Music Trade Review
Issue: 1903 Vol. 36 N. 2 - Page 8
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
8
THE
TRKDE
realize that the men who to-day are millionaires produced some-
thing. The colossal organizations of our times will not remove
the possibilities of advancement for young men with brains.
Our own industry does not contain many millionaires, but
we have a few, all of whom carved their own way to wealth un-
assisted save by their own pluck.
W. W. Kimball earned his first money teaching a school in
Maine. That was not a large enough sphere for him and rather
than be a poor professor he became a great piano man, Why?
Because he combined mental force, probably some self-denial, but
above all, he had persistency.
Our young salesman should cultivate that—it's a valuable
asset.
T
HIS is the day of boiled down business forms everywhere, and
we venture to predict that the elimination of the stereotyped
receipt for remittances will be entirely expunged from business
rules inside of very few years.
The endorsed draft, or check, answers all the requirements of
a receipt, and the elimination of the acknowledgment of checks
from a business office will materially reduce labor and stamp ac-
count. While these items daily do not seem large, yet at the end
of the year their aggregate is considerable.
There is no good reason why the old habit of acknowledging
a remittance by formal receipt should not be cut out from business
forms. Some music trade institutions have cut out the receipt
form entirely, the check answering for the receipt. Of course,
one might argue that the immediate response by sending a receipt
sets at rest any question as to safe delivery. This is really trifling
when compared to the advantages which the elimination of the
antiquated system means.
M
ANY piano manufacturers are now facing unpleasant condi-
tions and have before them a very serious problem, caused
by the marked advance in the cost of production and the fear of
demoralization which may occur should they immediately advance
wholesale prices.
In no other industry—and we have taken pains to investigate
a f ew —do such conditions exist. The piano manufacturer has been
the only one, so far as we have been able to locate, who has stood
the advanced cost without compelling his agents to share it with
him. Piano men have been liberal in this respect, but when liber-
ality approaches to a point not only of severe loss, but the wiping
out of all profits, why it is a time when liberality should be dis-
carded.
T is hardly to be expected that retail trade in January will be
brisk. It would be surprising if it were. The dealers have not
only exhausted their prospects, but their nerve force as well, and
January is a pretty good time for recuperation.
I
SUBSCRIBER writes: "I consider The Review a splendidly
balanced paper."
That is a criticism w r e appreciate, because it is our aim to have
it well "balanced," and at the home office there is half a score of
expert writers who contribute weekly their quota to have The Re-
view "balanced," thus eliminating what is noticeableamongthesmaller
journals, and that is a uniformity of expression, showing that one
or two men do practically all of the writing, The work of the
A
home staff is supplemented by the work of correspondents in many-
cities, and by specially contributed articles, so that there is a diver-
sity of style which helps out the "balancing" process of The Review.
Because it is "well balanced" it appeals to a variety of tastes.
To illustrate: Last Monday morning in a single mail sub-
scriptions were received from ten dealers, one pipe organ concern,
a factory superintendent, an Australian dealer, a music teacher and
a piano salesman. There is diversity enough for one morning
surely, and that balancing process of which our correspondent writes
strongly appeals to a variety of readers.
S~~\ F course, all this is helpful to the advertiser, and it is partic-
^ - ^ ularly pleasing to know that The Review is being more and
more appreciated, and that the paper is growing in trade esteem and
trade confidence.
It was only last week that a salesman wrote: "I make a point
of cutting out some Review editorial suggestions which I consider
should be read by every piano salesman."
It is an added source of gratification to know that manufac-
turers, dealers and salesmen quote The Review and look to it for
an expression of opinion upon leading topics of the hour.
There is no reason in the world why salesmen should not sub-
scribe to trade papers. They are helpful to them, and frequently
when they desire to consult trade papers they find them missing
from the general office—some one has approp riated the paper which
comes to the music store for their own personal use. In a paper
like The Review they can receive a splendid equivalent for their
two dollars invested.
O doubt the year will see further troubles along labor lines.
In our own industry one manufacturer has officially recog-
nized the existence of the Piano and Organ Workers' Union, and
it is the union with which some manufacturers in the future will
have to deal. The autocratic demands of the union will have
killed forever the fostering of profit-sharing ideas. We shall hear
in the future little about the establishment of free libraries, etc.,
by employers. These little industrial edens where the employees
may dance in the evenings, swallow free medicine, hear fine lec-
tures, have free baths, will be of the past. The labor union has
settled that, and, after all, perhaps it is well that it has, for if the
manufacturer can afford to give his employees certain luxuries
of life, why not expend the same amount in wages and let the
men do with it as they please?
It suits them a mighty sight beter, and they sort of resent the
paternal idea, which is really at the root of most profit-sharing
schemes.
OTRANGE, indeed, what a wonderful softening effect contact
^
with the law has upon Mr. Blu—beg pardon, Mr. Rotten-
berg. Somehow or other the venom seems to have been withdrawn
from his sting. Vulgar attacks upon Dutton, Fischer and others
have ceased and Rottenberg is now jollying a host of leading mem-
bers of the trade and, indulging in gushing personalities—a regular
peleeism of praise—so that he hopes to eliminate the memory of
his misdeeds.
We have seen this mock reformation before, and Rottenberg's
rottenness—to use that inelegant but expressive word—is too well
known to believe that he will exist long in any other condition.
