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THE
MUSIC TRADE. REVIEW
RMLW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
GEO. B. KEI.I.ER,
L. E. HOWEUS,
W. II. D I K E S ,
F. H. THOMPSON.
J. HAYDEN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. J. CHAMHERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. V. VAN IIAIU.INUEN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TKI.KI-HONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8643.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
BOSTON OFFICE:
EnNEST L. WAITT, 278A Tremont St.
PHILADELPHIA:
K. W. KAUFF.MAN.
AiiOi.K KDSTIIN.
CHAS. N. VAN BURBN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. II. GUAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI, O.: NINA PITCH-SMITH.
BALTIMORE. MD.: A. ROKKRT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: (iiHtasinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
he must do it in an up-to-date manner, and if he permits his ware-
rooms to become denuded of stock, it immediately has a repellant
effect upan trade. Customers like to enter bright, attractive ware-
rooms, and there is nothing which assists in sales-making more than
a bright, fresh stock of pianos with a smart environment. If stocks
are run too low, it gives the rooms a dilapidated appearance, and
does not impress the customer. We advise piano merchants of the
country not to go to any extreme in curtailing purchases; it does
not pay to over-stock, but there is business which should be secured,
and plenty of orders should be placed so' that bright new stock is
constantly coming into the warerooms. Again the fact that people in
the smaller cities see Messrs. Hustle & Pleasem receiving fresh piano
stock frequently, helps their trade. Passers by note the boxes on
the sidewalk in front of their do"or, they figure that the proprietors
must be hustlers, that their establishment is up-to-date, and the very
fact that they are receiving stock frequently helps to develop the
purchasing fever. The business situation of 1908 should be faced
intelligently, and piano men should be careful not to run too short
of stock.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
t';ni;nl;i. .<:'..:>n ; ;ill 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, $00.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in, other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
I-yman Hill.
Music Publishers'
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
Department *»• ^» ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand I'rix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma. Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. . . .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW
YORK,
MARCH
21, 1908
EDITORIAL
HERE is no mistaking the fact that business is showing steady
improvement. Our reports from every section of the country
indicate a decided betterment of trade, and it is most gratifying to
record the optimistic expressions anent trade which are steadily
coming in to 1 us. It is a mighty good thing to have business bracing
up, because running expenses are g°ing on all of the time, and there
are certain fixed expenditures that cannot be changed, therefore
the profits of the year will be materially lessened on account of
reduced output and a non-reduction in running expenses.
It should be understood in such times as these that every
avenue through which trade can be procured must be kept open,
and the man who does not follow a progressive policy and does less
advertising than formerly will unquestionably find that his economy
is expensive in the end, for the man who makes the greatest effort
in an intelligent manner will reap the greatest business harvest.
Tt does not pay to* scatter the seed too sparingly else the reaping
will not be worth the while.
T
T
HAT there is a disposition on the part of the daily papers to
treat special lines of industry in a broader manner than for-
merly is obvious. Time was when the name of a piano which was
used by great artists on the concert platform was religiously ex-
cluded from the critic's report. There seemed to be an unwritten
law among publishers that no notice should be given to the piano
which was the medium that enabled the artist to accomplish these
wonderful results which captivated the musical public. It would
be commercial, of course, to mention the name of a piano, but it
would be quite the thing to work in the name of the automobile
manufacturer as frequently as the reporter desired. The name of
the piano, however, must be carefully expunged, because to mention
it would savor of commercialism, and, of course, the daily papers
are not run for revenue, but for the purpose of enlightenment.
Columns must be given to dog fights and divorce courts, but not a
line to mention the name of a man who created a wonderful piece
of mechanism which enabled the player to portray every mood—
every varying human passion—every emotion. One was necessary
for the public education, the other must be carefully secreted lest
some one would know who made the piano, and that would be
vulgar advertising which would not be tolerated for a moment.
H
APPILY, however, some of the conductors of the daily papers
are beginning to realize the injustice which has been done
piano manufacturers by excluding their names. They have never
hesitated in bygone days to take their dollars, and they never have
extended to them the courtesy of mentioning their name in report-
ing a musical event. However, twentieth century sunshine is light-
ing up a number of corners which have hitherto been in darkness,
and now the conductors of some newspapers like the trust monopo-
lists are beginning to see things in a different light.
During the past year we have noted that a number of leading
publications have departed from their set rules to such an extent
that they have mentioned the names of certain pianos, and in New
York last week The Evening Mail devoted an entire page to the
portrayal of piano making as an art. A number of illustrations of
Weber pianos were shown in conjunction with the article. These
were reproduced in last week's Review, and it should be under-
stood that this did not appear as advertising matter, and we are
glad to give the fullest credit to a New York paper which exhibits
such fair treatment in dealing with the advance which a special
industry has made in the domain of art. Piano making is an art,
and the more the general public is impressed with that belief the
better it is for manufacturers and dealers everywhere.
HERE are, of course, abundant reasons why caution should be
exercised in directing business enterprises. It is not the time
for reckless expenditures, and it is furthermore conceded that pur-
chases along special lines should be curtailed, but there is an ex-
treme point of conservatism that it will not pay to reach in these
times, and every merchant and every manufacturer should see to
it that he doesn't go too far in the direction of cautionary measures.
Remember a starved body results in a decline of health, and even-
HE success or failure of many a retail establishment depends
tually death, and a starved stock results in the decline of trade
very much upon the tact and politeness on the part of sales-
and sometimes in disaster. It does not pay to permit stocks to run
men
who
greet customers. Tf the managers of stores of every kind
too low. There are a good many piano merchants who in their
realize
how
many dollars are lost annually by the tactless manner
endeavors to keep stock down are prone to go to the other extreme
of
employes
in the various departments, there would be classes
of under-buying. Frequently for no reason other than the
established
at
once to teach this most important branch to their
general one that stocks must be reduced they cut already conserva-
salesmen before they admitted them behind the counter or on the
tive orders in half, or veto them altogether. Now such a course
floor. There is no doubt a great many people who come in to shop
for a healthy business is neither wise nor profitable.
around may be impatient, unreasonable and ill-mannered. The
F a merchant, whether engaged in selling pianos, musical mer-
salesman may be a refined gentleman, but which is the one who will
chandise, or other special lines, is going to cater to the public,
bring the money into the store ? The salesman is employed to serve
T
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