Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1923 Vol. 76 N. 1

int new YOWC
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- PUBLIC
digitized
with support from namm.org
LIBRARY
)6324A
ASTOR. LENOX AND
THE
MUJIC TIRADE
VOL. LXXVI. No. 1
Published Every SaUrday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 373 4th Ave., New York, N. Y. Jan. 6, 1923
fllllXlllXlllXlllXlllXff
New Year Should Be One of Co-operation
' • ' "
" •
" ' "
• " H I " " "
I 111 I I I I I I I I .
!•••• H I M
1IXIIIXIIIXIIIXIIIXIIIXIIIXIIIXIIIXIM
T
HIS is the first business week of the year. The business man eagerly scans the prospect, hoping to
catch, perhaps, some glimpse of the future, some message of what the forthcoming months have in
store for him. The past year was one of recovery. In most ways the progress made has been wonder-
ful.
Once more the truth is demonstrated that the world cannot go wrong for ever or more than to a
certain calculable extent. We have come far in twelve months. But we must not be content to rest lazily
in the assurance that the innate strength of the country will always pull it through; and us with it.
For if we look to 1923 to redress the ill balance of 1921 we must be prepared to work out our own
problems ourselves. There are certain things we must do, for there are certain things that only we_can do,
which no one outside the music industries can do for us, but which must be done if we are to make the progress
during the next twelve months which we hope and aspire to make.
And in the very first place we must put the word Co-operation. For'if the music industries are going
to prosper during the new year, as we all hope to see them prospering, the retail merchant must convince him-
self of the great truth that his interests and the interests of the manufacturer run absolutely parallel.
There has been during the past two years a lamentable exhibition of what may be called in colloquial
language "passing the buck," by dealers on to their manufacturers. There has been little or no recognition
of the fact that a manufacturer's organization must be kept up, that orders and orders only can keep it going,
and that if it disintegrates through lack of orders the interests of the dealer will be hurt directly and pro-
portionately.
During the past few weeks there have been numerous examples of how far manufacturing schedules
had become disorganized through lack of orders during the year, when it is plain from the records made in
other lines that hard work would have kept the store floors empty at all times, or since last Spring at any rate.
Further disintegration must be brought to a stop. Dealers must co-operate with manufacturers. If they do
not they must be prepared to face the consequences, which will not be pleasant for any one, for they will spell
lost sales.
If, on the other hand, they do so co-operate, taking a little courage with them and placing their orders
with some evenness throughout the year, they will restore the industry rapidly to its former normal conditions
and will find themselves better off in every way.
Again, is it not clear that every effort should be made during the coming months to enlarge and improve
the terms on which instalment sales are being made? We are entering an era of recovery, of, we hope, perma-
nent restoration. It is necessary that the flow of money be steady and even. The dealers can now get money
from the people. The manufacturers have therefore a right to ask from dealers their fair proportion in the
flow of cash.
Again, if the year 1922 demonstrated anything at all, it demonstrated that the people want music and
will have it, even if no special effort is made to show intelligence in selling it to them. They will have music.
Consequently it is our part to give them what they want. Which means that if we will think more of what
our player-pianos and talking machines do and less of how much money we have to get for them we shall all
be better off.
1923 may be, should be, can be, one of the best years the music industries have ever seen. All signs
point the way to a steady revival, and although we should be foolish to expect a boom during the next twelve
months, we shall be equally foolish if we do not realize that hard work and persistence will bring prosperity
to everyone who uses these virtues in his daily work between now and next New Year's Eve. For the slug-
gard there is no hope.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
(Registered in the U . S. Patent Office)
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-Preaident,
J. 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, Win. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Staff
EDWAKB VAM HASXINGKN, V. D. WALJH, E. B. MUNCH, LEK ROBINSON. C. R- T I C H I ,
EDWAKD LYMAM BILL, SCOTT KINCWILL, THOS. W. BRBSNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN
W E S T E R N DIVISIONi
BOSTON O F F I C E :
Republic Btdg., 209 So. SUte St., Chicago.
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
Telephone, Wabash 5242-5243.
Telephone, Main 6950.
LONDON, E N G L A N D : 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
N E W S BVBVICB IB S U P P L I E D WEEKLY BY OUR CORRESPONDENTS
LOCATED IN T H E LEADING CITIES THROUGHOUT AMERICA.
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post ogle* at New York, N. Y.,
under tht Act of March 3. 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $3.50; all other countries, $5.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $6.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly ot
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $150.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forma, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
and
aUU
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
IW>nartmPnf«
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
l f c p a l U U c I l l S 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.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Pfix
Diploma
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal... .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 6»82—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Klblll, New York"
Vol. LXXV1
NEW YORK, JANUARY 6, 1923
No. 1
AGAIN ON THE ROAD TO PROSPERITY
B
USINESS in the United States in every line has entered the
New Year with a spirit of optimism that is well warranted by
the change in general conditions that came about in the closing
