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THE
MUSIC TRADE
for business for the first half of 1911 as for the corresponding
period of 1910.
"California is in better shape and bids fair to demand more
goods. The prediction is that the business there will increase about
ten per cent. In Nebraska they had a great drought; still, the crop
was not a bad one, considering its money value, and the people
there have had good crops several years previously, so that the
farmers are in excellent shape financially.
"New England, New York and Pennsylvania salesmen, to the
last man, state that they expect to do better business the first half
of the coming year than in 1910.
"The conclusions are that the promises for the first half of
1911 are for a better business than for the corresponding period of
1910. The indebtedness of the farmer to the merchant and the
retail merchant to the jobber and the jobber to the manufacturer
is less than usual owing to the conservative policy of buying in
small quantities and buying often.
U n d e r TOE
The recent trials involving corruption in connec-
tion with the repair work of one of the railroad
systems of the Middle West call attention to the
utter uselessness of the legislation passed by a
number of States striking at all forms of gratuities
in connection with sales of goods. As a writer in
The Iron Age aptly says, it has long been recog-
nized that presents of money play no small part in
the transaction of business. A generation ago the
practice was more prevalent; better systems of
buying now make it more difficult. But the favor
of some employes, in positions both high and low,
still has to be secured by this dishonorable means.
In certain works and in isolated departments of
others the salesman finds it absolutely necessary if
he is to secure the business. The owner pays the
bill usually, for the price is made to include the
gratuity. Men who come in frequent contact with
subordinates assert that the custom is just as prev-
alent as it was five years ago, before the laws were
made providing a penalty of fine and imprisonment
for both the receiver and the giver of the induce-
ment. No necessity for concealment exists, ex-
cepting from the owners, for the law became prac-
tically a dead letter from the moment of its pas-
sage.
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The fault lies with the employer. If he were
anxious to get at the reasons for the existing cor-
ruption he could discover the offender with no
great amount of trouble. Usually the condition is
well known to many salesmen. A reputation is
made, knowledge of which spreads quickly. The
owner, by ridding himself of this form of parasite,
would reduce his costs, for corruption means ex-
pensive buying. The great majority of employes
are honest men, in the piano as in other trades,
but occasionally among them is a rascal who sees
no wrong in enriching himself whenever and how-
ever possible. If a man is dishonest the trait will
express itself in other ways should the occasion
offer. Those who looked to see the terror of the
law bring an end to "grafting" in the works now
realize, if . they have-given the subject thought,
that the remedy must be one of discipline, admin-
istered after watchful investigation.
REVIEW
"There are three things of great importance necessary to bring
back to us the fullest possible measure of prosperity.
"The first is new and better currency laws, which shall oblit-
erate all fears of a panic; the second is a clear and favorable con^
struction of the Sherman Anti-Trust law, and the third that pros-
perity should return to the railroads. We need in the Southwest
and in the section distinctly tributary to St. Louis at least ten
thousand miles of new railroad."
So cheerful were the reports of the Simmons salesmen in the
company's houses at St. Louis, New York, Toledo, Minneapolis,
Sioux City and Wichita that other mercantile agencies were asked
for information. The result was the same.
It should be understood that this communication was based
upon the reports of many hundreds of salesmen, and it makes
pleasant reading when the head of a great business institution like
E. C. Simmons predicts an increase of ten per cent, to twenty per
cent, in business activity over that of the past year.
TALL TOWER
know I live out of the city, and in going home
the other night I met H. Paul Mehlin, of Paul G.
Mehlin & Sons who has, as you know, a beautiful
home out in my section. I noticed a bundle of
papers under his arm, and recognizing the leading
trade journals from the names on the wrappers, I
remarked in a jocular way: 'Why, Mr. Mehlin,
what in the world are you carrying those papers
with you for? Don't .you see enough of them at
your office?' 'Well,' replied Mr. Mehlin, 'that is
just the trouble. I somehow cannot find sufficient
time to go through them as I should, therefore I
always take them home to read them more thor-
oughly, and I invariably take them up before read-
ing the daily papers. I have found from my ex-
perience that the only way to keep posted on trade
affairs and keep in touch with developments is to
read trade papers, and to read them regularly.
