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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
• lajw • lauv auu
t j o n s o f a tec h n ical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
TPf*hnil*Jl1 F l p n n r f m P n f c
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
l C l l U M i a i U C p d l I l l i e U t e . J e a l t w i t h j w i l l b e f o u n d i n another section o this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information cone ining
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
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NEW Y O R K ,
OCTOBER
2 3 , 1915
EDITORIAL
H E [lureau of Foreign ami Domestic Commerce in a report
referred to in last week's Review takes pains to point out
to manufacturers of pianos and other musical instruments that they
are not doing the volume of foreign trade which they should, based
upon the value of the annual output of instruments in the music
trade industry. In this connection it says:. "It is only in the com-
paratively near-by markets of North America that American manu-
facturers lead in the sales of musical instruments. Elsewhere, save
in China. India and a few other countries, German instruments
occupy the predominant position."
As a matter of fact, piano manufacturers up to a very recent
period made no effort to go after foreign trade owing to the fact
that in normal times the output of the factories is purchased in the
United States. And it is only in dull periods, such as we have
experienced within the past few years that the subject of foreign
trade becomes a matter of serious consideration and more- particu-
larly since the European War. owing to the many inquiries from
abroad.
While there has been a pleasing increase in exports within
recent months, yet it is evident that the manufacturers of musical
instruments in this country are not benefiting to any great extent
through the tying up of trade abroad due to the war. for only a
very small number of manufacturers are taking up the matter of
export trade, and giving it the intelligent consideration which it
merits.
As far as competing with Germany is concerned, this is rather
a difficult proposition in view of the remarkably low prices at which
German pianos of the commercial type have been sold in foreign
countries. Inquiries from piano merchants in England, Australia
and South America hitherto buying in Germany all make demands
for a type of piano that it is difficult to produce at the price in the
United States. When it comes to the more expensive and artistic
product the American piano or player is able to meet competition,
and hence instruments of this character are finding an excellent
market.
Piano manufacturers who have been approached in the matter
pf supplying instruments to England and other countries, and which
T
REVIEW
were formerly supplied by Germany, tell us the prices at which
piano merchants seek to buy are so ridiculously low as to prevent
them giving the matter consideration. The cost of labor and of
manufacturing in this country is such that if the piano merchants
in foreign countries desire to handle American instruments they
must pay more money, and by paying more they are insured of a
higher standard of product both musically and constructjonally.
A campaign of education is necessary in this connection, and it
would pay manufacturers to send representatives with a line of
moderate priced pianos and players to England, Australia. Africa,
South America and other countries which are now sending in in-
quiries.
By means of personal intercourse the superiority of the Amer-
ican product could be pointed out, and very satisfactory business
might be developed. It is difficult to get a piano merchant in
Europe or elsewhere to pay more money for musical instruments
unless he can be "shown," and this is difficult by means of corre-
spondence. The personal equation is a factor of importance here.
And this takes us back to our suggestion of a couple of weeks
ago, that the National Piano Manufacturers' Association would
find it a good plan to appoint an export manager, who would de-
velop export business for all members of the association, and take
off their hands the innumerable details which are so annoying to
those manufacturers who have not regularly organized export de-
partments.
With our large and well equipped manufacturing plants there
is no reason why the United States should not be exporting a larger
number of pianos, players and other musical instruments than it is
to-day, but it can never assume the large volume done by our con-
freres in England and Germany unless the subject of export trade
is taken up by some representative organization in the trade and
some plan of campaign developed whereby large and profitable
markets may be opened up.
HE blockade of the Panama Canal by extensive landslides,
which is believed will prevent navigation through the water-
ways for the balance of the year, is causing such heavy additional
transportation expense to the various Panama steamship lines that
material advances in their all-water shipping rates are to be put into
effect within the course of the next few days.
While no definite information can be secured as to the specific
advance to be made by the steamship lines on the shipped commodi-
ties in the East and West bound traffic, the fact is known that the
new schedules which are to be announced will show many important
changes.
The new rate schedules intended to cover the extra service of
transshipping via the Panama Railroad across the Isthmus, and
the thirty days' extra voyage through the Straits of Magellan will
be in force until such time as th ' regular service by way of the
Panama Canal can be resumed, with such changes as may be mack 1
from time to time in the interim.
This presumably will affect piano shipments immediately by
the water route as the holdup will probably be quite lengthy and the
additional expense will be a factor in piano shipments.
While it is not believed, even with the extra cost of shipment
across the Isthmus, that it will amount to as much as entirely by
rail across the continent, yet from the far Eastern points like l>os-
ton and New York there is 110 question but that the canal holdup
will have an effect upon far Western piano shipments.
T
UST why the railroads and the various freight classification
committees take such delight in boosting the rates on certain
products, or so changing the classification that a higher rate can
be collected, is rather hard to determine. It is certain, however,
that in addition to giving the rate fixers a chance to earn their
money it causes considerable and oftentimes unnecessary expense
to the business man who has enough trouble right now selling his
goods and getting his money without having to worry about getting
the goods from his factory to the customer.
Last November, for instance, the powers that be increased the
rate on pianos crated to Pacific Coast points from $2, as it had
been for eight or ten years, to $2.50 per hundred pounds, and
ruled that the stools, benches and boxed pianos, shipped in carloads
with crated pianos be chargeable at the L. C. L. rate. After nearly
J