Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SOME VIEWS OF BUSINESS MEN UPON THE TRADE SITUATION—(Continued from page 9).
of Europe instead of conserving all of our energy
for the task of the present moment, which is to de-
velop all our business resources to the utmost limit
of their possibilities. With our population of 100,-
000,000 people and 10,000,000 families there is no
ROBT. N. WATKIN, The Will A. Watkin Co., limit to the amount of business we should be doing,
instead of which we stand around and talk unceas-
Dallas, Texas:
ingly about the extent to which business is handi-
"Regarding the effect of the European war upon
capped by foreign conditions. At the present mo-
the varied business interests of our country. I be-
ment the piano business is experiencing a deprecia-
lieve the present situation is largely a mental atti-
tion of at least 30 per cent, from what it should be
tude—one usually has either faith or fear in a
because we have schooled ourselves to expect a
proposition, and the results generally show what is
falling off and we accept the condition as a matter
the mental attitude. I believe this is the present
of course. Would it not be wise for us to call a
situation.
halt and indulge in some searching self-examina-
"I do not believe that any reasonable man for a
tion? Is there not reason for the statement that
moment thinks that the United States is going to
our trouble is 'psychological?' Larger markets are
ruin just because there is a war in Europe. The
opening to us and conditions are ripe for the greater
only question to decide is, how long before normal
development of home industries to fill the void
business intercourse will be resumed. Surely, 'the
caused by the falling off of imports.
best way to resume is to resume.'
"Let us realize that prosperity is within our grasp,
"The South with its 13,000,000 bales of cotton,
and Texas with its 4,000,000 bales, with practically that this is the day and the hour of our opportunity.
ECONOMICS.
"Lack of confidence is rust upon the wheels of
no market, is probably more affected than other
"Everything destroyed in war is an absolute loss; sections of our country; but certainly this situation progress."
there is no compensation. The countries involved is only temporary, and we have faith in the future R. S. HOWARD, R. S. Howard Co., New York:
"In response to your favor of the 3d, the sec-
in the present universal war will be depopulated, of our country and of our own State and city.
ond
paragraph in your letter covers all that is nec-
pauperized, and become borrowers instead of lend-
"Business is being done right along and collec-
ers. The standard of efficiency of all ithese coun- tions are holding up quite well. Our country is in essary for success, in my opinion, in the piano
tries will be lowered in proportion to their loss of
fine shape, and before long means will be found to business.
men. It will take ten years to overcome the de- market all crops and handle all products.
"I am always optimistic for the reason that, to
ficiency in men alone; the Joss of the productive
"The Dallas real estate market is not lively, but be pessimistic, would kill any .business; but op-
time of a couple of million men for ten years almost
values are holding firm and no one wishes to sac- timism is largely a matter of education, and I re-
passes finite comprehension.
rifice his property because of the present situation. ceived that education as a traveler. A traveler in
COMMERCIAL.
"Change the mental attitude and the entire situa- the piano business would never succeed unless he
is always optimistic; no matter if he is not taking
"All the nations of tthe world are interdependent, tion will be changed."
any orders, he must show up smiling and op-
and until the United States can produce and manu-
facture the raw material and finished products now EDW. J. HARTMAN, President Chase & Baker timistic with his trade every day.
Co., Buffalo:
imported from Europe it will seriously affect our
"There is no doubt that this dreadful war is
manufacturing industries and interfere with our
"It is impossible to travel through the States of
having a depressing effect on business, but I do
commercial progress. We are not equipped either Ohio, Indiana, Illlinois, Iowa and similar sections not believe it will last. Naturally, it interferes
from the standpoint of production, transportation of great agricultural wealth without being im- with some of our foreign business, but probably
or foreign credit system to engage in a sudden ex- pressed with a sense of the large degree of pros- we will get an increase from other sections to
pansion of our foreign trade. I believe until the perity that is now being enjoyed. In a lesser meas- offset that. As evidence of this, we received yes-
gold supply of the world becomes readjusted there ure other States not so largely given over to the terday a cable from Spain for six player-pianos
will be no immediate gain on the part of the United tilling of the soil are also gifted with crops of
and another from Chile for the same number. At
States. Until out transportation facilities are tre- great bounty. But it seems to be a national char- the same time we had to cancel some orders
mendously increased, our manufacturing methods acteristic for us to view our blessings through the booked for shipment to Egypt, Belgium and Paris.
become more intensive and our credit system more reverse end of a telescope. Instead of being grate-
"As usual, we are making up all the goods that
elastic, we cannot hope for any great commercial ful for what we have and optimistic in our view- our factory will hold in the anticipation of the
expansion. Precedent and statistics prove we can point we are prone to regard the possibilities of dis- customary demand for goods the last three or
only hope for a spasmodic gain during the present aster and to be troubled in spirit because things are four months of the year. If we do not succeed in
decade.
as they are instead of as we could make them if we disposing of them we will have the goods just the
"Owing to the lack of foreign capital our own would only apply ourselves to the task in hand, in- same."
capital will be diverted along the line of internal stead of which we seek to analyze troubles that are
Editor's Note.
[Limitations upon our space render it impossible to print
development, taking the place of the capital hereto- sufficiently remote as to be outside the sphere of
fore supplied from England and Europe. This will our natural activities. In other words", why do we all of the communications received, but selections have been
made so that the letters printed fairly represent the senti-
have a tendency to restrict our foreign expansion. concern ourselves so much with the war and tumult
posed to put off payments on their accounts, ieel-
ing that they now have a good excuse for asking
for extensions. This is a serious mistake, as it
only tends to further depress conditions.
"There are many advantages that will accrue to
our industry, if proper judgment is exercised. The
piano merchant can now reduce purchases, clean up
his stock, and bring every piano into actual use,
making quite a saving in the purchase of new stock.
By following the collections closely, and securing a
little better grade of business, the merchant will be
in a position to reduce his liabilities materially
within the next three or four months, which will
be helpful to the manufacturer."
T. LA M. COUCH, The Kroeger Piano Co.,
Stamford, Conn.:
"I have read your very able editorial with a good
deal of interest. I think you have covered the situ-
ation pretty thoroughly. Anything I might add
would be innocuous, but have no hesitation in ex-
pressing my personal view from the standpoint of
economics and commerce.
I look for normal conditions to prevail in this coun-
try as soon as the sober thought of the people as-
serts itself. There should be no panic in the United
States, neither is there any logical reason to expect
a boom."
ments of the whole.—EDITOR, The Music Trade Review.]
SING THEIR OWN PRAISES
AND
TALK THEIR OWN POINTS
The Straube dealer does not have to talk himself and the prospect blue
in the face. Straube Pianos speak for themselves from plate to price.
Style 10—Player-Piano
Get Catalog and Fall Proposition.
tnutb? patto Gkmtjratuj
Showrooms: Republic Bldg.
CHICAGO
Factory and Offices:
HAMMOND, IND.