Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL t •< •
Editor and Proprietor
PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY
3 East 14th St., New York
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States,
Mexico and Canada, fa.00 per year; all other countries,
$3.00.
ADVERTISEnENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per
insertion. On auarterly or yearly contracts a special dis-
count is allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00, opposite read-
ing matter $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should
be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill.
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Clasi Matter.
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 24, 1898.
TELEPHONE NUMBER, 1745-EIOHTEENTH STREET.
THE KEYNOTE.
The first week of each month, The Review will
contain a supplement embodying the literary
and musical features which have heretofore
appeared in The Keynote. This amalgamation
will be effected without in any way trespassing
on our regular news service. The Review will
continue to remain, as before, essentially a
trade paper.
BYWAYS AND HEDGES.
T H E important news item of the week
unquestionably is the deal consum-
mated by the Krell Piano Co. with John
Wanamaker, whereby the Wanamaker
stores in this city and Philadelphia will
handle the Krell and Royal pianos. The
details in full appear elsewhere in an inter-
view with Mr. Herman Krell. From this
it can be seen that the Wanamaker concerns
are not going into the cheap stencil piano
business, but rather intend, in line with
their general policy, to handle well-known
reputable wares. Of course, in this field,
they will become even stronger competi-
tors for the regular piano dealer than were
they to follow the course of other depart-
ment stores, and sell the cheap stencil
trash. Is this move the forerunner of
more of similar nature ?
It is premature to prognosticate anent
the effect this move will have on the gen-
eral retail trade. There is one thing per-
fectly clear, that the encroachments of the
great department stores on the business of
the retailer can only be offset by employ-
ing in a measure their methods whenever
and wherever applicable. A constant agi-
tation must be kept up as to the goods and
values offered.
It will not do merely to talk about and
condemn the department stores. There
must be less fault-finding and more action.
Every person knows that no competitor, if
he has good business qualities, will con-
stantly talk about another, unless his own
business is hurt, and the people he talks to
very often receive the above impression
and attribute it to the fact that his com-
petitor handles a better grade of goods and
at more reasonable prices,
The up-to-date retailer must simulate to "dished u p " by a scared contemporary
a large extent the methods of these stores, are the veriest space-fillers.
give more atteution to publicity and con-
It is a well-known fact, and not denied
duct his business on thoroughly up-to- by the heads of department stores that
date lines. The success which seems to their piano venture is purely an experi-
follow the department stores does not nec- ment. If it does pay, of course it will be
essarily ensue because they are depart- continued. Undoubtedly the department
ment stores, but because they are con- stores selling stencilled pianos will dispose
ducted by men who are thoroughly alive of quite a number of these instruments
to modern methods of doing business.
during the coming, as they have during
The continual howling over ruinous the past, year. They will sell very largely
competition and all that is only a waste of to a class of people who never could be
energy and time. We are living in an ac- reached by the ordinary piano dealers, and
tive age, one of constant changes—a cold, who would never dream of buying a piano
commercial era—which rewards best those were they not attracted and caught so to
who keep in the front rank in the army of speak by department store methods.
progress.
It requires no extraordinary mind to re-
alize what will be the result of the present
F course the pessimists, whom we always move of a certain department store which
will have with us, are prone to look is selling pianos worth $125 on the club
upon the piano situation through an indigo- principle of $5.00 down and $1.25 a week.
hued glass. There is no reason for de- A little experience, and they will be
spondency. The retail piano trade is ca- brought face to face with the fact that they
pable of tremendous expansion. It is still are losing money. The class of people
in its infancy. It is imperative, however, who purchase these instruments arc prover-
that obsolete methods must go and up-to- bially uncertain in payments. When the
date ideas must be applied to business cost of selling, carting, tuning, repairing
government. There must be more public- and replevining is considered, it will be
ity. Goods must be brought before the found that this concern will not only have a
public persistently and intelligently. This goodly number of secondhand instruments
is an evolutionary age, and the methods of on their hands but some dearly purchased
disposing of goods in every line of trade
knowledge which may compel them to
have undergone a complete metamor-
change their policy or go out of the piano
phosis.
business.
The fierceness of competition is often
given as a reason for fault-finding, and it I T is pleasing to note the efforts which
is claimed that profits are being wiped out
are being made by the President and
by its operation, but the fact remains that, Secretary Hay toward placing the consular
while the percentage of profit may be less service outside of politics—making promo-
now than formerly, the aggregate in every tion and permanency in office depend upon
instance is much greater than it ever was merit and good behavior. In view of the
before. The development of business is importance of our foreign trade, which has
illimitable, and so long as that remains now assumed tremendous proportions, it is
true, competition cannot be injurious in absolutely necessary that fitness and not
the slightest degree. It is only another "influence " should be the sole requisite to
name for progress, and, instead of being a appointment in that important branch of
force to drive men out of business, is one government service.
of the most powerful to press men into the
It is a notorious fact that many consular
unexplored regions where great business appointments, due to the present system of
triumphs may be enjoyed. A far greater "pull," have resulted in the selection of
number of men have competition to thank men unfit to properly represent the inter-
for their success than those who mistakenly ests of the United States abroad. It has
blame it for their failure.
been the endeavor of the State Department
in recent years to get Congress to provide
IN treating of this department store ques- adequate salaries for consulates the situa-
tion and its bearing upon the piano tion of which is unhealthy or business at-
situation generally, it is not wise to work tached to which is so extensive and com-
one's self up to a condition that leads to un- plex as to require the attention of a well in-
warranted apprehension. It is an easy mat- formed official of legal training. The esti-
ter to theorize about what may happen if so mates which Secretary Hay submitted to the
and so occur, but theories are not facts. All present Congress provided for increases of
this talk of contracts being closed by de- salaries for officers in Mexico, Central and
partment stores for 2500 pianos a year, and South America, Polynesia and the Far
the specious assumptions which haye been East. Once the salary of all of the consu-