Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
11
9
Piano Manufacturers Tenth Annual Convention.
Complete Report of the Various Meetings in Washington—The Summary of the Association's Accomplishments by the Retiring President—Marked
Progress Has Been Made With the Largest Membership Ever Known in the History of the
Organization—Subjects
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, May 12, 1906.
The tenth annual convention of the National
Manufacturers' Association of America was held
at the New Willard Hotel, this city, on Friday.
April 11, the meeting coming to order in the
forenoon, with President H. Paul Mehlin in the
chair. The minutes of the previous meeting
were read by the secretary, after which the fol-
lowing report was made by the president.
PRESIDENT MEHLIN'S REPORT.
To the Members of the National Piano Manu-
facturers' Association of America—Another year
has rolled around, in the annals of time, since
we last met together, and I take great pleasure
in extending to you all a most cordial greeting
Till:
NEW \\ I I.I.A1I1I, CONVENTION
I 1 i:.\l X J I Alfl'EUS.
and a hearty welcome—to this the tenth annual
convention of our Association.
In reviewing the work of the past year, I
think we may safely say that we have made
splendid progress as an Association, and have ac-
complished much good for the general welfare of
our industry.
We have been blessed with a participation in
the greatest prosperity this country has ever en-
joyed. The largest volume of business ever
known to the piano trade has teen done during
the past twelve months, with less friction and
with a more friendly spirit of competition than
would have been possible before the formation
of our Association. Surely this, in itself, reflects
great credit on the work we have done.
We have become well acquainted with each
other, and have learned to look upon our busi-
ness interests in a more lofty and unbiased
manner, not in a narrow sense, but with a view
of meeting general conditions in a better way
through our united efforts, for the correction of
abuses, the interchange of valuable information
and confidences, and the advancement of the
whole piano business for our mutual benefit.
Each year we are making progress. The of-
ficers and committees of this Association, from
its organization, have labored honestly and in-
telligently to- promote the interests of our indus-
try. We cannot overcome all evils in a short
time, nor is it wise to attempt too radical re-
forms; but I must earnestly call your attention
to the fact that the largest and greatest benefits
from Association work can only be accomplished
when every one of the members takes an active
Brought Up for Consideration.
interest in it. We must be justified in having
full confidence in each other for the carrying
out of any resolutions which we may adopt.
We have made another decided gain in mem-
bers since our last convention, and we now have
the great majority of representative manufac-
turers of our trade enrolled on our membership
list. Most of those manufacturers who have not
as yet joined our Association express themselves
as being in hearty accord with our work, and
willing to co-operate, but why any good manu-
facturer should not join with us and become an
active member of our Association, we cannot un-
derstand.
We are to-day in a stronger position in every
respect, and from every point of view than ever
before. I do not think that we fully realize the
power we have among ourselves, acting as a unit,
for carrying out any important projects to benefit
our industry or increase the influence of our As-
sociation and enlarge its scope.
We are also pleased to note the growth and
strength of the National Association of Piano
Dealers. There are many matters in which the
Dealers' Association can be of great assistance to
us, notably in the matter of regulating unfair ad-
vertising, and in the correction of other com-
plaints which come to our Grievance Committee,
and we ask their active co-operation on all such
matters, assuring them of our hearty support on
any important matters affecting our mutual trade
interests for which they may desire our assist-
ance in promulgating.
In preparing the programme of the business
sessions this year we have asked for advice and
suggestions on all matters which might tend to
make our meetings a success, as we want every
member to feel satisfied, when the convention is
over, that considerable results of practical bene-
fit have been accomplished. The following sub-
jects were suggested for our discussion:
Subjects for Discussion.
"Is it advisable to hold a general musical indus-
try exhibit at the Madison Square Garden in New
York, or elsewhere, conducted upon lines similar
to the automobile and kindred trade exhibits?''
"Should not the manufacturer establish a uni-
form selling price for his instruments?"
"The art of dull finish and checking of varnish
and veneers—What advances have been made dur-
ing the past year? Would not the dull finished
overcome a number of our troubles, and mini-
mize the complaints of our customers, and cannot
our Association suggest or advise on this sub-
ject?"
"What can be done to bring the members of
our Association closer together, in order to make
the Association a stronger working body for the
benefit of each member and the trade at large?
We have now the majority of all the manufactur-
ers with us, either as members or in sympathy
with the work of the Association, and should we
not use our united strength to better advantage?"
"What shall be done in reference to the Traf-
fic Bureau? Should it he continued on the pres-
ent lines?"
Copies of these were sent to all our members
on March 21, for their consideration, in order
that each member might come to the convention
fully prepared to discuss them.
In addition to these specified topics, we invite
the presentation of other subjects of interest or
mutual benefit, by any member, but we suggest
that notice of any such subjects be given to the
assistant secretary in advance, so that they may
be arranged for in the regular order of business.
The chairman of the various standing and spe-
cial committees will present you with their annual
reports, all of which will be highly interesting
and show the results of the work done during
the year.
Growth of Membership.
In reviewing these briefly, 1 am pleased to say
that:
The membership committee will show the addi-
tion of ten new members, making the total mem-
bership, at the present time, one hundred and two,
which is the largest in our history. I wish par-
ticularly to welcome our new members, and ask
the reception and introduction committee to see
that they are presented to all the older members.
One of the main objects of these annual meetings
is to become well acquainted with each other per.
sonally, and to imbue a spirit of good will to-
ward each other, the results of which are far-
reaching.
The literature committee during the year pre-
pared two letters, one on "Territorial Rights"
and one on "Piano Fixing," which, after having
been passed upon by the Executive Committee,
were sent to all the piano dealers in the United
States, by our assistant secretary, on or about
March 15. The interest which these letters
aroused is shown by the large number of replies
we have received. These may be read to you
during our business sessions, if time permits, if
not they will be referred to the new executive
committee for their attention, as they were re-
ceived at too late a date for the present Execu-
tive Committee to investigate them.
WHERE THE CONVENTION MEETINGS WEKE HELP.