Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1920 1794

December 11, 1920.
PRESTO
maker to turn out a Cinderella with more than an inch-and-a-half
rear elevation. When will some equally inspired Rostonian con-
sider that more than six octaves are too many for an upright piano,
and when will he be ready to declare that the player-piano is an
emissary of evil because it will play all kinds of secular music without
the aid of a moral director?
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce is busy in many
ways. A recent chart, resembling- the genealogical table of some
royal family, and designed to clear up any confusion covering the
Chamber's ramifications into all departments of the art and trade,
displays the far reaching ambition of the organization. But whether
the Chamber, in any of its departments, is watching the possibilities
of the spread of the activities of the mock moralists or not we do not
know. It is clear, however, that what Professor Fitch, of Amherst
College, said about the kind of Prussianism that persists, and prom-
ises to spread over free America, contains some thought that is new
to most people.
And there is a good deal in it that should interest the men who
are directly concerned in the manufacture and sale of musical in-
struments. For every restriction of the rational pleasures of the
people must curtail the possibilities of the music trade by lessen-
ing the uses and purposes of music.
One or two of the trade papers, with ill-placed exuberance, or
eagerness to present the "last news first," published a story of the
technical and, no doubt, temporary entanglements of the R. S. How-
ard Company. It is a complication due to the war-time emergency
by which Mr. Howard's factory was taken over for special purposes.
At least so we understand it. No one who knows Mr. R. S. Howard
and his circumstances can doubt that he will quickly "come back"
with colors flying. We expect to make that announcement in the
near future. Meanwhile what some term "trade journalism" is a
mysterious process too often played with by the kind of inexperience
and shallowness that hurts where it should help.
* * *
Methods of taxing and the things taxed will be subjects consid-
ered by our legislators within the next few months. The music trade
and industry recognize taxation as necessary, but they do not admit
SUMMING UP PROBLEM
OF CANCELLATIONS
Department of Chamber of Commerce of the
United States Points to Causes and
Suggests Remedies.
An exhaustive study of the practice of cancella-
tion of orders and repudiation of contracts in almost
every division of business has been made by the
Fabricated Production Department of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, as a result of
which study it groups opinions as to possible causes
under these three heads: That the practice is the
result of war-time irregularities and will pass as
we return to normal basis. That we are now reap-
ing the results of the loose business practices in-
augurated before the war, when many lines were in
a state of over production and the measures taken
to unload this surplus were demoralizing, and that
we have been drifting away from the fundamentals
of sound business and the "Golden Rule,," and that
we must return to a stronger belief in the rights of
others and a higher regard for our own integrity
if the change is to be permanent.
Terming the cancellation practice a "serious mat
ter," the bulletin goes on to say that "earlier in the
year when cancellations began to trickle in they
were almost welcomed by those having more orders
than production, but as prices began to crumble am!
the tide of refusals to perform set in, the seriousness
of the situation was manifest, for it brought with iv
a curtailment of production in lines which had not
reached the volume of normal requirements.
"The retailer cancelled to the jobber and whole-
saler and they in turn to the manufacturer, and he
to those supplying his raw materials—a literal 'pass-
ing the buck' and shirking of responsibility regard-
less of consequences," says the report.
''Sellers
had encouraged buyers by misleading paternalism in
assuming many of the natural responsibilities in
herent of their customers' functions as merchants.
'We will take care of you' or 'you may return the
goods' are examples of some of the undermining- fac-
tors when the pinch came. Last but not least, it is
claimed that banks favored concellations as a rapid
means of house cleaning and bringing business back
that the methods of taxing put in force within the past few years are
fair. Taxes that serve to impede industry and halt commercial
progress and harass trade generally because of the unwisdom in un-
fair apportionment, call for the revision which news from Washington
promises this week. The business world is sick of governmental sug-
gestions to economize so that the economizers would be better able
to dig up the billions for the spending orgy.
* * *
The best proof that the public is interested in music in a great
degree is that the newspapers are featuring music in a particular way.
