Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1913 Vol. 56 N. 12

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
B. BKITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NicKLiN,
CAKLETON CHACE.
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
L. M. ROBINSON,
WM. B. WHITE,
BOSTON OFFICE:
GLAD HENDEBSON,
L. E. BOWERS.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 87 South Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Main 6950.
Room 806. Telephone, Central 414
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUISt
R. W. KAUFFMAN,
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS
REVIEW
ness on such a basis. Moreover, the principal offender was forced
to pay a sum of money as damages, as well as the entire court costs.
Every once in a while some dealers get the idea that contracts
can be broken with impunity—that prices based upon patent rights
can be assailed in courts—but they are evidently ill-advised, and
where the matter is fought out they learn to their cost that the
patentees' equity, represented by the manufacturer, must be re-
spected.
The aggressive and successful work of Mr. Camp in the ca>es
in Chicago just referred to is particularly important just now, be-
cause of the recent decision handed down by Judge Ray in the
United States District Court, which led those not acquainted with
the history of the case to believe that his decision would kill price
maintenance and open the market for patented goods to price
cutters.
W
ITH the formation of the new Department of Labor in
Washington with a representative in the Cabinet, the name
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
of the former Department of Commerce and Labor has been
changed to the Department of Commerce, and the designation of its
Published Every Saturday at 873 Fourth Avenue, New York
head becomes "Secretary of Commerce."
Enteted at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
This change gives an added dignity to both commerce and
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $3.00 per year; Canada,
labor, but whether it will result in any greater accomplishments in
»8.60; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.50 per inch single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
either field is a question to be determined. The work of the bureau
yearly contracts, a special discount Is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
and offices remaining in the Department of Commerce will not be
Lyman Bill.
materially changed. There are nine of these—the Bureau of
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
Player-Piano and
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
Foreign and Domestic Commerce, the Bureau of Corporations, the
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
dealth with, will be found in another section of this
Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Lighthouses, the Bureau of
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning which
will be cheerfully given upon request.
Fisheries, the Bureau of Navigation, the Bureau of Standards, Coast
and
Geodetic Service, and Steamboat Inspection Service—truly a
Exposition
Honors Won
by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
sufficient
number of departments, and important enough to keep an
Diploma
Pan-American Exposition 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1906
energetic Secretary of Commerce busy.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982-5983 MADISON SQUARE
There are three bureaus whose operations are of interest to
Connecting all Departments.
business men. For instance, the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
Cable address : "ElbllL N e w York."
Commerce, formed last year by the consolidation of the Bureau of
NEW YORK, MARCH 22, 1 9 1 3
Manufactures and the Bureau of Statistics, is charged in general
with the duty of fostering, promoting, and developing the various
manufacturing industries of the United States and their markets at
home and abroad by gathering and publishing all available and use-
EDITORIAL
ful information concerning such industries and markets. Part of
the information published by the bureau is furnished by American
HERE seems to be no limit to the unbusinesslike methods
consular officers, whose reports are edited and published in Daily
adopted by some members of the trade. When pianos are
Consular and Trade Reports and in special monograph series. The
sold on the deferred payment plan running over a period of four
reports of special commercial agents of the Department of Com-
or five years it certainly becomes a long drawn-out business. merce, traveling both abroad and in the United States, are also
We have at hand two or three advertisements of well-known
published in monographs and distributed among the manufacturing
dealers who are offering to sell the best known pianos in the interests of the country. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic
world on the instalment basis, carrying the final payments over
Commerce compiles and issues the import and export statistics of
from four and a half to five and a half years after the first payment
the United States, and the traffic of foreign countries. Other activi-
is made.
ties consist in handling a heavy volume of correspondence, com-
Now, such business as this seems to us to be too long drawn
municating news of opportunities abroad for American firms, and
out.
assisting generally in the expansion of trade.
