Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
WORKING FOR TARIFF REFORM.
such strides in popularity. It is the logical re-
sult of the production of superior value.
National Association of Importers Are Prepar-
ing a Vigorous Campaign, Hopeful of Many
Reforms With President Roosevelt's Aid.
FARRAND OPQAN OUTPUT
Greatest Record for Last Month—Some Facts
Which Speak Eloquently of the Excellence
of These Instruments
RATES ON PIANOS SENT TO ECUADOR.
New Tariff on Pianos to Go Into Force in That
Country.
(Special to The Review.)
Washington, D. C, Nov. 21, 1904.
The Department of Commerce and Labor has
just received from the Government of Ecuador
The Farrand Organ Co., Detroit, Mich., in their the announcement of the inauguration of a new
entertaining publication, The Record, make this tariff under which provisions the ports of Guaya-
pleasing statement:
quil, Manta, Caraquez, Esmeraldas and Puerto
"We shipped more organs last month than ever Boliver are declared to be the principal ports
before in our history for the same length of time. for commercial operations, and for the importa-
"We consider this most satisfactory testimony tion and exportation of merchandise.
as to the high reputation which the Farrand
The rates of duty on musical instruments are
organs hold in all parts of the country.
as follows, per kilogramme, gross weight: Ac-
"The last Government Report on the subject cordeons, .243c; bells, .024c; musical boxes,
showed that the production of organs had de- .243c; concertinas, .243c; harmoniums, .048c;
creased something like forty per cent., yet in musical instruments exceeding one meter in
spite of that fact our production has steadily in- height, .048c; musical instruments less than one
creased.
meter in height, ,121c; music printed or litho-
"It takes an organ of merit, of thoroughly good graphed, free; organs, church, .024c; pianos,
construction, to stand the test of years as the drawingroom, .048c; pianos, portable, .121c;
Farrand organs have done.
strings, for musical instruments, including piano
"The dealers of the country appreciate this strings, .728-1 Oc.
fact, and know the value of the splendid reputa-
tion we have for high-grade instruments, and
ADVERTISING VS. DRY ROT.
that is why so many of them are dropping other
makes and taking on the Farrand."
There was an English merchant who said to a
friend who urged him to advertise and thus in-
PIANOLA RECITALS IN MILWAUKEE. crease his business:
"But, my dear sir, if I do that I will have to
A Magnificent Affair Held Recently Under the
enlarge my shop, and add to my help."
Auspices of the Edmund Gram Music House.
Before indulging in an impulse (o smile, let us
( Special to The Review.)
ask if there are not too many like him.
Milwaukee, Wis., Nov. 21, 1904.
Has any man's business grown to its full ca-
Edmund Gram has been giving some very de- pacity? Has it reached a point where he is con-
lightful Pianola and Aeolian recitals in this city. tented with it?
One which he gave recently at the Athemeum
If it has, it will never grow any more.
was enjoyed by a large and fashionable audience.
No push, no new energy, no more enthusiasm—
It was, of course, under the auspices of the Ed- no more growth. It will stand where it is, unless
mund Gram Music House. The artists included the dry rot has begun, and then it will begin to
Miss Iva Bigelow, soprano; Ralph Rowland, vio- decrease. If it don't go forward, it is bound to
linist; F. G. Billings, tenor, with B. F. Traub at go backward.
the Pianola.
A man who is content with what he is doing
One of the local papers, in speaking of the af- has no need to advertise.
fair, said: 'The audience was well repaid for
But if he wants to do better, he has got to ad-
its attendance. If there were any present who vertise. This is the law of modern business.
are prejudiced against mechanical musical de- There is no evading it; no getting around it.
vices, they could not but have been astonished at
Advertising and business growth are synony-
the possibilities of the Pianola, both in solos and mous terms.
as an accompaniment; this was especially notice-
able in Mendelssohn's Concerto, op. 64, in G, for
STARR PIANO FOR SWITZER COLLEGE.
the violin, which was excellently rendered by Mr.
Ralph Rowland. Mr. Benj. F. Traub proved him-
The Switzer College and Conservatory, of Atas-
self to be thoroughly master of both the Pianola
ENTHUSES OVER PACKARD PIANOS. and the Orchestrelle, and his ability to manipu- ka, Tex., have just ordered, through the Jesse
late these wonderful instruments cannot fail to French Piano Co., of Dallas, Tex., another expen-
sive Starr piano. They also state that the Starr
Remarkable Tribute to These Instruments by
increase their popularity."
pianos, a carload of which were received fourteen
a Musician of National Eminence.
