Music Trade Review
Issue: 1903 Vol. 37 N. 12 - Page 8
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
8
THE
MU3IC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN
BILL,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
J . B. S P I L L A N E
MANAGING EDITOR.
EXICUTIVB STAFF :
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND
GEO. B. KELLER
W. MTTRDOCH LIND
A. EDMUND HANSON.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER
GEO. W. QUER1PEL,
A. J. NICKL1N
Published Every Saturday at I Madison Avenut, New Y o r k . *
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, 92.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per Inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount U allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00 ; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
V Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
NEW YORK, SEPT, 19, 1903.
TELEPHONE NUI1BER, 1745-EIOMTEENTH STREET.
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
THE
"Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This Is
ARTISTS
effected without In any way trespassing on the slie or service
DEPARTMENT of the trade section of the paper. It has a special circulation, and
therefore augments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corpora-
tlons found on page 31 will be of great value as a reference for
DIRECTORY
ft r
piANn
MANUFACTURERS
EDITORIAL
'"TpHERE are a good many people who seem to take delight in
stating that we have reached the summit of our prosperity
and are now on the decline, and they tell you in the same positive
manner that history will repeat itself. That we are surely declin-
ing, that we can't help it, that business depression must come.
Now the story which is told by The Review's special reports
gained from every section of the country is entirely different. The
pessimistic theories are swept away by the strong expression of
confidence which is evidenced in the reports steadily reaching us.
W
REVIEW
IDE sections of the country will for the first time be in a
position to buy not only necessaries but luxuries, as well.
This means a tremendous increased demand for pianos, musical
instruments, or, as Herbert Spencer would put it, "increased
encouragement for those who furnish the luxuries of life and
minister to the aesthetic faculties."
Turn which way we will, the general conditions are reassuring
and give evidence of the greatest stability.
Railroad gross earn-
ings, one of the most reliable yard sticks of commercial activity, are
larger throughout the country than ever before.
Why talk pessimism when there is no occasion for it?
Why try to cast a gloom over a beauteous landscape—the
harvest is ours, let's enjoy it.
\ Ji EMBERS of the trade will be interested to know that an im-
*• *• portant proposition will be laid before Congress at the com-
ing session by the Post Office Department, for the reduction of the
present rate of postage on merchandise from one cent to one-half
cent per ounce, or from sixteen cents to eight cents per pound. Third
Assistant Postmaster General Madden, who is to be credited with
this scheme, states that the chief purpose of the Department in mak-
ing this recommendation is to simplify the postal laws and indi-
rectly to reduce the pressure for the passage of a statute authorizing
a domestic parcels post.
For a number of years past General Madden has made careful
calculations of the figures relating to so-called third and fourth class
mail matter, and he is convinced that the average rate of postage per
pound received by the Government on third class matter is 14.8
cents, while on fourth class matter the rate is about 17 cents. The
records show that it costs the Government between 6 and 8 cents
per pound to handle and distribute mail matter, so it is obvious that
the Government makes a pretty satisfactory profit on third class mat-
ter, and a much greater profit on fourth class matter.
This is a strong argument in favor of General Madden's con-
tention for the abolition of the fourth class rate and the consolidation
of merchandise with printed and other miscellaneous matter under
the third class at the rate of two ounces for one cent.
It is everywhere the same story—bountiful crops, good condi-
tions, factories busy, good prices for cotton and cereals, and labor
well employed.
Of course there are occasional gloomy shadows
on the trade picture from certain localities, but these are unim-
portant.
The pessimist should understand that there has been a complete
metamorphosis as far as the stability of the country is concerned.
F7IVE years ago when we journeyed through the central West
*
it was a scene of gloom that presented itself on every side. In
towns like Omaha and Lincoln conspicuous signs of "to let" were
placed on prominent business blocks; farms were practically aban-
doned, but now it is entirely changed. Those same localities are in
a most prosperous condition. Large numbers of the agricultural
population have removed the debts which were crushing them
down. In the great West to-day the farmer is a free man. He is
ready to buy pianos or anything else which may please his fancy,
and if he has lifted the mortgage off his farm, so has his Southern
confrere shaken off the shackles of the advance buyer of his cotton.
The planter is no longer compelled to mortgage his crop a year
ahead to fertilize his farm; he, too, has money in the bank.
FFICIAL recognition of the importance of the piano player
industry on the part of the Bureau of Statistics of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor is shown in the report on ex-
ports and imports printed in The Review last week where a distinct
feature was made for the first time of the exports of piano players.
For some time past manufacturers of piano players have sought
to incorporate this department in the official reports of exports and
imports of musical instruments, and it is significant that this move
in the right direction has been made by the new Bureau, of which
Mr. Cortelyou is now the executive.
O
According to the figures printed in The Review, the exports
of piano players for July were valued at $49,802, which is more than
double the value of the pianos exported for the same month, thus
proving that not only at home but abroad the piano player is becom-
ing a most important factor in the development of the music trade
industry.
The extended canvass made by The Review and the articles
published during the last month afforded interesting reading regard-
ing how dealers view this new and important adjunct to the piano
8
THE
MU3IC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN
BILL,
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
J . B. S P I L L A N E
MANAGING EDITOR.
