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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
E
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPELLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GBO. B. KELLER,
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON.
EMILIE FBANOBS BAUBB,
L. B. BOWERS, B. BRITTAIN WILSON, WM. B. WHITE, L. J. CHAMBERLIN, A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
ERNEST L. WAITT, 278A Tremont S t
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TELEPHONES : Central 414; Automatic 8643.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
PHILADELPHIA :
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
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CHAS. N. VAN BUREN.
S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI. O.: NINA PUGH-SMITH.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND:
69 Baslnghall St., E. C.
W. Lionel Sturdy, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York.
Entered at the New Y0rk Pest Office ms Sec$nd Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION. (Including postage). United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50 ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Directory of Plaao
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
_:
~ "
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
MinnUclnren
-
f o r de alers and others.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal.. . S t Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 1745 and 1761 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable address: " Elblll New York."
NEW YORK,
OCTOBER 5, 1907
EDITORIAL,
RECENT survey of the trade situation in the Middle West
shows an excellent state of affairs in that section. While it
is true the crops are not up to the standard of last year and some
have been curtailed in a degree on account of the early frosts, yet
the returns to the farmers will be excellent and the best section
of the country for trade during the next few months will be the
great agricultural region stretching from Louisiana to the British
line and from Pennsylvania through to the Rockies.
While the piano trade depends in a large degree upon the
trade of the great cities yet the agricultural sections of the country
will be big purchasers of musical instruments this year. As a
matter of fact the Savings Bank reports in the various cities show
that the farmers would have good purchasing power even if they
had no crops this year. They have plenty of reserve strength and
are now more than ever inclined to buy those articles- for home
adornment which a few years ago seemed far beyond their reach.
Thousands of pianos will be sold to the farmers this year, and with
steady employment of labor in the great cities at splendidly remun-
erative wages, there seems to be no reasonable doubt why trade
should not be good all around.
A
VEN John D. Rockefeller's job, with all its perquisites, does
not look altogether good nowadays.
The present investigation of the Standard Oil Company has
accomplished two notable results. It has caused the public to gasp
at the size of the Standard's subsidiary companies' profits, the pro-
portions of which have been guessed at before, but which now
appear in cold print. Secondly, it has given certain prominent New
York financiers and speculators who have been earned to their
present altitudinous position in the financial world by the success
of the Standard Oil Company an excuse for impotent rage against
the Administration at Washington. The great oil concern is an-
other instance of the pains and privileges of martyrdom. It seems
to be suffering the one and enjoying the other to the limit at the
present time.
Just now we refuse to become panic stricken and bring on that
period of hard times which even Wall Street does not really want,
but for the rigors of which that petty community would find some
consolation in the loss of popularity which it is supposed a period
of industrial depression would inflict upon the President. How-
ever, his position is too prominently fixed in the hearts of the people
to be easily shaken, and with good crops and excellent trade condi-
tions the country is moving steadily ahead.
I
T is frequently remarked that all the world loves a lover, and
while the truth of that old saying may be queried, no one doubts
for a moment that all the world loves a fighter, and certainly the
music trade world entertains a great deal of respect for that talented
fighter, Captain J. A. H. Dressel, manager of Madison Square
Garden.
Captain Dressel last year established the first music trade show
ever held in America. Like most innovations upon established cus-
toms the proposition was accepted by the music trade with some
doubt, but the manager went steadily ahead with his arrangements
and held a show last year which attracted a good deal of attention
in Madison Square Garden. Of course the financial success of this
enterprise as far as the Garden interests were concerned was not
in evidence, but Captain Dressel, undaunted, announced that another
show would be held in 1907. He at once assigned dates, and space
was secured by exhibitors for the second Music Trade Show which
closed last week.
As far as the financial returns of this music show to the Garden
owners is concerned it is obvious that the profits do not exist, but
Captain Dressel resolutely faces the future strictly adhering to his
original declaration that the Music Show shall be a permanent fea-
ture and announces that another will be held in 1908 at a somewhat
later date in the year than the one which has recently closed. He
figures that cooler weather will bring out greater crowds.
I
N a review of the Music Trade Show it is well to consider the
matter from the viewpoint of the individual exhibitor. Has
it been profitable and will they continue? The best proof of the
paying qualities of the Show to the exhibitors is seen in the fact
that nearly every exhibitor who had space last year exhibited the
present year and many have stated to The Review that their returns
both in direct sales and prospects which have materialized during
the year have been of such value to them that the investment has
proved most profitable. In other words, the expense incident to
the preparation and maintenance of the exhibits has been more than
made good by the actual monetary returns in sales. That would
seem in itself to be sufficient returns to justify the placing of average
exhibits. It is not, therefore, a question of who exhibits, but how
ITH but few exceptions most of the piano factories in the many firms are there and what it pays them.
various sections of the country are busy, and there is a
Quite a number of dealers from various sections of the country
constantly growing demand for the finished product. It would now
have visited the Music Trade Show, and some of the exhibitors not
seem that some concerns will materially increase their output over
only closed good retail sales, but they have succeeded in making
last year while, of course, there are others who will fall somewhat
territorial arrangements with new trade.
below the record of 1906. This does not seem the proper time,
Next year the undaunted Captain Dressel proposes to have a
however, for anyone to entertain doubts as to the business future.
number of original features which will not only attract trade inter-
If we all have confidence in the general conditions as they exist
ests, but will draw outsiders in greater numbers than ever before.
to-day it will help materially to make business, and there is no good
No one who knows Captain Dressel can doubt the originality of the
reason outside of the district immediately affected by the fever of
man in bringing out new features. So the Music Trade Show, far
speculation to doubt the security of business interests. The men from dropping out, seems to-day a strong feature among the many
who have been going right ahead creating stock are the ones who
shows which occur annually in Madison Square Garden.
will reap their full share of the prosperity which seems to'be going
One of the manufacturers stated to The Review that his returns
around.
this year from the exhibit had more than surpassed his most san-
W
.