Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Dealers Express Their Views as to Fall Trade,
SECOND INSTALLMENT OF RESPONSES TO A LETTER OF INQUIRY SENT OUT BY THE REVIEW.
OPINIONS THAT WILL INFORM MANUFACTURERS AS TO THE SITUATION IN EVERY
SECTION OF THE UNION—DIVERGENT OPINIONS EXPRESSED BUT UNAN-
IMOUS AS TO PROSPERITY AFTER M ' K I N L E Y ' S ELECTION.
FACTS AND NOT HEARSAY OUR MOTTO.
UTHENTIC information regarding
the prospects for fall tiade is being
anxiously sought for by manufacturers with
a view to preparing stock and making other
plans in this connection. It must be con-
ceded that reliable information on this vital
subject can best be furnished by the dealers
of the country, who from their own exper-
ience, and the conditions which surround
them, are enabled to make intelligent fore-
casts as to the coming season.
Recognizing the importance of obtaining
definite information as to the prospects for
fall and winter trade, THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW sent out last week the following
letter to prominent dealers in all sections
of the United States:
A
What are the prospeats for trade in
your line say during the months of Sep-
tember and October?
Do you expect a steaiy trade, or will
it be fitful until after the Presidential
election?
After the election what than ?
In your section is there a growing sen-
timent favoring free silver or does the
gold standard, maintain the most adher-
ents?
Have there been more delinquents on
piano installment paper during the pres-
ent summer than for several years pre-
vious ?
Any statements regarding the effect of
the great political contest upon business
in your locality will be read with inter-
est, and any personal opinions that you
may interject will likewise be highly
appreciated.
In sendin? you this communication it
is my aim to gain the opinion of some
of the leading dealers in widely separate i
localities regarding trade conditions in
their respective States-
Quite a number of replies have already
been received, the second installment of
which appear herewith. As it is impossible
to print the entire symposium in one issue
of THE REVIEW, answers will appear dur-
ing the coming issues until the opinions of
representative dealers in every State and
Territory are placed before our readers.
We feel that this means of gaining a
knowledge of present trade conditions will
be of the utmost value to the trade. The
writers represent the conditions actually
existing in the various sections; hencc'these
contributions will be appreciated and val-
ued because they are authoritative.
Trade very fair— Expect it to continue.
JESSE FRENCH, President Jesse French
Piano & Organ Co., St. Louis, Mo.—We
have not experienced the depression in trade
as much as the cry of hard times would in-
dicate, though of course there has been
some falling off. Our trade has been very
fair for the past two months and we expect
l\
it to continue in September and October.
We do not expect a healthy and steady con-
dition of traae until after the election, and
not being a prophet, I am not prepaied to
say how the result will affect business, as
both sides claim dire calamity will follow if
they are not elected. For myself I think the
country will survive in either case. In this
section there is a growing sentiment in
favor of tree silver, which the gold stand-
ard men are trying hard to overcome.
Yes, we have had more delinquents than
for some time past. You ask for my per-
sonal views in regard to the financial situa-
tion. As a business man I can only view it
from my standpoint and have not given the
matter that mature consideration to merit
public print, but as you request it I do so.
Our bonds were bought with greenbacks
which cost from 42 to 65 cents on the dollar
in gold, and are redeemable in coin, which
means gold or silver, hence when there are
untold millions of silver in the treasury and
little or no gold, I certainly think they
should have been redeemed with the curren-
cy on hand in which we had agreed to pay
rather than to have issued bonds specifi-
cally payable in gold, thus increasing our
burden of interest bearing debt, with a lia-
bility of its being repeated again soon. I
am for protection and sound money with
gold, silver and greenbacks at a parity, but
it seems to me that those claiming to be for
sound money by demonetising silver and
depreciating greenbacks make unsound
money of nine-tenths or more of our circu-
lating medium. I am in favor of retrench-
ment and reform. The increased expenses
of running our government is simply ap-
palling and should be reduced. The same
system of extravagance extends to most of
our States, cities and large corporations and
to thousands of homes. Until the people
are educated up to a higher moral standard,
live within their means, elect law makers
who will legislate for the good of the
people, choose honest officials who will do
their duty without fear or favor, I fear we
shall hear of fraud, corruption and hard
times; but with officials of integrity, the
government economically administered, we
will have plenty of money, both govern-
ment and people, to pay our obligations 100
cents on the dollar and our credit will be
so good all will accept our silver or paper
as readily as gold and if not, as an individ-
ual, I would buy from others who would.
