Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1908 Vol. 46 N. 22

Page 4 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J . HAYDBN CLARENDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. J. CHAMBERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
GEO. B. KELLER,
L. B. BOWEKS,
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 100 Boylston St. E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Room 806, 156 Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CINCINNATI.O.: BERNARD C. BOWEN.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager
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;
Canada, $3.50 ; all 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, $60.00; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Hill.
Music Publishers'
Department V y*
An interesting feature of this publication is a special depart-
ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
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 a n d 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW
YORK, MAY 30, 1908
EDITORIAL
J
UDGING from indications, the music trade convention, which
occurs in this city next month, will be largely attended. A
good many dealers have announced their intention to visit New
York. Some say that they are not over busy at home and can
well afford the time to weigh up association matters and exchange
views with other business men engaged in the same trade. When
all is said and done perhaps the fact of meeting and obtaining from
each other special views as to the conduct of business is of greater
benefit than all of the resolutions passed by the association. The
spirit of good feeling and camraderie which is developed at the
various meetings has a far reaching effect not only locally, but
nationally, and it would seem with such splendid membership in the
two associations a powerful lot of good should result from such a
rousing gathering of music trade clans as will occur in New York
in June.
Certainly everyone will be made welcome and the hospitality
of New York will not be of a narrow type. It will be generous,
spontaneous and hearty and from indications we are inclined to
think that when the convention has passed into history that the
departing hosts will carry home with them pleasant recollections
of their convention stay in New York during 1908.
H
E would be a pessimist indeed who would cavil at the aims
of the National Prosperity Association, recently organized
in St. Louis for the spirit of confidence and general revival of in-
dustrial and commercial activity. That the idea has caught on with
business men is attested by the endorsements which it has received
from merchants' associations in the various centers throughout the
Union. The association does not urge business men to talk opti-
mism when there is no ground for .it, but it urges the "let alone—
•give us peace" policy. Any organization which has for its aim the
re-establishment of confidence should be supported by every busi-
ness man in the country.
P
Committee of the two music trade associations will not have ex-
tended reports to make.
Of course, to tempt the shy and backward dollar tempting
offers have been made and selling competition has necessarily, been
accentuated through the fear that another may get away with some
business which the other fellow wants, but as far as disreputable
and demoralizing practices are concerned it must be admitted that
the music trade as a whole has pretty thoroughly cleansed itself of
the illicit methods which were formerly employed to make piano
sales, which at times meant the assassination of piano reputation inj,
various cities.
.
'
The associations must primarily be credited with a good deal,
of trade betterment, not accomplished through resolutions passed^
but through a delightful feeling which is engendered when men who
are disposed to be fair meet each other and discuss business and
methods.
CHAS. N. VAN BDREN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
• LONDON, ENGLAND: 6ft Basinghall St., E. C.
REVIEW
RICE wars are not so popular in any trade as formerly and the
competition in the music trade has been remarkably clean
during the past twelve months, and, in our opinion, the Grievance
T
HE commercial and transportation interests of this country are
so completely interwoven that what is injurious to one must
of necessity reflect on the other, and the average business man does
not believe that the present time is a propitious one for.the railroad
companies to advance their freight rates. It would seem as if
the business interests of this country had about all that they could
shoulder with comfort at the present time without assuming a load
caused by increased cost in transportation.
The commercial interests of the country will resist to the ut-
most an advance in freight rates and if the proposed increase be
put into effect the mercantile interests of the country through the
Interstate Commerce Committee have a forum in which the ques-
tion of the reasonableness of any such advance may be adjudicated
and by which any unreasonable increase may be reduced or abol-
ished. If this proposed increase is put in force the manufacturing
and mercantile interests which are close to The Review will be
immediately affected and it will cost piano merchants more to ship
pianos than ever before, and as a matter of fact the freight tariff
on pianos has been higher than conditions warranted for some
time past. Eor many years piano merchants were forced to pay
extremely high rates on pianos. In fact, when the rate was first
established the industry was in an embryo state and it was easy for
the railroads to place any kind of excessive freight rates upon musi-
cal instruments. These rates remained unchanged for many years
while the industry developed at a phenomenal rate. Pianos were
still held at the old schedule, which was glaringly out of all kind of
proportion with the tariff rates on industrial shipments of lesser
importance.