It is difficult to tell just exactly on what basis a business
The Bureau of Corporations is authorized to investigate the
stands when conducted on such lines.
organization, conduct, and management of the business of any cor-
How would it be to come to an agreement that no pianos
poration, joint-stock company, or corporate combination engaged in
should be sold on time carrying the final payment beyond a
interstate or foreign commerce, except common carriers subject to
three-year plan?
the interstate commerce act, and to collect for the use of the Presi-
To conduct any business on such a basis requires practically
dent information concerning such corporations.
unlimited capital, and it is plain that someone must have good
The work of the Bureau of the Census includes, besides gath-
carrying power back of them to transact such a business.
ering statistics regarding the population every ten years, the col-
lection of figures on the extent of various manufactures every five
ESPITE the fact that the United States courts have time and
years, and making various special investigations from time to time.
time again upheld price contracts based on patent rights,
The manufacturers of the country are especially indebted to the
there are concerns that endeavor to cut prices with perfect indif-
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce for its helpful infor-
ference to their agreements and to the established fact that patented
mation. Through this bureau American consular officers abroad
articles must be sold at the price fixed by the manufacturer.
have furnished most valuable information regarding markets and
In last week's Review reference was made in a despatch from
trade possibilities that have stimulated the interest of manufacturers.
Chicago to the splendid work of Elisha K. Camp, counsel for the The bulletin issued by this Bureau has also accomplished much in
Columbia Graphophone Co., who, learning that agents of this in-
keeping manufacturers in touch with trade possibilities throughout
stitution in that city were selling Columbia records at cut prices,
the world.
appeared before the United States District Court and pressed the
With the division of the bureaus of commerce and labor it is
suits against these parties with such vigor that Judge Carpenter,
obvious that the Secretary of Commerce will have greater oppor-
who presided, at once issued a preliminary injunction. Following
tunities to develop his department along broader lines to the end
an inquiry that consumed only a few days, he made the decision
that the commerce of the country is helped in a still more substantial
permanent, thus effectually stopping any future attempts to do busi-
wav-
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First St.
DETROIT, MICH.: MORRIS J. WHITE.
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND^ STANLEY H. SMITH
MILWAUKEE, WIS.: L. E. MEYER.
T
D
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Appreciate Value of Technical Instruction.
I
NCREASED interest is being manifested in the school for in-
struction in player-piano mechanism and repair worle which is
being conducted in the Murray Hill Evening Trade School, in this
city. As before remarked in these columns, some of the New York
manufacturers have been most liberal in their support of the enter-
prise by supplying models of player actions and the necessary
equipment, so that the members of the class may be enabled to get
the fullest instruction regarding the construction of the various
players and go forth at the end of the season equipped with a proper
understanding of the mechanism of the player.
Out-of-town manufacturers who have visited the school are not
only impressed, but enthusiastic over the work that is being ac-
complished and the results that will accrue through the inculcation
of a knowledge of the construction and operation of the various
pneumatic actions used in player-pianos.
The instructions are particularly valuable to tuners, many of
whom have found the repair of player mechanism something quite
beyond them because of their lack of knowledge. As a result the
present class at the Murray Hill Evening Trade School is com-
posed very largely of tuners, and there are a great many of them
on the waiting list. This is perfectly natural, for with the growth
in popularity of the player-piano, the tuner is in touch with these
instruments every day, and it is most essential that he should be
not merely a master of the art of tuning, but of the various player
mechanisms with which he comes in contact.
The admirable work that is now being accomplished by this
class is not only of benefit to those who have the privilege of attend-
ing, but it has a much wider significance. -If the player-piano is
to be a success it must be cared for after it is sold by men of intelli-
gence, for the reputation of many players has been injured by in-
competent tuners belittling the instrument, because some minor
defect in the player mechanism mystified them.
There is no question to-elay of greater interest to the player
manufacturer than the care and maintenance of the player-piano
after it is sold, and it will continue to be a topic of vital importance
for some years to come. As a matter of fact, there is no reason
in the world why player manufacturers should not insist, as a con-
dition of granting the agency for their line to any dealer, that the
man who has to look after these instruments on the outside or in
the wareroom, shall be duly qualified by a course of instruction in a
school similar to that conducted at present in New York, or by
instruction in a player factory.
