PRESTO
September 25, 1920.
LETTERS OF UNUSUAL INTEREST
FROM PRESTO CONTRIBUTORS
WAREROOM WARBLES
(A New One Every Week.)
By The Presto Poick.
The Very Best Reading Possible for Trade Members, on Subjects Replete
with Interest in Every Branch of the Business.
means. Better correct and have your own
ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO CONBOY. actually
titles simple and clear before you paktong about
Prize Salesman of Marinette Tells Why He Doesn't
Think Star of Sterling Wins.
Marinette, Wis., Sept. 21, 1920.
Editor Presto:—In reply to T. A. Conboy's chal-
lenge as to. holding the world's record in piano sales,
beg to state that Mr. Conboy certainly has done
remarkably well, selling eighteen pianos in thirty
days, from June 15 to July 15. But, as far as hold-
ing the world's record goes he evidently did not
hear from this neck of the woods. He will have to
put on a little more steam, or confine his challenge
to a smaller territory.
Our store here is situated about the same as in
Sterling—town of about the same size—but believe
the conditions there are more favorable, as the
country is more thickly settled. My sales have
averaged 16 pianos a month, and I don't consider
that anything to boast about. My biggest month's
sales were twenty-eight pianos and, speaking of
summer months, while business is considered dull,
I sold twenty pianos from June 3 to July 3.
We have but one price, every piano marked in
plain figures, no special sales, just plugging along.
No piano leaves our floor until sold, and on a fifty
per cent cost basis, too. We carry the Baldwin
line, Schumann and Kreiter pianos. I have set my
goal at one hundred pianos from Sept. 1 to Jan. 1,
and am sailing along nicely and expect to get there,
with a little extra steam and pep, and get the bacon!
I do not claim to be a wizard, but for the benefit
of the challenger I am sure that there are others,
like myself, who can beat his record.
Yours truly,
A. J. STEFFEN.
POETS ARE-NOT FUNNY MEN.
This One Couldn't See the Joke and to Put Him
Right His Letters Appear.
Rockport, Indiana, Sept. 18, 1920.
Editor Presto:—I do think you gave me a very
black standing, but I deserve it so far as the old
copy of songs is concerned. But I have better stuff
now. Mr. Hawkins was about two months getting
that sheet out.
If you have space I will appreciate the publication
of my letter of Aug. 12, though I leave it with you
if you think it will do us both good.
I much prefer you would see after a firm there
who owe me $42.50 since January. The songs never
were delivered, though they corresponded much.
Would take the 1,000 copies, but prefer cash, as they
failed to deliver as agreed. The first 1,000 they sent
were faulty.
Hoping to hear for mutual good, I thank you,
truly yours,
SAM RUD COOK.
Rockport, Ind., Sept. 12, 1920.
EdS'tor Presto:—Sinde you started this unhar-
monious giff-nabble about my "Big Four Berry
Songs," it's up to you to squeeze the natural flavor
out of these Berry Sundie arguments, even though
you go to press on Thursday—without a drink—to
my songs.
In one column, July 31 issue, you berated my
humble efforts because my songs were published in
"a small-sized publication." Perhaps had I broken
the foam of Berry Songs first in columns of your
weekly, then you would drink stronger to my am-
bitions. Some of the greatest poems in history first
appeared on poor sheets. That's not saying these
ballads are great; they are only break-waters, yet
taste like real berry stuff.
So just wait until the genuine suds are found at
bottom. I have a few more up my sleeve, which
are not so thorny. However, for liquor or spirit of
the quenching times, Presto must make correction.
You say shop-rights to Cook's songs can be had
"for a consideration." If I need more soul to write
songs you certainly require more Soule Dictionary
to remodel your perfect English; because, any per-
son may consider my songs, but only a reasonable
money royalty (not mere consideration) gets rights
to those songs. You rave I can't write poems; then
if my verse is so detestable why does Presto call
me "the Indiana poet," editoriallv Aug. 7 issue?
Sounds like saying "Sook cow, don't get scared.
We are only trying to Bullv you. We ourselves
want some of that cream from the great Berry
Songs." Ha!
Songs are short lived and fleeting, but a good
naper's title is before the public for many years.
Presto is 37 years old, yet Messrs. Bennett and
\bbott try to now explain what "Presto" name
some other mortal. In July 31 issue, page 26, Presto
owns the "inadvertence," at publishing in their Trade
List the name of the Master Talking Machine Co.,
which concern has been out of business three years.
Publishers who presume to know so much about
rapsody of songs, etc., should at least catch up in
less time than three years in a simple prose Trade
List.
Presto claims: "If you want a Salesman, Worker
or Factory try a Presto want adv., they get results
quickly." Herewith is my classified adv. Now it's
up to Presto to deliver the right goods, or else they
are out of line in their self adjudged perfect work,
far more than I am in my poetic effusions, for I
have not yet been at it 37 years.
With good wishes to A. B. & C. (That means
Abbott, Bennett and Cook.) Also the same wish
to readers, publishers and all musical fraternities.
SAM RUD COOK.
LETTER FROM AN OPTIMIST.
