Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
It may be that one place will start the chain, and
then again ten stores might be opened simultane-
ously. Wherever a store is established it will in-
Will Have a Capital of $25,000 With Five of the Leading Publishers as Directors—Stock of the variably be on the main thoroughfare, with
Company Equally Divided Among the Members—The Aim of the Company Is to Better
rental a secondary consideration. A chief man-
Trade Conditions Generally and Uplift the Industry, Particularly in the Matter of Prices— ager will assume charge on June, with head-
Will Be a God Send to Small Publishers.
quarters in New York. He will do all the buy-
ing and attend to the details of the general man-
After conferences covering two months, meet- throughout the entire trade—has been anything
agement of the entire plant, subject to the ap-
ings often being held daily, five of the principal but satisfactory. Demoralized would better de-
proval, of course, in the main, of the corporation,
publishing houses of New York City became in- scribe the situation. I t got to a pass where
and he will take his orders from the secretary
corporated Monday as the American Music concerns happening to control the sale of music
only. Every possible obstacle—real or imaginary
Stores, with a capital of $25,000. The directors in a particular place would refuse to give any
—that might threaten the success of this great
are F. A. Mills, Fred B. Haviland, of the F. other publisher representation in the stock. No
enterprise has been raised and carefully can-
B. Haviland Pub. Co.; Chas. K. Harris, Leo Feist, matter if a production were never so sucessful
vassed, and we see no reason why our plan of
Isidore Witmark, of M. Witmark & Sons. in a city, not even a title page, let alone a sheet
operation is not only feasible and eminently prac-
On the same day the following officers were of music, would be shown in these stores. Nu-
ticable, but should be commended by every right-
elected: F. A. Mills, president; Charles K. Har- merous complaints have come from show man-
thinking dealer in the country. It will be a
ris and Fred B. Haviland, vice-presidents; Isi- agers of our lack of enterprise in not having the
God-send to the little publishers." The full par-
dore Witmark, of M. Witmark & Sons, treas- music on sale where the play had made a hit;
ticulars concerning the American Music Co. will
urer; Leo Feist, secretary. The stock of the cor- but we were powerless to help ourselves. Then,
be officially announced in The Review in the
poration is equally divided among its members, again, unless goods were sold at sacrificial prices
near future.
and in the event of a withdrawal the holdings to these distributers, there was nothing doing.
are to be parceled out, share and share alike, to
"Under these circumstances," continued Mr.
those remaining. Matters requiring the atten- Harris, "it was felt that something must be done
CONSOLIDATION OF PUBLISHERS.
tion and approval of the concern must be in- in self-protection, and this led up to the forma
dorsed by a unanimous vote of the stockholders. tion of the combination, if you please, of five ol' The Idea Being Promoted by Louis Iris, Who Is
The primary object of the American Music the most prominent publishers of the country
Anxious to Form a Trust, and in This Con-
Stores, whose business will be confined solely into a corporation, a specially established busi-
nection Has Interviewed a Number of Pub-
to retailing, publishing being specifically barred, ness, completely separated and apart from their
lishers—Secured a Number of Options, But
is to establish a chain of stores from one end of regular line, and called the American Music
the Selling Price Simply Terrified Him.
the country to the other, in order to obtain rep- Stores. The capital named is only nominal, as
resentation for their goods and uphold prices. it will be increased with the growth of the busi-
For some time Louis Iris, who really repre-
The entire catalogs of these five firms will go on ness, of which there is not the slightest doubt. sents an idea advocated for many years by Sam
the shelves at once as a foundation stock, but We do not intend to put anybody out of business, Speck, formerly of the Armstrong Music Pub-
music of every description and published by any and we are not against the jobbers, but will be lishing Co., has been visiting the publishers of
one, if selling or for which there is a demand, more than helpful to dealers. As publishers we New York, with a gigantic scheme of consolida-
will be handled on the same footing. Only one want representation of our goods everywhere, tion. The promoter presented himself as repre-
store will be permitted in a town, or if a depart- and this will be gained fully and adequately by senting a bunch of Wall street plutocrats, who
ment can be secured in a city, no other place this plan. We will not wholesale or publish un- were just dying to combine the largest houses
will be opened. The members are prohibited der this name, but will be retailers only—first, and form a trust. Eleven publishers were on the
from entering into any business arrangement of lajst and all the time. Further, we do not pro- list canvassed uy Mr. Iris, and up to Tuesday he
a competitive nature. The express purpose of pose to threaten the trade, but create a demand stated in confidence that nine of them had "fell"
the venture is to create a healthy and whole- for our goods and other publishers' output that to the hypnotic proposition. A capital of $5,000,-
some demand for music at reasonable prices, and 'looks good.' We will pay the publisher's price 000 was standing ready to be invested, the houses
without a murmur, only taking advantage of
sustain it on a steady basis.
