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10
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WILL NOT HAVE A HARMFUL EFFECT ON FALL BUSINESS (Continued from page 9).
service laws and rules, as we understand them to-
day, the change from one party to-another was of
far greater importance to the merchants of Wash-
ington than it is to-day, for at that time no clerk
in Government employ was sure of his or her
position, and for a long time previous to the elec-
tion local business conditions were generally slack.
This was due in a great measure to the fear of
the Government clerks that they would lose their
positions should the political party, other than that
under which they were appointed, succeed.
To-day different conditions prevail, and no clerk
who performs his or her duty properly and con-
scientiously has reason to fear dismissal because
of the overthrow of one or the other ol the politi-
cal parties; such a condition naturally restores con-
fidence, and the Government clerks are not afraid
to enter into contracts.
Again, Washington is a residential and not a
manufacturing city, and, therefore, "tariff tinker-
ing" does not affect us as it does the larger cities
where the large import and export houses give em-
ployment to thousands upon thousands of people.
Every four years we have this cry about dull
business, and whatever dull business there may
be is generally charged up to the presidential elec-
tion ; in the great struggle for supremacy that takes
place, throughout the country—between the ad-
journment of the two conventions and the final
night at the polls—business men find political
topics uppermost in their minds, and it may be true
that the great majority spend more time in won-
dering what will happen if their party is not suc-
cessful, or what is sure to happen if their party is
successful, than they do in devising ways and
means to pull their business out of the depression
which just NATURALLY comes every year between
July and September.
There are powerful men in each political party
and in my humble judgment this country is far
too enlightened, far too progressive, and far too
solidly founded commercially and financially to
permit of any man, set of men, or party driving it
to the "demnition bow-wows"!
This country has gone forward w/th tremendous
strides in all matters relating to social, commer-
cial, economical, moral and financial development,
and I am inclined to think that it will continue
along conservative lines that are based upon abso-
lutely sound principles.
The only condition that might be considered as
having a direct influence on prosperous times—and
the effect of which would be felt more or less in
every direction—would be the failure of crops,
and that is a condition over which no mortal can
exercise control; all other conditions, •such as
strikes, unreasonable suppression or control of
large business enterprises (in which the railroads
are included), financial panics, and even war, can
and eventually will be averted by the broad and
liberal exercise of human thought and intelligence,
which, after all, is the basis of all progress.
I have written at greater length than I first in-
tended, and I am afraid that if I keep on I shall
make the mistake of talking too "liberally"' on a
subject with which I am not as familiar as I
might be, if I gave more time to its study.
Let me say to you that I firmly believe that
"right thinking makes right acting"; that pessi-
mism, like optimism, is a habit, and that if you
firmly believe there is business to be had, and go
after it resolutely and with a whole heart, you
are going to get your share of it! On the other
hand, attempt anything in a half-hearted, doubting
way and you will reap the reward that comes to
you through the very nature of your fear an.1
doubt.
"Presidential year" or "no presidential year,"
good crops or bad crops, plenty of money or little
of it, buoyancy or depression, I for one am going
after all the business I can get this year, and if
my balance sheets on January 1 do not show that
we have held our own, and have, perhaps, bettered
last year's record, it will not be due to the fact
that my co-workers and 1 haven't made the proper
effort.
EILERS MUSIC CO. (W. S. Gannon), San
Francisco, Cal.
The effect of the presidential campaign upon
business here in California seems negligible. It is
little discussed in connection with business, and
apparently is having no effect. People have seen
the importance of a change of administration as it
affects business so much exaggerated -in the past
that they are more than ready to discount its im-
portance now, just as they discount the damage
of a crop failure or a threatened panic, either of
which is of far more importance in affecting the
course of business.
Affairs politically in California are in a state of
greater uncertainty than they have been for many
years, yet business is unperturbed, and confidence
in the future, as well as in the present, is well
maintained.
S. A. KARN MUSIC CO. (E. N. Karn), Fort
Wayne, Ind.
We do not see any reason for business being
dull because it is presidential year, and have al-
ways been of the opinion that if people did not
slacken in business energy during a presidential
campaign there would be no falling off of business.
Nor do we believe that changing political condi-
tions need bring about business depression, if we
'"put our shoulders to the wheel" wijh as much
hope and cheer as we did under the old adminis-
tration.
A. N. PICKERAL, Cheeryvale, Kan.
1 for one do not expect that the political situa-
tion will interfere with business in southeastern
Kansas in the least. True, the crops here are a
little short, and business so far this year a trifle
behind last year, but expect to make up in the next
five months what has fallen off in the past seven.