8
THE
TRKDE
realize that the men who to-day are millionaires produced some-
thing. The colossal organizations of our times will not remove
the possibilities of advancement for young men with brains.
Our own industry does not contain many millionaires, but
we have a few, all of whom carved their own way to wealth un-
assisted save by their own pluck.
W. W. Kimball earned his first money teaching a school in
Maine. That was not a large enough sphere for him and rather
than be a poor professor he became a great piano man, Why?
Because he combined mental force, probably some self-denial, but
above all, he had persistency.
Our young salesman should cultivate that—it's a valuable
asset.
T
HIS is the day of boiled down business forms everywhere, and
we venture to predict that the elimination of the stereotyped
receipt for remittances will be entirely expunged from business
rules inside of very few years.
The endorsed draft, or check, answers all the requirements of
a receipt, and the elimination of the acknowledgment of checks
from a business office will materially reduce labor and stamp ac-
count. While these items daily do not seem large, yet at the end
of the year their aggregate is considerable.
There is no good reason why the old habit of acknowledging
a remittance by formal receipt should not be cut out from business
forms. Some music trade institutions have cut out the receipt
form entirely, the check answering for the receipt. Of course,
one might argue that the immediate response by sending a receipt
sets at rest any question as to safe delivery. This is really trifling
when compared to the advantages which the elimination of the
antiquated system means.
M
ANY piano manufacturers are now facing unpleasant condi-
tions and have before them a very serious problem, caused
by the marked advance in the cost of production and the fear of
demoralization which may occur should they immediately advance
wholesale prices.
In no other industry—and we have taken pains to investigate
a f ew —do such conditions exist. The piano manufacturer has been
the only one, so far as we have been able to locate, who has stood
the advanced cost without compelling his agents to share it with
him. Piano men have been liberal in this respect, but when liber-
ality approaches to a point not only of severe loss, but the wiping
out of all profits, why it is a time when liberality should be dis-
carded.
T is hardly to be expected that retail trade in January will be
brisk. It would be surprising if it were. The dealers have not
only exhausted their prospects, but their nerve force as well, and
January is a pretty good time for recuperation.
I
SUBSCRIBER writes: "I consider The Review a splendidly
balanced paper."
That is a criticism w r e appreciate, because it is our aim to have
it well "balanced," and at the home office there is half a score of
expert writers who contribute weekly their quota to have The Re-
view "balanced," thus eliminating what is noticeableamongthesmaller
journals, and that is a uniformity of expression, showing that one
or two men do practically all of the writing, The work of the
A
home staff is supplemented by the work of correspondents in many-
cities, and by specially contributed articles, so that there is a diver-
sity of style which helps out the "balancing" process of The Review.
Because it is "well balanced" it appeals to a variety of tastes.
To illustrate: Last Monday morning in a single mail sub-
scriptions were received from ten dealers, one pipe organ concern,
a factory superintendent, an Australian dealer, a music teacher and
a piano salesman. There is diversity enough for one morning
surely, and that balancing process of which our correspondent writes
strongly appeals to a variety of readers.
S~~\ F course, all this is helpful to the advertiser, and it is partic-
^ - ^ ularly pleasing to know that The Review is being more and
more appreciated, and that the paper is growing in trade esteem and
trade confidence.
It was only last week that a salesman wrote: "I make a point
of cutting out some Review editorial suggestions which I consider
should be read by every piano salesman."
It is an added source of gratification to know that manufac-
turers, dealers and salesmen quote The Review and look to it for
an expression of opinion upon leading topics of the hour.
There is no reason in the world why salesmen should not sub-
scribe to trade papers. They are helpful to them, and frequently
when they desire to consult trade papers they find them missing
from the general office—some one has approp riated the paper which
comes to the music store for their own personal use. In a paper
like The Review they can receive a splendid equivalent for their
two dollars invested.
O doubt the year will see further troubles along labor lines.
In our own industry one manufacturer has officially recog-
nized the existence of the Piano and Organ Workers' Union, and
it is the union with which some manufacturers in the future will
have to deal. The autocratic demands of the union will have
killed forever the fostering of profit-sharing ideas. We shall hear
in the future little about the establishment of free libraries, etc.,
by employers. These little industrial edens where the employees
may dance in the evenings, swallow free medicine, hear fine lec-
tures, have free baths, will be of the past. The labor union has
settled that, and, after all, perhaps it is well that it has, for if the
manufacturer can afford to give his employees certain luxuries
of life, why not expend the same amount in wages and let the
men do with it as they please?
It suits them a mighty sight beter, and they sort of resent the
paternal idea, which is really at the root of most profit-sharing
schemes.
OTRANGE, indeed, what a wonderful softening effect contact
^
with the law has upon Mr. Blu—beg pardon, Mr. Rotten-
berg. Somehow or other the venom seems to have been withdrawn
from his sting. Vulgar attacks upon Dutton, Fischer and others
have ceased and Rottenberg is now jollying a host of leading mem-
bers of the trade and, indulging in gushing personalities—a regular
peleeism of praise—so that he hopes to eliminate the memory of
his misdeeds.
We have seen this mock reformation before, and Rottenberg's
rottenness—to use that inelegant but expressive word—is too well
known to believe that he will exist long in any other condition.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).