Presto

THE PRESTO BUYERS'
GUIDE CLASSIFIES ALL
PIANOS AND PLAYERS
AND THEIR MAKERS
PRESTO
E.tabiuhed 1884
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY
THE PRESTO YEAR BOOK
IS THE ONLY ANNUAL
REVIEW OF
THE MUSIC TRADES
to c*nt. ; ss.oo a Y W
THE ANTI-STRIKE MEASURE
It is roughly estimated that the New York
strike has cost the piano industry and trade in
excess of $15,000,000. And this does not take
into consideration the great loss it has entailed
upon the piano workers themselves. The sup-
ply houses have not been able to keep up with
the demands of the industries which were not
affected by the strike, so they are eliminated
from the problem.
The New York strike is dying out and the
strikers do not seem to have accomplished
their aims in any form of self-betterment. But
the injury done will continue to be effective
for some time to come. And what the future
may bring is as uncertain and filled with the
germs of doubt as ever. That is, after all, the
worst of it.
The first piano strike, so far as the records
go, took place in England and as a result there
was an anti-strike statute passed which im-
posed a fine of "10 pounds or twenty days' im-
prisonment, with allowance of only bread and
water for the first offense; 20 pounds or pillory
for the second, and 40 pounds for the third, or
else loss of one ear and perpetual infamy."
According to Blackstone, also "combinations
to raise the rate of labor are in many cases
severely punished by particular statute."
But that was in a time when the inherent
rights of man to the best results of his skill
and effort were not recognized by the so-
called "ruling classes." Today we are not sup-
posed to have any "ruling" by class at all.
But there is great danger that by a reversal
of the old order of things, the class that re-
fused to be ruled may become the most un-
reasonable and inflexible rulers.
Until comparatively recent years, it was a
conflict of tact between capital and labor. But
gradually the right of the employer to con-
duct his business to suit himself has been
taken away, and the fruits of dissipated in-
vestment and idle labor have at last been
reaped richly in the piano industry, as in most
others.
It is not remarkable that at last the powers
that make our laws have taken up the subject
of the strike. The rights of the workers to
strike have again been challenged, and the
argument that legislation against the strike
would be a violation of the Federal Constitu-
tion has been forcefully denied. In a recent
speech by the Hon. J. Stanley Webster in the
House of Representatives at Washington, we
find this:
"There can be no clear thinking upon this
problem unless we bear in mind the fact that
there is a vast distinction between the right to
cease one's employment and the right to
strike. The right to cease one's employment
means just what the words imply—the right
to quit work whenever it suits the individual
for any reason or for no reason at all; but a
strike is where a body of men engaged in com-
mon employment cease work at or abcut the
same time pursuant to a previous agreement
expressly or tacitly entered into for the pur-
pose of coercing compliance with their de-
mands, but with the intention all the while of
returning to their employment when their ob-
ject is attained."
We do not know of another so clear a state-
ment of what we have all thought but have
not been able to express. No one can deny
any man the right to quit his work, but the
striker does not throw down his tools with any
idea of at the same time throwing up his job.
His purpose is to so harass his employer as
to force compliance with the demands of the
workers. And, having coerced the employer,
the job is still the striker's, or the strike pro-
ceeds. Mr. Webster further says:
"No constitution, State or Federal, with
which I am familiar either expressly or impli-
edly guarantees to any man the right to strike.
However, we do find in the organic law of the
Nation a guaranty of the right to life, liberty,
property, reputation and happiness. And, I
ask, what halo is there about the head of this
claimed right to strike not mentioned in any
constitution that removes it from the sphere
of governmental regulation?"
Of course the purpose of Congressman
Webster's speech was to awaken interest in a
measure designed to enforce the rights of em-
ployers against organized unions, and to create
a condition of responsibility on the part of the
labor unions. In former years the favorite ar-
gument was that the law of supply and demand
would regulate these matters. Net so today.
Something more clearly defined is needed;
something which, working hand in hand with
some system of economic justice, shall guar-
antee to the workers their share of the results
of their skill, and eliminate the distrust and
despotism to which all systems of "ruling
classes" are due. By the enactment of fair
laws, and a just administration of them, the
employer might have the protection absolutely
essential to enterprise and the development of
industry. As things now are, there is no as-
surance by which to forecast the future, and
doubt puts the brakes to ambition. Mr. Web-
ster seems to have a clear understanding of
what is needed and we wish he might have a
better hearing than the reports of his speech
seem to indicate.
CONVENTION TO BE EDUCATIONAL
The foolishness of some dealers and the culpabil-
ity of others are causes that make for ineffective
trade methods and abortive trade associations, ac-
cording to President P. E. Conroy of the National
Association of Music Merchants, who contributes
the following corrective this week:
Many people get tired of attending conventions
because they hear too many stock phrases and too
few original ideas. They are compelled to listen
to too many long-winded speeches and to few
snappy talks. Too many subjects of indirect inter-
est and too few of direct interests.
The coming music merchants convention is going
to be an education to everybody who attends. If
anyone believes he can stay away and derive the
same benefit by reading about it, he is certainly
greatly mistaken.
Many Houses to Exhibit.
For the first time in the history of our association,
we are going to have exhibitions of all the different
systems used in conducting some of the most suc-
cessful music houses in the country. These will
show how they record their sales, keep their ledgers,
attend to collections, prospects, notes and mort-
gages, commissions, salaries, etc. In other words,
every form of stationery they use will be shown.
I advocated this at our last annual meeting, and
Mr. Dennis, our secretary, informs me he has a fine
exhibit for the coming convention. This feature
alone should be sufficient to draw every dealer to
New York who wants to keep in touch with the live
methods of conducting business. Many of these
systems which will be displayed cost hundreds of
dollars, and were installed by expert accountants.
At the convention meetings there will be no long-
drawn-out papers read, as I have notified all speak-
ers that five minutes will be about their limit, be-
cause I have never heard but very few speeches at
piano conventions which could not have been boiled
down, and the substance of each delivered in this
period of time.
Subjects of vital importance will be discussed, and
some of the most successful men will tell how they
manage their institutions. The following topics will
be only a part of the program:
'"The Best Basis for Employment of Salesmen."
"The Best Collection System."
"The Moral Risk."
"Cooperation between Musician and Merchant."
"Community Music."
"Americanization through Music."
"The Trade Service Department oi the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce."
"State and City Commissioner Activities."
"The Importance of Local Associations."
Next comes the big Music Show. We have ar-
ranged our convention meetings so that the after-
noons can be devoted to "talking prices" with the
manufacturers at the show. In these days of uncer-
tainty of output, it behooves the dealer to go to the
market and learn the condition of affairs and govern
his business accordingly. Then again, there are new
inventions every day in the music industries, and
the latest and best will be on exhibition.
Banquet to Be Great.
The merchants' banquet will eclipse all previous
ones of the association, as the speakers will include
such men as Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, Presi-
dent of Columbia University: Hon. James M. Beck,
formerly attorney general; and Rev. C. Wallace
Petty.
Last, but not least, New York is going to cele-
brate Music Week. Such cities as St. Louis, De-
troit, Milwaukee, Dallas and others have made this
a great success, but none of them undertook it in
such a thorough manner as New York.
Most of the live wires in these cities will also be
in New York to help put Music Week across, and
the dealer who fails to be in attendance will be neg-
lecting his business by not keeping abreast of the
times.
I hope, therefore, to see every member of our na-
tional association in New York the first week in
February.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/