Music Trade Review

Issue: 1914 Vol. 58 N. 4

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
CARLETON CHACE,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
_ , , ' . .
„„
Telephone, Main 6950.
PHILADELPHIA:
L. M. ROBINSON,
W M . B. WHITE,
GLAD HENDERSON,
L. E. BOWERS.
- CHICAGO OFFICE:
£• P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
HENRY S. K. KINGWILL, Associate.
Telephone, Central 414.
R o o m 808 .
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL :
ST. LOUIS:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTKN.
CLYDE JENNINGS,
CINCINNATI,
O.: JACOB
WALTERS.
INDIANAPOLIS,IND.:
STANLEY
II. SMITH.
SAN FRANCISCO:
S. II. W.
GRAY,
88 First St.
DETROIT
MICH.: MORRIS
J. WHITE.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
MILWAUKEE, WIS.: L. E. MEYER.
KANSAS CITY, MO.: E. P. ALLEN.
PITTSBURG, PA.: GEORGE G. SNYDKR.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Canada,
$3.60; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $8.00 per Inch, single column, per insertion.
On quarterly oi
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $90.00.
REMITTANCES, In other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
dealt with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning which
will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-Piano and
Technical Departments.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Diploma
__^_
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal- • .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 HADISON SQ.
Connecting* all Departments
Cat>l« address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW YORK, J A N U A R Y 24. 1 9 1 4
EDITORIAL
T
HE chief subject of discussion at the meeting of the Executive
Committee of the National Association of Piano Merchants
held in New York last week was the best way and means for in-
creasing the membership of the association and particularly plans
for increasing the attendance at the annual conventions of that
body. The subject of membership is one of the most important
coming within the scope of the association, for the larger and more
representative the membership in that body just so much more
effective will be the work of the organization in all ways.
Every piano merchant of standing should be a member of the,
association, not only for his own benefit, but for the benefit of the
great industry of which he is a part. The present officials of the
association should use every means in their power, in person and
by letter, to bring the matter to the attention of their friends and
associates in the trade, and urge the importance of the association
as a national factor. Its usefulness has already been proved.
I
N no department of publicity has there been greater advance
than in trade journalism during the past decade. The man
who desires to know what is going on in his particular field of in-
dustry finds that his only source of specific information is the
reliable trade journal.
And why ?
Because the trade journal has specialized and brings not merely
the news of the world to him in a condensed and readable form,
but it brings as well many suggestions and points which are of value
to him in the conduct of his business.
Take a publication like The Music Trade Review. It repre-
sents the work of more than one hundred men in each issue. That
number includes men in every department scattered all over the
country. After the sifting process has been concluded at the office
of publication, the paper is presented and the man who wishes to
know how to get more trade and to add to his business knowledge
reads that paper closely. In that way he keeps up with his com-
petitors.
A wide-awake, successful music trade dealer remarked the
REVIEW
other day that years ago he was not a reader of trade papers, but
he said he had found during the past five years that the papers
that were worth while had been of tremendous advantage to him in
his enterprise.
He said that he read The Music Trade Review carefully each
week and that if it cost him ten dollars a year instead of two he
would never be without it.
The advertising display in the trade paper is of value, for its
pages reflect statements made by manufacturers who are doing,
things—hence, their announcements should be closely read.
Every dollar that a man invests in trade papers is a dollar
invested where it will bring the largest kind of returns, and a music
trade establishment which is without one or two good, strong publi-
cations is standing in its own light. For a modest investment there
is nothing which pays better than a trade publication. It keeps
readers posted as to what is going on in the world and supplies a
valuable amount of constructive matter which should be read by
merchants and salesmen everywhere.
T " H E average American business man sticks so closely to busi-
X
ness that when he is able to enjoy a relaxation from cares
and responsibilities he is not in a physical condition to get the most
out of it.
Col. E. S. Conway, however, proposes to slow up on detail
work from this time on and get more out of life outside of business
than heretofore. For forty-two years he has given unswerving
devotion to the affairs of the Kimball organization. Surely, that is
a long period, and a man who has served that time is entitled to a
respite from the ordinary grind of business duties, l i e has ar-
ranged so he can have more leisure for himself and for travel, but,
as he remarked to The Review last week, "I am not in any sense
retiring from business thought or business direction."
On the first of February Col. Conway is going to take an ex-
tended trip through Europe which will require about ninety days,
after which time he will be at his old post in Chicago, occupying
his former place as a directing power in the affairs of the Kimball
organization. His relaxation from business will be entirely optional
with him. If he wishes to close his desk at noon and enjoy the
afternoon on the golf links, or on the road in his car, he will follow
out his inclination in this or any other direction.
In brief, he retires from the grind of detail work, and surely
after more than four decades of active service he has fairly won
the right to exercise free reign regarding his future movements.
T
HE newly-enacted currency statute will not let down the bars
so far as credits are concerned, as many people have stated,
and some very timely remarks of interest to the piano trade were
made recently on the subject by W. C. Cornwell, an authority, who
said: "The class of paper available for rediscount at the Federal
reserve banks must be of liquid character. The maturity of ninety
days does not, of course, mean that only paper made for that length
of time can be used. On the contrary, no matter for how long
originally drawn, the obligation must fall clue within ninety days.
"The tendency among banks, in order to be equipped with
plenty of available paper, will be to encourage their customers to
avoid renewals. Loans which are not liquid, even though well
secured, will not be looked upon with as much favor. All this will,
of course, tend to make the banking assets of the country sounder.
And, too, the influence upon merchants and others, by encouraging
promptness and more liquidity in financial arrangements, will, in
the end, be beneficial for all business.
"There is some belief prevailing in regard to the new measure
that it is intended, as it is called, to make credit easier. This calls
up a vision of loosening up on the part of the banker as to the
