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THE: MUSIC TRADE
U n d e r TEE
From time to time we have urged upon readers
of The Review the real necessity of paying close
attention to the movement now on foot to pro-
mote the interests of the American merchant
marine. It will be remembered that last week's
Review contained an account of the meeting held
on November 23 at the New York offices of the
National Association of Manufacturers, at which
it was decided to call a congress of those in-
terested in the recrudescence of American mer-
chant shipping at Washington on January 9 and
10, 1911. This was done at the suggestion of the
merchant marine committee of the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, and it is therefore
interesting to know that the governing body of
our trade feels itself so vitally interested in what
is really one of the most important movements
ever initiated in this country. It is unfortunate
that public opinion, whether within or without the
piano trade, is as yet very much at sea on this
maritime subject (no humor is intended) and it
is well that the words of those who have studied
the American shipping situation carefully should
be heeded.
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George W. Gittins, who has been so active a
mover in the d'rection of improving our oversea
shipping facilities, has furnished The Review with
some very interesting statements of fact, which
throw a strong light on the really disgraceful con-
ditions wherewith those who would attempt to
win a South American trade must perforce con-
tend. Says he: "The Lamport & Holt line is
really the only line between here and South
America on which one can depend. It is the only
regular line sailing between New York and the
South American republics below the equator. And,
although there are other steamers that ply be-
tween here and those ports, they are irregular and,
with the exception of the Lamport & Holt line,
unfit to carry passengers."
The situation, as Mr. Gittins points out, is very
different as regards European ports. "Nearly
every first-class passenger from North America
to the South American republics goes via Europe,
although it is 3,500 miles further. You can leave
New York and go to Buenos Ayres, for instance,
in quicker time via European points than you can
by a direct sailing from here to Buenos Ayres, and,
of course, there is no comparison in the appoint-
ments of the ships, the service and the conveni-
ence of travel." What is true of passengers is
equally true of freight. Even the Lamport &
Holt line is foreign owned. In the circumstances
it is hardly to be expected that we should have
developed a very large export South American
trade. But there is another and equally important
side to the question.
Some, way, somehow, we must develop a trade
with our South American neighbors. There is no
use in saying that we shall never need to do this.
Our home production, even to-day, is discontinu-
ous and broken up into seasons. Our factories, in
the piano trade, languish during the summer and
then overwork themselves during the rest of the
year. If we had a developed export business
such a condition would not exist, for dull times
could be occupied in filling the wants of the great
undeveloped market to the south of us. Training
of salesmen in the language, customs and manners
of the countries, proper packing, catalogs in the
vernacular and many other details must also be
considered. But, after all, the first desideratum
is to get shipping facilities. European steamship
lines will not, even if they could, grant better
facilities. They prefer to go on as they have
in the past. We must have American ships to
REA/IEIW
TALL TOWER
South America, or the trade waiting for us will
pass forever into alien hands, to our infinite loss.
Invitations to the coming Merchant Marine
Congress have already been accepted by over sixty
piano manufacturers and it is much to be hoped
that many more will avail themselves of the op-
portunity to impress upon the National Congress
the desirability of doing something to bring the
American ship once more upon the high seas.
Every piano manufacturer, who has any broad
ideas, and who can look forward to the days
when the oversea trade will be a vital necessity
of our industry, will not fail to pay attention to
these words. Sooner or later an export business
in pianos must be created. Let us not wait until
it is too late. Remember! Washington, January
9 and 10, 1911. Geo. W. Gittins, care of Kohler
& Campbell, will readily supply any further de-
sired information.
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State for the past decade there is plenty of oppor-
tunities for active business in this city and vicinity,
for it is of more than curious interest that the area
comprised within a radius of forty miles of the
New York City Hall, including parts of northern
New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut and Long
Island, contributed at least one-seventh of the in-
crease in population for the continental United
States. Of this growth of 16,000,000 in a decade
Greater New York alone contributed 1,329,681 and
New York State 1,844,385. These figures are quoted
in detail because of the fact that the output of
pianos in New York City has not increased in like
ratio.
