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THE
MU3IC TRADE
weekly payroll during his absence. Ernest Knabe boldly went to
his bank and asked for a credit of $20,000 for the term of six
months. Considering the critical times such a demand upon a
bank in the city of Baltimore was almost preposterous, and when
finally the banker asked Ernest what security he had to offer and
the reply came, 'Nothing but the name of Knabe,' the banker shook
his head and told the young man that he would submit the proposi-
tion to his board of directors. They decided that under existing
conditions the loan could not be made. When delivering his ulti-
matum to young Ernest, the banker questioned him as to what he
could or would do. Knabe answered promptly, 'I shall go down
to my factory and tell my employes that I am compelled to dis-
charge them all because your bank refused a loan to which I am
entitled,' then took his hat and left the banker to his own contem-
plations. Before he reached his factory office a messenger from
the bank had arrived there with a letter from the president stating
that the account of Knabe & Co. had been credited with $20,000,
to be drawn against as wanted.
"Ernest did not go back to the bank, but packed his trunk and
•went on his journey. Within two months he had sold enough
pianos and opened up sufficient connections to keep his factories
busy to their limit, and when he returned home he called on his
banker to thank him for the loan, of which his firm had not been
obliged to use a single dollar. Ernest Knabe knew tha*t just at that
time the banks of Baltimore could not afford to have the doors,of
the city's greatest industrial establishment closed and hundreds of
men thrown -out of employment for lack of funds, and he won out
against the timid and shortsighted banker."
GROUP of piano travelers were recently discussing the busi-
ness methods of various dealers, some of whom are success-
ful and others not overcome with prosperity, when the question was
raised as to what extent the traveler can, through his general
knowledge of the trade and its methods as a whole, gained on his
many trips, aid the individual dealer in improving his business.
The peculiar fact developed that the travelers were practically
unanimous in the opinion that outside of the details that naturally
interested the manufacturer, such as financial condition and credit
rating and the preservation of the same, the traveler can be of very
little assistance to the average dealer and that the knowledge that
the former has stored away proves valuable to himself alone, in all
too many instances. As one traveler remarked: "We who are on
the road naturally pick up much valuable information regarding
piano selling methods—those which have proven successful and
those which have failed—which we would be very glad to pass
along to our customers, but there the difficulty comes in. The
individual merchant, in all too many instances, believes that he
knows his own business best and regards any suggestions coming
from the traveler as presumptuous on the part of the latter. The
chance of causing offense serves as a check to many travelers, even
when it is apparent that certain changes in methods of selling, ad-
vertising or general management would prove decidedly beneficial
and profitable.
"Once in a great while dealers, and they are generally the ones
who are making real successes in the trade, will ask for suggestions
from the traveler and listen to them with respect. They thus get
in touch with ideas to an extent that would be impossible by any
other means, can get a line-on the methods of from fifty to a hun-
dred dealers in all parts of the country and who are meeting all
sorts of conditions in their fields, and thereby keep their own
methods up-to-the-minute. The willingness to listen to and accept
suggestions also has an excellent effect upon the manufacturer
who, when he sees the dealer is progressive 2nd a live proposition,
feels confidence in his success and is willing to help out in the
matter of prompt shipments and extended credit. The" dearer.who
cultivates the. interest of the traveling man and accepts his sugges-
tions, whether he acts on them or not, is aiding his business in no
uncertain manner."
A
M
OTOR trucks have evidently come to stay, and in the piano
trade, as, indeed, in mostly all industries, they are being
more and more reckoned with as essentials in any business involv-
ing transportation as is generally admitted by men who possess any
breadth of mind. ' The common acceptance of this fact is probably
more responsible for the fast changing attitude of transportation
REVIEW
Legal Questions Answered for the
Benefit of Review Readers
€JWe have opened a Department wherein legal
questions, which have direct bearing on music
trade affairs, will be answered free of charge.
^fThis Department is under the supervision of
Messrs. Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, attor-
neys at law, of 60 Wall Street, New York.
^Matter intended for this Department should be
addressed plainly, Legal Department, The Music
Trade Review.
interests than anything else, for it has transformed motor thought
from channels of sport and recreation to serious business, competi-
tive and economic considerations.
One evidence of the changed field of motor truck exploita-
tion is the steadily increasing desire on the part of business asso-
ciations to aid their members in the study of motor truck transpor-
tation. One or two trade organizations have already sought to
collect data for the use of their members in choosing trucks for
their work and others are being urged by their members to or-
ganize such departments, This paper only a few clays ago was
besought by the secretary of a great national association; for data
on the truck problem, with a view to advising his members on the
subject, and numerous other inquiries indicate the demand for care-
fully collected and readily assimilated information.
Of course, it is impossible for any secretary to have handy
absolutely convincing data for the use of his members which would
determine clearly for them which truck to select. The truth is fast
dawning on business men that no one statement of fact is convinc-
ing as to which truck, out of the whole field, is pre-eminently the
"best" for them as a whole; but that individual businesses, houses,
conditions, different towns, different uses and different commodi-
ties, all enter into an intelligent study of the problems in a way
which makes it well-nigh impossible for any student to furnish
exact data, even though he may assist materially. Irr fact, if cor-
rect and altogether reliable information as to trucks was available,
it would not be altogether fairly used for comparison because of
the great lack of tangible comparative data of present trucking
costs—on the horse basis.
ITH the entrance of China into the family of Republics a
growing interest is being manifested in the future of that
country with its millions' of people, to whom more liberal laws and
the propagation of knowledge through a more--enlightened policy
of public education, will mean so much for the future of the Mon-
golian people.
Owing to the wide variance that exists as to the conception
of musical taste as between the peoples of the East and the West,
it would seem as if the demand for such musical instruments as
pianos and organs would have but slow growth in that country.
As a matter of fact, according to a recent Consular report, the
Chinese have not taken kindly to American and European pianos.
Whatever demand for pianos may exist at Canton among the
foreign population is supplied through dealers in Hongkong. The
same remark applies equally to violins and other foreign stringed
instruments. It appears that there are two foreign factories
in China which turn out pianos and organs by native workmen
under foreign supervision, the wood used in the manufacture of
which is obtained in China and the other parts from abroad.
A large market for talking machines, especially with records
of Chinese songs, tias been developed among the Chinese, and will,
probably increase in the future, Cheap musical toys, harmonicas 1 !
and similar articles are in demand, but are supplied at present by ;
Japan and Europe at prices top tow for American competition.
The new military bands, for which the Chinese show a great
predilection, are creating a considerable market for good, mod-
erately cheap brass and strong instruments/
W