of prop-
er attention than they gain from outside.
Very few men, whether engaged in vending
pianos or any other merchandise, have ever
learned how to ride two horses successfully
at once.
"P HE festive piano man who comes to New
York should heed this tip:
We will be very good to you, but you must
not expectorate in our cars and ferry boats.
You will be liable to find yourself before the
magistrate. Our Board of Health, they say,
is under feminine influence. The President
of the Board has recently married, and he
doesn't want his wife's skirt spoiled.
T T AVE you entered the lists for any of the
prizes offered by The Review? All
readers are eligible, and we hope by the last
of next month, at which time the first prize
winner will be announced, to have received
a goodly number of communications.