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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
WHAT THE DEALERS SAY
ABOUT THE BUSINESS FUTURE
Some Opinions That Are Well Worth the Reading—They Are
Mighty Encouraging and Should Strengthen
Confidence All Along the Line.
The morning after the Presidential election we addressed a communication
to dealers in all sections of the country, propounding a few questions
along business lines. W e did this because we felt confident that the
dealers as a whole would view the business future optimistically and we
believed that an interchange of ideas on this subject would be helpful
and would add to general confidence. We believe that a trade paper
which is widely read by dealers can assist materially in helping to bring
about a full return to business prosperity, and the opinions which are
expressed on this and succeeding pages will be inspiring as they are
full of healthy optimism.
The questions asked concerning the trade
situation were:
Would you state just exactly how you regard the future of the piano
industry for the next six months?
What will be the direct effect of the National election upon business ?
What are your views the morning after election ?
Some of the answers appear on this and succeeding pages and are worthy of the closest
perusal. The dealers of this country predict an era of good times. They believe that con-
ditions will grow steadily better in the trade. Read the opinions and renew your confidence
in the future of piano selling.
THE B. DREHER'S SONS CO., Cleveland, O.
After the political settlement in the election of
Mr. Taft, business revived immediately; in fact,
the day after election we sold six pianos. We
certainly regard the future outlook of the piano
business as very satisfactory, and we think that
November and December will be equal to the
enormous business we did a year ago. We think
the settlement of the national election will have
a good effect upon piano business all over the
country.
W. W. KIMBALL CO., (MGR-), Evansville, Ind.
year, and prices for all kinds of farm products
are above the average. In reference to what
effect the national election will have upon busi-
ness, my opinion is that if we had not been in-
formed by the newspapers as to who was elected
on the 3d of November, the great mass of the
American people would never have been able to
judge who occupies the White House by the trend
of business. The opportunities for successful
business enterprises along legitimate lines are as
great as ever, and anybody who conducts his
business in a sane and conservative way need
have no fear as to the outcome. These financial
scares are a good thing for the country. We've
had on too much steam, and need to put the
brakes on until we know just where we are.
I regard the outlook for business of all kinds
exceedingly bright. The way Indiana voted on
national questions shows that her people have
great confidence in Republican doctrines and do
GEORGE JACOBS, Fort Wayn«, Ind.
not desire a change. Our city is largely inter-
The national election will have no immediate
ested in manufacturing, and naturally its inter-
effect upon our business. We expect a slow and
ests are interwoven with national policies.
steady increase for the next six months, and
I would further say that the piano business in
this locality has not suffered from the stringency though 1908 will not compare with 1907, this
that generally prevailed over the country the past year's business will be very satisfactory.
year.
THE EARLY MUSIC HOUSE, Fort Dodge, la.
My business for the ten months just ended was
With the greatest living American as Presi-
much better than it was for the corresponding dent, and a wholesome fear already created in the
ten months last year, and with two of the best hearts of trust promoters; with no black clouds
months yet remaining, I expect this year to show in the financial sky; with the price of produce
a substantial gain over 1907.
making the hearts of farmers glad, and nothing
Our factories are all running full time, our reasonable for the demagogue to howl about, I
farmers are getting better prices for farm prod- can see nothing but success ahead for those who
ucts than they have gotten since the war, labor are willing to work for it, not only in the piano
is well employed in all lines, and money is easy. trade, but in every other legitimate line of busi-
ness. If the manufacturers and dealers will only
J. W. WHEATLEY, Eastern, Md.
So far as I can judge I see no reason why the move forward with moderation and caution, in a
piano trade for the next six months should not very few months we will not know that we had a
be good. The farmers have had good crops this panic.
BREWER
BROTHERS
Haute, Ind.
MUSIC
CO., Terre
We are well pleased with the result of the elec-
tion and think business will get better at once.
In reply to your first question, we think the piano
business will increase greatly the nextsix months,
and believe the election of Mr. Taft will help
restore business more than anything that could
have happened. We had two pianos ordered if
Mr. Taft was elected, so his election has sold two
pianos for us.
MILLIGAN PIANO SALES CO., Council Bluffs,
la.
We feel the trade conditions for the next six
months in the piano industry will show a very
marked improvement. The recent panic, coupled
with the fact that this has been a Presidential
year, has tended to cause a depression in the
trade for the last year, which may be, at a super-
ficial glance, misleading. We believe that condi-
tions will improve in the next six months, owing
to the fact that the people generally are prosper-
ous and that the piano trade in itself is founded
on a perfectly sane and healthy basis. As a good
indication of the fact that business is getting
down to the normal basis, we will state that in
the last six months we have increased our sales
forces from 22 to 31 salesmen, and as we cover
the entire United States, we feel this is a pretty
good indication of piano prosperity; We speak
of the above indications not in a local but in a
general way, as we have operated in thirty dif-
ferent States and territories in the past six
months.
We feel that the direct effect of the election
on business will be beneficial. We learn that a