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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CANADIAN TARIFF ON PIANOS.
A. P. Willis, of Montreal, Writes a Very Ad-
mirable Letter to a Toronto Paper Emphasiz-
ing His Position in the Matter of the Tariff
on High Grade Pianos Imported Into Canada.
A. P. Willis, the prominent piano merchant of
Montreal, Canada, has written the following com-
munication to the editor of the Mail and Em-
pire, Toronto, Ont., with regard to certain criti-
cisms of his evidence before the Tariff Commis-
sion, and which was quoted in The Review re-
cently. Mr. Willis says: „
"A Toronto piano manufacturer has sent me
a copy of your paper, in which you accuse me of
ignorance before the Tariff Commissioners in
Montreal. Representing the piano dealers of
Quebec Province, I appeared before the Tariff
Commissioners and asked for five per cent, reduc-
tion off finished pianos, chiefly in the interest
of the very highest grade of pianos made in the
United States, and ,not made in Canada. My
speech was moderate and unassailable, although
certain Toronto papers misreported me.
"Our example in Montreal must have been con
tagious, because the piano manufacturers' delega-
tion in Toronto went straight forthwith and re-
quested that nearly everything that goes Into
the make-up of a piano being imported from the
United States should be put on the free list,
until Mr. Fielding asked the delegation of To-
ronto how he was to get any revenue at all if
everything went on the free list.
"Mr. Fielding asked me the question: 'Mr.
Willis, what do you mean by the highest grade
of artistic piano?' And I answered by giving
the names of three of the leading pianos of the
United States. I did not say there were no good
pianos made in Canada—far from it. To say it
in respect of upright pianos would be foolish-
ness. But, in the interest of the consumer, as
well as the dealer, and in the interest of musi-
cal institutions and students of music, I ad-
vocate a slight reduction on the highest grade of
artistic piano.
"Your informant who inspired your article
against me ought to know very well that which
you should also know, that your whole article
was calculated to decry and injure many of the
leading piano manufacturers in Ontario, because
the article says: 'The wealthy and reputable
dealer has confined himself to the cheaper va-
rieties of Canadian instruments.' To show you
how unfair and untrue this statement is, I may
state that we are the largest dealers in Canada
in high-class Canadian pianos, giving one hun-
dred and fifty thousand dollars a year to your
leading makers, while we do not sell a single
piano of low-grade make in Ontario. The very
names of the manufacturers that we represent
are a synonym of the highest standard of piano
manufacture in the Dominion of Canada, such
as the Bell piano, etc., etc., and many of these
pianos cost us double the price of the cheaper
Ontario piano, yet your article would lead the
public to believe that these instruments are low
grade."
ness of the Auto-Grand Piano Co., and have al-
ready offered inducements for them to build an-
other large plant. The board is made up of bank-
ers and leading manufacturers of the town.
The Industrial Co. has accomplished wonders
in New Castle, and the people of the city are
much indebted to it for the present position and
prosperity of the town in an industrial way.
AN ELEGANT STARR BROCHURE.
The Various Styles of Starr Pianos Are Inter-
estingly Portrayed in Colors—Work of More
Than Ordinary Interest Which Will Be
Helpful to Salesmen.
At hand is a new catalogue recently issued by
the Starr Piano Co., Richmond, Ind. It is a vol-
ume of more than ordinary interest. The first
pages contain excellent photographs of the late
John Lumsden and Benjamin Starr. The "fore-
word" is a splendid presentation of facts concern-
ing the Starr product. Then illustrations follow,
showing the various styles, and on opposite pages
appear minute descriptions of the instruments.
At the close of the work there is a half-tone
reproduction of the medals received by the
Starr Co. at the Chicago and St. Louis exposi-
tions. Then follow a partial list of musical and
educational institutions, in which the Starr
piano is used. At the close is shown a view of
the Starr plants, which must impress the be-
holder with the importance of this great West-
ern piano industry.
The illustrations, however, of the various
styles are worthy of more than passing com-
ment. The instruments shown are in various
woods, and the printing is most artistically done
in colors, which gives one a comprehensive and
accurate idea of the appearance of the pianos
with their respective wood coloring. Some of
these are exquisitely done. The Mission model
is one of the daintiest that we have yet seen;
the Sheraton shows the wood coloring in per-
fect outlines, and each illustration charmingly
portrays the particular style. The cover is
modest in brown and gold.
The Starr Piano Co. are to be congratulated
upon putting forth such splendid and dignified
literature which so well portrays the instru-
ments which they are turning out. The work
must be a valuable aid to salesmen in present-
ing the merits of the Starr pianos. Such litera-
ture is indeed helpful.
KNABE GRANDS FOR NORMAL SCHOOL.
The State Normal School at Cape Girardeau,
Mo., which has just been completed, has been
equipped with two Knabe grands which were
purchased through O. A. Field. One of these in-
struments is being used in the Auditorium, which
seats thirteen hundred people. The school au-
thorities are delighted with their purchase, and
have expressed themselves in a most eulogistic
manner regarding the musical qualities of these
creations.
CHICKERING POPULAR IN PITTSBURG.
EDWIN B. PFAU ELECTED
During the recent visit of the Savage English
Grand Opera company to Pittsburg, Pa., they
A Director of the New Castle Industrial Co
used a Chickering grand at the Nixon Theater,
Albert Krell Unable to Serve—Building Up
while several of the artists used the Chickering
the City of New Castle.
at the hotels in which they were staying. Mrs.
Leslie Carter is also among the artists who used
(Special to The Review.)
the Chickering during her stay in Pittsburg. In
New Castle, Ind., Dec. 15, 1905.
fact, the famous Boston piano has been much in
The New Castle Industrial Co. held its an-
evidence in the great iron city recently, and sales
nual meeting on Tuesday in the Citizens' State
have been unusually large.
Bank Building, when the directors for the ensu-
ing year were elected. Those gentlemen include
GRAM'S GOOD ADVERTISING.
Edwin B. Pfau, secretary and treasurer of the
Auto-Grand Piano Co. Albert Krell, president
Edmund Gram, the well-known dealer of Mil-
of the company, was also asked to serve on In- waukee, Wis., is carrying some very effective ad-
dustrial Board, but on account of being out of vertising in the interests of the Everett piano
the city so much of the time he was compelled
in the local papers. This publicity is in the
to decline.
form of a series of essays, in which the different
phases of Everett tone quality and construction
The Industrial Co. still hold a large block of
common and preferred Krell-French stock, and it are dilated on very interestingly. This discus-
is a corporation that induced Krell-French to sion of Everett traits is along new lines of news-
locate their mammoth works at ' New Castle. paper publicity, and therefore calls for especial
The New Castle people realize the progressive- commendation.
A wise
piano=dealer
had his business-eyes open
and saw that he could easily
handle something else be-
sides pianos.
Why shouldn't it be the
greatest musical instrument
in the world—
Victor
Talking Machine
and Records
He found it paid him
right from the start and to-
day the money he makes
on Victor goods is away
ahead of his piano profits.
Every month we t e l j
46,000,000 magazine readers
about the Victor, and dealers
in every part of the country
profit by it. They not only
sell talking-machines, but the
buyers come in continually
for new records.
Great business to have,
and you should be the dealer
to have it in your locality.
Get started to-day by writ-
ing us for particulars of our
proposition.
Victor Talking Machine
Company
Catnden, - = - N. J.