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THE MUSIC TRADE
plenty of money in the country, only it is not performing its proper
function. The banks are holding reserves which are far in excess
of what the law requires, and if business men everywhere would
urge upon their local banks the necessity of getting out this money
and making it perform its proper functions they would at least assist
in restoring business to its normal condition.
S
O far as this trade newspaper institution is concerned we pro-
pose not to slacken in our efforts in the slightest to assist in
bringing about bettered conditions. The trade papers, which are
widely read by business men, can exert a powerful influence for
good or for evil, and the paper which is destructive in its policy is
not performing its proper function. Whether times are good or
bad there is no slackening of efforts here. On the contrary, more
money is expended, and greater efforts are put forth to create a
better paper in character and contents than ever before.
We believe in such times as we have gone through the real
test of a newspaper institution is shown. The size of The Review
was not decreased in the slightest and every department was main-
tained to the fullest point of efficiency. Most of our clients view
the situation correctly and as shrewd business men they realize
that if the manufacturers themselves withdraw from legitimate
lines of publicity, unless they are actually compelled to for
financial reasons, they are adopting an unwise policy, for no sooner
is a man withdrawn from public notice than he is forgotten. It's
a busy world and there are plenty of men who figure that the
present is one of the best times for publicity. We have already
arranged some splendid campaigns for the New Year. It is
certain from the present outlook that the energetic, progressive
men will take advantage of the present conditions and will gain
much publicity and considerable ascendancy over their less am-
bitious rivals.
There will be some changes during 1908 and it is perfectly
true that a number of concerns will forge rapidly ahead and will
gain a prestige and popularity for their product through the adop-
tion of up-to-date systematic plans. They realize that after all the
strain which we have gone through will mean a greater strength
and solidity for the piano trade generally and they propose to take
the fullest advantage of it.
HEN we compare the factory capacity of 1905 with the past
year it will be found that we have added greatly to our
creative facilities in the way of factory additions. A number of
manufacturers found it necessary in order to keep pace with their
growing trade to build large additions to their factories and some
of these have not been required during the past year. There will
probably be a very small percentage of increase in a manufacturing
way during the New Year, but as far as the factories are concerned
little growth will be evidenced.
W
ISREPRESENTATION is carefully avoided in all adver-
tisements put out by the better class of advertisers.
Advertising is a more or less immeasurable thing, even to the pro-
fessional eye, and to the public mind its quantity is gauged by
general impression rather than by exact amount. There are ad-
vertisers to-day who are credited, even by experts in the advertising
world, with spending a quarter of a million a year and over when,
as a matter of fact, they are spending not to exceed $150,000.
There are others whose actual expenditure does not reach $20,000,
who are credited with spending $50,000 to $60,000, and so on, down
the line there are quite a number of smaller concerns who make
quite a respectable showing in the various papers on a comparatively
small outlay.
There should be no great retrenchments along lines of publicity,
particularly when the advertising expenditures are judicious and
conservative. Advertising should be pushed with strong follow-up
literature and with sales force. Every piano salesman should read
the kind of advertising which his firm and others in his locality put
forth daily. Not to be posted on advertising is to show a very vital
defect in one's makeup. It is only recently that we heard a man-
ager discussing the advertising which his firm put forth that day
and two of the salesmen had not even read the advertisement. Still
some people wonder why they don't get on in this world. Alert-
ness must be in evidence in these progressive days if success is to
win.
M
REVIEW
IN LIGHTER VEIN
Push the collection end to beat the band.
Get pleasure out of your business. It certainly owes you tnat.
The business skies are brightening.
shine.
Don't try to keep out the sun-
The old year gave us a bad rattle towards its close, but the total
was not so ibad.
You can't run your business machinery without keeping it well oiled
by liberal advertising. •
In cutting down the waste don't pare to the point of ruining the
efficiency of the sales force.
During the little lull after the first of the year will be a good time
to look into business details.
It's dollars to doughnuts that the term special brand will long outlive
the word "stencil" as applied to pianos of indefinite origin.
Nineteen hundred and seven, "when all the returns are in will not
be such a bad year after all, only we suffered many disappointments
towards the close.
No matter how much your advertising appropriation was last year it
furnishes no reason why you should not foe liberal in your expenditures
during the new year.
It's publicity of the right kind which will help many a man to make
1908 a record-breaker. The shrewd men know full well the increased
value of advertising when the other fellows are not all going in so largely.
UNSELFISH TEARS.—President Samuel P. Colt, of the United States
Rubber Company, was discussing in New York the amica,ble trade agree-
ment that has been made between his firm and the International Rubber
Company.
"It is best," he said, "for competitors to agree to be fair and honest
with one another, and this agreement of ours is a fair and honest one.
It is not like those wherein two rivals, while pretending to be fair, yet
knife one another continually in the back. Such hypocritical agreements
remind me of two children, two little boys I know.
"They were lunching, Billy and Jack, and when the butler brought
on the dessert it was seen that there was only one orange in the fruit
basket. Instantly Billy, the larger boy, set up a loud bawling.
'• 'Now, what's the matter?' said the governess. 'What are you crying
about, Billy?'
" 'I'm cryin',' Billy answered, 'because there's no orange for Jack.' "
WHEN DAKIN COMES TO TOWN.—Here's one close to the people.
The Minnesota Budget says: Dakin came up from Breckenridge yester-
day, and, in addition to his heavy land business and big grip, he carries
the huskiest handshake extant. It begins with a rushing of sleeves, fol-
lowed by a gathering of the phalanges and a peculiar biffski sound seems
to kick out between the knuckles like the heels of a sportive broncho.
Don't look at your hand—you can't see it; it's bundled up in a pile of
digits as carefully as a new-born babe. Your fist is flying up and down
like the head of a lemonade shaker; around and around like a windmill,
or back and forth as though you were a slide tromboner playing a grand
solo. Presently your whole body seems to join in the greeting. Your
muscles twitch and dance until the arms and legs are working overtime,
and then some. You hear the music and choose your partner. The caller
is going full blast and a fight is going on over in the corner. When you
finally come back to earth it is -with the pleasant assurance that S. T.
Dakin is one of the inhabitants thereof.
HERE'S ONE ON FREDERIC REMINGTON, THE ARTIST.—One
day when recently in the Grand Central Station on his way to his home
in New Rochelle, a Bostonian caught sight of him, and said to a friend
from Chicago who was with him: "Why, there is Frederic Remington!"
"Where?" asked the pork packer.
"That man coming this way. Shall I introduce you?"
"Bet your life. No man I'd like better to see."
"I had no idea you cared so much for his work."
"Care for it! Nothing like it; knocks the spots off of everything
else in the line."
The man of culture presented the Chicagoan. "Proud to meet you.
Remington is a great name with me."
"Indeed," said Mr. Remington.
"That's right. My wife will be glad I've run across you. She used
to be my stenographer; liked your machine mighty well. I never use
any other, and if you want a recommend from
"
Mr. Remington turned away.
When the Bostonian recovered he explained things. "Artist? Oh.
Lord. One of them chromo men, I thought be invented the typewriter.
Now, wouldn't that kill you?"