Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1908 Vol. 47 N. 21

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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GEO. B. KELLER.
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J. HATDBN CLARENDON,
L. B. BOWERS,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 100 Boylston St.E. P. VAN HARLINGBN, Room 806, 156 Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EIISTEN.
CHAS. N. VAJ» BURMN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. IT. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI, O.: BERNARD C. BOWBN.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 69 Baslnghall St., B. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Ofhce as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (Including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
i Htiiula, $3.r>o : 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
i.yniun Hill.
Music Publishers*
An interesting feature of this publication Is a special depart-
Department V» y* ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Oravd I'rix
Paris Exposition, H)'J(> Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma. Pan-American Exposition, 19fll
Qold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1004
Gold Medal. .. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW
YORK,
NOVEMBER
2 1 , 1 9 0 8
EDITORIAL
T
H E business interviews which appear in another portion of
this publication are well worthy of the closest perusal, and
much optimism can be gained from them. They are expressions
of the views of business men who are thoroughly acquainted with
the local conditions in their respective localities. These opinions
do not come from theorists, but from men who are in close touch
with the selling end of the business.
It is remarkable when we come to review this symposium of
views how optimistic all of them seem to be. When such a feeling
of hopefulness pervades the retail field, it is certain that it must
have a direct effect in creating business. Read the views of the
dealers—they will interest you, and the closer one follows them, the
deeper will be the conviction that the dealers of this country Jiave
emphatically expressed their opinions that we are on the eve of a
period of prosperity greater than any that the country has ever
seen. There is little doubt that this hopefulness will spread and
that enterprise will now go forward at an accelerated speed and in
a degree which will recall the remarkable conditions of recent pros-
perous years.
Piano merchants everywhere emphasize in their statements the
bettered conditions which exist in trade and the figures which are
given out in the public press regarding important contracts which
are being placed by the great corporations in the iron and steel in-
dustry would seem to show the broad and firm basis on which the
varied industries of this country are now progressing and the
height which we as a nation are constantly gaining in wealth and
resources.
T
H E R E is no doubt that this reawakened enthusiasm will have
a stimulating effect upon distributers of musical merchandise
in every part of the country. There is, too, a disinclination to de-
part from conservative policies and business men as a whole are
not inclined to make plunges. They however, are going to strive
earnestly to increase their sales and profits.
REVIEW
The assurances which are made and the opinions which are
voiced elsewhere in this paper should influence other dealers. They
should influence manufacturers, because the outlook as viewed by
conservative business men undeniably favor steady progress.
Over-buying or speculative buying is to be discouraged and it
was our intention when collecting these opinions to present a sym-
posium of views which should be valuable in forecasting the busi-
ness future. The situation is full of promise and in some lines of
merchandise there will _ be difficulty in filling orders, owing to the
fact that mills have pursued a policy as conservative as that adopted
by merchants. Hence, it may be seen, for the present time, difficulty
may be experienced by them in the process of readjustment to the
new and more satisfactory conditions.
Probably herculean efforts will be put forth during the next
few T weeks to make ftp for lost time in both the manufacturing and
retail branches of the business. Wide-awake merchants will exploit
their products. Everything possible will be done to attract buyers
and care will be used that no possible sales be missed.
The Review, as far back as last summer, counseled early buy-
ing and some of the most aggressive merchants have adopted our
suggestions and they are prepared to supply the demands of a holi-
day trade which is going to be, judging from the present outlook,
extremely lame.
I
N a recent issue The New York Herald devoted considerable
space to the reproduction of opinions from the various leading
trade and technical journals. Excerpts were made from journals
representing every subdivision of industry and in the music trade
industry, The Music Trade Review was selected as the representa-
tive journal and the opinions of The Review regarding trade con-
ditions were reproduced in the Herald.
I
MPORTANT hearings are now going on before the Ways and
Means Committee at Washington which are intended to form
the basis of a revision of the present tariff law which will be ac-
complished at a special session of Congress to be called soon after
the adjournment of the general session next March.
