Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1917 Vol. 64 N. 3

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
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
.
.
.
.
.
.
B u s i n e s s Manager
Executive a n d Reportorial Stall:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CABLETON CHACI, L. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON
OFFICES i
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Main 0950.
CHICAGO OFFICES:
E. P. VAN HARLINGIN, Consumers' Building,
220 So. State Street. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
LONDON, ENGLANDt l Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
SBRVICB IS atJPPLIHD W E E K L Y BY OUR OORRB5SPONDHNTS
LOOATBD IN THE! LHADIIfO CITIE3S 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.
Piann anil
r i a U V allU
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
. d e a I t B w i t h j w i n b c 8 f o u n d ; n another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
t ; o n s o f a
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.
6988—5983 XADXSOY SQ.
SOVO BXBTAJrOZ TBUPKOVXS—WmtSBMB
Connecting 1 all Departments
Cable address i "B1MQ, Hew To**."
NEW
YORK,
JANUARY
2 0 , 1917
Even should good business sense fail to convince the piano
merchant of the futility of the sensational or contest style of
piano merchandising, he should at least take cognizance of the
fact that the Federal, State and even City officials are showing
a strong inclination to investigate advertising claims and state-
ments, and prosecute whenever suitable evidence is presented
to warrant that action. The case in Baltimore proves that when
the Government steps in it is not a case of bluffing. It is broadly
hinted that the Baltimore case is only the forerunner of' similar
prosecutions which will follow.
The better element of the trade, for its own protection,
should work with the authorities in stamping out questionable
forms of piano publicity and selling methods.
It is to the credit of Joseph M. Mann, one of the progressive
piano men of Baltimore, who first called the attention of the
United States authorities to the violation of the law in that city,
that these unethical practices have been given such a severe blow
through the conviction of Sprinkle and his confreres. It was due
to his initiative, and the gathering of convincing data and facts,
that the government prosecutors took charge of the situation.
Why any sane dealer adheres to the coupon or puzzle con-
test idea as a means of developing business is a mystery. While
a temporary success is achieved it is followed by a lack of con-
fidence on the part of the public in the house putting- forth this
questionable form of publicity. The people who are inveigled
into believing that they can make money by solving these puzzles
and who find on presenting their coupons that things are not
exactly as they ought to be. at once form the conclusion that tlie
piano dealers as a whole are dishonest. It is this damaging in-
fluence to the good name of the music trade, fostered by the
puzzle advertising, which The Review has for years been so
strongly opposing, an influence which is now fast disappearing,
thanks to a saner and more business-like conception of what con-
stitutes fair dealing between an advertiser and a purchaser.
T is a matter of regret, and indeed a serious loss to the business
I chairman
interests of the country that Edward N. Hurley has retired as
of the Federal Trade Commission. In his official duties
as well as his public addresses he has always manifested a keen
grasp of conditions in the business world, and his suggestions
EDITORIAL
were always couched along constructive lines. It is too bad that
mor/e men of the type of Mr. Hurley could not be induced to give
NOTHER chapter in the long and increasingly energetic fight
their services to the government permanently.
being carried on in the interests of clean advertising and
A proper knowledge of costs in the manufacturing field
clean sales methods in the piano trade was closed last week with
has long been a hobby with Mr. Hurley, and during his official
the conviction of J. W. Sprinkle and other members of the Grand
connection with the Federal Trade Commission he devoted con-
Piano Co., Baltimore, on the charge made by the Federal authori-
siderable attention to the difficulty which the Commission had
ties of using the mails to defraud in conducting a piano contest.
in getting enlightening facts from business men about various
The fact that Sprinkle was sentenced to 18 months in the Atlanta
industries and especially as to costs. In an address before the
Pentitentiary indicates that the Government considers the offense
Commercial Club of Chicago the other day he pointed out as a
fact well understood among business men that the general de-
a grave one.