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When one compares the sales of pianos in New
York with some of the Western cities—particularly
on the Pacific Coast—one can easily comprehend
what a large field for piano sales exists in this city
and vicinity. And this reminds us of the remarks
of a manager of a San Francisco piano house
when in this city recently, who said that if he were
That the piano will inspire as lively sentiments allowed to move his organization to New York and
of affection and consideration as the much dis- be allowed to take charge of one of the large retail
cussed violin is apparent from the instructions left piano houses for one year he would guarantee to
by Donizetti, the famous Italian composer, regard- make as much money as that house usually makes
and show an increase of 40 per cent.—making a
ing the piano on which he composed so many of
his well-known compositions. This treasure is to handsome profit besides covering all expenses of
form a very prominent feature of the exposition his own force. In this connection he added:
to be held in Rome next year. On this instrument "There is no other section of the country where
appears a metal plate containing Donizetti's last re- less efforts are made to intelligently get hold of
quest concerning this piano as follows: "Never prospects as in New York. I say this without cast-
sell this piano for no matter how great a sum, for ing any reflection upon the very capable men who
my whole artistic life slumbers in it. Since the are at present controlling business in the metropolis.
year 1832 its tone has sounded in my ear; the They are simply developing things along traditional
Annas, Lucias, Belisars, etc., whisper on its strings; lines. They are not blazing new paths as we are
let it live as long as I live. It was with me in my in the West. They are not creating trade as we
time of hope, in my happy married life, and in my are and which is necessary these days." Agree or
loneliness. It was a witness of my joys, my tears, not with these words, the facts are that neither in
my disappointed hopes, my happy love; it shared New York nor in the country at large has the out-
my fears and my tormenting cares; in it my genius put of pianos increased in a ratio proportionate with
lived, each epoch of my life path it gives back; the population. Hence there is'reason why the
your father, brother, all have seen us two, and all despondent ones should now be of good cheer and
of us have tortured it; it was a comrade to us all; look forward with optimistic feelings to the future.
so may it to your daughter ever be a marriage por- It is an old saying that figures are dry reading;
tion bringing a thousand sad and happy thoughts." but they invariably point a moral. And they do
truly in this instance. They point the way to the
In this age of commercialism these words are in
spiring. They emphasize the fact that the piano is inauguration of an active retail campaign on the
one of the great factors in our civilization—a silent part of New York dealers, and all manufacturers,
symbol in every home of the mysterious and both East and West, can look forward with justi-
humanizing influence of music. And there always fication to a larger output of instruments than in
has been, and we hope ever will be, an atmosphere the past.
of sentiment concerning the making, sale and use
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of a piano that is not associated with any other
' The Scientific American speaks of an attorney
creation. Only one who loves music can really in active practice who says it is quite common for
comprehend how closely one becomes attached to a manufacturers to continue for years the payment
musical instrument—particularly when that instru- of royalty for the use of a patented invention
ment is a work of art in itself, no matter what its before they discover that the device is not within
price. For, after all, a piano is something more the scope of the patent relied on. He cited par-
than the ordinary commercial article. It is a ticularly a case in which New York city manu-
vehicle that carries a refining and elevating in-
facturers of wearing apparel are now paying
fluence, and it is something that should ever be royalty on a garment which is not only not cov-
sold by high class manufacturers and retailed by ered by the patent specified in the royalty agree-
high class dealers in the manner which such a ment, but was expressly excluded from the case
product merits. And this despite the present de- during the course of the application through the
plorable tendency to "certificate schemes" and Patent Office. It is more than possible that the
"puzzle contests."
player industry, as patents multiply, may in the
K K *,
future display similar absurdities, as are related
in the foregoing remarks.
Some of the despondent members of the trade
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who are complaining about business conditions
This is an age of advertising. A merchant can-
these days should stop to consider the interesting
not expect to produce continuous results by ad-
facts put forth by the authorities in Washington
this week that the population of the United States vertising in spurts. He might as well expect to
and its possessions in Hawaii, the Philippines, do a good business by opening his store a month
Guam, Samoa and the Panama strip is now over and closing it a month, as to expect a sound in-
101,101,000. Certainly a goodly number. The ques- crease from spasmodic advertising. Remember
tion thus arises how many of these people are to- every advertisement is a salesman and you cannot
day owners of pianos and how many should be en- expect results when it stops work any more than
tered up as good "prospects" for the coming year? you can expect returns from a salesman while he
is on his vacation,
Judging from the growth of New York city and