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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
L
OUIS F. GEISSLER, the general manager of the Victor
Talking Machine Co., gave a most interesting talk on the
relation of the talking machine to the piano business, and it is said
that Mr. Geissler impressed many of his listeners so strongly by
his argument that a number of piano men who have hitherto looked
upon the talking machine line as a fad are now anxious to negotiate
for the sale of some of the leading talking machines.
One of the most interesting points made by Mr. Geissler,
which has been noted in some earlier issues of The Review, was
the establishment and maintenance of one price by the manufac-
turers of talking machines on their products. Mr. Geissler said
that it had been proven conclusively and adjudicated favorably in
the courts of the country that the one price system could be main-
tained, that arbitrary prices placed upon wares covered by a patent
was possible and feasible; that a manufacturer making pianos could
establish a line of prices on his various products in consequence of
patent rights that would place their business throughout the country
in a stable condition.
I
N the opinion of Mr. Geissler the piano merchants throughout
the country would hail with joy the application of talking
machine principles and methods to their piano departments. We
have stated in previous issues that piano men could with advantage
study the effect of the establishment of fixed prices by the manu-
facturers of talking machines. That industry/ by the way, is an
important one and is rapidly growing. 'We have made a close
study of it for years, and it would surprise some of our readers
to learn the facts contained in certain data accumulated at this office,
long before we established an exclusive talking machine journal.
HE paper of Col. Hollenberg on the advisability of holding
a music show was decidedly interesting. According to the
views of the Arkansas colonel, such an exposition would be of the
highest practical value, educationally, to the dealer, to the maker
and to the public. Col. Hollenberg says an inspection side by side
of the products of different factories will prove a revelation to
some manufacturers, and most all of the dealers,* few of whom can
see beyond the fall-board of any instrument they do and do not
handle, and often they do not know their own any too well. In
closing his remarks he said that he was of the opinion that an
exposition would increase the volume of business and create added
interest in matters musical, if for no other reason than the mere
display of wares of all kinds which whets the appetite of all who
see them. Col. Hollenberg is a firm advocate of the exposition
idea and would like to see one started just for a trial, anyway.
T
OW the sale of the interior piano player will affect the piano
business was handled in an admirable manner by John P.
Byrne, of Chicago. Mr. Byrne believes, and he is an officer of
one of the greatest houses in the industry, that the interior player
can never injuriously affect the great pianos of the world, or di-
minish the popular demand for them, whether they are adopted or
not by those foremost makers. Mr. Byrne says that the reputa-
tion of the players is based upon such merit and recogm'tioji, ac-
quired by so many years of exploitation before the public, and that
the latter must and will have them regardless of mechanical at-
tachments. Mr. Byrne believes in delaying the day of the cheap
player and is an advocate of maintaining good prices for the inside
player, and urges the dealer not to be won over by the cheap busi-
ness in the player line until at least the demand seems greater than
at present.
H
HERE was good advice relative to the organization of a sales
force in the paper read by J. H. Williams. Mr. Williams
says too many attempts are made to sell goods out of their class
at a price the sales manager as well as the salesman knows is
fictitious and misleading, and in many cases his only hope of getting
a sale through is to get it closed before his competitor finds it out,
and, to use the language of Mr. Williams, "puts the customer
T
wise.
Now that is a pretty hard arraignment of a piano man made
by a piano man, and what stronger argument could be made for
the establishment of one price by manufacturers than is made in
Mr. Williams' statement?
He says further, "there is no use in trying to enthuse a sales
force when vour own mind is full of doubts. That salesmen should
feel that they are character builders for the house and that every
statement they make must be true, and every promise made must
be kept"; and he adds wisely, not to expect a sales force to be more
honest or truthful than the head of the business himself. He urges
that salesmen be encouraged in their work, and that they should
learn every phase of the business and become acquainted with the
pianos themselves, and have a faith in the values offered.
M
R. WILLIAMS has made a number of excellent points in
his article which are well worthy of close reading and
careful digestion. Every man must have confidence in his busi-
ness to make a success of it, and the best business men in every
community stand for much more than the mere accumulation of
wealth, or the getting of business, although devoted in the main
to making money. A business man's life need not be sordid, nor
should he resort to trickery and untruths in order to maintain his
position. Commercial life, it is true, differs from professional life,
but piano men who have come to regard their business as a pro-
fession and have respect for it are the ones who are getting on;
and young salesmen who work along these lines, will, within a
brief period, be conducting establishments of their own.
T
HE resolutions which were passed at the manufacturers' con-
vention by which the makers of pianos concede that trade
interests generally may be forwarded by the establishment by the
manufacturer of the retail prices at which his instruments shall be
offered to the public, is admittedly a compliment to The Review,
for this publication is the only one which has urged the trade
adoption of these principles for months. We have shown by argu-
ment from week to week that it was the only solid foundation upon
which the piano structure could rest. Certainly the matter never
was taken up by the organization before The Review urged it,
and therefore it at once becomes a recognition of the honest labors
of a trade journal in behalf of the industry which it represents.
The trade is now thoroughly aroused, and to continue further
interest along these lines we propose to offer a cash prize of $25
for the best article which may be written on the advantages which
will accrue to the legitimate trade through the fixing of the price of
pianos by the manufacturer. All these contributions should be
addressed to Editor Prize Department, The Review. The only
rules which we lay down in this contest will be that all of the
articles must be typewritten, and the name of the writer must
accompany all contributions.
HE story of the two conventions was faithfully told in last
week's Review, and, in order to fairly present the various
matters, it required the enlarging of the regular paper to a volume
of one hundred and four pages. This was produced without an
hour's delay, the paper being mailed at the regular hour on Friday
evening, reaching subscribers Saturday morning. In this connec-
tion it might be well to state that the same week we produced
another paper of fifty pages.
Naturally it requires a good newspaper organization and a
splendid printing establishment to produce such volumes without
an hour's deviation from a regular schedule. We do not term
such an accomplishment enterprise, it is simply meeting demands
fairly, and we do not propose to print the many letters which we
have received from admirers in various sections of the Union, con-
gratulating us upon our work. Obviously it is an evidence of
weakness for a paper to print all the communications which it re-
ceives, commending it for performing its duties promptly and thor-
oughly. Tn all matters of this kind we endeavor to perform the
functional duties of a newspaper institution without undue blow-
ing of trumpets and without vain-glorious remarks regarding our
accomplishments.
T
T
HE reputation of The Review, however, does not rest upon
one good week's work or an occasional spurt. The true test
of a newspaper is the service which it renders in every issue
throughout the year. It is every issue which counts and in a year
we present fifty-two issues amounting to over three thousand pages.
Each number covers every department of trade, and therefore ap-
peals to a wider clientele than a journal devoted exclusively to
piano matters. Real newspaper worth comes in every week and
not in annual spurts which sometimes, however, is a necessity in
some cases in order to rescue a paper temporarily from obscurity.