Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 1,
1921
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
CONDITIONS HERE BETTER THAN IN CUBA, SAYS STOWERS
President of Howard-Stowers Co., Inc., on Visit to New York, Says It Is a Matter of the
Survival of the Fittest in His Country—Handsome New Warerooms Recently Opened
John L. Stowers, president of the Howard-
Stowers Co., Inc., New York, and perhaps best
known as one of the largest, if not the largest,
piano merchants in Cuba, with headquarters in
Havana, left for home last week after having
spent some time in New York on a visit. Mr.
Stowers plans to stop at Atlanta and Key West
on his way home, and in the latter city will
inspect the warerooms which he maintains
there. With Mr. Stowers in New York was his
John L. Stowers
brother, James R. Stowers, of Key West, and
they managed to have a thoroughly enjoyable
vacation.
In an interview with The Review, just before
leaving New York, Mr. Stowers said: "Of all
the vacations I have ever had, the one that is
just ended has been by far the best. I do not
know when I have enjoyed myself as much as
I did on this trip to your Wonder City. It is
especially gratifying to me to have had my
brother with me, because he had never been
North before, and this wonderful city impressed
him so much that he said, 'After this, John, all
The Palatial Stowers Residence
my vacations are going to be in New York.'
Together we visited Philadelphia, Atlantic City,
Albany and Boston, and were splendidly enter-
tained by all our friends in these places.
The Financial Situation in Cuba
"One of my objects here was to attend the
meeting of the Howard-Stowers Co., Inc., and I
was very glad to find the company in such good
condition and with such bright prospects. In
fact, I found conditions here much better than
in Havana, where business is at its lowest ebb.
I think in the States they have found some way
of doing some business, whereas in Cuba the
financial situation is so bad, owing to the many ,
bank failures, that the people have everything
there but money. Most of the sugar mills are
closed down because of the lack of money.
There are thousands and thousands of tons of
sugar in the mills awaiting buyers. In one mill
that I recall the men were paid with a simple
I O. U., and finally refused to go on. and left
the mill without finishing up their work or tak-
ing care of the machinery, which will amount
to a big loss to the owners of the mill, because
the various implements have to be carefully
taken care of when the mill is not running. I
have had many repossessions because the people
were simply unable to pay at the present time.
I am not taking back any more pianos because
I feel that sooner or later this condition will
pass and the people will begin to pay again, and
it is far better to allow the pianos to remain
in the homes than it is to have them in storage.
"I see no market in the immediate future for
pianos or phonographs. In fact, I believe that
with my large stock on hand I will not need any
pianos for months to come. I have the largest
stock that I have ever carried, but I am very
fortunate that it is all paid for and I have no
financial worries on my mind.
Danger in New U. S. Tariff Bill
"One serious proposition is the tax that is
intended to be levied on Cuban sugar in the
new Fordney Bill. That would absolutely cripple
trade conditions between the States and the
Island. Moreover, it would seriously endanger
paying back the heavy obligations that Cuba
owes the United States Government. As we
look at it down there, Cuba is a child of the
States, and so should come in for consideration
and care by the parent. To take from it its
main industry through taxation would mean that
Cubans would have to look for other markets;
naturally this would mean not alone a selling
market but a purchasing market. In other
words, Cubans would naturally buy from those
countries in which they sold their products. We
feel we are entitled to the same consideration
that Porto Rico and the Philippines receive. Our
purchases from the United States in 1920 were
nearly, or over, $500,-
000,000. We are the
s e c o n d largest cus-
tomer, I believe, that
the United States has.
All the work of years
will be dissipated un-
less the tariff or duty
is reduced to render
it possible for us to do
b u s i n e s s with t ih e
States.
"Cuba is going to
emerge from its pres-
ent condition if the
United States will just
help us a little bit.
We have everything
there to bring about
in Havana
prosperity. It o n l y
needs patience and capital to bring this
about. The trouible in Cuiba has been the
same as it has been in the United States.
People thought that this great wave of pros-
perity would continue forever. They believed
that the price of 25 cents for sugar would
be the right price and that it would be main-
tained. Great fortunes were .lost when the crash
-II
,%..! l i L S B g a B
9
came. Everybody spent money like drunken
sailors. Ten-dollar bills were of no more value
than 10 cents are now. It was an orgy of ex-
travagance for which the people are paying now,
but I am an optimist as to the future of Cuba,
and I always will be.
"There is more talk of imposing an additional
high duty on luxuries, in which pianos are in-
cluded. The idea is to reduce the Cuban tariff
Piano Warerooms of John L. Stowers
on necessities and increase on luxuries. This, of
course, would very naturally affect all musical
merchandise, but I feel that even if the high
tax rate is imposed the people will still want
musical instruments.
"In Cuba it is simply a matter of the survival
of the fittest in the business world. Those who
made provisions for such a depression as has
come over the Island now will come through
all right, the others will fall by the wayside.
"I have built up a very large and successful
business and earned the good-will and patronage
of the Cubans because I run my business on
American methods by giving everyone a square
deal. I adhere to one price, and I try to give
full value for money received."
• '
American Methods Win Out
Mr. Stowers has just finished his new ware-
rooms, a cut of which is shown herewith. This
is one of the most beautiful buildings in Havana.
It is devoted entirely to pianos, and on the top
floor is a large concert hall, capable of seating
250 people, which will be used for recitals. This
is on what is considered the best business block
in Havana, 29 San Rafael street, in the heart of
the retail shopping district.
Mr. Stowers' plans are to go into the phono-
graph business on a large scale, covering the
entire Island. He intends to follow a similar
policy as regards pianos.
His home is in the select residential district
of Havana. It is a beautiful home, surrounded
by a wonderful rose garden, as can be seen from
the accompanying illustration.