Music Trade Review

Issue: 1912 Vol. 54 N. 22

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
REVIEW
THE
VOL.
L I V . N o . 22.
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, June 1,1912
SINGLE COPIES L 10 CENTS.
$2.00 PER YEAR.
Personal Contact
O
NE of the visitors to the Atlantic City Conventions who came in to see me at the close of the week
| remarked among other things upon the advantage which he derived from an annual visit to the
' trade conventions.
He said that he had not time to call upon his dealers personally, hut he felt that once a year
meeting with them in a social way enabled him to get closer to them than merely through correspondence.
Of course it does.
Personally, I believe that a survey of the business field from the office is not the same as a handshak-
ing acquaintance.
The head of a business enterprise may sit at his desk and touch buttons to get reports and may dis-
tribute instructions daily; but, at the same time, that work does not approach hitting the trail himself
once in a while and getting in touch with his trade in various localities.
It is only by actual contact with the selling forces and with a study of different environments that a
man gets close to his trade.
The wheels may go round in the office, but the real business vitality—the bread and butter, so to
speak—of the house comes out of the retail trade.
The business may move along fairly satisfactorily and expanding naturally with no specially de-
pressing problems to handle, and many men rest in perfect contentment under such conditions, believ-
ing that their position is invulnerable. But is it?
There are a good many shrewd, intelligent, progressive men on the road, and they are moving up—
they are getting closer to the piano merchants, and the chief executive cannot remain in his office entirely
out of touch with his agents everywhere.
He cannot do this successfully any more than a college president can remain aloof from a sympa-
thetic participation in the athletic sports of the young students who are under his care.
What colleges are drawing to-day the most young men?
The answer is easy—the colleges whose [residents take a personal interest in the athletic sports of
their students. The things that interest the young men who are with them.
I never have taken a long trip in my life but that I have been repaid many times by the information
gleaned.
The trade scenes are shifting all the while and men of the East particularly have an inadequate knowl-
edge of the marvelous expansion of the West.
No Eastern man can realize what is going on in the West until he has been out there and inspected
the ground personally.
Eastern manufacturers who are perfectly contented with the way things are going on in their busi-
ness and who do not realize the broadening and stimulating influences which will come to them as a result
of intimate acquaintance with Western business—Western men and Western methods—are losing some-
thing.
There is a degree of progressiveness and prosperity evidenced in the Western section of the country
that must be seen to be appreciated, for newspaper reports or travelers' stories do not convey to the far-
away man a perfect picture of the scene.
Again, a man learns the particular local environments of the different men with whom he is doing
business.
He appreciates them better, and when letters come to him from them he is in a better position to
solve the little differences of opinion which may come up between them.
Yet it certainly pays the head of a business to get out at least once a year and hit the long trail so that
he may have a better knowledge of men and methods, of conditions and environments.
His whole business will run smoother, and it will
be stronger by personal contact with virile selling
forces. Personal contact counts.
A
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
TH
MUSIC TRADE
MEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GLAD. HENDERSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
H. E. JAMASON,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
C. CHACE,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
WM. B. WHITE,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room 806.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
ADOLF EDSTEN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First St.
REVIEW
Now, the piano industry has stood for many things for many
years, but no industry in the world would have stood so much
abuse from journalistic brigands as this industry.
Why?
Well, that is difficult to explain.
It was fed upon it when the trade had scarce put on its swad-
dling clothes.
It was rammed down its throat when it was a husky youngster,
and now that it has reached big development an extra force is
used to cause it to swallow the poison, but it is rank and there
is considerable indigestion created by the absorption of these foul
and indigestible substances.
But the industry is seeing light and it will no longer be choked,
stifled and abused by the vulgar and malicious men who have long
traded under the guise of journalists, extorting unwilling money
from the pockets of piano manufacturers.
CLYDE JENNINGS
DETROIT, MICH.: MORRIS J. WHITE.