As announced in The Review of last Saturday, the "Schedule
"N," under which musical instruments and parts thereof appear, is
listed for November 28. Many letters and telegrams have been
received by the committee inquiring as to the scope of the hearings
and the particular class of information desired from those who
appear for the purpose of presenting oral or written statements.
This publication has been in communication with the Ways and
Means Committee and the information which we receive is that in
view of the limited time at the disposal of the Committee for these
hearings, it seems desirable to caution all who intend to appear to
prepare themselves in advance with a view to giving the Committee
the largest possible amount of real information in the shortest pos-
sible time.
The Committee does not desire to hear abstract discussions of
principles of protection or free trade or any other academic feature
of the question. What it desires most are facts, as concisely stated
as possible and when practicable, such facts as are within the per-
sonal knowledge of the speaker. It will desire to know from each
speaker whether he favors the retention of the existing laws re-
ferring to the schedule in which he is interested, or desires changes
either in the language or the tariff or rates thereof, supported in
each case by a brief statement of the reasons for his position.
The Committee desires especially to obtain information regard-
ing costs of protection in this country with special reference to the
item of labor and corresponding figures for those foreign countries
in which competing products are manufactured. Special attention
will be paid to this item of labor cost as it is the dominant principle
of the protective tariff, that protection provided shall be adequate to
cover the difference in wages between this and other competing
countries.
I
NFORMATION bearing upon the maximum and minimum
upon which the new tariff is to be based will further be sought
by the Committee. It is understood that the Dingley rates as re-
vised by the Committee after these hearings will constitute the mini-
mum or general tariff, which will be applied to the products of all
countries granting to products of the United States the minimum
rates of their respective tariff. After this has been agreed upon the
so-called maximum rates will be fixed and applied to each item.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE: MUSIC TRADE
These maximum rates will probably represent increases over the
minimum rates of about 20 per cent, on the average, though the
percentage will not be uniform in all cases—and will be levied upon
the products of countries which discriminate in any way against
the commerce of the United States.
With regard to the maximum and minimum schedules, the
Committee will desire to learn the probable effect of such increases
as are suggested in the way of restricting importations, also as to
the probability of our being able to secure trade concessions from
foreign countries on the basis of the proposed double column tariff.
It is the especial desire of the Committee that an effort be made
by the respective interests desiring to make representations to get
together in advance and appoint spokesmen. The advantage of this
will be to simplify the work of the Committee greatly. In the
music trade, there is no desire to change the existing tariff law.
Manufacturers of both pianos and piano actions are satisfied with
the present duty and none has expressed a desire of having
changes made. It is stated, however, that there will be an effort
made and arguments produced favoring the reduction of the present
duty.
I
T will be recalled that efforts were made before the McKinley
Tariff became a law to lower the duties on pianos and actions
and piano manufacturers of this country should see to it that they
are well represented at Washington on November 28.
The Review sounded a note of warning some months ago,
stating that a tariff commission had been appointed to gather
statistics from various European countries relative to the cost of
labor in Europe as compared with America. We suggested that it
would be well for the Piano Manufacturers' National Association
to appoint men to take this matter in special charge and to prepare
some statistics in order to refute any statements which might be
made by those who favor a lower tariff.
We have written to President Frank A. Lee, of the National
Association, asking him if appointments had been made to represent
the piano industry at Washington, and have been advised that no
representatives have been named up to date. President Decker, of
the New York Association, remarked that he was not aware of the
hearing at Washington until The Review called his attention to this
subject and thought presumably New York would be represented,
but believed that the matter should properly be handled by the Piano
Manufacturers' National Association.
A matter of this kind requires no little time to handle correctly,
for it is necessary to produce some statistics showing the dif-
ference of cost between European countries and this. Now it
is not an easy thing to obtain the exact cost on any article. Manu-
facturers are not likely to say exactly what it costs them to pro-
duce a certain product and it is figures that the tariff committee
desires to get, not general statistics along academic lines as to the
advantage of protection to this country. It should be understood
that from various sources a vast amount of information has been
collected which will guide the actions of the men who have the
tariff bill in charge.
