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THE.
A NEWSY LETTER FROM JAPAN.
Useless to Fight the Counterfeit Labels in the
Island Empire—The Japanese Using the
Trade-Marks of Old Established Firms at
Will—Have Put Forth a Few Pianos, and no
American Manufacturer Who Has Worked
Up a World-Wide Reputation Is Safe from
Japanese Trade-Mark Frauds—Trade Condi-
tions Are Not Satisfactory—Island Is Ready
to Fight But Hasn't the Money.
(Special to The Review. 1
Yokohama, Japan, Nov. 17, 1907.
The future is not so bright along the piano or
organ lines here. Four factories have recently
closed their doors, while the retail stores all
, report having no money to buy with. This con-
dition seems general. The idea of war with
the States is not looked upon here seriously, for
the reason that Japan lacks capital for promot-
ing the same. If she had the capital, perhaps
conditions might be different, as the Japanese
are in the hands of their friends (the military
party), who are honestly of the opinion they are
invincible, and that the time is ripe for Japan
to show her authority over the entire Far East,
and at the same time teach the other part of
the world that no discrimination is for a mo
ment to be considered.
It is the general opinion here, even with the
native press, that too much is being spent on the
army and navy and too little on industrials. A
foreigner knows nothing as to the interior work-
ings of these people, but the future does not
appear bright, from a monetary standpoint. The
amounts set aside for military purposes are in-
creased, while to meet the deficit nearly all gov-
ernment undertakings have been either stopped
or set aside for the present.
No doubt Japan desires first to put herself on
a safe war footing with any nation of the world,
and keep herself in constant readiness to strike
a blow at the appointed time. After this has
been accomplished, no doubt better times can be
expected in Japan.
Last year my report was filled with encour-
agement over the outlook for the piano and
organ trade for Japan. Aside from phonographs,
etc., the trade is about as bad as it possibly can
be; all because there is an absence of capital.
Of late it has become the common talk through-
out Japan that it is a waste of expense fighting
a counterfeit label in the courts, as well as a
duplication of names used by foreign firms. This
was illustrated recently when a suit was brought
by James Buchanan & Co., Ltd., the well-known
Scotch whiskey distillers, against a local con-
cern for a glaring infringement of their label.
In the lower courts it was decided that as long
as the small cut in the upper corner of the dia-
mond label was not the same &a the infringing
one there was no infringement. The Supreme
Court, however, overruled this decision in the
lower court, holding the label to be an infringe-
ment, but strange to say did not decide the
case in favor of Buchanan & Co., claiming the
plaintiff had no standing, on the grounds that
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made, good
instruments; in other words, the
sweetest things out.
IVlLJSlC
the defendant stated he did not imitate, and that
the similarity was brought about by his taking
the original label because it was a good seller,
not knowing that it was registered. The couit,
therefore, dismissed the case with costs to the
plaintiff, characterizing "the case as lost. ' In
view of this it is hardly surprising that papers
throughout the world should be commenting
upon the lack of protection vouchsafed foreign
houses doing business in this country. Indeed,
American and English houses feel that this
matter of "stealing" their property is of suffi-
cient importance to be taken up by the govern-
ments of these countries.
The Japanese are making great inroads into all
of the exports to China from the States, es-
pecially in cotton goods, using the trade-marks
of old-established firms, and while our trade is
only interested in pianos and organs, yet a
united move should be started in all lines of
trade to combat this evil.
We have here a rule the Japanese do not fol-
low. First we had the labor troubles at 'Frisco,
Japan demanding that her people be given en-
trance and protection; then we had in Japan a
similar condition. Owing to increase of wages
here, the Chinese commenced an invasion of
Japan, and because they underbid the established
scale of wages of the Japanese they were at once
deported back to China, as same was against the
laws of Japan for foreigners to come to this soil
and do manual labor at so much per day, out-
side of the sections set aside where foreigners
could reside. A flat contradiction of the de-
mands they are making on the States! Secondly,
we now have the Japanese making a protest
against the Chinese, who are imitating their
Japanese labels in China and selling Chinese
goods as Japanese makes. In other words, we
find two conditions being fought out by the Japa-
nese, one pushing their interests in foreign lands,
and their courts at home refusing to grant the
same conditions on one excuse or another.