Piano Man Looks Through Doubts of Today to
the Days That Were Darker.
Editor Presto:—Business has been rather quiet
since July. The recent advance has slowed down
purchases somewhat, but at that I have been able
to interest some good new accounts. I covered the
territory pretty well in August, and am going out
into Ohio again next week.
What do you think is going to become of us all?
Prices on everything going up every day, pretty
soon we will not be able to make enough to feed
ourselves, let alone have a place to sleep. I guess
it's back to the farm for some of us! What is the
feeling as to the future of the smaller manufacturers?
Will they all weather the storm?
Conditions now seem not unlike those of 1896,
the tail end of the Cleveland administration. If you
recall, the banks refused loans for any purposes un-
til McKinley's election was assured, and then they
opened up the flood gates. It looks to me very
much like political propaganda. I have been a life-
long democrat but, by gosh! I would vote for
"Bill Thompson" for president if I thought it would
change things.
However, it is up to us all to boost the piano
game by giving out optimism; therefore I think we
are going to have the best fall and winter trade in
the history of this or any other country, notwith-
standing the advance in prices! Don't you—op-
timistically speaking? Of course you do.
With regards I am, yours truly,
JACK.
THE IMMIGRANT LABOR QUESTION.
Big Subject Is Suggested by Letter to Presto from
Inter-Racial Council.
New York, Sept. 15, 1920.
Editor Presto:—I should like to have your views
on the question of increasing production through the
changing of the Immigration Laws.
You are in touch with the labor situation in your
own field and no doubt have a definite opinion as
to what extent production would be increased if
we had a dependable supply of unskilled immigrant
labor for our basic industries.
Do you not think that the present labor shortage
(estimated between four and five million workers)
would be remedied by permitting illiterate immi-
grants to enter this country, provided that they are
otherwise up to the present standard of possible
citizenship?
Do you believe that a Federal Board of Assimila-
tion would be desirable in order to help put the
immigrant in contact with the work for which he
is fitted, to protect him against fraud and give him
a chance to learn our language, customs and ideals?
Your response will be read with interest, as meas-
ures are being taken to amend the immigration laws,
and this query is in the nature of a referendum.
Very truly yours,
WM. H. BARR,
President The Inter-Racial Council.
There seems but small basis for discussion as to
the advisability of encouraging intelligent, even if 1
"raw," immigration so far as concerns the labor
problem as related to the piano and other musical
instrument industries. It has already been demon-
strated that immigration in times past has directly
helped the piano industry. In New York City there
A HARD WORKER.
Work was the name he went by,
Work was his one best bet,
Work most his time was spent by,
Work was his pampered pet;
Work was the thing he won by,
Work was his play and joy,
Work was the thread he spun by—
Success was his great big boy.
Work was the thing he rose for,
Work 'twas that made his wealth—
Work and the change he chose for,
Work just to give him health;
Work made his friends respect him,
Work brought him peace of mind,
Work would let none reject him—
Success made the whole world kind.
Work was a word that pleased him,
Work was his middle name,
Work had no germ that teased him,
Work 'twas that brought him fame;
Work was the last he thought of—
"Work, too much work," said Doc,
"Work 'twas, I fear, that killed him"—
And that was his only knock!
ACTIVITIES OF THE
A. B. CHASE DEALERS
New Representatives Appointed and Good Sales to
Professionals at Retail.
The Danielson Music Company of Jamestown,
N. Y., has just been made an agency for the A .B.
Chase pianos and reproducing pianos. S. H. Perry
negotiated the agency. The S. E. Murphy Music
Company of St. Cloud, Minn., was also added to the
A. B. Chase list by W. F. Allen on his trip through
that part of the country.
The New York warerooms of the A. B. Chase Co.
has sold an A. B. Chase piano, style L, to John
Doane, a leading organist and teacher at the present
time. Several years ago he bought a parlor grand
for his home in San Diego. He was formerly head
of the organ department at North Western Univer-
sity, and is a graduate of Oberlin Univresity of
Music, where a hundred of A. B. Chase pianos have
been used.
The Board of Education at Sioux Falls, S. D.,
purchased a style L of Williams Piano Company
of that city. This sale is the outgrowth of six pur-
chases by the same board last year. Many A. B.
Chase dealers are at the present time, during their
county fairs, doing considrable business. In the
case of J. N. Robins Piano Company, Columbus,
Ohio, six direct sales resulted from the fair at that
city.
are piano factories in which Italian immigrants have
been employed, from the helpers to the most skilled
workers; even the latter today being of that race.
In others the shortage of labor has worked in-
convenience and, no doubt, has served to increase
the cost of manufacture. There is, perhaps, no in-
dustry that employs heavy workers, or unskilled
labor, that would not be helped by the incoming of
intelligent, honest and industrious immigrants.
The idea of a Federal Board of Assimilation
seems to be a good one. The subject is a large one,
and can not be handled in a brief article nor, indeed,
with anything like assurance by any writer whose
observation extends largely to any one line of in-
dustry and, we believe, especially an industry like
that of musical instrument making, where special
skill is required and the proportion of unwholly un-
learned labor employed is small.—Ed. Presto.
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