Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Why not Local Associations?
trust your competitor and not believe the
reports emanating from your traveling
SUGGESTIONS MADE BY THE EXECUTIVE COM-
salesman, and more often from your dis-
MITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
honest customer, but, on the contrary, will
WOULD INURE TO TRADE BENEFIT.
go to him when these matters come up
In the report of the executive committee and discuss these reports just as you would
presented at the recent convention of the with your partners, then, if your local as-
Piano Manufacturers' National Association sociation is founded on correct principles,
in Chicago, emphasis was placed on the de- it will be a success, not only financially,
sirability and importance of dealers form- but in every way that makes our daily life
living.
ing local associations in all sections of the worth
i
'You will notice I use the words 'correct
country, and in this connection it was
properly stated that "not only will they principles,' which, to my mind, are:
" i . Above all things, confidence in each
thereby raise the standard of the goods
which they are representing, but will also other.
"2. A forgiving spirit, for many mistakes
find out how many good men there are in
the trade, and will save unnecessary ex- will come up, mistakes honestly made and
pense and avoid a competition that never easily explained if confidence exists, but
never can or will be if confidence is lacking.
elevates but surely degrades."
"3. Arrange your prices on all articles so
It cannot be gainsaid that no better
that
they will be perfectly fair to buyer
means of encouraging social intercourse
and
seller,
with a due regard to your com-
and united effort for trade betterment
could be adopted. We have just come petitors traveling the same territory, but
across some very timely remarks made not working with you.
"4. You may expect always dissatisfac-
along these lines by W. A. Parker at the
recent convention of the Southern Hard- tion with your traveling force. While no
ware Men's Association held in Old Point salesman will object, you may expect every
Comfort, Va. They cover the points re- drummer in your service to kick loud and
ferred to by the executive committee of long. (There is a great gulf between the
the Piano Manufacturers' National Asso- salesman and drummer.)
"Gentlemen, if you are not going to run
ciation very pertinently. He said :
your
own business, but allow yourselves
"I am quite sure that all will agree that
to
be
influenced by drummers, then don't
to a large extent as a body we have lived
up to this and enjoyed many fruits that go into any agreement; it will be a fail-
otherwise would have passed into other ure.
"I could go on and enumerate the good of
hands. But are we getting the full bene-
fits that should come by closer relations local associations almost indefinitely, but,
with each other ? I take the position that stronger than words, let me present a few
we are not, and never will until we organ- figures based on actual results after care-
ize ourselves into local associations, where fully going into the matter with each mem-
we can meet every day if necessary and ber of a certain association in one of our
discuss all matters that pertain to our gen- Southern cities and putting down the
actual figures. Much to my surprise and
eral welfare.
"Both from the national associations, gratification they represented over and
through their officers, time and again ring- above what would have made a 6 per cent,
ing messages have gone forth to organize dividend on the capital stock employed by
into local associations. Have you done the associate members of said association
this? If not, why not? Is it for lack of con- for twelve months. Please bear in mind that
fidence in your neighbor, and do you feel this could never have been accomplished,not
as he feels, that neither can be trusted? Do 1 cent of the amount represented by the
6 per cent, could have been earned,
you trust yourself? Then trust him.
"I once read a letter from a competitor, but by mutual agreement and a perfect
as follows: 'I am in sympathy with the confidence in and close communion with
local association, and would gladly join, each other. Meeting once a week through-
(mark that, would gladly join), but my out the twelve months thus brings about
experience has been that parties enter- of itself an untold good to all. Need I
ing into agreements of this kind will not say more?
" I will say in conclusion, get together
keep them.' This same party, a member of
our organization, I suppose still does not with your competitors, come to a perfect
believe in local organizations or agree- understanding as to terms, prices, and all
ments, for this past season he was reward- things that pertain to good business, and
ed by the worst cutting of certain staple when another year has rolled around, you
articles on record (market conditions con- will bless the day of local associations."
sidered), and this not from outside com-
Steinways at Newport.
petition, but from honest home competit-
Steinway & Sons have on exhibition this
ors, competitors as honest as he, but blind
week at the warerooms of J. S. Barney,
and unbelieving, and you see the result.
"Right here, gentlemen, may I ask from Jr., & Co., Newport, R. I., twelve specially
where comes your worst competition? It designed art pianos in various styles. The
has been the experience of many that this individual points of excellence embodied
comes not from foreign competitors, but in these instruments are being displayed to
from within our own ranks, either in our visitors by J. Burr Tiffany.
own city or sister cities nearby.
Kranich & Bach have just issued a hand-
"If you will but organize, and in so doing some new catalogue. It will be noticed at
make up your mind fully that you will length in next week's Review.
The Everett Pianos.
At the music teachers' conventions, both
national and local, which have recently
been held in Atlanta, Ga., Des Moines, la.,
Columbus, Mo., Port Huron, Mich., Col-
umbus, Ind., and other important musical
centers, the Everett concert grand has been
very much in evidence, with results that
must be entirely pleasing to the manufac-
turers. Notable artists, headed by Rich-
ard Burmeister, have played these famous
instruments and in all cases, not only the
pianist, but the piano, have come in for a
large measure of approval from the local
critics as well as the eminent musicians
who have been in attendance.
The enthusiasm which has been aroused
by the superb tonal qualities of the Ever-
ett is indeed well deserved. It would be diffi-
cult to hear it and not become enthralled.
Week after week, the Everett grand, and
we may say the same of the Everett
uprights, are growing in the affections of
critical musicians and the musical public.
They appreciate that in these instruments
the Everett Piano Co. have embodied
after years ot intelligent effort a scale
which is individual, resulting in magnifi-
cent qualities of tone, and encased them
in a manner so substantial and so artistic
that the present reputation is based on
actual merit, which fact is demonstrated
emphatically in the instruments them-
selves.
Ready for Occupancy.
The new addition to the factories of the
Starr Piano Co., of Richmond, Ind., which
has been under way for some time and to
which reference was frequently made in
The Review, will be ready for occupancy
this week. This will afford the Starr in-
stitution needed room in the production of
their instruments, the demand for which
within recent date has been exceedingly
active. With this increased manufactur-
ing space the Starr Piano Co. will be en-
abled to turn out about 150 pianos a week,
so that they are well equipped to cater to
the fall trade. It is a splendid proof of
the excellence of the Starr piano that the
demand shonld have compelled the manu-
facturers to keep on enlarging their factory
season after season. No doubt we shall
hear in due course again of a still further
addition.
Fred. Lechner, of Pittsburg, Pa., and
E. E. Forbes, Montgomery, Ala., both
progressive Kranich & Bach dealers, were
in town this week. Charles Losh, mana-
ger of M. P. Moller & Co., Hagerstown,
Md., was also a caller at Kranich & Bach's.
Among visitors this week at the Shon
inger warerooms was J. M. Bunnell, of
Johnstown and Philipsburg, Pa. Mr.
Bunnell is an active and successful advo-
cate of the Shoninger products and has
done much to strengthen their popularity
within the territory he covers.
Dealers who desire to handle a piano
with a name that is known as reputable in
all parts of the country—an instrument
that can be sold at a reasonable price—will
do well to communicate with the Brau-
muller Piano Co., 141 West Twenty-fourth
street, this city, They will learn much of
interest,