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THE
7V^USIC TRADE
piano trust. The bubble was punctured, how- well, and just at this particular juncture,
ever, and manufacturers exhibited no willing- Mr. Piano Merchant, when we are pausing
ness to be bluffed intoascheme which present- upon the threshold of the new year, it
ed so many possibilities of failure. If a trust wouldn't be a bad idea to have a heart-to-
is ever formed in the piano industry, it must heart talk with your staff right away.
have as its promoter a man, or coterie of
It is hardly necessary to make it a long-
men, in whom the trade have absolute con- winded affair. Invite some discussion and
fidence, for members of the industry will you will be sure to find wherein the possibil-
not divulge the inner secrets of their busi- ities for mistakes occur. It might be a pretty
ness to men who possibly may be desirous good point, too, to emphasize that while it
of getting certain information for the pur- is human to err, yet the habitual erring ones
pose of/promoting individual interest in an- are under a mighty severe handicap. It is
other way.
possible even for the best organized business
The piano trust as originally conceived —and there are some institutions in this trade
by the promoter has evaporated—dissolved that are marvels in system—to get through
into thin air—and it will never again, as
REVIEW GREETING,***
planned, assume the position to invite criti-
cism in the industry. The promoter has
retired beaten, horse, foot and dragoons,
and is now engaged in the weighty task of
building up a discredited trade journal. It
is to be hoped that his methods and manners
will be reformed somewhat. There is much
room for this, and, while we rather enjoy
the prospect of seeing him cavorting again
among the ranks of trade journalists we
would also hope that his recent defeat has
brought him to a keen realization of the
fact that bluff and braggadocio may win for
a time, but in the end defeat is certain. We
could hardly expect to see him announce
his return to active duty in the same poster
type that, with becoming modesty, he used
in his farewell address.
of responsibilities the parties possess, in
whose domiciles the pianos repose.
It is a mighty sight better to sell pianos
well than to always figure on quantity. Just
a little stronger emphasis on the cash end of
the business might be more profitable.
Just keep that nimble sixpence well in
mind, and don't grumble so much over com-
petition—just meet it.
STRAY SHOTS FROM THE QUIVER.
' T H E thoughts of the
piano men are just
turning to the new year
and its work. While it
is not possible to lay out
an accurate program which can be unyield-
ingly adhered to, yet it can be seen with a
fair amount of accuracy that expansion will
be the order of the day with the piano indus-
try, and that 1902 will be a greater year than
ever before. It is safe to say that retailers
will start 1902 with smaller stock than has
existed for man;f years. The December trade
never was better in any previous year; piano
men have been rushed continuously, and as
a result stocks are left in a very much de-
pleted condition. Unless all signs fail, the
first quarter of the coming year should prore
as profitable as the closing months of 1901.
T H E R E are no probabilities of labor trou-
bles occurring in this industry within
the near future, and new relations between
labor and capital seem assured. The strike
and lock-out have come to be recognized by
both parties as wasteful and costly methods
As a rule men, even with pachydermic
of settling a dispute. It is fitting that the
hides, are not overfond of exploiting the
J
first of the new year should usher in what
fact that they have made large and glorious
A Y thi N e w Year abound in
appears to be the beginning of wholesome
asses of themselves, and we suppose the
happiness a- d prosperity J* *?*
relations between capital and labor. We do
ex-promoter does not differ materially from
for all members of the =£*
not believe that simply the appointment of
this class.
musk trade
representative citizens, who are to act as
However, now he will have ample time
the entire year without having some business a board of labor arbitration, will put an
to write on the ethics of advertising. This
kinks to straighten out. If you get down to end to one of the greatest conflicts of the
has been a long-suffering trade—one, too,
a staff discussion you will be surprised to find ages.
that has exhibited surprising patience.
out how many excellent ideas would be
The lion of capital and the lamb of labor
THOSE BUSINESS LEAKS.
evolved from these little cabinet meetings, so
will not lie peacefully down without fur-
HERE are twoclass- to speak.
Heart to heart talks
—Little cabinet meet-
es of merchants,
Some of the biggest institutions in this ther troubles, but the step has been made in
ings—The q u a l i t y
standard—The chase
as we view it—those country assert that they have found out more the right direction, and it is gratifying to
after (he elusive dol-
who make mistakes and business leaks in their establishments by staff note that the men who are appointed on
lar—A barrel full of
safeguards.
find them out, and those discussions than in any other way. In fact, this board are not merely theorists or senti-
who makes mistakes and don't find them one leading man of the industry says that mentalists, but they are leading men in all
departments of life, and it is to be hoped
out.
the merchandising aggregation that hasn't a
that
the first practical step has been made in
The former stand fair to become merchant barrel full of mistakes to its credit, with an
princes ; the latter—well, stand fair to re- equal barrel full of safeguards to prevent the direction of a better way to settle
labor conditions.
main just ordinarily obscure.
recurrences, isn't one, two, three in the com-
We can name plenty of piano men over mercial swim.
T^HE series of prize articles which have
the country who belong to the first class,
appeared in The Review during the
It is possible that the selling staff may have
and we know of some whom we should rate fallen into that easy habit of selling on long year have been instrumental in accentuat-
as belonging to the latter.
time and small payments. That is one of the ing interest in topics which appeal to those
Piano merchants, with others, should rec- weaknesses of the retailing of pianos to-day. interested in every department of the indus-
ognize the fact that there is a constant change Some men seem to think that it is a good try. In originating a department of this
going on not only in the manufacturing de- thing to get out pianos—get them out, no nature it was our desire to make The Review
partment, but in the retailing of pianos as matter on what kind of terms or what kind more of a. forum of the trade for the intelli-
v^
T
Thoughts of the new
year
Relations be-
tween labor and capi-
tal — The Review's
prize articles — Bald-
win • expansion — Ad-
vertising and export
topics discussed.