PRESTO
P. E. CONROY WRITES TO
MEMBERS OF AMPICO SOCIETY
Importance of Meeting Called for June, in Atlantic
City Is Pointed Out.
P. E. Conroy, president of the Conroy Piano Co.,
St. Louis, has addressed a letter to all members of
the Ampico Art Society of which he is president,
in which he reminds them of the forthcoming meet-
ing of the society in Atlantic City. This is going to
be a very important meeting, because the future of
the Ampico,. in a measure, will be determined by the
adoption of a schedule of prices to be used for allow-
ances on traded-in pianos. The expectation is to
have this schedule approved by the American Piano
Company and the society shall insist that it be strict-
ly adhered to by all Ampico representatives. The
following is Mr. Conroy's letter:
Dear Sir: On June 28th at the Traymore Hotel,
Atlantic City, the officers, directors and committees
of the Ampico Art Society will hold an executive
session, the purpose of this meeting being to devise
ways and means to further the interests of the Am-
pico and its dealers.
One of the most important matters to be discussed
is a schedule of allowances to be made on used
instruments traded is as part payment on Ampicos.
The Allowance Committee is now working on this
schedule and from their report a definite and fair
allowance system will be adopted.
The Grievance Committee will submit plans to cre-
ate a spirit of co-operation between dealers who op-
erate in the same town or territory.
We want any suggestions you have to offer along
these lines. Bear in mind that the Society is yours
and its purpose is to benefit all of its members. We
desire to accomplish much material good during the
coming year, so that when we hold our next Annual
Meeting we can prove that our efforts have not been
in vain.
Other subjects such as advertising, recitals, etc.,
will be discussed and a full report of the conclusions
will be sent to each member.
I am very anxious to have the views of every mem-
ber on these subjects, and shall hope to have the
pleasure of hearing from you at an early date with
some suggestions which you think might benefit our
organization.
Yours for the advancement of the Ampico,
P. E. CONROY, President.
WILLIAMS PIANO CO. BUYS
L. W. COOK MUSIC HOUSE
South Dakota Company at Sioux Falls Buys Interest
of Watertown Firm.
The L. W. Cook Music House in Watertown, S.
D., has been purchased by the Williams L'iano Com-
pany of Sioux Falls and immediately formed a
distributing house to be known as the Williams
Company of Watertown. The upstate distributing
house will be entirely independent of the Sioux Falls
store and will be under the supervision of L. W.
Martin, a member of the company, with F. E.
Cromer as a local manager.
The Williams Piano Company is one of the largest
dealers in musical goods in the Northwest and has
been in existence since 1888. During recent years
the firm has established branch stores in nearly a
score of towns in the state. With the rapid growth
of the wholesale business it was at last found
necessary to locate a distributing house in the north-
ern part of the state.
IT IS THE INSTRUMENT YOU
WERE BORN TO PLAY
Such Is Characterization of the Manualo by the
Baldwin Company.
In a circular just being sent out by the Baldwin
house, the following is the description in general
terms:
"The Manualo, the player that is all but human,
made only in pianos of Baldwin manufacture, is be-
coming the American nation's favorite instrument.
Tt is the instrument you were born to play." And
this follows:
In the Manualo, the playerpiano that is all but
human, we offer our patrons an instrument of such
value as cannot be duplicated anywhere in the U. S.
There is nothing better made.
The above is a strong statement, but it is also an
incontestable truth, and we are ready to prove it.
The basis of every Manualo is a piano of Baldwin
manufacture. The Baldwin product of pianos and
manualos has a world-wide reputation. It has re-
ceived the greatest awards at international exposi-
May 29, 1920.
AGGRESSIVENESS NEEDED
IN TIMES OF PROSPERITY
A. W. Johnston, Vice=President of the Standard Pneumatic Action Co.,
New York, Points to Dangers of Present Conditions
Even prosperity can be overdone—at least it can
develop harmful, injurious symptoms that may have
a tendency to undermine future prosperity. Lax-
A. W. JOHNSTON.
ness is prosperity's most potent enemy. When
good fortune comes too easily, we are apt to lose
interest in the fight and settle down to a life of calm
indifference. This is especially true in regard to
selling. When an article "sells itself," much of the
zest of making the sale is lost, and salesmanship be-
comes indifferent, flabby.
Such a condition has come into being during the
last two years. Merchandise has moved so easily,
many salesmen, unconsciously, have adopted the
"take it or leave it" attitude. And, needless to say,
public opinion has resented this. This fault applies
more directly to road salesmen selling nationally ad-
vertised products, but it might be well for all of us
to check up and see if a little of this feeling hasn't
entered into our own selling policy.
