Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1926 Vol. 82 N. 16

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
the officers of the national body will ever be radically violated.
Furthermore, a compromise can be easily reached. Let the nom-
inating power continue to be vested in the Advisory Board with
the concurrent power of nominations from the floor.
This is ordinary parliamentary procedure and exists in prac-
tically every organization. It gives an opportunity for whatever
opposition that may exist to express itself freely and thus to fight
the control already existing if it considers it necessary.
Nothing produces dry rot so quickly in any organization as the
perpetuation of control and that exists where the right of nomination
is vested solely in a body consisting of the past presidents of any
organization.
The final objection rests on the fact that the National Board
of Control is empowered to exercise a censorship over all resolutions
or recommendations brought before the membership. The power
to return such a recommendation or resolution with a simple ex-
planation of Such refusal places in the hands of that body control
of the entire association, and effectively shackles free action on the
part of both individual and affiliated members.
There is reason enough that such resolutions should be submit-
ted to that board. But there is always every reason that they should
be reported to the membership in convention, either with favorable
or unfavorable recommendations. The ultimate power of any organ-
ization must rest with the membership itself, if that organization
is to be an efficient one.
To place it in the hands of a certain group of men is to mean
that such a body will eventually prove useless and in fact injurious
to the industry it represents since it will speak not for the majority
of its membership but for a minority.
To exercise control of the matters which come up for discussion
is in the hands of clever men, a greater power than to control the
votes necessary to pass them.
It may be argued that such a method leads to simplicity. The
American Congress may be pointed out as an example, basing
that example on its committee system. But that control is the con-
trol of a majority and is not as stringent as is the method embodied
in this section of the National Association's by-laws. Even in the
British House of Parliament, where such control is still more
stringent, there is such a thing as a private member's bill.
The campaign for effective affiliation between the National As-
sociation of Music Merchants and local and State associations has
been going on for four or five years. It has been conducted by men
Detroit Piano Playing
Contest Begins April 28
Preliminaries Will Be Held in All Schools of
City, 316 in Number—Wide Interest Aroused
The piano playing contest being conducted
by the Detroit Music Trades Association, in
conjunction with the Detroit Times and in co-
operation with the prominent musicians, con-
servatories, public and parochial school systems
and music teachers of Detroit, is meeting with
greater public interest and co-operation than
was anticipated. The mayor and public officials
came forward promptly and gave their approval
in the press, and with it the co-operation of the
school machinery, thus reaching some 300,000
school children as a civic movement for the
public good. The object of the contest is to
promote widespread interest in playing the
piano by the rising generation. The piano,
being the basic instrument, provides the founda-
APRIL 17, 1926
who have studied organization work in the music trades. It has
been supported by the trade press, which represents neither the
supporters of the national association as it is, nor the local or State
associations.
Its basis has been the fact that the music trade is too big to be
adequately represented by a national body based on individual mem-
berships. That realization has been more than supported by the
rapid growth of sectional, State and local associations.
When it is considered to-day that the Pacific Coast has a
sectional association of its own, with affiliated local associations;
when it is considered that the annual gathering of the Ohio associa-
tion is an event of national importance in the trade; when it is
considered that the sectional, local and State associations are prob-
ably doing the most effective work for the retail music merchant
because they are closer to that merchant's real problems and in a
better condition to deal effectively with them, it can easily be seen
that proper affiliation has become a matter of survival.
If these local associations are to come into the national body
and come in as effective units, they must be given power in national
affairs in proper relation to that they have in their own territory.
Each decision of the national organization binds each member
of a local association as effectively as it binds each individual
member of the national association.
Therefore, the former must have the same power as the latter,
since he has the same responsibility.- The two must go together.
There is need of a new flexibility in association affairs. There
is need for greater vitality. Both of these must be looked for from
the sectional, State and local associations.
The national body has recognized those facts in promulgating
its program of greater organization of such bodies. But it does
not seem to have recognized them enough in proposing its conditions
for such affiliation. There is lack of flexibility to meet a new
condition. Broader views must prevail.
At the present time it is up to the officials who direct the
national association to state their views on the subject.
Let them take the objections of the Ohio association, analyze
them and answer them. This entire matter should be threshed out
in the next two months before the national meeting in June.
It is a matter that vitally concerns every music merchant, and
since it vitally concerns him, he should hear both sides of the discus-
sion. And the final decision should be reached on the open floor
in the national meeting.
tion for an appreciation and knowledge of music,
and this propaganda has had daily hammering
in the press for the past three weeks, with
several yet to go. The effect upon the public
mind is already noticeable.
Preliminary contests will commence in all
schools of Detroit, 316 in number, on April 28.
Several hundred entries have been received on
the newspaper coupon, which has been rm.
twice. Entry blanks will be distributed by the
teachers in the schools this week. A bronze
button and certificate of merit will be awarded
to every child competing in the contest. The
choice of any grand piano up to $1,500 is the
capital prize. Eight scholarships in conserva-
tories and some eighty prizes have been offered,
including a big cup by Finzel's Orchestra, to the
youngest winner of the first preliminary.
At a meeting of the advisory committee,
which consists of all the prominent musical
people of the city, with the Detroit Music
Trades Association, held at the Book-Cadillac
April 5, great enthusiasm was displayed.
Gable Company Registers
Trade-Mark "Cable Midget"
Eight Years of Use on Small Uprights and
Grands by That Company—Protected by
Registration.
Eight years ago The Cable Company began
to distinguish its small uprights and grands by
referring to them as "Cable Midget" pianos. Of
late there have been a number of instances of
the use of the name "Midget" by others brought
to the attention of The Cable Company.
The Cable Company now feels that the trade
should be notified that it has used the mark
"Cable Midget" as an actual trade-mark upon
small uprights and grands of its manufacture,
that the name has been so registered in the
United States patent office and that it is hoped
that the promiscuous use of the word "Midget"
by others will cease. If persisted in, it will be
considered as an infringement.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
A Series of Collection Letters That
Holds Down the Past Due
Goosman Piano Co., of Toledo, Ohio, Has Effective Series of Twenty Letters, a Majority of Which Are
Reprinted With This Article, That Has Been Found Highly Effective by That Firm in Hold-
ing Down the Past Due on Instalment Accounts to a Minimum Figure on Its Books
HE Goosman Piano Co., Toledo, O., has
an interesting series of collection letters,
designed by its credit department and
numbering twenty in all, which has proven
highly successful in bringing returns on delin-
quent accounts. Not all of these, of course, arc
sent to any one past-due account, but a series
of five or six are chosen to meet the require-
ments of each individual case, it being a matter
of making the letters chosen fit the station or
temperament or disposition of the customer in
question. A selection from the series is given
herewith, through the courtesy of the com-
pany, for it will no doubt help many retail music
merchants who are struggling with the question
of past due and who depend entirely upon
letters to hold this percentage within a rea-
sonable figure.
A very successful letter is No. 6, which is
sent registered. By doing that the dealer is
certain he has reached his dodging debtor. This
letter also leaves the coast clear for almost any
action the merchant may then think necessary
or advisable. Sometimes by sending this regis-
tered letter late at night the effect is hightened
because the debtor is compelled to get out of
bed and when he finds it is a collection letter
will most likely respond in the morning. The
response is, however, very likely to be dramatic.
Further, in collecting by letter/ the last in
the series is followed by an attorneys letter. If
no response to that is received a truck is sent
to bring back the piano. Not infrequently this
act will bring about payment, for persons dislike
to be deprived of their instrument and will make
unusual efforts to retain it.
Form Letter No. 1
We have not as yet received your July and
September payments on your account and as
both these payments are past' due, we trust that
promptly on receipt of this letter you will
favor us with remittance for $
covering
same.
Yours very truly,
T
THE GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 2
We have not as yet received remittance for
$31.80 as requested in our letter of September
15, and as these payments are all past due on
your account, we trust that promptly on receipt
of this letter you will favor us with remittance
for this amount.
Trusting you will not disappoint us, we are,
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 3
It is now over a month since we have received
a payment on your piano account, and as same
is $31 past due, we ask that promptly on receipt
of this letter you will favor us with remittance
for this amount to bring your account up to date.
Thanking you in advance for giving this your
prompt attention, we are,
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 4
It is now over three months since we have
received payment on your account, and as same
is now three months past due with another pay-
ment falling due October 1, making a total of
$50 due and past due on this account.
We dislike very much to have an account get
behind in this manner, and we, therefore, trust
that promptly on receipt of this letter you will
favor us with remittance for $50 so we can
bring your account up to date on our books.
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 5
We have not as yet received September pay-
ment on your account and as these payments
are supposed to be met promptly when they fall
due, we trust that you will favor us with remit-
tance for $
promptly on receipt of this
letter.
Thanking you in advance for complying with
the above request, we are,
Yours very truly,
THE GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 6
"Register."
We have not as yet received your remittance
for $
as requested in our numerous
letters, and we are certain that these letters
have miscarried in the mails, and to make sure
that this letter reaches you we are registering
same.
You still owe us $. . . . on your account, and
as same is very much past due, we trust that
promptly on receipt of this letter you will favor
u# with remittance for this amount by return
mail so we can close the account on our books.
Trusting that you will not disappoint us, we
are,
Yours very truly,
THE GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 7
We have not as yet received October pay-
ment on your account amounting to $
,
and as there is another payment for like amount
due November 25, making a total of $
due and past, we trust that you will favor us
with remittance for this amount to bring your
account up to date.
Trusting that you will not fail to comply with
the above request, we are,
Yours very truly,
THE GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 8
"Register."
We have not as yet received remittance from
you as requested in our numerous letters and
we are certain that these letters must have mis-
carried in the mails and to make sure that this
letter reaches you we arc registering same.
We have received no payment from you on
your account since last
and the
account is now
months past, or
$
past due.
We dislike very much to see an account get
behind in this manner and if you wish to keep
the instrument you will have to take better care
of your account in the future than you have in
the past. We think that you will agree with
us that we have been more than lenient with
you in this matter, and in justice to ourselves
we must now insist that you favor with remit-
tance for the above amount by return mail to
bring your account up to date on our books.
Trusting that you will not disappoint us, we
are,
Yours very truly,
THE GOOSMAN PIANO CO
Form Letter No. 9
Owing to the present financial conditions out-
business has been a little bit slow and it is
almost impossible to borrow any money from
the bank.
Your account with us extends over a period
of
months and if you are in a
position to cash this up we will be glad to give
you a reasonable discount; in other words, we
are willing to allow you what we would have to
pay the bank for the use of the money.
If you are interested in this proposition, the
writer would be glad to see you at any time.
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 10
We trust that you have been able to obtain
employment and can favor us with remittance
on your account, as we have received no pay-
ment from you since
and your
account is now
months past due, or
$
We are carrying so many people on
our books that are out of work that any remit-
tance you could make would be greatly appre-
ciated.
Trusting that you will be able to favor us
with the above request, we are,
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
Form Letter No. 11
"Register."
We have hot as yet received remittance from
you as requested in our numerous letters and
we are certain that these letters have been mis-
carried in the mails, and to make sure that this
letter reaches you we are registering same.
We have received but $
from you this
entire year, and the entire past due amount on
your account amounting to $
and
interest is past due.
Matters have reached a point where we must
have some money on your account, and if you
cannot pay for it we will have to get the instru-
ment and resell it. to someone who can.
Could you not borrow the money from the
Morris Plan Bank and pay your account with
us in full? We await your reply by return mail
as to just what you intend doing.
Yours very truly,
T H E GOOSMAN PIANO CO.
P. S.—If you cannot borrow the money from
the Morris Plan Bank, if you will see Mr. Burk-
hart, of the Peoples Loan Co., 209 Wayne Build-
ing, 611 Madison avenue, we are sure he will
lend you same.
Form Letter No. 12
We have received no payment on your ac-
count since
and there is now
$
past due on same. We have been very
reasonable with you in this matter for the last
months and must now ask that
you start making your payments if you wish
us to continue carrying your account.
We depend upon our customers meeting their
payments promptly as they fall due in order to
meet our own obligations and we have tried to
accommodate all of them as much as possible
as we believe our actions have demonstrated
this to you for the last
months.
If you cannot send the entire past due amount
please send what you can this week-and try and
(Continued on page 7)

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