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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
There is unquestionably a better feeling in trade circles. Retail
merchants in smaller towns have not felt at any time the disturb-
ance in the same way nor to the same degree as those identified
with larger interests because of their peculiar trade environment,
but all have felt the effect of the stringency in the money market.
Piano men, however, feel that the money stringency is to be
short-lived and bettered .conditions are apparent everywhere. Of
course, the influence of these hard times will prevail to a certain
extent for a while longer. The towns far removed by distance and
type of life from the cities protected and dominated by clearing
houses, bankers associations, realize that there has been a sudden
interruption to the prosperity of a short time ago. Delusions have
been shattered. We are not moving crops whether of grain or
cotton on account of the financial situation. Difficulty in collec-
tions, curtailments of expenditure on the part of people are the
many intimations to the merchants generally that for a time at least
there is a lessening volume of trade.
Under the present conditions retail piano merchants, like mer-
chants in other lines, are buying only in such quantities as are
needed to supply present demands, without the usual liberal provi-
sion for future business requirements. A good many piano manu-
facturers have received cancellations from dealers. This is but
natural, for the dealers who are in close touch with the people are
aware that the streams of finance are being blocked and until the
stoppage is removed they propose to go light on purchases so as
not to largely increase their financial obligations. The demands,
therefore, made upon manufacturers are naturally limited. There
is a disposition generally to be conservative. There is, too, a gen-
eral recognition that things in the money market are in better con-
dition than a week ago. With the opening of the New Year there
will be an improvement in conditions generally, and a resumption
of purchases on a large scale.
N
OW, what is your duty in the present situation? Be optimis-
tic ; be cheerful; don't go about with a long face and look
as if the world was going to come to an end. The first thing you
do, go out and buy a carnation and put it in your buttonhole, and
do this for thirty days, and it will surely pay. Let your customers
see that you know that trade conditions will soon right themselves.
The good Lord has blessed the farmers with ample crops and at
high prices. They have plenty of money, and with $100,000,000 of
new gold coming into the country, our bank reserves will increase;
with the lessening of premium and new currency issued, those who
have selfishly hoarded currency will release it; and, greater than
all, with the slackening of industry, the demand for currency will
rapidly decrease, and Clearing House certificates and pay checks
will be a memory. The sun shines, smile, and above all hustle,
work.
Henry Siegel says: While character, ability, personality and
ambition may help to success in the department store field, no single
one of these things, or combination of two or three, or the posses-
sion of all four, will bring success unless they are held together by
fifth—the keystone, "work."
E
VERY trade publication, even one with an imperfect organi-
zation and second rate enterprise, is generally aware of con-
templated moves in the industry if they are of sufficient importance
to have created trade comment. But injury is frequently done by
too previously rushing into print with statements of projected
moves before the moves are really made. Through this policy
too often great harm is done to business interests and bitter per-
sonal feeling engendered. Trade moves which were on the verge
of consummation have frequently been abandoned because publica-
tions have been more anxious to rush into print with lurid state-
ments than they have been desirous of serving the legitimate in-
terests of their constituents. We belong to that old-fashioned school
where it is taught that trade papers are supposedly published in
the interests of the particular trades which they represent, and hav-
ing imbued these principles for many years we believe in them and
through nearly thirty years of journalistic life we have held to the
fixed principle that the time to publish a fact concerning individuals
or corporations is after the occurrence has actually taken place and
not before. The publication of rumors is often fraught with great
danger. A too previous announcement of business moves should
not be confronted etaion etaoin shrdlu cmfwyp cmfwyp cmfwyp
not be confounded with alertness and journalistic enterprise.
IN LIGHTER VEIN
Just hustle, whistle, smile and look happy. .
Some men are original enough not to try to be.
Are you dead freight or are you a live locomotive?
Do you burn time as other dissipaters burn money?
Let the knocker knock, but retuiraeth not the knock.
Do you waste other men's time by interrupting their work?
The timid men are now engaged in frightening one another.
Don't listen to the rumor monger in these times. Avoid him.
Are you doing your full share towards a restoration of confidence?
The right name for the recent crisis is the grand larceny panic.
Why waste a day on a matter that deserves only an hour's attention?
Now the panic is on the run, give it a good kick and keep it running.
Did you ever hear a really strong man boast of his accomplishments?
The successful salesman should know human nature both brain and
head sides*
The man who knows the art of asking a price doeB not suffer from
competition.
A padded expense account is a sign that somebody has lost a keen
appreciation of honor.
The capitalist does not now foreclose mortgages on prairie farms—
he borrows money from their owners.
Every minute devoted to improving the quality of your selling talk
will save hours of labor in getting orders.
Sympathize with your customers when they insist on telling you their
troubles, but don't retaliate by asking them to sympathize with you.
Will any of the ministers who protest against the new gold coins
because the old motto has been omitted refuse to accept them on their
collection plates?
It costs a thousand millions a year to support the Wall Street pro-
moters and high financiers and the whole country is milked to pay for it.
SURE THING.—Suspicious Dealer—I believe that fellow who is fight-
ing us on that sale has something hidden up his sleeve.
Facetious Piano Salesman—I happen to know he has.
S. D—What is it?
F. P. S.—His arm.
...
ON BUSINESS PRINCIPLES.—The musician was visibly annoyed.
"But hang it all," he said, "I told your reporter three or four times
over that the violin I used was a genuine Stradivarius, and here in his
report this morning there's not a word, not a word."
With a scornful laugh the editor replied:
"That is as it should be, sir. When Mr. Stradivarius gets his fiddle
advertised in this paper under $2 a line, you come around and let
me know."
THE WORRY METHOD.—After taking anti-fat treatment for a
week, an obese piano dealer received a bill.
"But, doctor," he protested, "I haven't lost an ounce. The bill is
too big."
"The bill," the doctor informed him, curtly, "ia part of the treatment."
Hotel Clerk—What did the great singer wish?
:
Bell Boy—He rang to see if there was any one in the hotel who
would run over a few things with him.
Hotel Clerk—Send up a chauffeur.
•
HIS DAUGHTER'S QUESTION.—Some little while ago a piano dealer
who did some scribbling at odd moments, visited a Jail in order to
take notes for an article on prison life for his local paper. On return-
ing home he described the horrors he had seen, and his description made
a deep impression on the mind of his little daughter. The piano man
and his offspring, a week later, were in a train together, which stopped
at a station near a gloomy building. A man asked:
"What place is that?"
"The county jail," another answered promptly.
Whereupon the young girl embarrassed her father and aroused the
suspicions of the other occupants of the car by asking, in a loud, shrill
voice:
"Is that the jail you were to, father?"
^