T
H E welfare of every trade, however, is affected by this pro-
posed increase in the freight tariff. The railroad men present
their side by saying that the continued shrinkage in their gross and
net earnings as assigned to various causes beyond their control has
for many months been a matter of serious comment in transporta-
tion circles and under the present conditions they feel it essential
either to reduce wages or advance their freight rates, as in a num-
ber of states due to the operation of the two-cent law they are
debarred from advancing their passenger rates.
A reduction of wages would deprive numbers of workers of
the very narrow margin they possess above the bare necessities of
existence. Should the railroads nevertheless reduce the wages ,a
strike would ensue and the result would affect not only the railroad
employes, but every citizen in the country. In any case a wage cut
would lessen the consuming power of a large section of our popu-
lation and must necessarily have a depressing effect upon trade.
The over-watered railroads must suffer and the whole thing
resolves itself back to the proposition of squeezing all the water
out of over-capitalized corporations. That was the trouble with
the Metropolitan Railway in our city. Over-capitalization and loot-
ing placed the Metropolitan in a receiver's hands, when if fairly
capitalized it should be among the best paying corporations in the
world.
U
LTIMATELY the advancing of the cost will be paid by the
consumer, and if the advance were added to the income of
the railroads it would place them, it is argued, on the way to in-
creased earnings. This in itself would have an .uplifting effect
upon the business community, who are accustomed to regard rail-
road earnings as a reliable criterion of general conditions.

Page 5 Text:

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE:
MUSIC TRADE
The commercial interests of the country are watching with
considerable nervousness the final decision of the railroads and
when the proposed advances become definitely announced they will
be most carefully scrutinized as to their fairness and general effect
upon the business interests of the country. But argue as we will
from the viewpoint of the railroads and from the viewpoint of the
business men of the country we cannot see that the railroad inter-
ests are justified in advancing the rates when the business condi-
tions are so unsettled and unsatisfactory as they are at the present
time. Everything which will have a tendency to further disturb
the unsettled trade conditions should be eliminated until we get our
breath. The "let alone" plan seems to be an excellent one at the
present time, for what we want is rest, not continual agitation.
O
NE piano dealer recently remarked to The Review that he con-
sidered that his window space was worth one-quarter the
value of his store space. He stated that he worked on this basis
and utilized the window space to make it earn its full proportion
according to his estimate. The success of the window display lies in
the attention which it attracts and in how many goods it will sell.
But in order to make this efficient in every way the window display
should be effective. There are many music trade merchants who
do not fully appreciate the value of an attractive show window.
Now moths and mankind are attracted by light. Make the
store a bright spot by night and by day. If you can have novel
attractions so much the better. Remember that you cannot get
people inside the store if they are not first attracted by the outside.
T
HE new music trade structures which have been erected in
San Francisco since the great fire and earthquake show that
the music trade interests of the Pacific Coast are in harmony with
the other divisions of business interests in that section. Perhaps
there never has 'been a stronger example of the vitality of a special
trade than is evidenced in the strong position which the music
trade structures occupy in the rebuilt San Francisco. The new
buildings put forth are imposing and substantial and San Francisco
is not only proud of what its merchants have done, but the entire
country applauds the indomitable spirit shown by the men in all
lines of business in that stricken city.
The music trade of that city has thrived under most adverse
conditions and the splendid example which San Francisco dealers
have given of courage under almost overwhelming disaster should
act as a stimulating example in every part of the country. The
music trade of the Pacific Coast plays no unimportant part in the
annual distribution of musical instruments throughout the Nation.
T
H R E E conventions in one week—that's going some, and now
for a couple of weeks New York will entertain more people
identified with the music trade than ever before in its history.
There will be no lack of hotel accommodation here, that is certain.
T
HIS week a number of prominent members of the music trade
have left for their annual tour in Europe, and quite a number
are booked for later steamers. The number of music trade repre-
sentatives who will visit Europe this year will be quite up to the
record of former years.
T
HE parcels post plan of the Postmaster-General is pigeonholed
and it is not probable that we will have legislation which pro-
vides for parcels post delivery at this session of Congress, for the
smaller merchants have through their representatives in Congress
been enabled to bring powerful pressure to bear to postpone this
legislation. They have believed that the parcels post plan would
have an unfavorable effect upon their business.
