Music Trade Review

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THE MU3IC TRADE
At the meeting of the executive committee of the Dealers'
Association The Review's work was specially complimented by the
passing of resolutions that "The manufacturers who have fixed the
retail prices upon their product are to be congratulated, and it is
the belief of this meeting that the one price system can best be made
prevalent by that means."
This is the point for which The Review has been fighting for
years, and we may say truthfully that no other trade paper has
advocated the establishment of a retail price by the manufacturer.
The dealers have stood with us in this proposition, and the more
publicity that will be given this subject, and the more arguments
that can be brought forth to convince the members of the trade
that we never can have one price until that price is established by
the manufacturers, so much the better will it be for all.
W
E cannot have one price in one part of the country for a
certain piano and another price in adjoining territory for
the same instrument. The sooner the manufacturers establish na-
tional prices on all their products, the better it will be for every
dealer and everyone interested in the welfare of the trade.
If all of the trade papers would join with The Review in mak-
ing this fight, the entire music trade industry would be benefited.
We originally began the discussion of one price and offered a prize
for the best argument showing how the trade would be benefited
by the establishment of one price, but in later years we have con-
cluded that one price is impossible unless that price is established
by the manufacturer.
REVIEW
putting on the brakes on commercial activity and industrial enter-
prise, is a question which will continue to be canvassed by close
students of the situation.
A I ANUFACTURERS in this trade, and indeed merchants also,
1VA are frequently prevented from announcing higher prices,
although justified by increased cost, because their competitors re-
fuse to act with them in this matter.
In some cases, manufacturers last year had relatively low cost
material on hand or contracted for at less than current rates,
and were thus enabled to avoid an immediate advance in prices.
The piano merchants, too, on their part, had stocks of goods pur-
chased at less than ruling rates, and so long as they sold them
at a reasonable profit, did not think it well to advance their prices
to the basis of the present costs. However, most contracts on the
old basis of prices have expired, and manufacturers have to face
new conditions, and the probability is that they will not hesitate now
to advance their prices.
T is plain from the action of the manufacturers' representatives
at Cincinnati that the sentiment is universal in favor of ad-
vancing prices, and never before have we known such an unanim-
ity of opinion in this regard. In years gone by many have with-
held from putting up prices, simply because they were afraid of
losing or offending a particular dealer by such action. There is
not, however, to-day the tendency to hedge in this particular. Prices
must go up, that is certain.
T the committee meeting in Cincinnati, Philip Werlein, the
well-known dealer of New Orleans, said that he thought if
the general public was made to understand the piano trade had
backbone enough to raise prices, it would be good for the trade.
Mr. Werlein said the average piano buyer goes down the row with
the idea that the price of one piano is as high as it could possibly
go, and that the price can practically go down to nothing. Mr.
Werlein says that he desired to raise his retail prices at least 10
per cent., and he has desired to be bolstered by the two trade as-
sociations as much as possible, and he favored a resolution, scattered
from one- end of the country to the other, that piano men are going
to raise prices simply because they are compelled to do it by condi-
tions over which they have no control.
That is the kind of talk that will help make it easy for the deal-
ers to raise prices and easy for the manufacturers, too. The people
will soon get used to the new conditions, for the era of higher
prices is with us to stay for some time yet.
W
S
I
HILE there is usually a disposition on the part of the trade
to slacken the pace a little during January, it does not
seem to be the case this year, and strenuous w r ork is in evidence in
every section of the country. We have hardly paused to take breath
before entering upon the active prosecution of the business of the
new year. In January, the opening days of which are generally
characterized by a moderate volume of business, has this year wit-
nessed an exceptionally large trade, and piano manufacturers assert
that they booked more orders in January, 1907, than any previous
January for years. These orders in most cases are to replenish the
depleted stocks in order that the dealers will have a good supply
of instruments on hand at all times. There is a growing belief
that a piano stock should be kept in an attractive form at all seasons.
S
OME manufacturers affirm that they have difficulty in getting
supplies, and with some of them this is the cause of a good
deal of annoyance.
It must be understood that the leading supply factories are as
busy as can be turning out material for piano manufacturers—in
fact, one large action manufacturer remarked the other day that he
had never known a January like the present, where the piano manu-
facturers were crowding him for stock as they are at the present
time.
HARDWARE man recently said to The Review that there
are few hardware commodities which have not changed in
price, and in view of the uncertainties of the market, manufacturers
are taking orders subject to prices ruling at the time of delivery.
Delays in transportation, owing to shortage of cars and equipment
and the overtaxing in some cases of the capacity of the roads, occa-
sion constant annovance to both manufacturers and merchants.
A
HE general feeling on the part of the music trade is that a large
volume of business is positively assured for the first half
of the year with a probability of its continuance provided there
is no reason for serious setback, resulting from an important short-
age in crops. To what extent, and how soon the high range of
prices, and the increased cost of living are going to result in
T
A
INCE the passage of our present bankruptcy act in 1898 there
have been over eight thousand failures both in voluntary and
involuntary bankruptcy in New York City alone. A large number
of them, it is said, were fraudulent. Daily we read of cases where
the fraud is self-evident and where the attorney shows clearly that
the man should be forced to disgorge the gains of his swindling
methods practiced on his creditors. It requires but a small assess-
ment on the creditors, but that little is not forthcoming. .
A curious apathy exists in the trade toward the man whom
they feel assured has deliberately and cunningly stolen their money,
but they refrain from administering the punishment he deserves.
Men who have gone through bankruptcy proceedings to. enrich
themselves at the expense of their creditors, ask for their discharge
and although there is every reason why they should not receive it,
yet the men they have grossly swindled always fail to take the
trouble to file a protest against their restoration to a condition where
they can continue to swindle the public.
When business men look sharper after their credits and ad-
minister at least a semblance of punishment to those who engage
in such fraudulent practices, then complaints will be rare.
PIANO dealer writes to The Review stating that he has much
A Must
trouble in getting in his overdue accounts.
be something wrong with his system. Of course, the
matter of collection of overdue accounts always has been more or
less of an annoying problem, but it is impossible to divorce such a
problem from a modern business. There are some piano merchants
in this country who conduct their business with such absolute pre-
cision and system that but a small percentage of their accounts ever
become long past due. They keep everlastingly at them, and work
on a perfect system which brings results. And certainly in such
times as the present the percentage of overdue accounts should be
reduced to a minimum. There are no clouds, or panics, or labor
troubles to disturb conditions. Men are employed at good wages
and good salaries, and- therefore we may say that there must be
something radically wrong with a system which permits overdue
accounts to get in bad condition when such prosperity prevails all
about us.