The newspaper without a music department will soon be as great an
oddity as a newspaper without a baseball page. The newspapers re-
ilect the thoughts and tastes of readers. If public interest in music
were to cease tomorrow the newspapers would quit featuring music
the day after. The editors supply the daily ration of music matter
because the public appetite calls for it.
>|:
*
*
These are times when it behooves all men who think at all to do
some of it. And, still more, it is the part of good judgment to dig in
and sell pianos. Get out and do business instead of hanging around
the store talking about what may never happen—and certainly will
not if everyone attends to his own business and does it well.
* * *
A wise manufacturer said to a Presto representative that it. is
his plan to put a larger proportion of his profits into publicity next
year than ever before. "When a few are frightened is a good time
in which to show that you are not afraid but fully alive." The scheme
will work well.
According to an item in one of the sources of trade information,
"some of the shrewdest trade experts in Washington are freely pre-
dicting a big trade revival to begin not later than next Spring." No
doubt about it, and the piano business should come in for its full share.
Look out for the expenses, but don't saw the limb off so close to
the trunk that it will carry you down with it. Economy in business
doesn't mean drawing in all of the lines that are baited to bring sub-
stantial results.
more quickly to a normal state. If the latter con-
clusion has any merit the fact should not be lost
sight of that somebody paid the bill, for between
May and November the failures both in manufac-
turing and among merchants increased rapidly.
"The apparent lowering of business standards has
made doubtful the value of business written and
placed upon the books for future shipment. Pro-
duction schedules could not be definitely worked out
because of this increasing doubt."
In suggesting the possible remedy for this evil,
the bulletin says: "There is a strong feeling that
this thing must not happen again and to that end many
trade organizations have met and formed committees
and bureaus to deal with it. And the Credit Co-op-
erative and Credit Methods Committee of the Na-
tional Association of Credit Men have met twice
to consider the cancellation of orders problem, and
they suggest one remedy as a safeguard against the
unscrupulous: That each line of trade should at
once examine its contract making and order tak-
ing methods to bring them strictly within legal lines.
"We feel, however," is the statement, "that perhaps
the most effective remedy must be the one that will
call us back to 'first principles,' to where we can
'point with pride' to our house as one that 'fills its
orders and keeps its contracts.'"
F. S. SPOFFORD'S TRADE GROWS.
While F. S. Spofford, piano dealer in the Republic
Building, Chicago, is no longer agent at Chicago for
Hardman, Peck & Co., of New York, that agency
having passed to the Cab'e Piano Company, he is
still selling Hnrdman pianos and he has the agency
for the Hazelton pianos, of New York. He is also
selling talking machines from New York and he says
that trade is growing livelier every day now.
F. D. WIGGINS WITH STARR CO.
F. D. Wiggins, formerly well known in the piano
trade, is back at the business once more, having be-
gun as a retail salesman at the Starr Piano Com-
pany's store in Chicago last Saturday. Mr. Wiggins
was at one time buyer and assistant factory manager
at the M. Schulz Company in Chicago. Later he
traveled out of Chicago for about fifteen years for
the Starr Piano Company, of Richmond, Ind. He
has recently been in the furniture business at Green-
vi'le. Pa. Greenville is 90 miles north of Pittsburgh
and 28 miles northeast of Youngstown, Ohio.
NEW COMPANY SUCCEEDS
FIELD=LIPPMAN IN FORT WORTH
The Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Incorporated for
$50,000, to Continue Policies of Old Concern.
The new Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Fort Worth,
Tex., which succeeds the Field-Lippman Music
Store, is a strictly Fort Worth enterprise and it is
well known that the strongest business men in the
city are associated with Ernest I. Conkling and B.
A. Grimes in the new company, recently incorporated
with $50,000 capital stock. The business will be con-
tinued at 500 Houston street, where the Field-Lipp-
man Music House was moved last May. The new
heads of the concern say the well-known policies
of the Field-Lippman Music House will be con-
tinued.