character of loans which will pass muster.
"Nothing of the kind is in contemplation and no such effect
will follow. Credit is one of the functions which can only be safely
determined on business principles, and legislation which attempts
to make it unnaturally liberal, is sure to bring disaster. The bill
does not affect the status in this respect.
"It only supplies greater facilities for extending safe credits.
This will result in ample, but legitimate expansion. This does not
mean inflation. The two are as different as gold and gas. The
effect, with the banking situation free from annual contraction of
loanable funds, will be to stabilize business."
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REGARDING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROFITS.
(Continued from page 3.)
Of course these are extreme views, and most men believe in just labor compensation laws, but,
it is true, hasty legislation usually works out detrimentally in many ways not anticipated by its
projectors.
There is a desire, which is world-wide, to adjust conditions so that there will be more satisfac-
tory relations existing between capital and labor, but legislation rushed through without proper
consideration may work much injury many ways, such as hasty action on the part of well-disposed
employers sometimes brings about a condition infinitely worse than that which existed before.
It may be a good plan, now that we are having commissions of all kinds, to appoint a national
commission to work out some favorable plan, so that men whose hearts are warming up towards
humanitv might have reasonable suggestions made to them for action ^_—^
^_
*
along lines of economic soundness. Then they would be able to work
off their surplus of money and show their devotion to the cause of
humanity without going off at half-cock and upsetting things generally.
wvusvu
Less Business, but Safe Business
T UDGING from the price-baiting advertisements put forth in the
I great metropolitan dailies throughout the land, one would be
led to believe that regular prices in mercantile offerings had
ceased, and that practically all of the merchants in every line were
disposing of their products at rates varying anywhere from 25 per
cent, to 50 per cent. off.
It would seem to show that the American people have been
fed so long on bargains that they like that sort of food, and would
be satisfied with nothing else, but this price-slaughter advertising
really has succeeded in creating an unsatisfactory condition in most
trades.
Price-cutting in the exploitation of merchandise has been con-
tinued for such a long period that it seems that nothing else but an
abnormally great price slaughter attracts people, and we have gone
the limit.
Cut-rate advertising seems to be sort of a national disease.
They have it even in the talking machine trade, which is an im-
portant industry controlled practically by three houses. Along
these lines, the following was taken from the last issue of The
Talking Machine World:
"Every man in the talking machine trade has had the advantage
of nationally advertised products and has had a price protection
which has been of infinite value. A condition of price cutting and
business disturbances have thus been happily and wisely avoided.
And yet notwithstanding these unusual conditions of strength and
stability there are retailers who, by their public exploitation, are
doing things which would seem to us are not warranted by the con-
ditions which surround the talking machine industry.
"Take, for instance, a public exploitation in which talking ma-
chines are offered on terms which are not in accordance with sound
business methods, and which seem to us to be superfluous and un-
called for.
"According to the advertising announcements of a department
store, one dollar will place a $15 machine and $9 worth of records
in the homes of purchasers. Future payments can be made at the
rate of fifty cents.
"A. $5 payment will place a $100 machine and $10 worth of
records in the home of the user, and a $10 note puts a $200 ma-
chine and $10 worth of records in the same place, and that may be
given back if the machine is returned.
"Do not merchants who sell on such a basis strike a blow at
the stability of the business everywhere? Why pay cash, even if
you have it, when such terms are thrust at you?
"We should bear in mind, too, the fact that such offerings affect
the entire trade. They establish a standard of selling terms which
is liable to be put up to talking machine men in every city and every
hamlet throughout the land.
"What in the name of common sense, when there are not
enough goods to go around, is the use of offering a man a machine
worth $200 and $10 worth of records for a ten dollar note?
"The buyer can use the machine a month with the records and
then return it, and get his money back. The returned machine is
sold again as new. Is this right?
"What is the machine but a used product, and how much are the
records depreciated?
"Furthermore, does anyone believe for a moment that there are
not many people who would take advantage of such terms who do
not, at the time they order the machine, expect to keep it beyond a
very limited time?
"Again the advertisers deliberately turn a cash business from
their own establishments by such offerings.
"Why should a man pay cash for a talking machine when he
can get one for a few dollars per month? Why not run over a
period of a couple of years in his payments when it costs him no
more?
"Such advertising hurts in more ways than one, for it creates
a long time small payment credit business out of what otherwise
might prove a near cash transaction, and it tells the man who has
the cash that he need not pay it save in homeopathic doses over a
long period. Is that good business?
"What is the advantage of offering a hundred dollar machine
for $5 a month and a bunch of records included?
"Under those conditions the purchaser who desired to have a
talking machine in his home during the holidays could secure a good
machine and a few records before Christmas, and after a month's
use decide that he does not desire the machine, return it with the
records, and get his money back. Can you beat it? Not very
well—machine, records, music for a month at no cost."
Price cutting exists in all trades, but it would seem from some
of the advertising matter put forth by various piano houses that
instruments are offered at prices and terms far beyond the limit of
business reason.
Now, piano merchants could not make such terms unless they
were supported by manufacturers, and it has always been a con-
siderable source of wonder why a man who could not get credit
for a suit of clothes in his home town could, through some plausible
story, obtain credit from piano manufacturers to the extent of many
thousands.
The business itself is made up of large individual sales, so
that a dealer who is disposing of many pianos runs his debts into
big figures before the manufacturer realizes it.
Because some have set the pace others have followed in line,
and as a result unbusinesslike methods have been permitted to grow.
There is a disposition on the part of manufacturers to get to-
gether and handle trade problems in a common sense and business-
like manner. This has been particularly emphasized in some of
the recent instances where dealers owing very large sums have had
(Continued on page 6.)

Download Page 4: PDF File | Image

Download Page 5 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.