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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
to think about bicycles, and after a while the bicycle took its place
as a necessity, to be used by men in the country towns to and from
the workshops and offices, and if the great advertisers in the music
trade—manufacturers of pianos and piano players—were to with-
draw absolutely from advertising from the periodicals of great cir-
culation for twelve months, every piano merchant in America would
be crying dull trade, and wondering what had had suddenly floored
the business.
W
E owe to our great advertisers more than simply good will,
because they are the real stimulators of trade and in-
dustry. They make' people think along special lines, and when the
minds are active, there is every probability that trade will be the
direct result.
The piano player itself never would have assumed the popu-
larity which it has won were it not for the advertising power behind
it. It is true that the manufacturers profit by the market created,
but they have the nerve to stand up and spend money in a most
liberal manner to create the demand, knowing that their profit is
indirect, and that every other player manufacturer will in a measure
profit by their expenditures.
Take the talking machine men. It is almost impossible to
pick up a magazine of great circulation without discovering in a
prominent place the advertisement of some of the leading talking
machine manufacturers; in fact, three leading concerns spend a
comfortable fortune annually in advertising. It has paid, of course.
The factories have been working day and night to keep up with the
demand, and yet there are plenty of people who spoke slightingly
of the talking machine, and said that it was only a fad and its
existence would be short lived. They only took a purely superficial
view of it. It has become not only a great entertainer, but an
educator and a companion of the business man as well, and it is
maintained well to the forefront by persistent, generous, forceful
advertising. If the great houses should withdraw their patronage
for six months, the talking machine men throughout all the country
would be wondering what had struck the business.
CAUSE OF IT.
Does the sweat roll down your brow?
"Humidity."
Do you feel on fire now?
"Humidity."
It used to be the sun
That cooked the race well done,
But now they tell each one:
"Humidity."
IN TROUBLE.—"That yacht is flying a flag of distress."
"What does she signal?"
"Wants to know if we have a corkscrew aboard."—Washington
Herald.
A DEAD 'UN, SURE.—Billings—You are the last man to play the
races. What do you know about horseflesh, anyway?
Stillson—I ought to know a good deal about it. I was in the army
and lived on salt horse for months at a time.
HE'LL GET OVER IT IN TIME.—"Jimmy won't speak to that new
lady in the next flat."
"Has she scolded him?"
"No; he's mad at her because she has three little girls and no boy."
INSULT TO INJURY.
B
UT talking machine men do not propose to stop advertising.
They are too keen for that. The Victor Talking Machine
Mabtl—As our engagement is broke.
Mr. Casey, yon can take back yer old
Co. state in an announcement issued this week that they will in-
ring.
Bobby (to his sailor uncle)—Are you an
Mike—After yer wore the gold all
old sea dog?
crease their advertising appropriation for the season by $150,000.
off? No! I t waz only a cheap ring
Sailor Uncle—Yes, that's what they calls
This princely sum, in addition to their now existing contracts, will
anyhow, as I didn't intend this to be a
me.
long engagement.—Illustrated Bits.
Bobby—Well, then, let's hear you bark.
reach a figure that is staggering to the ordinary piano man. The
YOUTHFUL
ASPIRATIONS.—Small
Trustee (at a school examina-
Victor people realize that advertising pays, and they propose to
tion)—And
what
do
you
hope
to
be,
my
little
fellow, when you grow up?
interest millions of people in their product and keep the interest
Little Fellow (eyeing him disdainfully)—A man please God!
well maintained at all times. All concerns, of course, cannot go in
so largely, but if any man is in business he can afford to advertise.
THE SECRETARY AND THE PIE.—"Secretary Wilson is saying
I
F advertising is good in a large way, it is good in a smaller way,
and every piano merchant can do something to help out his
own business interests by modest expenditures during the summer
months, for it has been clearly proven that business can be done
during the summer as well as winter. It has been proven that
advertising is a powerful force in creating business, and that even
the greatest cities which people are supposed to be fleeing from,
during the summer, are still fruitful fields for the retail music
dealer, provided that he doesn't forget that he is conducting a busi-
ness establishment.
S
UPPOSE it is hot; suppose people are languid and they don't
want to talk business. There are many ways to interest them.
The automobile can be brought into play and used cleverly as a
helpful aid to business—a little run in the country with a possible
purchaser. After a refreshing ride for a few miles, and you have
arrived either at home or wareroom, it may be that you will be in
good trim to interest the prospect in a business deal. It is a fact
that the brain works better in hot weather than in cold. We may
not be able to cut ice in the summer, but we can do a lot of things
which will brace business up if we only get out of touch with the
old time belief that business should be permitted to languish be-
cause it is hot. A man will do plenty of work in the winter months
and never think of complaining, and yet a little additional exertion
in the summer will put him out of tune with things. The whole
thing is due to habit. We have gotten into that habit, and the
sooner we get out of it the better it will be for business all round.
hard things about the American pie."
"Does he include the pie of the New England pie belt?"
"No, I think not. I believe he is hitting the Washington pie."
"Then that isn't sportsmanlike."
"What isn't sportsmanlike?"
"To hit the pie below the belt."
AWFUL HARDSHIP.—"It's easy to get a divorce in South Dakota,
isn't it?"
"I should say not."
"Why, they only require a short residence."
"Yes, but you have to stay in South Dakota meanwhile, don't you?"
Andrew Lang says that a Scotchman who understands the distinction
between "will" and "shall" is not a good Scotchman. He tells of a Scotch
reporter who had joined the staff of an English newspaper. His first
night on duty he knocked on the editor's door and asked:
"Will I come in?"
"God knows," replied the editor.
Orestes Hamham (at peep hole in theatre curtain)—I tell you, we
told the truth when we advertised to give the biggest show on earth for
the least money!
Horatio Nightstand—We did?
Orestes Hamham (tragically)—Yes. The entire receipts for to-night's
entertainment will be less than two dollars and twenty-five cents.—Brook-
lyn (N. Y.) Eagle.
QUANTITY PREFERRED TO QUALITY.—A friend recently did a
favor for a Topeka drug store proprietor.
"To show you that I appreciate the favor," said the druggist, "I will
make you a present of this quart bottle of fine ten-year-old whiskey.
"If it's all the same to you," replied the friend, licking his lips, "I'd
rather you'd make it two quarts of a five-year-old."—Topeka Capital.