Ernest I. Conkling, the president of the new or-
ganization, has been with the Field-Lippman Music
House for over twelve years and has an experience
of thirty years in the piano business.
Mr. Grimes, vice-president, has also been asso-
ciated with the Field-Lippman Music House for
several years. He has a wide acquaintance among
musical people in the Texas city and is prominently
active in all public events of a musical nature.
TRADE PRESS MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Chicago Trade Press
Association was held on Monday evening of this
week at the City Club, Dinner was served at $1.50
a plate. New officers were elected and new plans
enunciated. C. S. Richardson was on hand and told
ihe association how to use charts for business pro-
motion. He is an expert well known to business ex-
ecutives. His talk was followed by a round table
on business conditions, postal service and other mat-
ters of business interest.
CHRISTMAS CLUBS.
Christmas clubs will distribute to the more than
3,000.000 member^ throughout the country approxi-
mately $110,000,000. This is an increase over the
amount distributed a year ago of about $10,000,000.
Another phase of the thrift of the peop 1 e is the
Christmas Piano Club, the approximate total for
which would be interesting.
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/
December 11, 1920.
STATE=WIDE BODY
FOR PENNSYLVANIA
Practical Way of Achieving an Idea Adopted
by the Music Merchants' Association of
Pittsburgh Evident in Letter
Mailed This Week.
The piano and music merchants of Pennsylvania
will assemble in Pittsburgh January 17, 1921, and it
is be'.ieved plans for an association with state-wide
scope will be realized. The idea was created during
discussions at meetings of the Music Merchants' As-
sociation of Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania dealers
generally favored the scheme. Consequently the
Music Merchants' Association of Pittsburgh mailed
to all music dealers in Pennsylvania whose names
were availab'e a questionnaire asking if the recipient
favored a state organization, and if so, what city in
the state was preferred as the place to hold an or-
ganization meeting. Out of 604 inquiries sent out,
304 replies were received. Of this number 299 fa
vored the idea, 142 naming Pittsburgh as the city for
the convention, Philadelphia being next with 51
votes.
A Pittsburgh Idea.
At a meeting of the Pittsburgh association, held on
November 18, 1920, following the favorable report
on the state association questionnaire, it was. re-
solved that an invitation should be issued to all music
dealers of Pennsylvania to meet at Pittsburgh on
Monday and Tuesday, January 17-18, 1921, for the
purpose of organizing a state association of music
merchants.
"The Pittsburgh music dealers therefore extend to
you a cordial invitation to meet with them on Janu-
ary 17-18, 1921, at Pittsburgh, and urge upon all mem-
bers of the trade the importance of establishing a
state organization at this time in view of the serious
problems which confront our industry in the immedi-
ate future," is the opening sentence of a letter ser.t
out this week.
Prime Movers in Plan.
The letter is signed by Wm. C. Hamilton, presi-
dent; Arthur O. Lechner, secretary; W. C. Dierk?.
chairman convention committee, and Chas. C. Latus,
executive secretary, acting for the Piano Merchants'
Association of Pittsburgh. As an argument in favor
of the scheme the letter says:
"A strong state association has been functioning for
some years in our sister state of Ohio. At their con-
vention last September the Ohio Dealers voiced an
urgent appeal to Pennsylvania dealers to rally to the
cause of co-operative effort by organizing an effective
state association."
The Pennsylvania dealers are animated by state
pride in their plans to effect a state association. It
is probable that the next president of the National
Association of Piano Merchants will be a Pennsyl-
vanian of whom all dealers in the state are proud—
M. V. DeForeest, of Sharon. With a strong and sym-
pathetic state organization behind him it is believed
Mr. DeForeest can give the national body the best
administration it has ever had.
Some of the Pleas.
