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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
ments is surprisingly large. How can I offset the work of the de-
partment store successfully ?"'
This is rather difficult to answer without knowing more fully
about local conditions. It is safe to say, however, that there is no
better way to offset the encroachments of the department store than
by employing its methods whenever and wherever practicable. The
dealer should keep up a constant agitation in his community as to the
goods and values he has to offer. As a general proposition we may
say that if the business man who is constantly talking about and
condemning the department store would say less and act more,
things would be a great deal better. He does not seem to realize that
by talking about this store he is advertising it in a most potent way.
Every sane person knows that a competitor, if he has good busi-
ness qualities will not constantly talk against another unless his own
business is being hurt, and the people he talks to very often receive
the above impression and attribute it to the fact that the other store
handles a better grade of goods, and at more reasonable prices.
Another thing that helps to make these big stores successful is
that they advertise liberally in the daily papers, and by so doing
place all the important details of their store before the buying class
of people. If the business man would ape the methods of these
stores and take a regular space in his home paper, and in that space
tell the people what he has to sell in a pleasing way, and see that his
advertisement is changed two or three times a week and filled with
bright news of his store, we feel assured that in a very short time he
would experience an increase in the business that would be agree-
ably surprising to him. If it pays department stores to do this, why
won't it pay him in proportion ?
D
URING the past nine months of commercial depression the
business interests of the country have been undergoing a
process of liquidation which has now almost come to an end. With
many it has been necessary to get along with as little sail as possible
in order to avoid getting on the sand-bars. The result has been
that prudent merchants have cleared up their book accounts and
reduced their indebtedness to a minimum. With the restriction of
credits which has been prevalent, the cash system of sales has grown
in popularity. While it may not yet be possible in the piano trade
to conduct business upon a strictly cash basis, yet the more this
system of dealing is encouraged the better will it be for all con-
cerned. Many piano dealers throughout the country have got their
business down to a basis where they know exactly "where they are
at." They have been ordering, so to speak, from hand to mouth,
and making collections with vigor so that the business of the coun-
trv to-dav is on a sounder basis than it has been for many years.
LL this is ominous for a big demand during the fall and winter
months when employment is more general and the vast sums
realized from the sale of our agricultural products find their way
into purchasing channels. Dealers, however, should bear in mind
the importance of placing orders early. At this time every ob-
servant man is well aware of the general prospects in his locality,
and he can certainly see far enough ahead to know that he wants a
certain number of pianos on his floor to meet the demands of the
coming winter. It is not wise, nor is it fair to the manufacturers
to wait until the orders come, before placing them. Pianos are not
made in a week or in a month. It takes many months to turn out
a good piano, and unless dealers desire to be cut short of stock they
must place orders now, in order to be sure of getting them in good
season when the demand becomes pronounced. This is a subject
of extreme importance, and every dealer should give it close atten-
tion.
A
O
NCE in a while everyone comes across the man who is con-
stantly finding fault with his employer. Eor instance there
are piano salesmen who find much to criticize in the piano they are
selling, and in the men they are working for. This is a treasonable
spirit, and a dangerous one, because they injure not only their em-
ployers, but themselves. The purchasing public cannot respect a
man who is disloyal to the man for whom he is working. As Elbert
Hubbard aptly puts it: "If you work for a man. in heaven's name,
work for him. If he pays wages that supply you your bread and
butter, work for him, speak well of him, think well of him, stand by
him, and stand by the institution he represents. T think if I worked
for a man, I would work for him, I would not work for him a part
REVIEW
of his time. 1 would give an undivided service or none. If put
to the pinch, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness. If
you must vilify, condemn and eternally disparage, why, resign your
position, and when you are outside, damn to your heart's content.
I hit, I pray you, so long as you are a part of an institution, do not
condemn it. Not that you will injure the institution, not that, but
when you disparage the concern of which you are a part, you dis-
parage yourself."
MISS HOOKEM—Which do you prefer, brunettes or blondes?
MR. WISE.—It depends altogether on the girl I am with.
"Whenebber a man gits so affectionate," said Uncle Eben, "dat be
talks 'bout sharin' his las' dollar wif me. I generally gits suspicious dat
he ain't got no dollar, fus' nor las'!"
WET WEATHER BE HANGED.—"Are you putting by something
for a rainy day?" asked a mission woman of an*east-ender. "Not me!"
was the rejoinder. "I'm saving up for a holiday hat."
STUNG.—"I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls!" shrieked the soubrette
as she pranced down the stage. "I'd like to get at the idiot who woke
you up," growled the scanty-haired man in the front row."
HOPE FOR HIM.—"Cheer up, dear!" tried the poet's wife, "there are
good times ahead." "What is it now?" inquired the poor poet. "Here's
a piece about an old manuscript poem of Shakespeare's selling the other
day for $2,500."
,
WILLING TO RISK IT.—The Man—I'd give anything if you would
kiss me.
The Maid—But the scientists say that kisses breed disease.
The Man—Oh, never mind that. Go ahead, and make me an invalid
for life!
WHY GO TO AFRICA?—Magazines are offering the President $1 a
word for stories of African life next year. By shutting his eyes and
imagining Congress is in session Mr. Roosevelt can easily clean up $20,000
a day.
THE LOOKER-ON.—"Do you mean to say you stood by and let your
mother-in-law be beaten to death by the prisoner without doing any-
thing?" asked the magistrate.
"Well," returned the witness, "I didn't think he required my help."
CLEVER WOMAN.—She—You'll be glad to learn, dear, that I've got
out of visiting our relatives.
He—Grand! Splendid! It hung over me like a cloud. How did you
manage it?
"Oh, I asked them here!"
REASONABLE.—Two Irishmen one day went shooting. A large
flock of pigeons came flying over their heads. Pat elevated his piece, and
firing, brought one of them to the ground. "Arrah!" exclaimed his com-
panion, "what a fool you are to waste your ammunition, when the bare
fall would have killed him!"
AT THE PENSION.—"It must have been a very tender-hearted
butcher who killed this lamb," said the Cheerful Idiot, pausing in the
knawing of his chop.
"Why?" kindly asked the oldest boarder.
"He must have hesitated three or four years before striking the
fatal blow."
DESERVED A REWARD.—"Well, young man," said good St. Peter,
"what was your occupation down on earth?" "I was a chauffeur," re-
sponded the new arrival. "Ran people down, I suppose?" "Never ran
over a chicken." "Violate the' speed laws?" "Not once." "Well, young
man, you are indeed an exception. As long as you ran an auto with a
record like that I am going to let you play an autoharp. Just step
right in."
SICILIAN TAX COLLECTOR.—"For heaven's sake, excellency, give
me a little more time before putting the bailiffs in."
"Are you ready to pay something on account?"
"Alas! Excellency, I have nothing—nothing at all."
"It's clear to me you have not made the least effort to pay."
"Ah, signer! Twenty times, a t least,. L have hidden at the side of the
road with my gun, but not a living soul passed."
THE VILLAIN'S EXCUSE.—A melodrama of the most stirring kind
was being played in a theater in a small provincial town. In one of the
critical scenes the hero suddenly became aware of the fact that he had
come upon the stage minus the dagger. Without a moment's hesitation
he made a dash at the traitor.
"Die, villain!" he exclaimed. "I meant to strike thee with my dag-
ger, but I left the weapon in my dressing room, and will therefore
strangle thee in the presence of this indulgent audience,"