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THE:
MUSIC TRADE:
REVIEIW
P
HYSICIANS have long been preaching the doctrine that
American business men live too' fast. With the telegraph,
ocean cable, telephone, wireless and other modern facilities the man
of affairs can do in one hour work that formerly would have occu-
pied six. It might be thought that his working hours wduld be
correspondingly shortened. Nothing of the sort, these things have
simply accelerated his pace and he not only works harder, but more
hours than ever, with, of course, a corresponding increase of busi-
ness and added responsibilities. To keep up this energy he eats too 1
much. Sometimes he drinks too much for a man who spends most
of his working hours at the desk and takes too little outdoor exer-
cise. Health is invaluable when a period of more than usual strain
and anxiety arrives. A day's shooting, yachting, golfing, riding or
an occasional change of scene gives new strength and vitality and
a clearer brain. In perfect health and in possession of all his facul-
ties a man is entirely suited to" direct his affairs and can accomplish
more than if he spent the whole time in his office with his nose to
the grindstone. A man who does this preserves his health and is not
in the slightest alarmed at the specters and unhealthy visions
which otherwise would worry him into his grave, and he will be
alive, active and prosperous long after his unwise colleagues have
passed into a wretched, enfeebled old age.
We know men in the piano industry who have large responsi-
bilities, but with clear heads, excellent developed minds, and,
through good care of their physical make-up, they treat them lightly.
We know others who' are constantly worrying about the things
which never happen. They become dyspeptic, nervous and wretched.
They are paying too high a price for the success which they win.
What the American business man must learn is to slow down—
take wholesome exercise and quit worrying even over real trou-
bles when they come. Worry never accomplished anything but to
break down the man who insisted upon letting it permeate his
entire make-up. Men who are bound to be pessimistic worry over
troubles that never come. A well-balanced man usually takes some
form of recreation which keeps his head clear and his body health-
ful. He then grapples with the evcry-day problems of life as he
enters the golf links, in a pleasant frame of mind and determined
to get what comfort he can out of life.
R
ESOLUTIONS are absolutely meaningless unless there is a
spirit behind them which favors their rigid adoption. Any
association, whether in music trade or any other line, which passes
resolutions that many of its members do not believe in or do not
propose to adopt in their business careers, is useless. There is not
a trade problem in this industry which cannot be successfully solved
through associated effort if there is sincerity back of the move, but
the question is will the men in any industry, either manufacturers
or dealers, hold together for the successful adoption of radical rules.
A careful study of the association field in a variety of trades causes
us to believe that radicalism does not enter into the association
policy. One great trouble is this: The men who compose the
various industrial organizations are active competitors and they
consider it unwise to agree to concerted action which will in the
slightest threaten their own business independence. They prefer on
the whole to go it alone, believing that their own judgment backed
by the energy which has built the business is better to continue that
enterprise than to adopt general rules to which all of their com-
petitors agree. Then in the matter of credits there is a disposition
to make personal arrangements rather than to enter into an iron-
clad agreement as to dating and terms.
The same may be said of the creation of the special brand
piands. There are some men who have made a good deal of money
by the manufacture of special brand instruments. They figure that
there will always be a demand for pianos of this character and they
propose to supply that call to the best of their resources. The whole
proposition could be easily regulated if a sufficient number of men
entered seriously upon the adjustment of this problem.
At a recent meeting of the Executive Committee of the Piano
Manufacturers' Association here in this city there were some warm
arguments made regarding the adoption of similar resolutions to
those passed by the Dealers' Association to the effect that every
piano should have the name of the firm or corporation manufactur-
ing it indelibly stamped upon it at some easily observable point. In
other words, to establish its identity no matter what name might
appear an its fallboard.
The man who fails has another chance—the benefit of experience.
The wealth of the world constantly increases. Are you getting your
;
share of it?
Don't perform any radical action without taking the probable conse-
quences into account.
Are you wasting the opportunities that life is made up of? Are you
annihilating the chances of success?
Every minute devoted to improving the quality of your selling talk
will save hours of labor in getting orders.
Sometimes the prospect is impressed by the manner of saying a thing
as well as by the substance of what you say.
It pays to keep one's eyes open. There may be pointers gained that
might help improve business even in unexpected places.
Who buys your product, the piano dealers or the people in the homes?
Is it the distributer or the consumer that you are after?
It may be a good plan to sympathize with your customers when they
tell you their troubles, but for Heaven's sake don't ask for sympathy from
them. You don't want condolences—you want orders.
THE BUTLER.—"We've got a burglar in the kitchen, sir."
The Professor (absent mindedly).—"Ask him to come again. I'm
busy just now."
STARTING IT.—"Your wife is very fond of animals, is she not?"
"Indeed, she is!"
"Loves you devotedly, I suppose?"
ALL HE HAD.—Wife—What do you mean by bringing those muddy
feet in here?
Husband—'Scuse me, m'dear (hie); did'n' have any othersh t'bring.
Had hard time gettin' theesh in.
NO WONDER.—"When Burroughs first came into the neighborhood
he was very sociable, but now he seems to want to keep everybody at a
distance."
"That's natural enough; everybody is a creditor of his now."
AN APPROVAL OF THE IDLE.—"Everybody should be made to work
in this life," remarked the political economist.
"I don't agree with you," answered Miss Cayenne; "there are too many
people who, when they try to work merely succeed in getting in the way."
A GOOD LISTENER.—"Oh, yes. Mr. Meekton and Miss Gabble are
very fond of each other."
"Why, I heard he didn't speak to her at all."
"That's just why she likes him. He doesn't attempt to get a word
in edgewise."
A SURE SIGN.—"No," said he; "I never met her, but she must be very
charming."
"The idea!" she exclaimed. "Who told you that?"
"No one, but all you other girls admit that she'd be all right if she
wasn't so horribly conceited."
GETTING HIM SQUARE.—"Dear uncle," wrote the young man who
was trying to make a touch without coming right out and asking for the
money. "I have pawned my watch to get a postage stamp to write to you."
"Dear nephew," replied the hard of heart relative, "I enclose you 2
cents. Get your watch redeemed and write to me on a postal card next
time."
PLAIN TEXTS.—Strange dat we ain't slick 'nuff ter dodge lightnin'
an' we let de thunder skeer us half ter death.
It's all right ter help de heathen 'cross de water, but so many er us
fergits de heathen what camps right in our own settlement.
Many a man lays up treasure in heaven an' den sits down an' waits
for heaven to pay him interest on it.
IN SOCIETY.—Prof. Von Bulltong, the distinguished sociologist, lec-
tured before the Mothers' Club yesterday and presented a very ingenious
argument to the effect that babies are not necessarily an obstacle to di-
vorce. He was enthusiastically applauded.
On Thursday Mrs. Brown Jones and Mr. Brown celebrated the tenth
anniversary of their divorce. The happy pair were the recipients of warm
congratulations and many costly gifts.
Mrs. Smith-Robinson, a prospective divorcee of the near future, is to
be given the usual showers by her innumerable friends.
Mr. Smith, who is to be divorced from Mrs. Brown-Smith the coming
week, entertained h}s married friends at a stag dinner last evening.