These arguments were also printed in the invita-
tion sent out to dealers:
"The enormous value of the national organizations
of the music industries .has already been demon-
strated beyond any question. In matters of national
and state legislation—particularly those dea'ing with
taxation, patents, copyrights and trade practices—the
national . organizations have proven not only their
usefulness to the industry at large but the remark-
ably able administrative forces our great industry
possesses. And the general improvement in trade
ethics which has marked the development of our
national association in matters of co-operation, ac-
quaintance and mutual confidence, furnishes addi-
tional reason for vigorous rational promotion of the
association idea in city, state and nation.
"With the growing importance of the work of the
national association and the increasing responsibili-
ties attached thereto, the national bodies require in
increasing measure the support of both state and city
associations. This support is of vital import in solv-
ing the problems involved in national or state legisla-
tion.
"Bearing in mind the measure of success that has
already been won by the hard work of the national
associations, which in the nature of the case must
seem to function rather impersonally for the whole
music industry of the United States, it is not diffi-
cult to envision, the increased effectiveness of our na-
tional associations' efforts if behind the national
bodies there stood forty-eight sturdy, virile state as-
sociations ready 3t any time to impress personally
upon our legislative representatives, both state and
national, the importance of our industry to the civic
and artistic growth of our country.
"It is an established fact that any well organized
industry commands greater esteem and more serious
consideration by both press and public than does un-
organized industry. And it is apparent that the
members of such association hold their business in
higher respect by reason of the recognized power and
dignity of the organization."
It will not be all business during the two days of
the Pittsburgh meeting, according to the tentative
program accompanying the invitation. Theater par-
tics, luncheons and a banquet as a rousing climax are
promised.
WARER00M WARBLES
(A New One Every Week.)
By The Presto Poick.
A RIGHTEOUS COMPLAINT.
I'm just a new piano and cannot understand
Why 'tis they mix me up with things of toy and
baud,
Why stick me in the window where people scarce
can see
My beauty through the maze of things so unlike me.
I don't mind where they put me, or what my com-
rades are,
But when it comes to "shew me" I should be treated
fair;
1 sec my friends stand gazing in wonder at the
sight
Of my fine style avA splendor in such a sorry plight.
With half my beauty hidden by fiddles, harps and
drums
And double bass and cymbals—'most everything
that hums—
I can't have inspiration to show what I can do
To win the admiration of those who come in view.
1 shine with all the lustre of chunks of gleaming ice.
While things they stick around me don't reach one-
tenth my price!
My luster seems diminished, and scratched and
marred beside,
I'll say it is quite plenty to spoil my upright pride!
NEW VENTURES SHARE
FAVOR OF BUYERS
Late Additions to Forces of Piano Distribution
Show Liveliness of Trade.
The New England Piano & Phonograph Company,
Boston, which recently opened a store in Lowell,
Mass., will soon open another branch in Springfield,
Mass
The W. M. Ringden Co., San Francisco, has moved
from the old location on Kearny street to 903 Mar-
ket street.
Orchestra Hall, Toledo, O, on the site of the
old Rialto Hotel, 420 St. Clair street, has opened its
doors to the public. It is conducted by the Kneisel
Music Co., incorporated for $25,000, with John J.
Kneisel as president.
W. H. Rymer, Inc., is a new music store at 12
Government street, Asheville, N. C.
W. S Barringer will open a shop to carry exclu-
sively the products of the Victor Talking Machine
Co., at 304 North Main street, Kokomo, Ind.
A SAN FRANCISCO WINDOW.
Alfred Batkin, of the Byron Mauzy store in San
Francisco, arranged a very striking Christmas win-
dow this week. Around the border is strung Christ-
mas garlands made of the California redwood tree,
and placed convenient to the articles in the window
are wreaths of the same in which are dispersed the
red berries. Bright red bows of silk ribbon neatly
distributed add the necessary touch of color to
the green garland. The Chickering grand is placed
in one corner of the window, upon which is a card
designating the quality of the product and the house
which handles the same. In the opposite corner is
a playerpiano of the latest type with a card indicat-
ing a special inducement to the purchaser of the
IMPORTANT RULING
ON TAX INVENTORIES
Committee in Internal Revenue Bureau Rec-
ommends that Taxpayers Be Permit-
ted Choice of Tax Basis.