Already pianos are being exported with names
of standard makers, and as the lines are small
at present no attention is being given to same,
but when too late the export trade of America
will learn that the Japanese are great workers
and live for a great future.
Recently the local papers had a long article
on foreign investments in Japan, and the way
they were protected after the investment was
made secure. This seems to have been one of the
greatest knocks to foreign investment and pro-
tection there thus far administered to these
people.
IS A PIANO HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE?
This Knotty Question So Confounds Three
Justices That They Adjourn to Consider It.
The three justices sitting in Special Sessions—
McKean, Mayo and Deuel—have been called upon
to decide whether a piano and a piano stool come
under the general heading of "household fur-
niture" as defined by the Penal Code.
W. A. Farrell. of the Fidelity Loan Associa-
tion, is on trial for violating the "usury law,"
which makes it a misdemeanor to take a chattel
mortgage on household furniture and charge
more than six per cent, interest. Mrs. Grace
Hennan, a young widow, said she secured a loan
of $25 on a piano and stool for two months and
that Farrell charged her $6 interest. Farrell
said he charged her only $2.
The Court was in a quandary when the prose-
cution maintained that the articles constituted
household furniture.
"We cannot decide this offhand," said Justice
McKean, and an adjournment was taken.
W. F. Mauldin, a jeweler of Tombstone, Ariz.,
has recently added a sheet music department to
his business and contemplates adding a line of
small goods.
RUDOLF PIANO CO.
458 E. 144th Street,
NEW YORK.
11
TRADE
W. H. Lighty will open his new store at Han-
ford, Cal., with a comfortable stock of pianos
and musical merchandise on hand. He hopes to
build up a. good trade.
SomeTrade"Straws"
Here are some excerpts taken at random
from the many letters which we have re-
ceived from dealers, toners and salesmen
who enthusiastically endorse "Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building."
Here is what the Phillips & Crew Co.,
Savannah, Ga., one of the leading firms in the
South, say regarding "Theory and Practice oJ
Pianoforte Building":
"We beg to hand you herewith our check
for $2 to cover cost of one copy of "Theory
and Practice of Pianoforte Building," which
has been received with thanks. The book is all
that you claim it to be and should find a ready
place with all those connected with the trade.
With our very best wishes, we beg to remain,"
etc.
George Rose, of the great English house
of Broadwood & Sons, and one of the lead-
ing piano makers of Europe, writes :
"I have perused the book with much pleas-
ure, and Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building' should be in the hands of every prac-
tical and interested man in the trade."
H. A. Brueggemann, a dealer in Fort
Wayne, Ind., writes: "I have one of your
books, 'Theory and Practice of Pianoforte
Building,' and will say that it is just the kind
of a book I have been looking for for many
years. I have been tuning pianos for fourteen
rears, and from studying the book, 'Theory ana
Practice of Pianoforte Building,' I have
learned something that 1 never knew before."
John G. Erck, for many years manager ot
the Mathushek & Son retail piano business,
and now manager of the piano department ol
a big store in Cleveland, writes: "You cer-
tainly deserve strong commendation, for your
latest effort. 'Theory and Practice of Piano-
forte Building* is a book written in such an
instructive and concise form that certainly no
piano player or piano professional enthusiast
should lack it in his or her library. It gives
to the salesman the highest knowledge of in-
struments and is invaluable."
Henry Keeler, of Grafton, W. Va., says: "I
most heartily congratulate you for launching
such a worthy book. I consider it the best
work ever written upon the subject, and 1
hope that its ready sale will cause the reprint
of many editions."
George A. Witney, head of the Brockport
Piano Mfg. Co., himself being a scale draughts-
man of national repute, writes: " ' Theory and
Practice of Pianoforte Building' is a valuable
book for those interested in piano construc-
tion."
Every man, whether manufacturer,
scale draughtsman,superintendent,
dealer, or|salesman, should own
a copy of the first work of its kind
in the English language.
The price for single copies delivered to
any part of the United States, Canada
and Mexico is $2. All other countries,
on account of increased postage, $2.20.
If the book Is not desired after examination, money
will be refunded.
EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
1 MADISON AVE., NEW YORK CITY