Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Prices are not stationary. The question is whether we are
far beyond the real value and whether we will have to sink back
again to a former standard, or whether the real standard still lies
ahead.
O
RIGINALITY and novelty are good things in their way., but
good, hard, common horse sense is better. While novelties
in the advertising lines may appeal to a certain class of people, yet
mediums of recognized influence and circulation are the best kind
of advertising mediums the retailers can use. The judicious use
of circulars and booklets might be profitable, but when it comes to
programmes, souvenirs, directories and a thousand and one other
dodges that come under the head of "schemes," the advertiser
might better save his money. The experienced advertiser—the one
who has been through the mill—knows this to be true. He has
learned that the only one who receives profitable returns from the
venture is the promoter of the scheme.
In spite of this fact, it is astonishing to learn how many really
level-headed business men can be talked into taking space in some
sort of scheme that has no sort of excuse for existence, except the
publisher's desire to make money, and what is even more astonish-
ing, is the way in which such advertisers will pay their bills with-
out knowing whether their contracts have been filled by the pub-
lishers.
An advertising schemer will promise any amount of circulation
that he thinks will please the advertiser. It is just as easy for
him to say 50,000 as 1,000, and the schemer who really prints as
many copies as he promises is a mighty rare article; 10,000 circula-
tion in a good newspaper is better than 50,000 circulation in
schemes, and if the money that is paid out in these outside plunges
were put into newspaper advertising, we would seldom hear any
one saying that advertising doesn't pay.
P
ROGRAMMES, the mere mention of which brings visions to
the minds of some business men of $10 and $20 bills slipping
away, should by all means be sidestepped. Programmes for church
or religious entertainments are invariably a clear case of blackmail.
The dealer who does not patronize them feels that he may be held
up as a cold-hearted individual—and he produces his coin. This
method cannot be called charity because a pretense is made of giv-
ing something in return for the money. It would be more honest
if the managers of such affairs would simply go around with a
subscription paper and ask for the money as a gift.
How many piano dealers have been held up by these kinds of
schemes! They go into these programmes because they feel that
if they do not, they will antagonize the members of some church or
society, and thus lose trade. If they would give the money without
taking the advertising for it, the manager of the enterprise would
be better off, because his printing bills would not be so big and the
advertiser would be better off because the advertisement is not worth
the paper it is printed on.
I
T is doubtful if there has been a single case where the money
paid for a programme ad. would not have been better invested
had it gone into newspaper space. The programme is usually put
on foot by some advertising schemer who pays the management a
comparatively small sum for the privilege of publishing an official
programme. There is no particular need of an official programme,
and it is almost always padded to make it as big as possible, so that
there will be a good many alternate pages to sell. The association
gets possibly 25 per cent, of the profits and the schemer gets the
rest, that is to say, the association gets 25 per cent, of the theo-
retical profits, but the schemer generally figures the expenses so
high that the apparent profits are quite small and the association's
percentage is nil. What does the business man get? He gets a
receipted bill for the advertising and sees his name in print, for
which he pays a good round price. We would not say that there
are no advertising schemes outside of the regular channels that are
not worthy of patronage, but a man who has only a moderate
amount of money to spend will act wisely when he holds closely to
the regular channels of publicity, such as a newspaper.
A DECISION which will go far to strengthen the federal bank-
l x ruptcy law was recently handed down in the United States
District Court of New York. In the case in question a discharge
5
from bankruptcy was denied by the judge on the contention of the
creditors that the bankrupt made a false statement in writing to a
mercantile agency on the strength of which these creditors sold
him goods, and also that the debtors made a false statement in
writing to another creditor. The judge discussed at considerable
length the question of statements to mercantile agencies, and in the
course of his decision said:
"It has never been decided whether under any Circumstances a
false statement contained in a report to a commercial agency can
be made the ground of successful objection to discharge. The
conditions advanced in re Dresser & Co. are entitled to great weight,
and in my opinion show that the usual commercial agency report
obtained by an agency in order that it may give the merchant a
'rating,' and for general distribution among its customers, cannot
be made the basis of successful action by an objecting creditor. If,
however, such a report as is here shown be obtained from a mer-
chant by a commercial agency at the request, disclosed or undis-
closed, of one or more of the agency's customers, it seems to be
incredible that the merchant furnishing such report can be sup-
posed to have given it for any other purpose than of enlightening
those persons w T ho habitually deal with him on credit as to his true
financial condition. It cannot be that a merchant may in bank-
ruptcy avoid the consequences of making false statements by always
making them to a commercial agency, even though such agency
specially request him to tell the truth for special purpose."
This ruling will doubtless have an important influence upon
other cases.
r
I ^HE need of technical schools is apparent in this country, and a
X. good many do not hesitate to say that a system of trade edu-
cation somewhat like that in Germany, but adapted to American
conditions, would be a good thing in connection with the view of
woodworking industries in this country. Factory men as a rule
think that such a school is needed. The busy factory manager,
with the dust and shavings of daily toil on his clothes, and the
many things before him all the time that must be done, and done
now, has little time for theory, and little use for it. Talk with
him about institutes of technology and he will not appear to know
much about them, at least, he will not warm up to such talk at all.
You must get down to terra firm and brass tacks if you expect him
to talk.
"Theories may be all right," said one of the most experienced
factory superintendents in the city to me, "but there are a lot of
educated d—n fools. I have had two college graduates in the
shop recently and they didn't amount to shucks. I couldn't teach
them to make out a cost sheet or a payroll to save my life, and I
tried hard for two years."
A NUMBER of well-known piano manufacturers are members of
l \
the National Association of Manufacturers of the United
States. Two or three have written us recently asking something
about the scope of this organization and what benefit it would be
to the piano manufacturers. The organization, as we understand
it, is formed for the promotion of the industrial interests and com-
merce of the United States, the betterment of relations between em-
ployer and employe, and the encouragement of the business and
financial interests of its members, at home and abroad. It holds
annual meetings somewhat similar to the. Piano Manufacturers'
National Association, and, of course, there are the usual banquets
and speeches upon prominent topics. In addition to this, the associa-
tion has a Washington News Service which is of special value to
individual members. It has a Law Department which has been
working successfully for a number of years, and no expense is in-
volved to members except where litigation may be involved or col-
lections made, or where specific extra services are rendered. It has
as well a Freight Bureau, before which every member is free to lay
his transportation troubles. It supplies advice in advertising, also
upon trade-marks and patents, which in itself is quite an important
matter. There are a number of other special theories which appeal
strongly to business men, and this organization numbers on its
membership roll some of the most important manufacturers in the
various industrial fields in America. The annual membership fee
is $50, and the address of the Secretary is 170 Broadway, New
York. We may say that membership is restricted to American
manufacturers.