Now the pendulum of business is swinging back
for the next upward movement. We are suddenly
aware that the business of peace is likely to be
greater and more profitable than the business of
war. But we are also aware that our war-time sell-
ing policy is now wholly inadequate. It will not fit
the needs of today.
During the stress of war, with its conflicting emo-
tions, people bought lavishly—often without motive.
Business came so easily, many dealers were
prompted to discontinue their advertising and aban-
don their former aggressiveness.
Now, in the saner days of peace, people are buy-
ing more carefully. Tomorrow's prosperity de-
pends on the resumption of the two-fisted, aggres-
sive selling policy by which good business is built.
Indifferent, flabby salesmanship has no place in to-
day's program.
A. W. JOHNSTON.
tions. It is used and indorsed by artists, musicians
and teachers everywhere.
The Manualo is produced at the great factories of
the Baldwin company at Cincinnati and Chicago.
Advanced manufacturing methods, enormous output
and other advantages assure the best product at
lowest manufacturing cost.
PACKARD PIANO FILLED
ALL CLIMATIC DEMANDS
THREE WALTHAM TRAVELERS.
A piano of undoubted durability was the require-
ment of C. D. Campbell, manager of the Standard
Oil Co. in the Orient, when, with his wife, he vis-
ited the United States a few months ago. Mr.
Campbell has headquarters and a home in Welter-
vreden, Batavia, Java.
A piano that would stand the severe climatic con-
ditions of the Dutch East Indies was a necessity of
the visitor when he looked over instruments in sev-
eral American factories. It was not easy to sat-
isfy him. He knew his Batavia and what its cli-
mate would do to a piano mechanism not equal to
his exacting demands.
Mrs. Campbell's home was formerly in Fort
Wayne, lnd., where the factory of the Packard Pi-
ano Co. is located, and she suggested an investiga-
tion of Packard. She knew the wonderful satisfac-
tion that the Packard in her Fort Wayne home had
always given, and the real pleasure and comfort
they had enjoyed from it.
They visited the Packard factory and were shown
Packard construction from A to Z, the government
approved method of seasoning the lumber, the rigid
construction of the Packard frame, the weather-
proofing features of Packard inside as well as on the
surface and many other points of particular interest
when so much depended on the instrument they se-
lected.
They found Hrst-hand proof that the Packard was
the piano they wanted—the instrument that could
best withstand the severe and constant test to which
it would be subjected.
Wholesale Manager R. B. Waite, of the Waltham
Piano Co., was in Chicago early this week with a
trio of the new travelers for the progressive Mil-
waukee industry. In the party were B. R. Hunt,
traveler, with headquarters at Lincoln, Nebraska;
M. R. Williams, wholesale traveler, of Wichita, Kan-
sas, and L. R. Sands, a recent acquisition to the
Waltham traveling forces, who until recently was
with the piano department of Gimbel Bros., in Mil-
waukee.
OPENS Q R S DEPARTMENT.
The remodeled Q R S music roll demonstration
room in the retail warerooms of the Hallet & Davis
Piano Co., Boston, was formally opened with spe-
cial musical attractions on May 22. There are five
soundproof playerpiano booths in the department,
all erected in the most approved modern manner in
the way of airing and lighting. Roll racks capable
of holding upwards of 8,000 rolls have all the fea-
tures for convenience and quick service.
NEW BUSH & LANE TRAVELER.
John M. Banks, formerly traveler for the Chute
& Butler Co., Peru, Ind., no longer reckoned among
the piano industries, is now a member of the sales
staff of the Bush & Lane Piano Co., Holland, Mich.
The South and Southwest, well known territory to
Mr. Banks, is his assignment. He will find his work
plcasanter because the Bush & Lane instruments
are favorably known to the trade and the public
there.
H. C. DICKINSON AT LOUISVILLE.
H. C. Dickinson, vice-president of the Baldwin
Piano Company, Chicago, was in Louisville, Ky.,
on Tuesday of this week visiting the Louisville Bald-
win store. Mr. Dickinson is ever on the alert for
more Baldwin business.
C. D. Campbell, a Customer from the Dutch East
Indies, Makes It His Choice.
A. G. OGREN VISITS CHICAGO.
A. G. Ogren, piano dealer of Rockford, 111., drove
into Chicago on Saturday last with his car, accom-
panied by his family. He left on Monday for home.
Mr. Ogren said that trade has been good all through
the spring. He complained about the amount of rain
that has made muddy roads out Rockford way.
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