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THE
7V^USIO TRADE
bacco, whereas if the tariff were reduced
mid Cuba were given a fair show for nation-
al existence it would mean a market for our
manufactures in that island of $200,000,000
inside of three wars. It would mean that
there would be a general demand for our
varied products in all lines, and Cuba, too,
has that which we desire.
The musical instrument manufacturers
would profit as well as others. Placing tho
matter purely upon business grounds and
throwing all sentiment aside, we permit a
clique to shut off a market on almost con-
tiguous territory which would have an ab-
sorptive power for our goods greater than
any European nation outside of the three
great powers. We are convinced that what
Cuba most desires is not charity, not a gift,
but she desires an opportunity to live, make
an exchange of products with us, and give
us the trade of the islands in return for the
concessions on a few of her products. It
would not injure in the remotest degree any
of our domestic industries.
F O R months past we have had consid-
erable to say regarding the advance in
the prices of pianos, which seem to us in-
evitable all along the line, including all grades.
The wholesale profits on pianos have, within
the past decade, been extremely modest and
these modest profits have been alarmingly
decreased during the past three or four years
with the rising tide of cost in nearly all ma-
terials which enter into the composition of
pianos.
•
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As a matter of fact, we cannot name an
article which enters into the cost of a piano
which to-day is not worth considerably more
in the market than two years ago. Many
manufacturers have paid this advance, trust-
ing that in some way the matter will
right itself. There seems to be, however, no
possibility of a decrease in the cost of in-
struments, and how manufacturers can con-
tinue to supply the same grade of instru-
ments at the same prices is a matter of fine
figuring.
Dealers cannot reasonably expect to buv
pianos at the same prices that they have been
purchasing in the past. If they go to a hard-
ware man they cannot purchase any part of,
or kind of, hardware excepting at increased
cost; lumber the same, find in every trade
the increase has been paid without demur-
ring.
And why should piano dealers object to
a fair recognition of the conditions as they
exist to-day? The manufacturer who charg-
es a few dollars more for his pianos is only
charging the actual advance to him caused
by the rise in the cost of production.
A SALESMAN from the West complains
to The Review that he does not think
bis employer appreciates his services at
their true worth, and further, he writes in
rather a despondent vein which indicates to
REVIEW
our mind that the young man figures that
he is doing more than he should for the
money that he receives.
We are rather inclined to believe that this
young man belongs to that great army of
workers who fear that they may do too much.
The mere fact that an employer pays what
is considered by the recipient too little does
not furnish a sufficient excuse for the young
man to fail in developing himself to some-
thing higher, for there is no kind of work,
which if performed honestly and loyally that
will not lead to better things. The great
trouble with young men to-day is that they
are watching the clock, figuring how soon
they can get away, and how little they can
do instead of how much to make their ser-
vices indispensable to their employers.
news, and will, to a certain extent, be in-
fluenced by the business announcements of
firms which are constantly placed before
them. Special advertising during the sum-
mer months paves the way for the traveler
who appears in the early fall for orders.
The preparatory work- is done by the papers.
f~\ LD Father Knickerbocker has been wear-
ing a smutty face lately, and the New
Yorker can no longer, under existing condi-
tions speak sneeringly of the smoke-burdened
air of Cincinnati or Chicago.
The heavy cloud of black smoke which
hangs like a pall over New York renders it
impossible, while on the boats in the river
or harbor, to trace the tall buildings to their
skylines. The frantic efforts of the health
authorities to enforce laws against the thou-
Some of the men who have made the most. sand buildings, factories and river craft re-
astounding successes of modern times were mind one of the historic attempt of Mrs.
not merely workers, but they were indefati- Partington to sweep back the Atlantic with
igable workers. Their eyes were not upon a broom.
the clock, studying how quickly they could
So general has the use of soft coal become
get away to a baseball game, or a tennis that many have openly expressed fears that
match, but they were working to improve this experience would deaden the sensibil-
their condition, and because they were work- ities of New Yorkers and render it easy for
ing for another man they did not fear that the smoke offenders to continue to pollute
they were doing too much. A man should our atmosphere, after the famine imposed by
not work so as to impair his vitality, but the anthracite strike has passed away.
he should never go automatically through
It would seem to us that New Yorkers
the task of performing work, for honest will have had about all the soft coal that they
work systematically carried out will make a desire by the time we can again resume the
failure impossible.
consummation of the smokeless variety. The
s~\ NE of our clients, who is a large adver- condition only serves to emphasize how not
^-^ tiser in the current periodicals recent- only one industry, but every industry, and
ly asked The Review for opinions regarding the general public is effected by the coal
the advisability of increasing magazine adver- strike. The entire public has been not only
tising during the summer. He believed that sufferers by the use of the soft coal, but by
the summer was an excellent time to adver- heavy drafts made upon its pockets by rea-
tise because, he alleged, that the people were son of the advance in all kinds of coal.
HP H E modern method is largely one of or-
great readers during the summer months.
ganization. A bright piano merchant,
We take an opposite stand regarding the
reading tendency of the public. People do feeling his own abilities inadequate to suc-
not read as much during the summer months cessfully carry on the business will surround
as formerly. Ping pong on the veranda, lawn himself with lieutenants who have energy
tennis, golf links, all possess great power and brains, for he realizes the chances of
of attraction during vacation days, and the success are thus materially increased in such
man or woman who takes a lot of literature a combination.
One of the most successful retailers in this
away to the seaside or mountain invariably
leaves it untouched excepting on rainy days. industry is said to have but one real talent—
There is less reading, and little or no buying the ability to know good men when he sees
of high-priced home accessories during the them. This one essential contributes largely
summer months. Retail piano advertising to his business success, and some excellent
does not pay well during the summer, but business enterprises to-day may be directly
manufacturers who depend largely upon the traceable to the brilliant lieutenants, or the
dealers as mediums of distribution would do "silent workers."
well to change somewhat their old-time plan
It is not unfrequently found that the ori-
of slowing up upon trade paper advertising ginator of some clever play was not the mas-
during the summer months.
ter mind at the head of the business, but it
Dealers who handle pianos, as well as was some lieutenant who made the sugges-
those who sell other lines, have more spare tions at the proper time.
If we look over the line of successful men
time at their disposal and they naturally will
in
this industry and make a little closer analy-
read more closely the columns of their fav-
sis of their staff we will find that they real-
orite papers while passing- dull hours in the
ized the necessity of surrounding themselves
stores. They will gradually be absorbing- with good men.