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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY THE ESTATE OF EDWARD LYMAN BILL
should it be impossible to ship piano freight easily the music
trade in this country will suffer a serious drawback.
In anticipation of the rumored strike many prominent piano
manufacturers are bending every effort towards filling the orders
which they now have as speedily as possible, and those dealers
who placed their orders early are to be congratulated for so doing,
as they will naturally suffer less, should a strike be declared, than
will those dealers who were not foresighted enough to prepare
for situations such as this.
(C. L. BILL, Executrix.)
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manaf er
executive and Reportorial Staffs
B. BBITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACS, L. M. ROBINSON, GLAD HENDERSON, WILSON D. BUSH
A. J. NICKLIN, W M . BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor),
L. E. BOWERS,
V.D.WALSH
BOSTON
OFFICES!
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 6950.
CHICAGO O F F I C E :
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN. Consumers' Building,
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabagh 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
LONDON, ENGLAND* 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall S't., E. C.
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Edward Lyman Bill.
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n | a v M DSOMA and
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
• lajCr-1 lallU dHU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
TAohnfoal fkonartmonfc
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
iCCnOlCal U e p a n m e i l l S . 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.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma
Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
once and so often there is a legal contest in the
E VERY
various courts in New York State regarding the interpreta-
tion of the conditional sales act or personal property law which
would seem to indicate that there is room for a more compre-
hensive measure that will outline definitely the rights of both
the vendor and the vendee in the matter of instalment sales.
The instalment method of selling is not something new and un-
tried, but it is an established practice that is rapidly finding its
way into new channels of trade.
From an accepted companion to the usurer, the instalment
merchant has developed to a point where he is recognized with
the established members of his particular trade. Houses of
national standing find that method of selling right and proper.
What New York needs is a law that, while protecting the rights
of the individual from the operations of unscrupulous merchants,
will at the same time protect the interests of the vendor clearly
and emphatically. It is a line of business where legal red tape
is not entirely unknown.
one visits the medium sized piano stores throughout the
A S country,
the fact that impresses is the number of specially
built recital halls that are diverted from their original purpose and
used as ordinary warerooms for the display of pianos and players.
DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NDMBEBS 5982—5983 MADISON gQ.
Inquiry brings forth the explanation that in the majority of cases
Connecting all Departments
Cable address: "ElbiU, New York."
regular recitals were found to be poor paying propositions, and
were abandoned in favor of more direct sales methods.
NEW YORK, AUGUST 12, 1916
The complaint is not an exceptional or an individual one,
and the matter is worth more than passing consideration. For
some years the trade has heard much of the benefit of recitals
EDITORIAL
and there is no gainsaying the fact that there is nothing like an
active demonstration to convert the skeptical regarding the
IANO manufacturers are much concerned over the reports
merits of a piano or particularly a player-piano or talking
which have been current in the public press concerning the
machine.
unrest among railroad employes in all sections of the country.
The trouble appears to be that with a number of houses
While there have been rumors from time to time of transportation
which may be considered without offense in the middle class, the
strikes, it has been a number of years since the traffic of the weekly, bi-weekly or monthly recital developed into a matter
country was seriously affected by reason of any trouble between
of routine. With the regular business of the store to attend to
the railroad employes and the railroad companies.
the salesman found little time to give the proper attention to the
Latest advices seem to indicate that the present situation is
indirect prospect developed by the recitals. Then, too, the proper
somewhat serious and Harry A. Wheeler, of Chicago, chairman
featuring of a weekly recital forces a prohibitive expense upon a
of the Committee on the Railroad Situation of the Chamber of
limited business.
Commerce of the United States, has appealed to President Wilson
Recitals are to be considered as mediums to an end, not
to take action in the matter of the threatened railroad strike.
the end itself. They do not of necessity develop prospects. They
This plea is one of the strongest which has ever been made in simply serve to bring a certain number of people into the hall
the commercial history of the country and is backed by as to hear a demonstration, and it is the work of the salesman to
large a number of business men as has ever been heard from on
develop this casual interest into something tangible that will
a single subject. Copies of this appeal have also been sent to
result in the visitor becoming a live prospect. This system takes
the representatives of the railroads, the four railroad brother-
time and costs money. The department store does not have to
hoods and to the chairmen of the House and Senate Committees
work hard for recital audiences, because there are a sufficient
on Interstate Commerce.
number of plain "shoppers" and purchasers in the various de-
Chairman Wheeler is of the opinion that it may be advisable partments who appreciate the opportunity to sit down and be
to call a conference in Washington in the near future so that
entertained.
the interests of the shipper and the general public can be con-
The ordinary piano wareroom, however, does not attract
served as far as possible. A plan is now under foot to arrange visitors unless they are interested in pianos or players alone and
for conferences between the representatives of the employes and
are considering the purchase of an instrument. A recital audi-
the railroad officials with a view to averting a strike, if possible.
ence in a piano store, therefore, cannot be gathered from within
It is to be hoped that any existing differences may be settled
the store itself. They must be brought in for the purpose of at-
amicably and without recourse to a strike. A large portion of
tending the recital, which means, of course, advertising and ex-
the present prosperity existing in this country is due to the fact
ploitation.
that our transportation facilities have been adequate to cope with
Certain piano merchants have solved the problem to a cer-
the immense increase in commercial activity which has marked
tain extent by holding recitals at irregular intervals, of a month
the last few months.
or even six weeks apart, and then concentrating on that recital.
Should the main arteries of transcontinental traffic be tied
In such a case, an elaborate program can be prepared, with talk-
up by a strike on the part of the operators, it will work a serious
ing machines and player-pianos featured in certain numbers,
hardship to piano manufacturers and dealers alike. At this time
and with local musical talent and other attractions to give the
of the year the fall shipments are commencing to go out, and recital the necessary human interest. Such a recital can be widely
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