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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
narrow conception of retailing, the other sensible liberality in mak-
ing their establishment hospitable and interesting. A. well arranged
music trade establishment holds as strong a place in the minds of
its customers as a dry goods emporium. It is only necessary to visit
establishments like Lyon & Healy's, Sherman, Clay & Co.'s, Ditson's
and a hundred more establishments in this country to realize that
shopping forms a considerable part of the existence of many people,
particularly women, especially those who reside in the smaller com-
munities. And they buy, too.
P
ERHAPS- no Presidential election in our time has had such
little deterrent effect on the business of the country as the one
which will be decided by the votes of the people within the next four
weeks. The indifference of the commercial world to the situation, so
far as it has developed, may be attributed to the belief that this year
there will be no change in the present administration, or to the belief
that, if a change occurs, no cause for anxiety is presented. The polit-
ical leaders are now planning for a few weeks of spectacular cam-
paigning. Oratory and fireworks will hold forth all over the country,
but business, which has opened so satisfactorily this fall, is destined
to continue unaffected.
Conditions everywhere are sound, and particularly in the West,
where business has "worked up" in splendid shape. It seems to be
the general idea that the Republican ticket will come out trium-
phant in this great battle royal in a measure because of the fear which
business men have of a renewal of tariff and monetary agitation
which may arise should a Democratic administration come into power.
W
HATEVER the reason may be there is less business disrup-
tion in this Presidential campaign than was ever before
known. Piano dealers are buying liberally, and business both in the
East and. West is developing in a very pleasing way. Chatting with
John A. Norris, vice-president of the Smith & Barnes Piano Co., the
other day, he stated that his recent trip to the Pacific Coast was one
of the best in years. With the exception of certain parts of New
York State, he found business, as far as it was reflected in his orders,
better than a year ago. He further stated that during September, or,
to be more particular, up to September 24, the Smith & Barnes Co.
had received orders for six hundred pianos, which was ahead of last
year's schedule for the same period.
These words from such a conservative and experienced student
of trade affairs as Mr. Norris, affords ample proof, if it were needed,
of the healthy conditions of the industry throughout the great West
and Northwest.
PEAKING this week with another prominent member of the
trade who returned from an extended visit to the South, dur-
ing which time he called upon the trade in all the principal cities, he
said: "No one can estimate the effect which the increase in the price
of cotton has had upon the business condition of the South. Never be-
fore in its entire history has that section been in anything like so pros-
perous a condition as it is to-day. The people have more money, and
the banks are in better shape than they ever have been in their his-
tory. The South now clothes the world, and it must continue to do
so for many years. That fact will make it one of the leading.sections
in time. Any country that digs out of the earth six hundred million
dollars every year, as the South does, cannot fail to be prosperous,
and eventually great. These conditions are now reacting and must
react even more favorably in the future on the piano industry. Of
course, pianos or other musical instruments will not be purchased
as readily as absolute necessities, now that money is abundant. But
there is an increased demand for musical instruments throughout the
South and I have booked some surprisingly large orders for pianos.
Moreover, Southern piano houses have not only been buying heavily,
but, what is better, they have been discounting their'bills, too. In
some lines merchants are doing one hundred per cent, more than last
year."
There can be no question but the South is destined to be a profit-
able territory to the men who work hard for piano trade during the
next few years. The South is entering upon a new era. The stag-
nation which has existed since the war has almost totally disappeared
and with the increase of wealth will come a demand for all those
luxuries such as pianos and other art creations which appeal to the
cultured instincts of the Southern people.
S
N
EW r YORK CITY and State has been greatly in evidence at the
World's Fair this week. Monday was New York City Day and
9
Tuesday the Empire State Day. There was a large attendance on
both days, and the beautiful State Building was crowded by nota-
bilities. There were various receptions and New York's importance
as city and State was duly emphasized and fittingly recognized.
HAVE read with pleasure/' writes a prominent Western
dealer to The Review, "all that you have been publishing
on the demoralization caused by price cutting. Indeed, the deep
interest you are taking in the improvement of trade ethics is worthy
of recognition and high appreciation. The question of price main-
tenance is one of vital interest to every branch of industry and
therefore should command special and universal attention in piano
circles. Its scope is from the manufactures to the purchaser. There
are many remedies suggested for the evil, but I will speak of but
two: First—A higher standard of business morals. We have
to-day many leading manufacturing concerns and business houses
whose honor and integrity are unquestioned, and when their goods
are placed upon the market the purchaser gets value received, and
every business transaction is stamped with the essence of honor.
"Second—There are manufacturers and merchants who seek
to. make and sell all of the goods that may be consumed, placing
prices so low that others handling similar lines find it difficult to
compete with them, and as a consequence they are continually doing
their utmost to crush their fellow worker from existence, not recog-
nizing his right to live."
T
HIS gentleman then proceeds: "These are by no means new
ideas: they are old ones, having existed since the beginning
of time, but have been trodden under foot in the midst of our rapid
growth and strenuous efforts for supremacy. To my mind, nothing
can so effectually remedy existing evils as honor and unselfishness
in the commercial world.
"Until the time shall arrive when the higher ideals of trade
shall be recognized, I know of no remedy that will so effectually
maintain prices as the rebate plan, which is in operation to-day on
some lines of goods. -In my opinion, any manufacturer has the right
to demand that his goods shall not be slaughtered, and a still further
right to exact the sale at not less than a minimum price, both by the
wholesaler and the retailer. This price, of course, should be remun-
erative to each, and if the prices are not maintained the rebates
should be forfeited and the seller deprived of the further sale of the
goods when his stock shall have been disposed of. We are depend-
ent one upon the other; without the maker we cannot get goods;
without the dealer the manifacturer finds it difficult to dispose of
his product to the best advantage, and without the consumer the
retaiier has no chance for a profitable business.
"Prices can be maintained, and I believe will be when the proper
forces work together/'
NE of the questions which often comes to the mind of the man-
ager of a piano wareroom is that of individual sales. There are
two men on the Moor, for instance—one who makes a record for the
month, of $2,000, the other $900. Their duties and salaries are the
same. Now. why should such a discrepancy exist ~ J
Analyze the situation and it will be revealed that one of these
men is wideawake, alert, ready to wait on any customer who enters
the warerooms regardless of whether he is likely to pay $150 or
$500 for a piano. The other salesman is one of these gentlemen who
prefers "to select his trade," with the result that he often misjudges
the appearance of his customer and does not follow up prospects
unless in a certain "set/' and consequently loses many of the larger
sales which his impartial friend credits to his own account.
O
' I H E manager of an enterprising house in a Western city told us
1
the other ray that he has solved this difficulty by introducing
the question of competition into the situation, which, of course, must
be largely governed by circumstances. But in this instance our
Western friend placed all the salesmen for a month on the record of
their sales and then, calling them together the first of the following
month, had a heart-to-heart talk and told them the result of his plan.
The following months showed that this scheme was not a bad one.
The laggards woke up, seemed to take an especial pride in making a
record, with the result that business was stimulated all round.
Experience has demonstrated that nothing pays better in a busi-
ness than for a manager to get close to his force of workers. It
makes them interested in the welfare«of the house and cultivates the
individual side of their character.