Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J TIMPE
Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE, L. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St. E. P. VAN HARI.INGEN, Republic Building.
Telephone, Main 6950.
209 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
H. SCOTT KINGWILL, Assistant Manager.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
NEWS SERVICE IS SUPPLIED WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
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, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $130.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
PianA and
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
I lallu allU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
nonarlnutnfc
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
l l c p d l II1ICUI&. d e a I t w i t h > w []i 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
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—6983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW
YORK,
M A Y 1 9 , 1 9 1 7
EDITORIAL
HE proposal to tax all musical instruments 5 per cent, on
T
their wholesale prices has naturally aroused a lively degree
of interest in the trade, and manufacturers and dealers, through
their national and State associations, have been carrying on active
campaigns to arouse Congressmen and Senators to a full realiza-
tion of the injustice and unwisdom of this tax as far as it affects
the music trade industry.
The very comprehensive brief forwarded to Chairman
Kitchen, of the Ways and Means Committee, by the National
Piano Manufacturers' Association, and which was printed in last
week's Review, pointed out how the music trade industry would
be seriously hampered and endangered by this proposed taxation.
Following a breathing spell, with a very short period of pros-
perous times, we are now face to face with a p'roposed increase
of expenses in the way of taxation, which comes right on top of
the increased cost of materials and labor. The margin of profit
in the construction of pianos to-day is so small that a tax of 5 per
cent, would bring about a condition that would imperil the
industry.
There is no desire on the part of the members of the music
trade industry to fight legitimate taxes, for the war naturally
involves a large expenditure of money, which can only be met in
this way, but it is a question for discussion whether it is wise to
penalize business by inflicting such excessive taxes as will
virtually tie up business.
If the people of this country are to meet general taxation
business must be encouraged rather than harassed. Already there
has been a slowing up reported in a number of industries, owing
to the overdose of "economy" talk which has been so freely fed
out by some of the leading officials of the government.
It is evident that the prosperity of the merchant, the manu-
facturer, and all of their employes, depends upon getting the
people to understand that lessened consumption means lessened
production, and that consequently unnecessary economy will
REVIEW
surely injure rather than benefit. The main point to-day is to
talk business and to do business—to cultivate a feeling of confi-
dence in the future.
Obviously the new war revenue bill is not calculated to
encourage this feeling. It is so loosely drawn and works such
an injury to all branches of business that it would seem as if
those concerned with its preparation were inclined to strike back
at business for some fancied wrong. For instance, one of the
members of Congress who helped prepare this bill claimed that
he had voted against going to war, and now that the people
wanted war, he was helping to make them pay for it. This is
not the expression of a statesman, but rather a partisan, who puts
his own personal feelings above the interests of the country.
Americans in all lines of industry, whether employers or
employes, are willing to do their share to help the government
finance this war, but the wisdom of trying to get within one year
such a vast amount of money through taxation and by such
drastic means is open to debate. As our Washington corre-
spondent pointed out last week it seems altogether likely that the
fate of the musical instrument tax will in reality be determined
in the Senate. This will not be due solely to the circumstances
that the Senators will have the benefit of first-hand information
from men in the trade as to the wisdom of levying such a tax and
what form, if any, it should take, but rather to the fact that the
Senate is apt to impose its will upon the House in the ultimate
compromise over any legislative measure as to which the two
houses differ in opinion. • Some Senators who do not take kindly
to the House proposals have declared that the revenue bill "will
not be recognizable" after the Senate has remodeled it, and while
these prophets have not disclosed what sections of the bill as
originally drafted are to be shot to pieces it is more than likely
that musical instruments will come in for attention.
Meanwhile manufacturers and dealers should get in touch
with their Senators and Congressmen by wire, and let them know
how they and the industry feel regarding this inequitable tax on
musical instruments. If you have not wired to Washington you
haven't done your duty. This matter is mighty vital to you and
to the whole industry.
HE campaign started last week by the Piano Merchants'
T
Association of New York to improve retail conditions by
fixing a higher minimum price at which its members will agree
to advertise pianos and player-pianos and to bring about the
elimination of terms from advertisements is decidedly a move in
the right direction, a move that is prompted most forcefully by
present conditions.
The local piano men have fortunately decided upon that
reform which will have the greatest effect in bringing to the
public a new realization of piano values, and they should hammer
on the campaign until a definite result is accomplished. In this
work they will have the assistance of every right thinking mem-
ber of the trade, for the adoption of such minimum advertised
prices will revert to the benefit of the trade as a whole without
working harm to any single member of it.
Just a word of warning, however. A discussion of trade
reforms naturally brings into the limelight numerous conditions
such as what are termed throw-ins, long time instalments and
other factors. Each, of course, is important, but some present
problems in adjustment that will take time and effort to solve.
Let the piano men stick to their first announced object.
Clean up the advertising. Place it on the right basis and then,
if desirable, deal with the other questions. The demand of the
hour is to impress the public with the fact that pianos are worth,
and are going to cost, more than formerly. Meeting that demand
is a man-sized task, without complicating the situation with
ramifications.
RANCIS MARTIN, District Attorney for Bronx County,
F
who spoke at the Piano Club of New York at the special
weekly luncheon on Wednesday of last week, gave his hearers
some new ideas on what the term "slacker" means in a civic as well
as a military sense. Mr. Martin pointed out that each citizen
had a definite part to play in upholding and assisting the county
officials in the performance of their duty; for a locality, known
for its law abiding character, was immediately accepted as a good