T
HE demand for piano players is steadily growing and many
dealers are convinced that they will have considerable trouble
getting their delayed orders filled for the holiday trade. There is
no question as to the selling .power of piano players to-day. The
tremendous advertising which this special product has received in
magazines and periodicals of national circulation, has given an
accentuated impetus to the business, and as a result the player is a
force to be reckoned with in piano selling. And what a wonderful
development the player industry has undergone within a brief
period! When we consider the possibilities of the product of 1908
and compare it with the creations of a few years ago, we must admit
that the results of inventive minds have been well illustrated in this
special industry. And we have not reached the limit yet, for there
seems to be no halting in the player progress. Inventive minds are
concentrated upon making betterments wherever possible in player
mechanism, and as a result of this concentrated energy, we should
see improvements from time to time, which will be helpful in a large
degree. Player development is moving steadily on. The holiday
demand for players will measure well up to the banner period of
1906. There is a very large exchange business being carried in
which the player mechanism is the decidmg factor in sales making.
REVIEW
The lid is now off prosperity.
Now is the time to he up and doing.
System, more system, that's what counts.
Loyal service makes a generous paymaster.
Do not delay ordering or you will miss sales.
Evidently Emperor William talked too blamed much.
Contentment is a good thing.
thing.
Sometimes it is too much of a good
An average brain and a good bump of clear grit are powerful forces
in achieving success.
The last two months of the year will bring up the business average
very materially. Well, we can stand it.
Study the success of other men and gradually you will find yourself
imbued with the spirit that makes them winners.
It is not always what a fellow says of his own accomplishments, but
it is how the world views them, that fixes the real status.
LIGHT EVIDENCE.—An Irish soldier on sentry duty had orders to
allow no one to smoke near his post. An officer with a lighted cigar ap-
proached, whereupon Pat boldly challenged him and ordered him to put
it out at once.
The officer, with a gesture of disgust, threw away his cigar, but no
sooner was his back turned than Pat picked it up and quietly retired to
the sentry box.
The officer, happening to look around, observed a beautiful cloud of
smoke issuing from the box. He at once challenged Pat for smoking on
duty.
"Smoking, is it, sorr? Bedad, and I'm only keeping it lit to show to the
corporal when he comes, as evidence agin you."—Tid-Bits.
GOOD PAY, SHORT HOURS.—A certain cottage and its old mistress
had improved so greatly in comfort and appearance that a visitor shrewdly
surmissed that the son of the house, a lazy ne'er-do-well, had turned over
a new leaf. He inquired about it.
"Yes, sir, my son's in work now," said the smiling old mother. "Takes
good money, he does, too. All he has to do is to go twice a day to the
circus and put his head in the lion's mouth. The rest of his time 'e 'as
to himself."
JUST WHAT SHE WANTED.—The lectuier had been describing some
of the sight? he had seen abroad. "There are some spectacles," he said,
"that one never forgets."
"I wish you would tell me where I can get a pair of them," exclaimed
an old lady in the audience. "I'm always forgetting mine."
A WORKER.—"Does your Representative in Congress do much work?"
"I shou.d say so." answered Farmer Corntossel.
"In what way?"
"Gettin' Imself re-elected."
THE LAW OF COMPENSATION.—The law of compensation works
perfectly in national politics. The maJDrity get what they want and the
minority enjoy the function of criticizing it for four whole years.
A HOPE.—When prosperity dees come we hope it will run more to
culture than to red automobiles.
REVISED.—"You told me," said the young man, dejectedly, "that
you would marry me when Bryan was elected. Did you mean that?"
"Yes, I meant it," said the girl, flushing modestly, "but I'd been given
the wrong tip. I really thought he'd be elected."
By mutual consent the terms of the compact were abrogated then and
there.
BETWEEN THE ACTS.—Robbie (at the opera)—"Mamma, what does
papa keep going out between the acts for?"
Mother—"Sh. He goes out for opera glasses."
FORCE OF HABIT.—"I wish, John," said the editor's wife, "that you'd
try not to Le so absent-minded when we are dining out."
"Eh? What have I dene now?" '
"Why, when the hostess asked you if you' d have some more pudding
you replied that, owing to a tremendous presure of your space, you were
compelled to decline,"—Tid-Bits.

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