I
T is a business man's business to be cheerful. Laugh and the
world laughs with you. The world likes a winner and ties to
him for luck, therefore it pays to show a merry front and when
you cannot be really cheerful be at least hopeful in your expressions.
Sometimes we meet men who view the world wholly through indigo
hued glasses. They appear as if they had lost all courage and
nearly all hope. They speak dismally, act gloomily and apparently
are gelatine spined. Such men never get on even in good times
and when times are slow they drift further back in the profession.
The world is too busy to pay attention very long to the pessimist.
Men do not wish to hear the woes of life, they prefer to keep away
from the men who can only see disaster ahead.
REVIEW
IN LIGHTER VEIN
No person is so humble as not to have friends to influence.
Success comes to the man who works and not to the man who waits.
The square piano is in line with the hold-up trade journalist.
out of it.
Never be afraid to ask questions.
?ood many things.
Both
It is the only way to find out a
It's the fool who gives overweight and the thief that gives under-
weight. Be square.
<
The popular piano store is usually the one where there is the most
efficient sales service.
The man who tries to excuse himself with "I forgot" has no place
in the modern business world.
Don't allow yourself to get the idea that the reason you are working
is simply to draw your pay every Saturday night.
If you can't earn for your employer more money than he pays you,
how is tie to make any money on your services?
The American people don't like to be humbugged, and further than
that, they catch on mighty quick when anyone tries it.
"One of those fellows t h a t is always doing the wrong thing, eh?"
"Is he? Why, say, thft fellow would put a frieze around a hothouse."
"Dear, I ^nly play nnker for fun."
"But you bet, don't you?"
"Well, there wouldn't be any fun without a little betting."
\
No. there has not been jip to date a National Association of Music
Trade Journalists. Too bad, for an accurate report of the proceedings
would probably furnish mighty interesting reading.
"Hey! wa't?" cried the first boy, "ain't yer vaccination healed up
yet?" "Naw!" replied the other. "Huh! don't it make yer mad?" "Naw!
de doctor told mom I musn't take a bath till It's all healed."
The Needy One—I say, old man, could you lend me a dollar for a
day or two?
The Other One—My dear fellow, the dollar I lend is out at present,
and I've several names down for It when it comes back.
;
"For ten years," said the new boarder, "my habits were as regular
as clockwork. I rose on the stroke of 6, half an hour later wasidownjto
breakfast; at 7 I was at work; dined at 12; ate supper at 6, and was!in
bed at 9.30. Ate only hearty food, and hadn't a day's illness all the time."
"Dear me!' 1 said a hearer, in sympathetic tones; "and what were you
in for?"
An old Georgia negro was sent to the hospital in Atlanta. One of
the nurses put a thermometer in his mouth to take his temperature.
Presently, when the doctor made his rounds, he said, "Well, George, how
do you feel?"
"I feel right tol-ble, boss."
"Have you had any nourishment?"
"Yassir."
"What did you have?"
"A lady done gimme a piece of glass ter suck, boss."
Old Commodore Vanderbilt was always very democratic in spirit. Sit-
ting on the porch of a fashionable hotel at a fashionable resort on one
occasion, it is related that the commodore saw a lady approaching with
whom he was acquainted. His wife and daughter, who recognized her,
could scarcely contain their anger when he arose and politely ad-
dressed her.
'
"Don't you know," asked the daughter after she had gone, "that hor-
rid woman used to sell poultry to us?"
"Yes," responded the old millionaire, "and I remember when your
mother sold root beer and I peddled oysters in New Jersey."
For a number of years a bitter feud had existed between the Browns
and Perkinses, next door neighbors. The trouble had originated through
the depredations of Brown's cat, and had grown so fixed an affair that
neither party ever dreamed of "making up." One day, however, Brown
sent his servant next door with a peace-making note for Mr. Perkins,
which read:
"Mr. Brown sends his compliments to Mr. Perkins, and begs to say
that, his old cat died this morning."
,
Perkins' written reply was bitter:
"Mr. Perkins is sorry to hear of Mr. Brown's trouble, but he had riot
heard that Mrs. Brown was ill."

Download Page 4: PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.