Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
isn't receiving a portion of trade patronage
simply because he's good.
The industry can well dispense with all
of these, and by concentrating appropria-
tions upon deserving newspaper institu-
tions which have shown by years of faith-
ful adherence to trade rights that they are
not only worthy of patronage, but are
entitled to it by the equivalents which
they return in the way of circulation,
trade respect and esteem. Yes, let there
be a good May cleaning.
THE MEETING IN MAY,
T H E R E is every reason to believe that
the Piano Manufacturers' Convention
which occurs in Chicago in May will be a
notable one in many respects; that it will
result in bringing the industry closer to-
gether is acknowledged. The steady aug-
mentation in membership has proved, too,
that many of those who have remained
outside are now being steadily attracted
towards the association. The addition of
many new members will be the logical out-
come of the meeting in Chicago. The in-
creased interest points that way. The
Great Northern Hotel has been considered
by members of the local trade the most
suitable for Convention and banquet
purposes. All arrangements have been
made so that that popular hostelry will be-
come trade headquarters during conven-
tion week.
FACTORY AUGMENTATION.
"T^HERE is hardly a piano manufacturing
institution in the West that is not
planning extensive additions to factory
facilities. It is hardly necessary to enu-
merate each one in detail, but in the ag-
gregate all the extsnsions now being erected
and contemplated will result in a great
increase in output for the year. Such work
shows the confidence which manufacturers
have in the future of the industry. The
over-production theory does not obtain
and should not for the absorptive power of
America as far as pianos are concerned,
will not have been reached for many years.
When that time does arrive there is then
the whole world for enlarged markets.
Ludwig Sails.
John Ludwig, of Ludwig & Co., left for
Europe on Wednesday to supervise the
Ludwig piano exhibit at the Paris Exposi-
tion. He was a passenger on the "Teu-
tonic." The exhibits were shipped from
the factory on Tuesday.
Peerless Sales.
Five Peerless Piano Players were sold
within ten days recently by the Keiselhorst
Piano Co. of St. Louis. A number of
prospective sales are also in view.
Profits and Prices Discussed:
A LEADING MANUFACTURER TALKS WITH THE
REVIEW ON THE SUBJECT SOME
CONVINCING ARGUMENTS.
"With much interest and pleasure I read
the editorial in last week's issue of your
paper headed 'Profits and Prices,' said a
prominent manufacturer to The Review
this week. "It covered the situation com-
prehensively. In some quarters to-day
there is a most deplorable failure to realize
the necessity of making the absolutely nec-
essary advance in the selling price of pi-
anos, and the same may be said of organs.
I assume that no manufacturer is so blind
to his own legitimate interests as to feel
that he should refrain from making the
profit involved in selling the instruments
he now has in stock at prices based upon the
present, and not upon the past cost of pro-
duction. But even if there be some so phil-
.anthropically disposed as to refuse to make
a fair profit out of a fortuitous change in
the market conditions, they must consider
whether or not they will find it as easy to
advance the price of their goods at a future
time, as it is to make such an advance now
when the prices of all manufactures are
being advanced. Such a manufacturer—
if there exists one so placed after the de-
mand for pianos last year—will probably
find that it will be exceedingly difficult to
advance prices at some future time when
he practically stands alone in making the
advance, even though he had not previous-
ly advanced when his competitors did.
"At the present figures for labor and ma-
terials, there has been, speaking moderate-
ly, an increase in the cost of producing
goods of more than twenty-five per cent.
This increased cost, however, has been
very much greater than twenty-five per
cent, on some of the cheaper and lower
grades of instruments in which the cost of
the materials is relatively a larger part of
the total cost than is the case in the better
grades of instruments.
" The increases that have thus far been
made by manufacturers have not been
sufficient to cover the augmented cost of
their products, if the cost be computed on
the basis of the present figures that must
be paid for labor, materials and supplies.
A most obvious duty, therefore, confronts
us all. We must get a price for our in-
struments commensurate with the cost of
manufacture and arguments must be pre-
sented to the dealers to this end. They
have business foresight and judgment
enough to arrange, whereby they will re-
ceive a just and fair increase of prices from
the public whose purchasing power has
been greatly increased through a large
volume of employment and the good times
which we have enjoyed for the past eigh-
teen months. Dealers should avail them-
selves of the opportunity afforded them by
present conditions, to put upon a proper
price basis, the goods which have been sold
at such ridiculously inadequate prices dur-
ing the past few years.
"It also behooves every manufacturer
to carefully revise his cost formula dur-
ing the present year. I am confident
that many manufacturers who are not in the
habit of making exact and careful cost
computations would be startled to know
just how much more it costs them to make
instruments now than it did say twelve or
eighteen months ago. If my confreres are
alive to their own interests they will avail
themselves of the present opportunity to
adjust prices, to reform certain evils in
sales practice, and fortify themselves as
much as possible against the time of re-
action and of comparative depression
which experience teaches us may be ex-
pected after the present prosperous era.
We can all do much individually toward
putting our business on a better basis, but
large and important reforms can be ef-
fected only by the co-operation of the ma-
jority of manufacturers whereby measures
can be adopted tending to the betterment
of the trade on a broad scale.
"In this respect I am a great believer in
association work. It tends to sink preju-
dices and jealousies, and enables one and
all to realize that manufacturers' interests
are mutual and not antagonistic. A given
amount of work and effort extended on
lines of co-operation cannot fail to be most
effective in eradicating many evils which
are prevalent in the trade to-day, and
which can be removed by common action
through such an organization as will meet
in Chicago next month."
OBITUARY.
Mrs. Qebhardt.
Mrs. Gebhardt, the mother of N. L.
Gebhardt, the A. B. Chase road repre-
sentative, died last week at her late home
in Ottumwa, la., at the good round age of
eighty. Mr. Gebhardt, who was on a trip
East, was advised of his mother's illness
and reached her bedside some time before
her death. She was a woman of many
admirable traits of character, highly
esteemed and her death is widely re-
gretted.
De Witt C. Everest.
The death is announced of DeWitt C.
Everest the well-known banjoist and vio-
linist, of Philadelphia, and founder of the
Banjo Club of that city, which occurred
at the German Hospital last week from a
complication of diseases.
George Styles.
George Styles, for many years a resident
of Greenpoint, Brooklyn Borough, was
buried on Tuesday from the residence of
his sister in Williamsburg. Mr. Styles
was about sixty-nine years of age. He
was formerly in the piano business in
Greenpoint.
firs. Schehl.
The funeral of Mrs. Schehl, mother of
Val. Schehl, maker of calf and sheep heads
for drums, banjos and tambourines, Siegel
street, Brooklyn, took place on Monday.
The factory was closed on that date.
Lyman W. Redington, the author of
the much talked about Redington Piano
Stencil Bill, filed a petition in bankruptcy
on Tuesday. He is a well-known lawyer
and was formerly a member of the Assem-
bly.