It is the intention of Mr. Gram to give inter-
months ago, are giving perfect satisfaction.
mittent recitals for the exemplification of the
A musician who recently visited the piano working of his instruments.
warerooms of the Simpson-Crawford Co. in this
THE SMITH & NIXON PIANO CO.
The piano used on this occasion was a superb
city spoke in the most enthusiastic terms regard- Steinway parlor grand. Its rich and copious tone
ing the merits of the Packard pianos which he afforded the Pianola operator every opportunity
Henry W. Crawford, president of the Smith
had the pleasure of examining there.
for displaying the beauties of the numbers inter- & Nixon Piano Co., Cincinnati, O., is well pleased
"I had no idea," said this gentleman, "that in- preted.
with the condition of trade this fall, in both
struments of such beauty not only of tone, but
wholesale and retail departments of his house.
of design and finish, were made in the central
Since election the wholesale business has been
ORDERED FIVE CARLOADS OF PIANOS.
West. I spent nearly an hour testing the various
particularly active, and the outlook is all that
Contingent upon the election of President could be desired as far as it affects the Smith
Packard pianos, and I must confess that it has
rarely been my pleasure to come across instru- Roosevelt, E. F. Droop & Sons, of Washington. & Nixon and Ebersole pianos.
ments so admirable in every respect. The scales D. C, placed an order with the Huntingdon Piano
are of unusual evenness, and it is almost impos- Co., of Shelton, Conn., for five carloads of Hunt-
WILLIS GETS BEdUEST.
sible to find a break. They contain a tone that ington pianos. As a result the morning after
election, Edward F. Droop received the follow-
is rich in quality and the regulation, both of
J. J. Willis, a traveling salesman for the D.
actions and keys, demonstrates that expert arti- ing telegram from A. J. Brooks, president of the
sans—rather artists—are employed in the Pack- Huntington Piano Co., stating: "We will com- H. Baldwin Co., has just received the bequest of
ard factory. It has rarely been my privilege to mence shipping your order of the 4th, to-day." $18,000 from the estate of his aunt, who died re-
cently in a small town in Missouri.
derive such pleasure from any instruments which This sounds like business.
I have examined as from the Packard. Their
small grand is a veritable work of art."
We take pleasure in printing this unsolicited
tribute to the Packard piano, as it rather coin-
cides with our own views. The grand and up-
right pianos which the Packard Co. are placing
on the market to-day are superb creations, a
credit to General Manager Bond and to his clever
29th Street and I Ith Ave., NEW YORK.
superintendent, A. S. Holmstrom.
It is not surprising that the Packard has made
Some reductions in the present tariff rates is
the aim of the National Association of Import-
ers, which was organized about a year ago. Prep-
arations are now being made in favor of a vigor-
ous campaign this winter in favor of the tariff
commission idea, to which, it is alleged, Presi-
dent Roosevelt is personally inclined. It is urged
on behalf of the plan that, if honestly carried
out, it would do much to take the tariff question
out of politics and eliminate the wasteful and
injurious agitation which is always the accom-
paniment of any proposed change in the tariff
schedules.
The plan as favored by the importers' associ-
ation is for the appointment, by the President
and for life, of a commission composed of tariff
experts, both merchants.and lawyers, whose duty
it shall be to keep in touch with changing com-
mercial conditions and recommend changes and
amendments of the tariff law from time to time
as conditions seem to require them. Congress, of
course, it is intended shall have the last say on
the adoption of these recommendations, for it
will be necessary for them to receive its approval
before they become laws.
An important feature of the plan is that it
recognizes the importance of maintaining the
protective principle, while at the same time do-
ing justice to the consumer and to the merchant
who imports. The most ardent protectionists, it
is pointed out, admit that conditions are con-
stantly changing and that an industry which to-
day requires protection may be in no need of it
a year or two from now. In such cases the tariff
is liable to become a burden by enabling the ex-
action of exorbitant profits. Another argument
for the tariff commission idea is that new articles
for which there is no provision in the law are
constantly coming forward and that no law can
be considered as adequately covering the imports
of a country four or five years after its passage.
No attempt will be made to bring this plan be-
fore the coming short session of Congress, but
the efforts of the importers' association will be
directed toward ascertaining the sentiment of
both importers and manufacturers in all parts of
the country on the plan. If a sufficient desire is
shown for its adoption, Congress will be asked to
consider it in 1905.
BEHR BROS. & CO.
PIANOS,
HIGHEST STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.