Their news reports, correspondence from every-
where, their editorial and general comments, invite
close study, and not infrequently I find much food
for serious reflection and deep thinking. This is a
custom I have followed for years, and if I speak
only from a commercial standpoint, it pays, but I
must say there are higher considerations besides,
as the trade papers are both informing and in-
structive.' " These remarks of Mr. Mehlin so im-
pressed our informant as to their sound philosophy
and good sense that he at once subscribed for The
Review to be sent to his home address, in addition
to the one now sent to his office. Take a copy of
The Review like last week's, with its interesting
and highly educational Player Section, and it cer-
tainly contains ample food for thought, and sugges-
tions of real value to manufacturers, dealers and
salesmen alike, apart from the merits of the paper
proper. Hence, those who find it difficult to get an
opportunity of looking over its columns carefully
in warerooms or offices should follow Mr. Mehlin's
example and make it a point to get it in their
homes.
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One of the essentials in a successful business is a
courteous reply to all letters received. Within re-
cent years a great indifference has been displayed
to giving attention to correspondence, and when at-
«* * *
tended to letters are often so abruptly written and
It is a noteworthy fact that all progressive manu- so lacking in warmth as to chill the recipient.
facturers in this and in every other industry are Brevity in business letter writing is excellent. It
close readers of their trade papers. When you saves the time of the recipient in writing, as well
come across a piano manufacturer or dealer, for as the time of the sender. But no matter how
that matter, who tells you that he hasn't time to brief or. inadequate, it is better to write some sort
read his trade paper, you can easily arrive at the of letter in acknowledgment of another than to
conclusion—and it will be a safe one, too—that he ignore it, as is commonly done. It is to be assumed
is not a man who is going ahead—that he is a man that when a man writes to another that his com-
who will never be more than a mere mediocrity. munication will be deemed worthy of respectful
Curtness and indifference can be
This, apropos of the remarks of a member of the consideration.
trade who said to the writer a few days ago; "You as apparent in correspondence as in personal inter-
course. This is particularly true of communica-
tions with business men in Europe, who are ac-
customed to indulge in much polite verbiage in
business letters. When they receive a brief, cold
letter from Americans it is not as apt to produce
as favorable an impression as if it contained a
few introductory and closing courteous lines. As
one of those wise men of ancient Rome—was it
Lucullus?—had it, "a kind word is better than a
fat pie," and there is no better foundation for
agreeable business relations than the policy of an-
swering letters and writing in a spirit that conveys
sentiments of warmth and sincerity.
H * K
When Charles H. Wagener, European repre-
sentative of the Melville Clark Piano Co., Chicago,
was in New York on his arrival from England, he
expressed himself as being greatly interested in
the development of foreign trade on the part of
American manufacturers and merchants, especially
the piano industry. Mr. Wagener had been read-
ing the various articles on the subjects which had
appeared in The Review and also the steps taken
by the National Association of Piano Manufac-
turers in aid of establishing more direct communi-
cation with Latin America and the development of
the merchant marine. In referring to the subject
he said: '"The American manufacturer has neg-
lected the foreign markets, and it is time he should
become alive to the situation and not let the Euro-
pean nations walk away with the great profits lying
at his very door. The manufacturers here think—
judging from their action—that the Spanish-
American buyers will come their way for the ask-
ing. I really believe the majority of the South
American people and the Mexicans are predisposed
to buy the products of the United States, but they
must be carefully cultivated. Now, tha American
manufacturers, in times of financial stress, will
dump their goods on the foreign market at any
old price in order to raise money. This is all
wrong. These methods disturb trade, which should
be steady to be profitable. About every seven years
there is a panic here, with the way business is done,
at such high pressure and along impulsive lines.
The export business, when once secured, will tide
over these periods, and its benefits are not to be
measured."
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A strong commercial point is to conduct business
on a one-price basis. Mark the price on the goods
in plain figures and never deviate; sooner lose a
sale and keep your reputation as a one-price house.
People will soon become acquainted with the fact
of the store selling goods at one price only, and
trade will thereby increase, simply because the
customers realize that their money will buy no
more nor less than another customer's.