I think this government can maintain a
parity of gold and silver 16 to 1. I favor
the government purchasing silver at its
market value and the government (which
is the people) get the benefit of the seign-
iorage or profit, pay for same in green-
backs, thereby giving an increased circula-
tion without the increased burden of inter-
est. I know this is not in accord with the
views of a majority of your readers, whose
opinions I respect, and I may be wrong, yet
they will admit that it has often happened
that the minority were in the right. Yours
for the best interest of the country.
flattering, and will be fitful until after elec-
tion. If McKinley is elected confidence
will be restored, and business will improve
at once. The silver sentiment is declining,
and the gold standard maintains the most
adherents.
There have been many more delinquents
in piano installment paper this summer
than previous years. Business is about
paralyzed entirely owing to the political si t-
uation. Almost every well thinking Dem-
ocrat will vote for McKinley. That's the
feeling in this city.
Business as good as last year; in some lines
increasing.
JOSEPH FLANNER, Milwaukee, Wis.—Pros-
pects for trade in our line during the
months of September and October are very
good. My business is equally as good as
last year and in some lines increasing. In
small goods and sheet music especially,
our business has increased at least 25 per
cent. I think after the elections are over,
business in general will be still better.
Replying to your question whether there
is a growing sentiment favoring free silver
or does the gold standard maintain the
most adherents, I think that a difficult
question to answer, although you must
know that Wisconsin is a Republican State.
Still there seem to be a great many people
favoring free silver, principally among the
farmers and the laboring class.
Payments on installment paper have not
been any less than in previous years.
The crops in this section of the country
are very fine, and we hope that after the
election the prices for grain will advance,
and no doubt will bring with it a more pros-
perous condition of affairs.
Fair trade through the fall and winter.
J. F. CHAFFIN, Fitchburg, Mass.—I do
not see any signs of a very great amount of
business for the months of September and
October; it will be better than the past two
months, as they are our dullest season. We
are having considerable call for pianos to
rent, and of course some sales, but I do not
expect any boom in business till after the
election of McKinley, which is sure to
come, but it will be no walk over. Collec-
tions are fair on sales made within the last
year or two; old accounts are hard to real-
ize on, as many who contracted them in
good faith are unable to meet them, owing
to a lack of employment. There is un-
doubtedly something in the silver question
which we here do not hear so much about,
or fully understand, but this is not the time
for a change. What I would like to see is
a little more protection, and a great deal
more work for the operatives and mechan-
ics, then they would have more money to
spend over our counters; with the election
of McKinley I fully expect this to take
place, and not before. It is not probable
that mills will start up much till after elec-
tion, whether they could or not. Undoubt-
edly there will be a fair trade through the
fall and first of the winter.
flcKinley's election justifies faith in an early im-
provement in business.
BARNES & NEWCOMH, Wichita, Kan.—In
reply to paragraph first, what are the pros-
pects for trade during September and
October, already nearly one-half of the
month of September has gone, and with it
remembrances of dull and unsatisfactory
business. As you term it we do expect fit-
Every well thinking Democrat will vote for Mc- ful trade until after election. If that Prince
Kinley.
of Protection to American industry, that
I. J. LOOMIS, La Crosse, Wis.—The out- loyal American soldier, that matchless
look for September and October is not very statesman, Major McKinley, is our next