months of 1922, and which has served to bring back a large measure
of prosperity to the industry as a whole, as well as permit the
farmer to recover, economically, in a surprising manner.
Even if prosperity is to be regarded with some conservatism,
it is evident that a new era of prosperity is either here now or
immediately in the offing, according to reports compiled and made
public by the Government and substantial business interests.
The increase in building operations throughout the country,
the greater activity in industrial plants which has reduced unem-
ployment to a minimum, the bumper crops in many sections, which
have brought money to the farmer even though the prices realized
were not peak prices; the apparent willingness and ability of the
public to resume retail buying on a normal basis—all have been
calculated to make for sound business and encouraging future
prospects.
On top of all this prices have remained steady and in some
cases have advanced to cover increased production costs, indicating
that the period of liquidation has passed and that the country has
settled down to the acceptance of existing price levels as represent-
ing a new normal.
With domestic conditions so genuinely satisfactory, additional
assurances for the future are found in the well-sustained volume
of foreign trade, which, in spite of the economic difficulties in
Europe and the wail of certain political lights, continues to show
steady and sound gains.
The situation during the last months of 1922 had improved
so greatly over that which existed during the same period of the
previous year that it has been necessary to call attention to the
proportion of gain. There may be, of course, some dangers to
steady business development during the coming months; chief
among these stands the Soldier Bonus Bill which is likely to cause
JANUARY 6, 1923
somewhat of a business set-back if efforts are made to meet the
full provisions of the measure through direct and indirect taxation
on business. The labor situation, too, although it is more or less
settled at the present time, may bring its problems, but they rest
with the future and have not yet developed sufficiently to require
consideration.
President Harding declared recently that the nation is "solvent
financially, sound economically, unrivaled in genius, unexcelled in
industry, resolute in determination, and unwavering in faith." If
the basic economic and financial factors can be widely protected
and the genius, industry and confidence of the people given full
swing, there should be no interruption in the progress of the
country towards prosperity. Such a result, however, cannot be
taken for granted, but demands initiative and courage on the part
of the leaders of the people and the public as a whole.
The attitude of the piano trade towards the business situation
was well exemplified in the spirit displayed at the Year-End
Luncheon of the piano trade last week. The piano trade is in the
fortunate position of being on a sound basis right now, and is
ready to ride with the rest of the country on prosperity's wave.
INCREASING PATENT OFFICE FACILITIES
HE question of increasing the facilities of the Patent Office
T
in order to enable that important branch of Governmental ac-
tivities to catch up with its work and do away with the existing
delays in the examination and granting of patents that have proved
so expensive to the business of the country as a whole is again
up for consideration.
The latest move is in the nature of a resolution by Senator
Perkins, of New Jersey, to the effect that a joint commission* of
Senators and Representatives he appointed to inquire into condi-
tions in the Patent Office with a view to proposing remedies. That
such a resolution is necessary is a reflection on the Government for
the reason that definite recommendations for increasing the staff
and facilities of the Patent Office, as well as the salaries of its
trained employes, were long ago made to Congress and for a time
appeared to have won attention.
It is hoped that the suggested investigation will be the last
one and that it will result in some definite action looking to the
improvement of Patent Office conditions. The office at the pres-
ent time is several months behind in its work. How many millions
of dollars in losses the delays have caused inventors and those
interested in patent protection is problematical, but there is no
question but that the loss has been heavy.
LOWERING THE ASSOCIATION BARS
HE proposed change in by-laws of the National Piano Travelers'
T Association
to permit of travelers for piano supply houses and
music roll manufacturers becoming affiliated with that organiza-
tion would seem to be distinctly a move in the right direction, for
those who would come in under the new ruling are so closely allied
to the piano trade proper as to be part and parcel of it, and their
ineligibility to association membership has been largely a technical
issue.
There will, of course, be some objections raised by the vet-
erans of the Association who believe it should stick to its original
principles, but it must be remembered that the trade situation has
changed materially since the Travelers' Association was organized
and that co-operation among the various divisions of the trade is
now an accomplished fact rather than a theory. Certainly it would
seem as though travelers working along the same line and toward
the same end should certainly find a place in the same organization.
LARGER PAYMENTS—FEWER REPOSSESSIONS
NSISTENCE upon substantial first payments and likewise substan-
I question
tial monthly instalments on piano and player sales is not simply a
of ethics and of keeping up appearances, but rather one of
self-protection for the merchant, for the reason that small down-
payments and long terms inevitably breed repossessions. Experience
has proven time and time again that where the purchaser can be
persuaded to build up a substantial equity in the instrument within
a comparatively few months, through reasonable payments, he is not
likely to give the merchant an excuse for repossessing the piano
and thereby suffer the loss of the money already paid. Where pay-
ment is small equity is small and repossession has no terrors.

Download Page 3: PDF File | Image

Download Page 4 PDF File | Image

Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).

Pro Tip: You can flip pages on the issue easily by using the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard.