Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 14,
1918
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
IS
State Commissioners View Trade
Outlook for 1919 With Optimism
Officials of the National Association of Piano Merchants Present Their Views Regarding the Opportunities for Expansion
and Development Which Will Await the Music Industry During the Coming Year—Symposium Presented Here-
with Reflects the Attitude of Piano Merchants in Widely Separated Sections of the Country
men generally, including leading factors in the piano trade, have well defined opinions to offer as to what may be expected
in the matter of business development as a result of the end of the war. There are some who are inclined to be slightly-pessimistic,
B but USINESS
the great majority believe that for the next year or two at least wages will be kept at a high standard, money will be plentiful, and
prosperity will reign to a greater or less extent throughout the country.
It is pointed out that the world has practically stood still in the matter of development for the greater part of four years—that we
must now take up this work of development, not only to carry on such work as should be carried on under normal conditions, but also
to make up for the years of lost time. Then there comes the question of feeding for a year or more at least a goodly proportion of the
population of the European countries, and of rebuilding large sections of the battle-swept areas with American materials and American
machinery. This is expected to mean great activities in industrial circles here, as well as a heavy demand for farm products, and it is
recognized that when the skilled mechanic is busy and well paid, and the farmer is getting good prices for his crops, business in all lines is
bound to benefit, particularly business such as that of selling pianos and musical instruments.
Various sections of the country, however, have individual problems that may not fit in with the general scheme of things. There are
certain industrial centers where straight war work has predominated, and where there must come about a great shifting of workers. There
are, of course, other sections where the agriculturists are handicapped by the fact that a large portion of the working population have been
shifted to war work centers, and may not possibly return to their old haunts.
With the view, therefore, of ascertaining general conditions in all sections of the country, as they reflect or may reflect on the piano
trade, The Review has taken occasion to communicate with the various State Commissioners of the National Association of Piano Mer-
chants—men who from their position are already, or should be, quite familiar with the attitude of the piano merchants in their State,
and with the situation generally. These views—and all of them are well worth studying and considering—are presented in symposium
form herewith for the consideration of all those interested in existing conditions in the trade.
E. E. FORBES, Birmingham, Ala., State Com-
missioner for Alabama
The outlook for business in our section is
promising. The general feeling with the majority
of people is that we will have prosperity and
good business for twelve months or more. There
is, as I understand, however, a tendency among
some large manufacturers to paint the ma-
E. E. Forbes
chinery for the purpose of shutting down.
Unless the majority of manufacturers do shut
down and try to force wages down, I think we
will all see prosperity in business that our coun-
try has never previously enjoyed.
In our section we are fortunate to be in a ter-
ritory where the raw materials are taken from
the earth and converted into iron and steel.
We believe there will be plenty of work for
everybody and wages will not be reduced a great
deal for the next twelve months. Our farmers
as a rule are in good financial condition, bet-
ter than they have ever been since the Civil
War, and in lots of instances they are paying off
mortgages that they have been carrying on their
farms for a great many years.
As to terms, they can be kept on a shorter
basis by the co-operation among the dealers and
manufacturers, as the buying public will not
need such long time. Those who are not able
to purchase pianos can easily afford phono-
graphs, which are filling the desire for music in
nearly every home.
We also believe the manufacturers will find
a market for all their products here in America
that they can produce the next year.
We have some large plants being put up in
our State which are going to increase the circu-
lation of money in Alabama, one in Mobile, a
shipbuilding plant, the other, a nitrate plant at
Muscle Shoals.
I think that every dealer, both large and small,
should he grateful to the members of the trade
who have kept Geo. W. Pound supplied with
means to look after the welfare of our indus-
try at Washington. We believe that music in
the future will be recognized more as an essen-
tial to the home and an education and elevation
to the American people than it has in the past.
BYRON MAUZY, San Francisco, Cal., State
Commissioner for California
The outlook in this particular territory re-
garding trade conditions, with particular refer-
ence to the retail music
business, is particularly
encouraging. The happy
and early end of the
war, the happy and suc-
cessful m a n n e r in
w h i c h the Board of
H e a l t h stopped the
spread of the influenza
and the c o m i n g of
Christmas and holiday
shopping have h a d a
tendency to produce a
general feeling of con-
tentment and good fel-
lowship, free from all
care and responsibility,
Byron Mauzy
a generous feeling towards expenses and a de-
sire to secure the best possible in most cases,
regardless of price.
We do not believe that the curtailment of the
navy or army construction orders will result in
any paralysis of business here, as there is suf-
ficient shipbuilding to keep all the men work-
ing for a couple of years. The credit conditions,
however, show a tendency to maintain the short
credit time and method of selling.
The stock conditions generally are as follows:
In most cases nearly every dealer has received
a sufficient amount of high price stock to carry
him well into the next season, the only short-
ness being in the cheaper makes.
ALBERT GIESECKE, Denver, Colo., State
Commissioner for Colorado
In this section the music industry has pos-
sibly not been interfered with as much as in
some places. We have been amply supplied
with stock, and it is my belief that the return
of war workers will mean an increase in the
volume of piano business.
There is no more opportune time to continue
the selling of pianos on good terms, and it
should certainly interest the entire trade to con-
tinue selling on "businesslike" terms. What the
final result will be, of course, remains to be seen.
H. W. CLINTON, New Haven, Conn., State
Commissioner for Connecticut
The manufacturing districts of the country
should be busy for some time manufacturing
essentials for recon-
s t r u c t i o n work.
Many of the muni-
t i o n manufacturers
have plans for turn-
ing t h e i r factories
into other lines at
once.
Without a doubt
farming
communi-
ties will be prosper-
ous, a n d the farm
laborer will be in de-
mand.
We feel optimistic
regarding f u t u r e
H. W. Clinton
business conditions, and look for a steady in-
crease.
Regarding terms, we hope that the piano
trade will never return to the old-fashioned
method, or rather lack of method, of market-
ing pianos. We must remember that the in-
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