Music Trade Review

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THE 7V^\7SIC TRHDE
The isolated employer is often powerless to accomplish anything
with organized labor as opponent, but an organization of employers
REVIEW
higher grade class of home accessories were sold last year than
ever before.
representing an industry make it very easy and to the permanent
Of course, there is generally a variety of opinions expressed
advantage of all. Organizations in all lines are working out good,
regarding the output of pianos each year, and for 1902 some of
and in our own industry the Piano Manufacturers' National Asso-
the opinions of trade publications vary from 175,000 to 228,000.
ciation is doing much to make the industry in many respects more
united than ever before.
Surely there should be no occasion for a difference of 43,000
pianos in the year's estimate.
. The dealers, too, have a national organization, and many local
Now, we believe that it is generally conceded that the esti-
associations in the various cities, which are all doing good work
mate of The Review year by year has been close to actual facts.
in eliminating from retail piano practices many of the methods which
We do not estimate until we can secure all necessary data upon
had a tendency to degrade the business in days agone.
which to base our own opinion.
It is well known that notwithstanding the fact that the best
N T OW and then a pet profit-sharing scheme is evolved from the
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brain of some individual who desires to better the relations
sources of information are supply houses, yet a large amount of
As a whole, however,
purchases might be carried by manufacturers into the succeeding
most of them are not long lived, and the practical methods of to-day
year, so that they would figure in sales, it would not mean that
seem to discountenance the use of anything which savors of pater-
pianos representing those sales were manufactured.
nalism in treating with men.
matters have to be carefully weighed in making an estimate of
existing between employer and employee.
The men prefer to receive on pay-
day what their services are worth rather than to have an elaborate
All of those
the total number of pianos actually manufactured.
In our opinion the figures 210,000 will closely approximate the
pension scheme figured out to them for their maintenance in after
number of pianos manufactured in Uncle Sam's domains during 1902
years.
The latest labor-sharing scheme is that evolved by the Steel
A DVERTISING is only one link of the business chain in which
Trust, which is to interest their employees in the concern to the
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extent of becoming stockholders.
should be supported by business methods, which are calculated to
The plan seems reasonable, but the men are inclined to look
some other link is liable to be the weakest. Good advertising
inspire dealers with a confidence in the product advertised.
There
upon it with distrust, claiming that it is a scheme to destroy the
is no question but that the average dealer—and our personal ac-
workingman's independence in case of differences with the manage-
quaintance extends among thousands—is influenced frequently in
ment.
making his selections by the manner in which pianos are exploited
No matter what plan is presented, even if gold were brought in
in the columns of leading trade publications.
A house which is
in bags to be distributed among them, there would be some of the
a liberal patron of printer's ink, he figures, is a thoroughly up-to-
workingmen who would figure that they were plated dollars and
date institution, and one with which it is pretty safe to form a busi-
not the real thing.
ness alliance.
HE scarcity of coal will, no doubt, have a depressing effect on
On the contrary, a house which is not kept persistently before
business for the next two months, and the advance in coal
the trade in all parts of the country is apt to lose a certain prestige
means a very material advance in the cost of running factories.
in the estimation of the dealer, and in this active age no manufac-
The item of fuel is not only an important one for the employees,
turer, no matter how firmly entrenched behind the battlements of
but it is also a very important one for the man who has to keep
fame and wealth, can afford to slacken in the slightest in his meth-
a factory going.
ods of publicity.
T
HTHERE are three kinds of business men—optimists, pessimists
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conservatists.
The optimists, arguing from the past season,
look forward to a year still more prosperous than the one which
has just been laid to rest.
The pessimists compare the progress of business with the
waves of the ocean. They say, we have reached the crest and must
of necessity now go down in the trough.
Our largest music trade institutions recognize the necessity
of trade paper advertising, and what the successful houses do,
certainly the ones which have acquired lesser fortunes could make
no mistake in following.
H P H I S is the age of specializing.
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Nearer and nearer individual
men are reaching a point where the doing of one thing, and
one thing only, is deemed essential to success.
In this industry we have witnessed the expansive growth of
The conservatists say, we have reached the level and until busi-
ness and financial compulsion occurs we shall still hang on to a
houses which supply'special parts of pianos.
placid year.
that men who devote themselves to special branches attain excel-
Take your choice, gentlemen, take your choice.
lence in their work which men do not reach when their inventive
Under which flag?
faculty is distributed through a variety of departments.
1 N the many communications which we have received from dealers
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It naturally follows
regarding sales for the last year, there is an absolute unanim-
ity of opinion in the belief that the amount of sales for 1902 have
been the greatest ever experienced.
The wonderful prosperity of
the country is finding expression in the increased purchasing power
of the people, and more pianos and other articles belonging to the
The age demands thoroughness, and the growth of the spe-
cialist has been marked.
He has come to stay.
A YOUNG salesman asks The Review, "With the great com-
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binations which are constantly going on, what show has the
young fellow of to-day to win a million or two?"
The best "show" in the world, but the young man must first