CLEVELAND-MANNING PIANO CO. (H. A.
Manning), Atlanta, Ga.
As to the effect of the political situation upon
the Southern trade, will say that business generally
retards some during the presidential election years
in the South. However, we do not believe that
such will be the case this year. The South is Dem-
ocratic and very strong for Wilson, and there
seems to be a very broad feeling that the change
will be very much the better for the country, an.1
rather than being pessimistic we are -inclined to be
optimistic, and believe the change of national af-
fairs will help the Southern trade. Crop condi-
tions have affected the South more than the usual
dullness caused from the presidential election here.
We gather from the trade in different sections of
the 'South that there are good and bad sections.
In one territory the outlook is quite favorable,
while in the adjoining territory the people are very
pessimistic. From this section at present we are
getting practically no results, and very poor out-
look for the future, and it is entirely up to the
wholesaler and retailer to locate in the good sec-
tions. It is generally believed that we will have a
quiet fall trade; however, the writer predicts for
as good, if not better, business this year than last,
and we are laying our foundation for a big trade;
in fact, the writer has never felt dull in his fifteen
years of selling exerience. When business condi-
tions are such that it seems that everything points
to a failure, we figure that we will have less com-
petition, therefore, lay the lash for more steam,
and we have, so far, been able to be on hand in the
home stretch. We cannot figure where the elec-
tion of one man or another should cause the Cleve-
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
land-Manning Piano Co. to fail to sell pianos, and
we cannot and will not see it that way until by
hard experience the Missouri man has shown us.
LELAND B. GORTON, Paw Paw, Mich.
1 strongly contend that business depression is
more frequently imputable to unwarranted fear and
pessimism than to uncontrollable physical condi-
tions. If the diverted energy wasted in continually
scanning the business horizon tor indications of
approaching trade languor were concentrated in an
intelligent effort to dispel doubt and mental un-
certainty, a tremendous stride would be made in
the direction of a*nnihiliating existing trade bar-
riers and in displacing those obstacles to business
advancement, both real and chimerical, which many
men so loudly bewail and deplore, yet foster and
encourage by their lack of confidence in the sta-
bility of our commercial, industrial and political
progress. To writhe and stagger at every symptom
which, by a wide stretch of imagination, might
be construed as an indication of trade decline, is
to disseminate the doctrine of doubt and indecision
in an unmistakable manner. A careful analysis will
reveal that the business interests of this country
are more divorced from political fluctuations than
many men are willing to concede. In Michigan,
owing to the considerable momentum which the
progressive party movement has acquired, the
political situation is indeed complex, but from a
clear and dispassionate viewpoint it is difficult to
discern any appreciable deterrent effect which the
outcome of the present contest might exert. We
in business should construct, not destruct, confi-
dence, and I affirm that this can be accomplished
without placing our convictions in the background,
•if the dominating factors of the existing situation
are consistently weighed and analyzed. If the busi-
ness interests of the land would as a unit float
the banner of optimism, the impetus arising there-
from would carry us into an era of vastly im-
proved trade conditions, and revive activity in aH
lines to an astonishing extent.
L. GRUNEWALD MUSIC CO., LTD., New
Orleans, La.
We are of the opinion that a change to a Demo-
cratic President would bring with it a metamor-
phosed condition that would, in time, be of great
benefit to this country. Certain energies which
have been dormant would have been awakened and
strengthened into new life—we do not believe that
business would be dull anywhere in the United
States.
We take an optimistic view of the situation.
Wilson is a good man, and liked by everybody;
he has fewer enemies than any others who have
been prominently before the American public. We
have every confidence in him, and believe that
business will be good; at least, we prefer to take
this view of the situation. It is dangerous to culti-
vate business pessimism. The man who has an
excuse for dull business is going backwards; his
business energies are slumbering, and he needs to
be thrown with men of opposite ideas, so that he
may be injected with the proper stimulant and
tcnic to rouse his ambition.
HUYCK MUSIC CO., Ashland, Neb.
We do not think the presidential election to be
held this fall will cut very much of a figure in
the influence on business this year. We think the
day is nearly passed when party will cut much fig-
ure in politics. That this is true, it is only neces-
sary to observe that party lines are becoming badly
broken. In this day of telephones, rural deliveries
and daily papers we find prejudice giving way t>:
common sense, and principle is largely taking the
place of party.
We are satisfied that the Presidential election
will cause practically very little influence in busi-
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos