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The Music Trade
FEBRUARY 23, 1929
Hopper-Kelly Co., Tacoma,
Open Remodeled Quarters
Presents
Before Tariff Committee
Building, Remodeled in a Spanish Style, Ready
for Business Within Three Months 'After Fire
Destroyed Former Store
, WASH., February is.—This week has
seen the celebration of the formal opening of
the elaborate new store of the Hopper-Kelly
Co., at 945 Broadway, built to replace the build-
ing formerly occupied by the company at the
same address and destroyed by fire about three
months ago. The remodeled structure is dec-
orated in the Spanish style, the work costing
some $25,000. Three floors are occupied by
the company to house the various departments.
On the first floor just off the imposing recep-
tion room is the phonograph-radio department
under the management of R. O. Roberts, where
are featured Edison radio and radio phonograph
combinations together with the Atwater Kent
and other lines of radio.
On the mezzanine floor is the piano depart-
ment of which Hjalmar Jensen is the manager.
Here is handled the complete American Piano
Co. line including the Mason & Hamlin, Knabe,
Chickering and J. & C. Fischer pianos with the
Ampico. The Gulbransen line is also handled.
On this floor, too, is the piano repair shop.
On the upper floor are the business offices,
the private offices of C. G. Hopper, president
and secretary of the company, and Mrs. M. C.
Hopper, vice-president and treasurer. On this
floor also is the electrical appliance department
of the company, wherein are handled washing
machines, vacuum cleaners, electric ranges and
other devices.
A. L. Stott Heads Edison
Branch in Atlanta, Ga.
Albert L. Stott, formerly connected with the
Girard Phonograph Co., Edison distributors in
Philadelphia, has been appointed manager of
the Atlanta, Ga., branch of the Edison Distrib-
uting Corp., which looks after the wholesaling
of Edison radios and radio-phonographs in that
section. He has been connected with the Edi-
son interests for the past eight years, and is
thus thoroughly familiar with those products.
This experience, coupled with a wide ac-
quaintance in the trade, fits him particularly
well for his new position.
Review
Alfred L. Smith, Representing Music Industries, Appears Before
Washington Hearing to Present Recommendations
of Manufacturers
(HE Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, through Alfred L. Smith, general manager,
has taken an active interest in the hearings on the proposed changes in the tariff" law and
in that connection has recommended an increase in the tariff rates on organs, and a con-
tinuation of the present rates on all other articles except fretted string instruments and accessories.
G. F. Chapin, one of the directors of the National Association of Musical Instrument and Acces-
sories Manufacturers, appeared in behalf of the manufacturers of fretted instruments and acces-
sories and briefly outlined their requirements.
As representing the Chamber, Mr. Smith ap-
"4. With respect to the remaining instru-
peared before the committee with reference to ments named specifically in paragraph 1443, and
paragraph 1443, musical instruments, and para- upon such stringed instruments and accessories
graph 1444, phonographs, of the Tariff Act of as may be covered by 'musical instruments and
1922, and acting for the National Association parts thereof not especially provided for,' we
of Music Merchants, the National Musical Mer- make no recommendation, as we understand
chandise Association, National Piano Manufac- that the domestic manufacturers in the name of
turers' Association, Committee on Phonograph the National Association of Musical Instrument
Manufacturers, Musical Supply Association, and Accessories Manufacturers, and the jobbers
Band Instrument Manufacturers' Association, in the name of the National Musical Merchan-
National Association of Musical Instruments dise Association will themselves appear with
and Accessories Manufacturers, and the Organ respect to these particular instruments.
Builders' Association of America.
"5. We recommend that pipe organs be taken
Mr. Smith presented a brief setting forth the from the miscellaneous classification and that a
views of the industry, which read in part as special classification 'pipe organs' be created,
follows:
and that the duty thereon be either 75 per
"Most imported musical instruments, includ- centum ad valorem, or 45 per centum ad
ing particularly band instruments, come under valorem with a proviso that the value upon
'musical instruments and parts thereof not espe- which the duty is based shall be the complete
cially provided for' in paragraph 1443. In addi- cost of the pipe organ to the domestic consum,
tion, there are twelve types of musical instru- including cost of erection. (The reason for this
•ments, parts and accessories classified spe- recommendation is discussed in other parts of
cifically by name. We recommend the follow- this brief.)
ing:
"6. We recommend a continuation of the
"1. Upon 'musical instrument and parts rates contained in paragraph 1444 applicable to
thereof not especially provided for,' we recom- phonographs and parts thereof, phonograph
mend a continuation of the present rate of 40 needles and similar articles.
per centum ad valorem.
The balance of the brief was devoted to a
"2. Upon 'pianoforte, player actions and parts detailed explanation of the status of the organ
thereof,' we recommend a continuation of the industry in this country in support of the de-
present rate of 40 per centum ad valorem.
mand for a higher tariff on pipe organs.
"3. Upon 'tuning pins,' we recommend a con-
tinuation of the present rate of $1 per thou-
Sonora Metropolitan
sand and 35 per centum ad valorem.
T
Sales Staff Complete
Merchants' Association Goes on
Record Opposing Vestal Measures
Proposed Changes in Copyright Law Bring Voice of Disapproval from Frederick P.
Stieff, Chairman of Legislative Committee
'T*HE National Association of Music Mer-
chants through Frederick P. Stieff, of
Charles M. Stieff, Baltimore, chairman of the
Legislative committee, has gone on record as
being opposed strongly to the Vestal Bill (H.
R. 13452) designed to amend the Copyright
Law of 1909 for the purpose of permitting
owners of copyrights to bargain as individuals
in granting rights for the mechanical reproduc-
tion of their music.
Mr. Stieff recently wrote a strong letter to
Congressman Stephen Gambrill of Maryland
registering the opposition of the association and
its membership to the new measure because of
the fact that it would add materially to the
cost of music rolls and records and place a
heavy burden upon those using player-pianos
and phonographs for public entertainment pur-
poses. The law, he declared, would work di-
rectly against the interests of the manufacturers
and users of coin-operated musical instruments,
which are exempt under the existing law.
Congressman Gambrill stated that he had
received numerous communications asking him
to vote against the Vestal Bill, and expressed
the opinion that although the bill came up be-
fore the House on February 4 of this year and
was passed over without prejudice, it seems
unlikely that it can pass both houses before
the present Congress expires on March 4.
In protesting against the provisions of the
Vestal Bill, Mr. Stieff as representing the mer-
chants' association is acting in concert with
other trade interests including the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce, the leading phono-
graph and record manufacturers and others.
He urges that every member of the association,
together with the manufacturers of musical in-
struments making use of mechanically repro-
duced music, put forth every effort individual-
ly and collectively to kill the Vestal Bill and
protect the trade against an additional burden
that under existing conditions would prove
fatal to many trade interests.
Charles A. Craig, recently appointed metro-
politan field sales manager for the Sonora Pho-
nograph Co., announces that his sales force is
now complete. Three new representatives have
been added to the staff, they being Everett S.
Ross, an old Brunswick serviceman, who will
represent the Sonora in Northern New Jersey;
A. J. O'Neill, formerly with the Pathe Freres
Phonograph Co., the U. S. Music Roll Co., and
later the QRS Co., who will cover the Brook-
lyn territory, and W. R. Fremersdorf, for sev-
eral years active in the radio field with the
Magnavox Co. and associated companies, who
will have the upper Manhattan district.
Atwater Kent Delegates
to Education Conference
PHILADELPHIA, PA., February 18.—Representa-
tives of the Atwater Kent Mfg. Co. who will
attend the meetings of the National Educa-
tional Association to be held in Cleveland,
February 25-28 inclusive, will include John F.
McCoy, T. Wayne MacDowell, Don Andrews,
Luther Still and Benjamin B. Narber. Attrac-
tive literature dealing with radio as an educa-
tional medium for schools has been prepared
for the occasion and will be distributed from
the Atwater Kent booths.