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THE MUSIC TRADE
T
HE way they are increasing it will take quite a volume to in-
clude all of the special brands of pianos which are constantly
coming to light, and if all piano manufacturers would list their regu-
lar lines at prices at which they should be offered to retail customers,
where would the special brand pianos stand?
They would be pretty well outside of the breastworks. They
would be in a place entirely their own, and that is well down the line.
There is no doubt a place for special brand pianos, just as there are
places in all other lines for certain products which are sold as
"cheap," and which do not bear the name of the manufacturer, firm
or corporation producing them.
T
HERE is no reason why the special brand instruments should
be foisted upon an unsuspecting and trusting public as high
grade pianos, and too frequently they are sold as the "just as good,"
and unless there is a halt forced in the special brand business by
placing the instruments in their proper classification, there must be
a steady disintegration of legitimate piano values.
Here is a dealer who handles one of the best known makes of
pianos in this country. The name of the manufacturer is emblaz-
oned over his door, so that he who runs, walks or rides a bicycle
or an automobile may read it with ease as he passes the piano door.
The customer enters, attracted by the charm of the old name. The
salesman talks in a firm, entertaining and chatty way regarding the
reputation of the old name; but he has something better, not merely
just as good, but a trifle better than just as good, because it embodies
all of the good points of the famous old piano, besides some special
improvements which came as a special inspiration to the dealer in
the dark hours of the night, when he was struggling with his col-
lection account.
E has embodied all of these points in his piano, his special
brand/ and his experience for years counts for something,
you know. He has drawn the unsuspecting customer into his store
through the attraction and glamour of the old name, and he has
cheated the maker of that instrument out of a sale. He has foisted
upon the guileless one a special brand piano, one of his own, don't
you know. Of course there is no suspicion of illegitimacy about the
product; it is genuine. It is his own. It is made "for him in his
factory," under his special patents, and it is the best on earth—the
biggest thing ever. The only trouble is he can't make enough of
them. Only a few people can profit by his inspirations; but it takes
so long to build one of his special brands; the elephant's ivory has
to be grown specially, by a special brand of elephants, and the
wood has to be seasoned for so many years, and the metal is so dif-
ficult to find, don't you know. In fact the whole thing is special—
special brands, special parts and special inventions, and the old name
is not in it, not for a second.
H
REVIEW
11
stores and the adoption of conveniences for customers and facilities
for doing business, have gone on with unusual rapidity of late, and
it is a rule with merchants to-day who are planning the erection of
a new store, or remodeling their present premises to visit the leading
retail establishments in various sections with a view of noting all the
latest ideas in construction and equipment.
There is no doubt that this is a wise method, and one which
every merchant with similar circumstances can adopt if he can af-
ford the time and expense required.
We have had recently quite a number of piano men from vari-
ous parts of the country call upon The Review and state that one of
their objects in visiting New York was to gain all of the points that,
they could regarding piano store equipment in this town.
It must be confessed that as far as piano store equipment goes,
with a few notable exceptions, New York is not strictly up to the
times in that respect.
UR music trade men who are interested in the sale of small
goods should note what the hardware people are doing in
endeavoring to counteract the catalogue house competition. The
president of the National Hardware Dealers' Association remarked
recently at the convention in Minneapolis that the blackest cloud at
the present time on the horizon of that trade was the persistent effort
which was being made to prostitute the postal department of our
Government to be a merchandise carrier for a few great corporations
to the disadvantage of the many retailers. The great railroad sys-
tem of the country he said was yielding to the temptation to grant
special favors to some that were denied to others, throttling legiti-
mate competition, and building up dangerous monopolies. Looking
on the narrow horizon he said, the duty of citizenship compelled
every merchant to fight for equity and fair dealing on the part of
common carriers, and for the abolition of secret rebates. He claimed
that the immediate duty of the dealers was to perfect their state as-
sociations and arouse all to the importance of the danger of the situ-
ation before them.
At other state associations of hardware dealers the most promi-
nent topics discussed were the catalogue house competition and the
parcels post agitation.
O
SUBSCRIBER to The Review says, "I note from your head-
ing in last week's paper that the big story of the combina-
tion of Chicago piano manufacturers sounded like the big bonfire
story at Atlantic City. I wonder if they could be traced to the same
fertile source ?"
Can't say. There are some, however, who, in order to have it
known that they are still on earth must get up sensations even if
they are faking from the ground up. It may be that it has broken
out again this season, and if it really has and is permitted to go
ND where is the manufacturer on this proposition? He finds unchecked, we may expect that Lake Erie will be ablaze by next
May. Well, let her blaze.
his trade drifting away, that so and so is not sending in as
many orders as formerly, and upon close inquiry and investigation
BILL amending the libel law of New York has been recently
he learns that the main part of his dealer's business is in special
introduced in the legislature.
brand pianos.
The
proposed amendment provides that ii^ any civil action for
And where do the manufacturers who create these special
libel
either
party may prove that the plaintiff requested or omitted
brands come iri? They are being eternally screwed down in price.
to
request
correction
and retraction. The defendant may also show
Piano making- with them is becoming nothing but a bargain busi-
that
the
publication
was without malice, and that the defendant,
ness. The dealer visits the factory, and calmly says, "I want a
within
a
reasonable
time
after receiving written demand for cor-
hundred pianos, special brand, made under certain specifications.
rection
and
retraction,
or
wifhin
a reasonable time after the service
How much ?" He visits a dozen firms, and the piano manufacturers
of
the
summons
and
complaint,
if no such notice has been given
are really bidding against each other to get the trade. Profits?
before
the
commencement
of
the
action, did publish a sufficient
Well, if they come in at all, they are so infinitesimal that they
correction
and
retraction
in
two
successive
issues of the same pub-
wouldn't count much in a general expense account. Five dollars,
lication.
and even less; and when you get down to a five dollar wholesale
Upon the proof of such facts to the satisfaction of the
profit on pianos there are very many concerns whose system of fig-
jury,
the plaintiff shall not be entitled to punitive damages, and de-
uring cost cannot tell them whether they are making or losing.
fendant shall be liable only to pay such compensatory damages as
the jury may award.
HAT greater question is there before the manufacturers to-
There is a wide gap between innocent news service malice and
day than the question of a correct retail price upon their
intentional
blackmail, and it is a fact that there is not a case on
products, and at the same time they are equally interested in the
record
in
New
York where a verdict has been rendered against a
suppression of the special brand business, which under various
newspaper
wherein
the offense was not committed with malicious
forms of attack is sapping and mining the trade, so that the very
intent.
piano fortifications themselves are in danger of being carried by the
Newspaper men do not ask that a law be passed that will pro-
enemy.
tect the newspaper guilty of malicious libel, but the newspaper
WING to the general prosperity of the country, and the con-
which errs unintentionally and retrieves its mistakes to the best of
stant pressure exerted by competition, the improvements of
its ability, should not be held up for extortion.
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