EXICUTIVB STAFF :
THOS. CAMPBELL-COPELAND
GEO. B. KELLER
W. MTTRDOCH LIND
A. EDMUND HANSON.
EMILIE FRANCES BAUER
GEO. W. QUER1PEL,
A. J. NICKL1N
Published Every Saturday at I Madison Avenut, New Y o r k . *
SUBSCRIPTION (including postage), United States, Mexico and Canada, 92.00 per
year; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per Inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount U allowed. Advertising Pages $50.00 ; opposite
reading matter, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
V Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
NEW YORK, SEPT, 19, 1903.
TELEPHONE NUI1BER, 1745-EIOMTEENTH STREET.
On the first Saturday of each month The Review contains in its
THE
"Artists' Department" all the current musical news. This Is
ARTISTS
effected without In any way trespassing on the slie or service
DEPARTMENT of the trade section of the paper. It has a special circulation, and
therefore augments materially the value of The Review to advertisers.
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corpora-
tlons found on page 31 will be of great value as a reference for
DIRECTORY
ft r
piANn
MANUFACTURERS
EDITORIAL
'"TpHERE are a good many people who seem to take delight in
stating that we have reached the summit of our prosperity
and are now on the decline, and they tell you in the same positive
manner that history will repeat itself. That we are surely declin-
ing, that we can't help it, that business depression must come.
Now the story which is told by The Review's special reports
gained from every section of the country is entirely different. The
pessimistic theories are swept away by the strong expression of
confidence which is evidenced in the reports steadily reaching us.
W
REVIEW
IDE sections of the country will for the first time be in a
position to buy not only necessaries but luxuries, as well.
This means a tremendous increased demand for pianos, musical
instruments, or, as Herbert Spencer would put it, "increased
encouragement for those who furnish the luxuries of life and
minister to the aesthetic faculties."
Turn which way we will, the general conditions are reassuring
and give evidence of the greatest stability.
Railroad gross earn-
ings, one of the most reliable yard sticks of commercial activity, are
larger throughout the country than ever before.
Why talk pessimism when there is no occasion for it?
Why try to cast a gloom over a beauteous landscape—the
harvest is ours, let's enjoy it.
\ Ji EMBERS of the trade will be interested to know that an im-
*• *• portant proposition will be laid before Congress at the com-
ing session by the Post Office Department, for the reduction of the
present rate of postage on merchandise from one cent to one-half
cent per ounce, or from sixteen cents to eight cents per pound. Third
Assistant Postmaster General Madden, who is to be credited with
this scheme, states that the chief purpose of the Department in mak-
ing this recommendation is to simplify the postal laws and indi-
rectly to reduce the pressure for the passage of a statute authorizing
a domestic parcels post.
For a number of years past General Madden has made careful
calculations of the figures relating to so-called third and fourth class
mail matter, and he is convinced that the average rate of postage per
pound received by the Government on third class matter is 14.8
cents, while on fourth class matter the rate is about 17 cents. The
records show that it costs the Government between 6 and 8 cents
per pound to handle and distribute mail matter, so it is obvious that
the Government makes a pretty satisfactory profit on third class mat-
ter, and a much greater profit on fourth class matter.
This is a strong argument in favor of General Madden's con-
tention for the abolition of the fourth class rate and the consolidation
of merchandise with printed and other miscellaneous matter under
the third class at the rate of two ounces for one cent.
It is everywhere the same story—bountiful crops, good condi-
tions, factories busy, good prices for cotton and cereals, and labor
well employed.
Of course there are occasional gloomy shadows
on the trade picture from certain localities, but these are unim-
portant.
The pessimist should understand that there has been a complete
metamorphosis as far as the stability of the country is concerned.
F7IVE years ago when we journeyed through the central West
*
it was a scene of gloom that presented itself on every side. In
towns like Omaha and Lincoln conspicuous signs of "to let" were
placed on prominent business blocks; farms were practically aban-
doned, but now it is entirely changed. Those same localities are in
a most prosperous condition. Large numbers of the agricultural
population have removed the debts which were crushing them
down. In the great West to-day the farmer is a free man. He is
ready to buy pianos or anything else which may please his fancy,
and if he has lifted the mortgage off his farm, so has his Southern
confrere shaken off the shackles of the advance buyer of his cotton.
The planter is no longer compelled to mortgage his crop a year
ahead to fertilize his farm; he, too, has money in the bank.
FFICIAL recognition of the importance of the piano player
industry on the part of the Bureau of Statistics of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor is shown in the report on ex-
ports and imports printed in The Review last week where a distinct
feature was made for the first time of the exports of piano players.
For some time past manufacturers of piano players have sought
to incorporate this department in the official reports of exports and
imports of musical instruments, and it is significant that this move
in the right direction has been made by the new Bureau, of which
Mr. Cortelyou is now the executive.
O
According to the figures printed in The Review, the exports
of piano players for July were valued at $49,802, which is more than
double the value of the pianos exported for the same month, thus
proving that not only at home but abroad the piano player is becom-
ing a most important factor in the development of the music trade
industry.
The extended canvass made by The Review and the articles
published during the last month afforded interesting reading regard-
ing how dealers view this new and important adjunct to the piano
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).