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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer. C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave-, New York; Vice-President,
T. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Staff
DECEMBER 3, 1921
contact and by liberal use of the mails and telegraph, supported by
the publicity given its efforts in the trade press and by local trade
and professional bodies.
Senator Frelinghuyseri happened to be the one to introduce
the bill when the time was ripe. It it had been Senators Reed or
Calder the results would have been the same, and that the overwhelm-
ing majority- of Senators were willing to let the matter be decided
by viva voce vote is a tribute to the manner in which they had been
educated to the real status of music through the efforts of the
Chamber and members of the trade in all sections who had co-op-
erated so earnestly. The result was not the work of a moment but
rather the work of many months.
That the industry is finally and definitely freed from discrimina-
tory excise taxes is a matter so important and far-reaching that there
should be credit for everybody who has participated. For any one
individual or any one organization to lay claim to having accomplished
it all alone approaches the ridiculous.
fcDWARD VAN HA&LINGEN, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE,
EDWABD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KING WILL, THOI. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN.
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Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
|
are 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.
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• l a j UI - • lallU allU
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NEW YORK, DECEMBER 3, 1921
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I
T is a notable fact that the demand for pianos of the better sort
has shown a most substantial increase since September first, with
the result that in several cases orders are piling up at a rate that
threatens to necessitate overtime work at the factories. This ap-
plies, of course, to instruments of recognized and high standing and
which are sold on a basis commensurate with that standing, and is
taken to indicate that the moneyed class, which, like the laboring
class, has held off buying to a large extent during the period of
depression, is regaining its courage and showing an inclination to
loosen the purse-strings.
It has been declared frequently that the concerns that would suf-
fer least from depression and recover the quickest were those who
maintained a high and fixed standard in the production and selling
of their products. In the piano field at least this prophecy is work-
ing out thoroughly. Perhaps there is a lesson in this for those who
are inclined to do business for the day only and whose policy is to
move the goods regardless of any rules of good business practice.
SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION!
No. 23
A TRIUMPH FOR ORGANIZED EFFORT
T
HIGH STANDARDS ARE THE SAFEST
H E Revenue Bill of 1921 was signed by the President on Wed-
nesday of last week, thus becoming part of the law of the land.
The chief interest in the measure on the part of the music industry,
however, lies in the fact that when the bill did become a law it was
without the obnoxious paragraph originally incorporated" in it which
provided for excise taxes on pianos, talking machines, rolls and
records.
The law becomes effective on January 1, 1922, and on that date
for the first time in over four years musical instruments will be
free from a tax that was in every sense of the word discriminatory,
because in addition to the excise taxes the trade had to pay all
the other taxes applying to all business concerns and individuals.
The fight in the House, then in the Senate, where the first victory
was won and the excise tax paragraph eliminated from the bill,
and finally in the conference committee, was a strenuous one and
served to emphasize strongly the manner in which the industry itself
has been organized and has brought to its support strong interests
outside of the trade.
It may be that in the future there may come up other national
legislation requiring concerted opposition or support on the part of
the music industry, and the fact that the mettle of its members was
shown so forcefully in the tax fight should inspire a distinct feeling
of confidence.
Meanwhile the flood of claims from those who maintain that
they were instrumental in having musical instruments freed from
excise taxes is calculated to bring one back to childhood days and
to the problem of "who killed Cock Robin?" Some members of the
trade openly credit the result to their own personal efforts. Others
seek the same credit by inference, and at least one trade paper
editor remarks with impressive modesty that it was he who organized
the trade in its offensive against excise taxes.
The plain fact of the matter is that organization in the trade
has triumphed—organization brought about chiefly through the efforts
of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, through personal
A
T least one member of the music industry has taken upon himself
to write a letter to his Senator and to the Congressman from
his district thanking them for their efforts in freeing musical instru-
ments from excise taxes in the new Revenue Bill signed by the
President last week. It is to be taken for granted that some other
members of the trade have shown a like appreciation of the work
of their legislators, but it would seem that such a move should be
more or less general.
During the past several months Senators and Congressmen have
been bombarded almost weekly with letters and telegrams from their
constituents, urging that they use their efforts and influence in lifting
the excise tax burden. Some of the letters have been pretty strong
and direct to the point and it would seem that, having responded to
the appeal, these same Senators and Congressmen are entitled to a
word of appreciation.
From a practical viewpoint, too, such
appreciation may be calculated to put the national legislators in a
frame of mind to regard the appeals of the music industry in a
favorable light on some future occasion.
ABANDONING THE VALUATION PLAN
R
EPORTS from Washington indicate that the American valua-
tion clause incorporated in the Fordney Tariff Bill will likely be
abandoned in favor of some other plan that, while affording full
protection to American industry, will at the same time prove simpler
in operation and not threaten the complexities of the valuation plan.
The question is not one of whether American industries should be
protected, for the sentiment on that point is too strong to require
comment, but is simply that of adopting some definite standard of
valuation or of duty that will not depend on the ideas or whims of
the individual official and may be followed without confusion.
The storm of protest which was caused by the announcement of
the valuation clause has convinced legislators that it must be dropped,
and they are now working to evolve some plan that will prove satis-
factory to business men generally, both those who are opposed to the
valuation plan and those, though small in number, who for some
reason or other favor the same.