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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
stead of having separate organizations, composed of employers and
employes in this country, we would make a long stride forward by
having organizations in every trade composed of men who pay the
wages and men who work for wages. In this way there would be
really no organized opposition to one side or the other, but all of the
matters for discussion would be subject to reasonable argument,
doing away wholly with the one man power which has been of ob-
vious injury to the cause of honest labor in this country.
DEALER who has had an experience with special brand
pianos announced to The Review that he intends hereafter to
deal only in those pianos which bear the name of the manufacturer,
or the corporation producing them.
There is no question but that special brands in all lines are in-
tended largely to free the original producer from certain obligations,
and to enable the retailer to offer inferior goods at a greater profit to
himself. No matter how we argue the question of special brands it
resolves itself down to one of profit. The retail piano merchant is
willing to pay more for a piano bearing his own name or trade-mark
which he can control than he would for a piano of absolutely the
same value bearing the manufacturer's brand.
A
T
HE dealer who sells a special brand can place any valuation
upon it that his conscience permits, and he can have an elastic
price for every customer which pleases him. But more and more
it will become necessary to have a general selling price for reputable
pianos in all sections, and if manufacturers would put a fixed selling
price, a maximum price, on their instruments, allowing, of course,
the retailer a generous profit, it would do away with the whole special
brand business, which is bad for the consumer, retailer and manu-
facturer; in fact, it is eating the life out of legitimate trade.
T
O be successful the piano merchant must be imbued with such an
enthusiasm for his calling that he will not fail to believe the
instruments that he is selling embody good value at the prices asked.
His enthusiasm falls short of its full measure, if it does not include
appreciation of the merit of everything in his stock.
It is necessary to have faith in pianos and in the values offered
to be good merchants and good salesmen. A man may take a pride
in the appearance of his store, in the system which he introduces into
his accounts, in the methods which he uses in securing the attention
of the public, and the bargains he makes with those who sell goods
to him, but he will fail in the essential requirement if he has not
faith in the actual value of the instruments which he offers.
Pianos at one price, and that the right price, is a good slogan
for the piano merchant, no matter where he lives or whether he em-
ploys fifty salesmen or one.
T
HE commercial benefits of the Asiatic war are considerable to
this country. There has been a profitable market in those
countries for American manufacturers- of metal lines. The total
sales have reached many millions of dollars, and it is believed that
this trade will continue to grow, now that peace has been adjusted.
Considering the question for the American manufacturer from
purely a selfish standpoint, Russia bids fair to enter upon a recon-
struction period, perhaps gradual at first, but with accelerating im-
petus. A great war, like a great conflagration, sometimes proves to
have its blessings as well as its malevolent side, and to Russia, if the
results of the war shall spur her on to better social and industrial
conditions, an incalculable good will have been accomplished.
I
F this be true, if Russia is to develop industry, great quantities of
American machinery and raw materials will be required. The
world will, of course, compete for the increasing market, but no one
doubts that the United States will have a large share.
Japan has already progressed far in its development on indus-
trial lines, and great sums of money and continued intelligent energy
must still be expended. American manufactures which found a
very lucrative market that has developed under the imperative needs
of war, will continue for some time, and, of course, when our larger
industries are well employed it means the disbursements of large
sums of moneys from the various channels of trade, every one bene-
fiting in the end, so that the piano business must indirectly profit by
the demand for American manufactures in the Orient.
T
HE Portland Exposition has nearly a month more of activity
before the gates are closed. The record of this far Western
enterprise reflects great credit upon the business ability of the men
behind the initial move. It was simply nothing more nor less than
a gigantic advertising scheme to boom the Pacific Northwest, using
as the lever the one hundredth anniversary of the discovery of that
country by Lewis and Clark.
The Exposition started in practically free from indebtedness,
and it has been a paying institution from the start, therefore the
stockholders will receive some dividends, so in that respect it will be a
record-breaker for great expositions.
The work which has been carried on there by this newspaper in-
stitution has been highly complimented. The Review bcoth has been
headquarters for visiting members of the trade and profession.
More than that the splendid souvenir which has been given away
by us has drawn thousands of people to our headquarters who have
passed considerable time looking over the interesting photographic
display of notable instruments which are shown in our collection.
These photographs are all handsomely framed, and the size, 22x28,
enables the visitor to appreciate the beauties of the instruments which
are exhibited. Some of the special art styles as well as rare and his-
toric instruments are displayed in the collection.
The line of publicity which we have been carrying on at Port
land is of obvious benefit to the entire industry, and it is the kind
of journalistic work which dignifies the profession.
T
HERE lias been at times considerable comment on our post-
office needs, and in common with other publishers we occa-
sionally suffer by late deliveries of The Review. What is really
needed to bring New York abreast with London and Paris, and
other foreign cities, is more branch stations, pneumatic tubes and
automobile wagons. These could come, if we had an adequate ap-
propriation, but the average Congressman refuses to recognize the
fact that the service of New York City is really the center of the
service of the whole country, and that wlmtever benefits this city will
benefit the entire land.
The present Postmaster-General is fully alive to the needs and
the merits of the case, and can be depended upon to support with all
power at his command such recommendations and requests as our
present efficient postmaster, Mr. Willcox, may make. Between the
two the needs of the New York service are likely to be placed before
Congress in a more convincing light than has hitherto been the case,
and it is to be hoped that Congress will act with more intelligence and
more liberality than it has exhibited in recent years.
A
PROMPT and efficient postal service is imperative in these
days of rush business. There has been in many quarters
some criticism of the action of the Post Office Department in regard
to throwing out of pound rate privileges certain mediums. The
critics are either uninformed, or have belonged to that class who
desire to use the United States mail for ulterior purposes. The
Third Assistant Postmaster-General, Mr. Madden, has cleansed the
postal service of this country of many of its objectionable features.
He has thrown out the house organs, but he has always exhibited
a strong desire to support the legitimate trade press in all of its work.
He does not feel that a catalogue house organ or a sheet which is
distributed for purely advertising purposes is entitled to admission
to the United States mails at pound rate privileges, but he does
recognize the fact that a trade paper is a powerful influence to in-
dustry, an "engine for the good," as Mr. Madden recently remarked
at a banquet. Publishers who can produce proof of legitimate cir-
culation have no trouble with the department, but advertising sheets
and house organs do not meet with favor at his hands, and Mr.
Madden is invariably correct in his decisions.
M
USIC trade advertisers in New York State should now be
careful in the use of the flag in their advertisements, for the
Wainwright law amends the Penal Code in relation to the desecra-
tion or mutilation or improper use of the flag of the United States or
of this State. It declare guilty of a misdemeanor "any person who
in any manner, for exhibition or display, shall place or cause to be
placed any word, figure, mark, picture, design, drawing, or any ad-
vertisement, of any nature upon any flag, standard, color or ensign
of the United States of America or State flag of this State or ensign,
or shall expose or cause to be exposed to pubic view any such flag,
standard, color or ensign, upon which shall have been printed,
painted or otherwise placed, or to which shall be attached, appended,
affixed, or annexed, any woi d, figure, mark, picture, design, or draw-
ing, or any adverliaemeat of any nature.