moralization in a large number of industries has been caused by
The falsity of the contest idea in piano selling is constantly
firms who cut prices, not knowing what their goods actually cost
being realized most forcibly by a large proportion of the trade,
to manufacture. The cost of selling, which is equally important,
by seeing just how that system works out. It was about a
is often almost wholly lost sight of—a condition which is not en-
decade ago that The Review first started its fight against this
tirely foreign to the musical trade industry. He added:
form of piano selling, and carried it on in the face of serious
opposition. Enemies were made for the paper and actual money
"The man who does not know his true costs is the man who
loss was suffered through a withdrawal of advertisers before the
prices his goods foolishly and thereby impairs the business of his
question was threshed out at the Convention in Richmond in
sound competitors at the same time that he ruins his own. Too
low price making based on guesswork or on partial cost is a men-
1910. The stand of The Review has been consistently not
ace to sound business.
against the individual who used the system of piano selling but
"The Federal Trade Commission has urged upon business men
against the principle of the contest itself.
the importance of installing adequate cost accounting systems.
It is a notable fact that strong devotees of the contest method
We have sent out to the business men of the country, both manu-
of selling years ago who had changed their systems have enjoyed
facturers and retail merchants, approximately 350,000 cost ac-
a most substantial growth through conducting their affairs along
counting pamphlets, and thousands of letters have been received
recognized ethical lines. It is noticeable, too, that concerns who
in reply commending the Commission for this work. If we re-
have persisted in sticking to the sensational or the contest
ceive the appropriation from Congress which I believe the im-
style of salesmanship have been steadily losing ground; have
seen business drop off; have been forced to close out branch portance of this work warrants, it is our purpose to divide the
country into zones and to place in each zone a number of cost
stores and to concentrate. At least one concern had become so
accounting experts, whose duty it shall be to educate business
imbued with the contest idea, and had emphasized that method
men, through their trade associations, in better methods of keep-
so strongly in public announcements, that when a change ot
front was attempted and that particular concern tried to do ing their books and working out their costs of production.
"I predict that within five years there will be very little
business on a straight basis of value given for valued received,
money loaned by any banker in the United States to any mer-
the public could not understand the new system and it proved a
chant or manufacturer who does not present a statement shejwing
failure.
A
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
THE INFLUENCE OF THE PIANO TRAVELER
(Continued from page 3)
Sometimes a piano dealer, long established in business, will get into a rut without knowing it, or without
knowing how to get out of it. The really efficient piano traveler, having a wider knowledge of the different
methods of retailing employed in the various sections of the country than has the local dealer, should be in a
position to make suggestions and offer advice that will enable the retailer in the small town to keep abreast of
the latest ideas in piano selling.
Piano dealers, in common with all other retailers, will always welcome suggestions that will aid them in
strengthening and increasing their business. Very often the piano traveler can, by reason of his outside view-
point, give the retailer suggestions that will enable him to overcome difficulties, surmount obstacles and solve
problems which seem to the retailer impossible of solution, because of what may be termed his purely inside
viewpoint.
Therefore, the piano traveler who can furnish ideas of value to the retailers in his territory makes himself
more popular with them, enables them to make more sales, and last, but not least, sells more pianos for his
factory himself.
The piano traveler and the music trade paper are the sole mediums through which the local piano man can
gain adequate information concerning the industry as a whole—both are prime factors to the retailer's success.
As a disseminator of current news and general information they not only keep the retailer informed as to the
latest developments in the trade, but are also powerful molders of opinions.
Horace Greeley once said that six live newspaper men could make or break any man in the United States. If
this be true, it is certain that the influence of the piano travelers in this country, if concerted on any one
proposition, is great enough either to bring it into being, or to kill it beyond the possibility of a resurrection.
The advance which the music trade has made during the last decade has been due in no small measure to
the spirit of progress which has actuated the piano travelers as a whole. Capable salesmen, good business men,
interested in the maintenance and growth of the entire industry, the wholesale piano travelers have done and
are still doing a wonderful work in the upbuilding of the industry, and in the bringing about of better, stronger,
more satisfactory conditions in the trade than have existed hitherto.
detailed information, not only regarding his true assets and lia-
bilities, but also indicating that he is conducting his business in
an efficient manner, and that he absolutely knows his true costs."