An important ruling by the Committee on Ap-
peals and Review of the Bureau of Internal Revenue
has just been promulgated concerning income tax
valuations. It has been generally understood that
the income taxpayer could not be given the option
of inventorying at cost or market, whichever is
lower, without regard to the basis that was adopted
at the close of the preceding year, for the reason
that such was not authorized by law, such changes
being restricted to inventory situations in the year
1919.
But according to the Treasury Department Bulle-
tin on Income Tax Rulings, that Committee, after
giving careful consideration to a request from the
Income Tax Unit that a former ruling regarding in-
ventory valuations be reconsidered, now reports that
it is not believed many taxpayers took advantage of
the option as to bases of valuation which they had
in making their 1917 returns, partly because market
was above cost in many lines, and partly because
knowledge of that authorization did not reach the
public generally in time to be utilized.
With regard to returns under the Act of 1918, it
is also believed that in many lines of industry mar-
ket was above cost and inventories then were con-
sequently priced at cost. The committee has reached
the conclusion that since in so many instances the
taxpayer has had no real election, (as between basis
A, cost, and basis B, cost or market, whichever is
lower), but has been forced to take his inventory
on either basis at cost, since cost was lower than
market, therefore, the taxpayer, who, for this rea-
son, has prior to this year had no real election,
but who now desires to change to the basis of cos'c
or market, whichever is lower, should be permitted
to do so.
The committee recommends that where it can be
shown that market at the c'ose of 1918 and 1919 was
above cost the taxpayer may now elect to take his
inventory upon a cost or market basis, whichever
is lower, provided that such practice is consistently
adhered to in the future. Presumably, formal ap-
plication to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
by taxpayers who desire to take advantage of this
decision should be made in each instance.
PROGRESSIVE NEW YORK
FIRM GIVES FINE CONCERT
Holrr.es Music Co., in Port Jervis Branch, Uses
Pleasant Method of Player Piano Instruction.
The Holmes Music Co , Port Jervis, N. Y., gave a
concert to a large and delighted crowd in the ware-
rooms at 75 Pike street last week. The numbers in
which the playerpiano was employed were highly
instructive and gave player owners present new ideas
of the pleasure- possibilities of the instrument.
The main store of the Holmes Music Company is
in Middletown. Through sound business principles
the company has built up a business of wide pro-
portions.
The organization is made up of Frederick R. Al-
ford, president; Frank E. Hall, vice-president; Clar-
ence L. Hulse, secretary; William M. Biggin, treas-
urer, all of Middletown. The fo'lowing are em-
ployes in the Middletown and Port Jervis stores:
Wilifred E. Kronk, Adolph Bortree, Lloyd Backus,
Leon W. Alford, Miss Laura Bates, Miss Edith
Budd, Mrs. Jane D. Lilts, Joseph W. Ackerman,
Chas. Hardy, Edward Borkonhagen, Reginald Strat-
ton, Arthur L. Bagley, and Aleck Dausharn, all of
Middletown.
Miss Leita La Bar is manager of the Port Jervis
store.
SELLING THE MANUAT.O.
C. F. Johnson, with headquarters at Sheffield, 111.,
has sold Manualo playerpianos throughout a wide
territory. Mr. Johnson is a convincing talker for
this instrument of the Baldwin Piano Co., and cou-
ples tireless energy with boundless enthusiasm. He-
depends upon his ability to demonstrate the instru-
ment and powers to persuade when lie prints this
in the local newspaper: "So long as you can now
secure a playerpiano that gives you this unlimited
variety of expression, why purchase the old mechan-
ical kind? You wi'l not be satisfied with anything
but the Manualo, once you try it. Come in, whether
you are ready to buy or not. It is a pleasure for us
to demonstrate any instrument made by the House
of Baldwin."
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/

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