to retain their individual identity under the man-
agement of the present chiefs, who were to be en-
A manager has been engaged, whose perma- quantity rates when deemed advisable.
nent headquarters will be in New York, and he
"In every city or town where we may have a gaged at a fascinating salary. Eventually the
will assume control June 1.
store the prevailing retail rate will be rigorously music stores of the country were to be acquired,
When Charles K. Harris was requested by The maintained. If the selling price is 15 cents or and then the "dream" would be complete.
Review to express his opinion regarding the aim 30 cents, that figure will be enforced. When
Mr. Iris is reported as saying that every house
and purpose of the American Music Stores, he dealers are disposed to war on each other by he had approached were willing to give him an
said: "As you know, for the last three years cutting prices, we shall endeavor to settle dif- option, but their selling price was terrifying. A
the conditions among music publishers—in fact, ferences and restore an amicable understanding. manager versed in the business also added: "Per-
Ruinous competition is farthest from our inten- haps the scheme might work so far as the pub-
tions; but if competitors feel inclined to slash
music in order to run us out they will be up
against a hard game, for we will be prepared to
meet them on their own ground. Every dealer
NEW YORK
CHICAGO
can buy music from us as publisners at the same
1431 Broadway
59 Dearborn St.
rates as we will sell either to jobbers or the
PUBLISHERS
American Music Stores. In short, our object is
"Under the Tropical Moon," "Won't You
to again place the retailing of music on a prof-
Let Me Put My Arms Around You,"
itable and honorable basis, and eliminate abso-
By the writers of
"Cinderella," Inst. and Song. "Not Be-
lutely
the
bushwackers
and
guerrillas,
as
well
as
"WAITING AT THE CHURCH"
cause Your Hair Is Curly," " W i l l the
cut-throat methods that have characterized the
Angels Let Me Play," "Paddy," "Can You
trade for too many years.
Keep a Secret," "Vanity Fair," " I Never
"Our first store may be opened in New York,
15 West 30th Street
Can Forget You Dear," Kremer's Mandolin
and possibly elsewhere. We have had agents out
Folio, No. 1 , etc., etc.
NEW YORK
looking for locations during the past six weeks.
AMERICAN MUSIC STORES INCORPORATED.
Vesta Victoria's New Hit
VICTOR KREMER CO.
POOR
JOHN!
FRANCIS, DAY & HUNTER
OUR "NEW ISSUE"
PROPOSITION
Is ol Interest to all dealers—we furnish
yon with any quantity of our new
thematic eataloaues without charge.
We publish " The Good Old U. S. A./*
"Just a Little Rocking Chair and You,"
"Keep On the Sunny Side," and other
big hits.
Let us get In touch with you—write us.
F. B. Haviland Pub. Co.
125 W. 37th Street, New York
should subscribe to M. Witmark & Sons vocal and instru-
m e n t a l " N e w Issues" so as to keep their patrons and them-
selves in touch with the latest successes. Five cents the copy is all that is charged. Fill
in and forward attached blank.
M. WITMARK & SONS, 144 W. 37th St., New York.
Hereby agree to take one each of your "NEW" Vocal and Instru-
mental Publications as soon as issued at 5 CENTS PER COPY. This to begin
with your next shipment of same and to continue until notified to the contrary.
Name
Street Number
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Reference (New York if possible)
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