Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Advertising will do many things that border on the miraculous. Al-
most it will create business in a desert, but it will not keep up the
demand if the standard of quality is not maintained.
I
N this trade, dealers are quick to know of added values; quick to
know as well of depreciated values, and they fully understand
that quality is becoming more and more a recognized business es-
sential in the conduct of business affairs. The stronger the word
quality is emphasized in an advertisement, the better it will be for
the institution fathering it. There is a noticeable upward trend in
piano advertising, and it is worthy of more than passing comment
that in the musical merchandise domain the same principle is em-
phasized. There is Hohner, who has been running a series of read-
ing advertisements entitled, "Hohner Reasonings." In the articles,
Mr. Hohner clearly emphasizes the advantage of handling a standard
article. Some of the "reasons" he advances why dealers should
never touch the "just as good" are strong and cogent. The Hohner
form of advertising is certainly commendable, and must result in a
material augmentation of the fame of the celebrated harmonica manu-
facturer.
D
ID you ever notice that the successful men in this piano indus-
try are, after all, the most systematic? They carry system
into every detail, but they do not take their business anxieties to bed
with them. When they lie down to rest they let their business affairs
rest also. It is a pretty good plan to observe. System shcJuld so
pervade all the affairs of life that we shall be able to dismiss from
our minds any business problem, in order to secure rest. Men fre-
quently say that they have lost more than one night's sleep from
some business problem. They must all admit that they were less
able to combat with the affairs of the following day than they would
have been had they received the succor of peaceful sleep. It is not
easy to throw aside one's business cares like we do an outer gar-
ment, but we can name plenty of men who have cultivated system to
such an extent that when they leave their business establishments all
business cares are left behind. Happy men they are, too.
9
T
H I S plan of campaign has evidently been prompted by the
failure of the labor leaders to force the anti-injunction and
eight-hour bills through Congress. Their efforts in that direction
have been frustrated by the strength of the arguments and the array
of facts presented in opposition. Hereafter they do not propose to
wait until Congressmen are elected and then try to influence them to
support labor bills, but they will endeavor to secure a majority
pledged in advance.
If this can be accomplished, the investigation of the eight-hour
question about to be made by the Department of Commerce and
Labor would be of no consequence. With Congress pledged to
pass an eight-hour law, a report favorable to an eight-hour day would
of course, not be needed, while an unfavorable report would not be
given even .respectful consideration.
LEARLY, the American Federation of Labor is either not dis-
posed to attach much importance to the Department's investiga-
tion or it fears that the result will not be such as to help the eight-hour
cause. To the average man this seems about as near a hold-up as
possible, and furnishes another illustration of the lack of sagacity in
labor leaders, of which we have had so many striking examples in the
last few years. It is simply another attempt to accomplish by force
or threat that which the community has steadfastly refused to grant.
C
T
H E principle which actuates such a plan of procedure is ex-
actly the same as sympathetic strikes to influence a patient
public against a hard headed employer, or any of the other means
employed to stir up wholesale trouble whenever a strike occurs that
seems likely to fail. The cause of honest labor cannot be advanced in
public opinion when such coercive measures are adopted by the
leaders of the Union. No, never. Not by a George P. Bent sight.
HAT a difference in the way piano stock is kept in various
warerooms. The order and cleanliness which prevails in
some establishments at once offers a power of attraction, which is in
itself a big business asset. Piano stock nicely dusted, clean and
kept in perfect condition has a selling force far ahead of slovenly
kept instruments. A good many piano dealers do not evidently ap-
preciate wholly the advantage which accrues from attractive ware-
rooms and bright stock, but it is a fact that in nearly every instance
where the warerooms are kept in spick and span condition and the
instruments well groomed, ready for action, you will find a pro-
gressive proprietor, whose assets are increasing annually. On the
other hand, find a slovenly, run down at the heel stock, with dirty
show windows and general air of decay, and you will find a piano
dealer who is spending a considerable part of his time sending on
renewals, or cursing about dull trade. The difference in men is
clearly emphasized through their store environments.
SUBSCRIBER asks for an estimate of the number of
pianos used in the hotels to-day, and which one contains
the greatest number. It is a difficult question to answer with any de-
gree of accuracy, because in some instances there are no pianos in cer-
tain hotels, and in others there are scores,
like in the Waldorf- Astoria. Perhaps the
AH—H—H!
most notable example of piano lavishness
in the hotel line is in the St. Regis of New
York. In this hotel there are forty-seven
Bring forth your deep-
Steinway art pianos, all manufactured ac-
est, thinnest glass,
cording to special designs. In this hotel
chopped ice and
lemon peel!
there are more than a score of art Knabes
as well. New York is in every sense the
Now pour it in ; stop—
hotel city of the United States, and of the
that's enough—Oh !
world, and the St. Regis marks the high
gosh! how good
I feel.
water mark of hotel luxury. It will have
! I ! !
cost when completed $5,000,000, and its
plainest rooms will be sumptuous by com-
parison with the highest class hostelry of
thirty years ago. The contrast between the substantial comfort, with-
out ostentation, of the old style hotel and the magnificence and ex-
travagant luxury of the new is well accentuated.
I
P
W
T is probable that some of the labor leaders will find that candi-
dates for state and national offices will resent their attempt to
interfere with their independence of action on non-political questions.
The American Federation of Labor announces a plan which it has de-
vised for members of Congress and State Legislatures favorable to
legislation in the interests of organized labor.
Committees from labor organizations in each Congressional dis-
trict are to submit the following questions to the candidates:
Will you vote against government by injunction by voting for our bill
on that subject?
Will you vote for our eight-hour bill?
Will you vote for the people's sovereignty by voting to establish in
the people a right to a direct vote on public questions?
The candidate will be expected to answer definitely either "yes"
or "no," and a refusal to reply in ten days is to be construed as a
plain negative and treated accordingly. If he does not "come out for
the people squarely, openly, in writing, signed by himself/' the labor
organizations are to give the facts the widest possible publicity in the
district of the candidate, and their influence is to be used against his
election. In this way the officers of the Federation hope both to gain
strength in Congress and to attain greater promise of success in gen-
eral labor legislation.
A
ROBABLY no development of luxury is so good an indica-
tion of the increase in national prosperity as that which
shows in a $5,000,000 hotel. When the Fifth Avenue hotel was new,
the number of guests willing to pay $100 a day /or apartments such
as the St. Regis will provide, could be counted on the fingers of one
hand. Now the clerk expects them on every train, or by every incom-
ing steamer, and expresses no surprise whether they register from
some village or some obscure inland city. The number of pianos
which are located in the St. Regis will furnish an illustration of the
necessity of pianos in the most up-to-date hotels and apartment
houses, but the notable illustration which we have made does not
furnish any accurate basis from which to compute the number of
instruments in hotel use in hotels throughout the country. No up-
to-date hostelry is complete without a certain number of art instru-
ments, but then all hoteds are not up-to-date in every particular.
XT OT W I T H S T A N D I N G that it is mid August, when there is
IN
generally supposed to be a dearth of trade news, an analysis
of our columns for the week will show that news items are not
lacking. There are active plans made for the business campaign,
which will bring about changes of a nature which will supply the
trade newspapers with plenty of items-of live interest.