O
NE of the most important reports presented at any annual
convention of the National Association of Piano Merchants
LONDON. ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
was
that
submitted at the gathering in Atlantic City last week by
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourtb Avenue* New York
the
legislative
committee, of which E. H. Droop is chairman. This
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matttr.
report embodies the fullest information regarding legislation that
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Canada,
$3.50; all other countries, $4.00.
may have been made in the interests of, or against the interests
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.50 per inch single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
of, piano merchants in the various States of this country during
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
the past year.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
PinnA dllU
Unit
TiailU
. In preparing this very comprehensive report the committee
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
nDnaplmonfc
was splendidly aided by the State Commissioners and the status
y
dealth with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish
bi a number
b of reliable tecnical works, information concerning which
of conditions as they exist to-day is so fully represented that one
will be cheerfully given upon request.
is able to get a very good idea of the present trend and condition
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
of the legislation which is helpful or inimical to trade interests.
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. . .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma. .. .Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
In investigating the laws of the various States the committee
Gold Medal. .L.ewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
has attended many conventions or congresses which were called
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS 5982-5983 MADISON SQUARE
Connecting all Departments.
for the purpose of advocating a national policy. In other words,
Cable addreaa" "ElbllL N e w York."
the scope of the association has broadened out tremendously, and
NEW YORK, JUNE 1, 1912.
this is evident not only in the legislative report, but in the various
resolutions passed bearing upon great national questions affecting
the commercial affairs of the country.
EDITORIAL
In this attitude the National Association of Piano Manufac-
turers, as well as the National Association of Piano Merchants, are
following the lead of the great national organizations of the country.
CLIENT sends us a communication in which he asks the fol-
It has well been said that the interest of one is the interest of
lowing questions: "Do you believe an advertiser is justi-
all, and this is certainly true in the world of business. The ten-
fied in remaining in a publication which has a blackmailing reputa-
dency of legislation these days is not favorable to business and it
tion? In other words, can such a publication deliver the values?"
is absolutely necessary that great business organizations should
The question should not be a difficult one to answer and we
keep in touch with developments to the end that their interests
are surprised that the gentleman should submit such a query to us.
are not undermined by the enactment of harmful laws.
How can any publication through its advertising or reading
This policy to discuss and take action on national business
columns expect to influence its readers in favor of any particular
questions
does not imply any neglect of strictly trade necessities.
product, when its utterances are looked upon with suspicion and
This
is
obvious
from a reading of the report of the Convention
doubt ?
proceedings which appeared in The Review last week. It shows
Can there be any values in the criticisms of such a publication
that many matters of vital interest to the trade were discussed and
regarding any products?
acted upon by the various conventions.
No matter whether such a paper damns or praises it amounts
Resolutions, however, are" only of value when they are lived
to one and the same thing.
up
to.
They may be written in the most attractive vein and
Its utterances are wholly valueless.
framed
strong enough to impress, but they are merely empty
If a laudatory article appears readers say that it was paid
phrases
unless
the members of the association practice what they
for—hence it does not represent an honest criticism.
preach
and
carry
out the wishes of the members.
If an advertisement appears people will say that the adver-
tiser preferred to pay the price than to submit to abuse, and if
T is said that the application of alleged loan shark methods to
an advertisement appears after the individual has been abused and
commercial lines appears to be responsible for the insolvency
maligned, then readers will say that he succumbed, in other words,
of
the
R. K. Maynard Piano Co.
that he walked up to the captain's office, learned the price and
It
developed at the hearing before the referee that as a result
paid it.
of
transactions
between the bankrupt and a number of commercial
So, after all, what value can there be in such a publication.
companies,
the
commercial companies claim to be the owners of
The values in a sheet of tainted reputation in our opinion
practically all of the instalment contracts and a great proportion
cannot be delivered, but so far as a blackmailing trade publication
of the Maynard Co.'s dealers' accounts receivable.
is concerned the very presence of an advertisement of a reputable
In the opinion of men who have gone into the matter, the
firm in such a publication when placed side by side with one who
transactions with these various commercial companies were simply
has paid tribute is questionable.
loans advanced at usurious rates of interest, and Judge Landis, of
In other words, the entire environment of such a publication
the District Court of the United States, has enjoined the commer-
is mud bespattered—it is full of intrigue and abuse. But passing
cial companies from collecting or interfering with the receiver in
the value aside, there is a greater than a dollar principle involved.
the collection of the amounts.
Is any man justified in supporting any organization which deals
It is said that if these transactions are set aside and the alleged
in blackmail? No! A thousand times no!
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE. MD.i A. ROBERT FRENCH.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.: STANLEY H. SMITH.
MILWAUKEE, W I S . : L. E. MEYER.
A
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