If this be impracticable it will be economical for each player
factory to employ a corps of traveling experts to visit dealers, and
look after the instruments of their make which are sold in the
dealers' territory.
A still better plan would it be to have a technical school, con-
ducted somewhat along the same lines as the Murray Hill Evening
Trade School, or perhaps on some broader plan, to be established
at some central point in the West, like Chicago, where instruction
in the construction and repair of the player might be given free to
all who would come and ask for it, and where specimens of every
pneumatic action now on the market may be studied.
In this connection it is interesting to note that A. G. Gulbransen,
of the Gulbransen-Dickinson Co., Chicago, 111., who recently visited
the Murray Hill Evening Trade School, expressed the opinion,
as recorded in The Review, that he would advocate the establish-
ment of such a school in Chicago, and believed that such work
should have the support of every piano and piano player manufac-
turer and dealer in the country.
This is the right spirit. We should at least have two or three
schools of instruction in this country established at central points
where tuners, and, better still, salesmen, may be enabled to study
the various player mechanisms, so that any problems that arise in
regard to repair or constructive work may be adjusted with a com-
plete knowledge of the requirements.
The opinion prevails that many tuners are antagonistic to the
player-piano—that they are opposed to the acquirement of player
knowledge.
As a matter of fact this is not true.
We know this to be the case, because from the very earliest
days of player construction this office has given special attention to
the production of technical literature regarding the construction, care
and operation of the player-piano. The thousands of tuners who
have purchased these works, and who have written making inquiries
for new publications along this line, indicate how keen is their
interest and desire to familiarize themselves with the various
mechanisms now on the market.
If the Chicago manufacturers absorb the enthusiasm of Mr.
Gulbransen and establish a school either under their own auspices,
or that of the Board of Education in Chicago, where instruction
in the construction and repair of the player may be taught, it will
do much to establish a better appreciation of the merits of the
player-piano throughout the West. It will equip the tuners and
others interested in these instruments to handle all problems that
may arise. And in conjunction with the great work that is now
being done in New York it will certainly mean much for the player
business as a whole.
As we said before, this is not a local question, but one of
national importance for the entire industry. The increased de-
mand for player-pianos necessitates a thorough knowledge on the
part of tuners and other workmen associated with the warerooms
of the constructive features of the instruments so that they may be
able to solve all repair problems without difficulty.
Instalment Legislation in New York State.
I
N the various State legislatures throughout the country there
seems to be a desire prevalent to regulate sales made on in-
stalments to a point that is destined to work a serious injury to
those engaged in business in such industries as the piano, furniture,
book anel other trades where business is done very largely on the
instalment basis.
In. Ohio, the piano merchants are working strenuously against
instalment restrictions on the part of the legislators, and in New
York State there are bills before the Senate which, if passed, make
it impossible for instalment sales to be made with any degree of
safety to piano merchants. As a matter of fact there are in all
some four bills before the New York Legislature, all bearing upon
the regulation of the instalment business.
Two of the most dangerous bills, which call for immediate
consideration of the piano merchants of New York State, are the
bills Nos. I 6 I and 1322. The first provides that no instalment
seller can foreclose a lien after fifty per cent, of the purchase has
been paid.
The second bill provides that \i repossession is made under
conditional sales contract eighty per cent, of the money paid must
be refunded, a provision which, if enforced, would mean the
ruination of all merchants selling on instalments.
These bills are manifestly unfair on the very face of them, and
we are surprised that they should receive serious consideration from
the legislature; yet year after year bills of this kind are introduced
in the interest of the "peepul" with the desire apparently to harass
the business man.
Fortunately those interested in the instalment business in
the State and especially the furniture and piano men are recog-
nizing the dangerous character of the bills and are taking action
to combat them.
The members of the New York Piano Manufacturers' Associa-
tion as well as the piano manufacturers and dealers not members
of that organization, will be strongly represented by commit-
tees "at the hearings on the bills to be held at an early date in Albany
and it is confidently expected that the measures will be defeated
when the strong opposition to their passage is realized by the
legislators.

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