Taking up the subject of co-operation, Mr. Hurley, after
deploring the mistakes of business in the past, said: "I believe
that there is a legitimate and desirable field of co-operative effort
among business men, particularly in their trade associations, and
I have urged competitors to meet and discuss the questions of
cost accounting, the standardization of processes and products;
and other phases of their industry which tend toward efficiency.
I am glad to say that to-day there are thousands of business men
who are endeavoring, in a constructive and co-operative spirit, to
work out their common economic problems in this way."
the meeting of the Executive Committee of the National
A T Piano
Manufacturers' Association in Chicago late this week,
there will be presented the first report of the Committee on Trade
Advancement, in general charge of the work of the National
Bureau for the Advancement of Music. The report should be
particularly interesting, because it will go to prove that there has
been actual progress made; that what at the Convention in June
was a mere theory or suggestion has developed into something
tangible.
The Bureau, under the directorship of C. M. Tremaine, has
worked not alone to create a new interest in music itself, but to
co-ordinate various forces that have already been at work in
arousing public interest in music through one method or another.
There have been campaigns laid out for the future; local repre-
sentatives have been appointed in a large number of cities, and
everything points to the success of the Bureau, provided, of
course, that it is supported in the future as it has been thus far.
The Bureau is now a recognized factor. It has the recogni-
tion of those conducting newspapers with music pages, of those
planning a national music show, and of those engaged in other
branches of musical activity. This is as it should be, for such
recognition will mean much in the ultimate success of the pro-
ject. What appears to be most needed now in connection with
the Bureau is that it be given some definite standing in the trade,
not as a part of one association, or of all associations, but a
standing essentially its own, independent-from all direct trade
influences.
it should not be a part of the piano trade or the talking ma.
chine trade, or the sheet music trade, but a National Bureau sup-
ported by all these branches of the music industry, because the
work that it does will result for the benefit of every branch. The
ideas governing its scope should not be the ideas of any one fac-
tion, but ideas so far as possible of those interested in music
and its effect upon the development of the trade as a whole. The
progress already made by the Bureau should go far to influence
those back of it to widen its scope in this particular line.
USINESS conditions continue to be active throughout the
B
country. The usual pre-holiday lull has not been as much in
evidence this year as in previous periods, owing to the fact that
there was quite a large surplus of money in the form of bonuses,
which went to the purchase of musical instruments and other
necessities toward enjoyment in the home.
The outlook for a continuance of active business is most
favorable. Activity prevails in all lines of industry, and the piano
trade is no exception. There are good orders and good dollars
which the piano dealer can get his share of, if he carries on a
live campaign. Meanwhile it is nonsense to talk good times
unless a man is profiting by the good times, and in such years of
abounding prosperity as we have been enjoying every piano
establishment should be a profit maker. It is useless for a man
to fool himself by simply doing business for the pleasure of turn-
ing over dollars. He is only deceiving himself, and the man who
fools himself is apt to apply for membership ere long in the
down and out club.
In this age of keen rivalry and strenuous struggle for com-
mercial success, the highest order of business ability is judgment,
and it cannot be said that a man possesses good business judg-
ment when he runs his enterprise at a loss, whether he is selling
pianos or automobiles. It is up to every business man to meet
the changing price conditions.
Caution and conservatism are reported in the business world,
but measured by the volume of payments through the country's
clearing houses the general volume of trade is heavier than at
any corresponding period in the history of the United States.
For the last week total clearings showed an increase, as com-
pared with the same time in 1916, of about 27 per cent., while the
gain over the corresponding week in 1915 was upward of 100 per
cent. The increase in New York and other cities where specula-
tion enters into the bank exchanges is particularly significant.

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