Music Trade Review

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MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
get sick or some accident should befall one of your family, so you
could not keep up your payments on your piano, that the deputy
sheriff could come with a dray and carry the piano away, takes all
the sweet music out of the instrument."
u
A PIANO bought on the instalment plan gives off nothing but
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discord; it is always out of tune. The entire idea of as-
ceticism is founded on the fact that there is fine joy in self-denial.
There is gratification in going without things. To secure things by
going into debt for them is to mortgage your peace of mind and put
your head into a noose.
"Have you ever been in a library and seen the subscription
books which you knew were talked on to the man by a wily book
agent? Certainly you have, and we behold a few such books on
our own shelves And how they do accuse us of our weakness!
"Buy books, of course, but buy one at a time and buy the book
because you cannot get along without it and have money to pay
for it; then it will yield up to you a benefit.
"Borrowed finery has its sure effect upon character, and al-
ways and forever proclaims itself to the wearer's disadvantage.
"Aside from the bad psychological effect of borrowing and
running in debt—and they are the same thing—there remains the
fact that you always pay more than the thing is worth.
"All the losses of the merchants who give credit are made good
by the people who pay.
"It is the unfailing law of trade and of nature that nothing is
ever given away. You pay for everything you get, and when you
borrow you pay big for the privilege, not only in peace of mind,
but money.
"The merchant who gives credit is not in business for his
health any more than the pawnbroker is. I wonder if one can.
afford to 'soak' his self-respect any more than he can his watch?
"Everything must be paid for! Those worthy 'one-price mer-
chants' who give '10 per cent, off to clergymen' charge the rest of
us about io per cent, more than the goods are worth.
"Merchants who give credit arrange prices so the man who
pays settles the accounts of those who do not.
"Buy the things you need and pay for them. If you haven't
the money to pay for the things you need, just wait until you get
the money, and note the sweet satisfaction of being bigger than
temptation.
"As you prize peace and quiet and rest, do not dally with the
man who so glibly assures you that your credit is good. His 'easy
payments' is a bait which conceals a very sharp hook, and to nibble
means one of two things and usually both:
"First—Buying something you do not need.
"Second—Paying for it more than it is worth."
UBBARD is a brilliant writer whose opinions on various
topics are read by an army of admirers in all sections of
the country, but his views on the credit system smack of the theorist
which he is rather than those of the practical man. Of course,
there are certain forms of credit which may be "a most insidious
form of borrowing money," but if the whole world were compelled
to pay cash for everything there would be but 95 per cent, of the
business transacted which is recorded now every twenty-four hours,
which means a vast number of businesses would close forever.
Hubbard overlooked, too, the great essential that the real basis
of credit is character, and many a man may be short on money and
long on character, and thus be enabled to fit his home up with many
of the accessories which make life pleasant and enjoyable. It is
not a disgrace to owe money, and our present system of deferred
payments on leading articles of merchandise makes it possible for
the people of limited means to secure many articles of comfort, and
to educate their families in a way which would be impossible if
cash were demanded at every sale. The credit system is not "in-
sidious," and the world will not recognize truth in Hubbard's
preachment.
H
HEN Hubbard hits the piano trade he says that pianos
bought on the installment plan is proof of the gullibility
of the people. That "a piano bought on the installment plan gives
out nothing but discord, is always out of tune."
What rot, tommy-rot' Hubbard rot! But widespread circula-
tion of such incorrect views harms trade and industry, and insults
W
the intelligence of the people as well as impugns the honesty of
piano merchants, who by the way are quite as good as Hubbard in
most essentials. Homes are made happier through the ability of
people of moderate means to purchase pianos. Dealers are expand-
ing their business, paying more money to salesmen and distributing
greater funds in their home channels through their efforts to make
increased sales on the installment plan.
T
HEN it comes up to the manufacturer, whose factory would
surely be running on short time if these same principles were
universally in vogue which Hubbard commends so warmly. There
would be a small number of workmen indeed who would be em-
ployed to operate the various factories, and as a result the weekly
distribution of wages would be materially decreased.
Hubbard is wrong; this is a credit age and a credit country,
and while there may be abuses of the credit system, and men may
be induced to buy a great many articles which they do not need by
the plausible presentation of arguments, by clever salesmen, the
principle is not altered in the slightest. Credit is a help to the
country.
Hubbard condemns the system of buying books on the install-
ment plan, the same as pianos. How many men there are who
have been enabled to create choice libraries by buying books on the
deferred payment plan? How much education and knowledge has
been diffused throughout the world by the ever widening distribu-
tion of publications increased materially by the installment system
which is in vogue in so many stores. Hubbard certainly says a
great many clever things, brilliant, satirical and witty, but he is
obviously wrong when he attacks a principle which means pleasure,
education and entertainment to so many people in the various
walks of life.
HE musical season promises unusual attractions in the way of
a plethora of renowned pianists and certainly our great
piano houses are planning a splendid programme in which to in-
terest the music loving public. Leading pianos will be more in
evidence this year on the concert platforms than for many previous
seasons. The managers, too, predict a season of great interest.
The country is in better shape financially than ever before in its
history; the people have money to spend. The love of good music
is becoming more universal, and it is figured the most brilliant suc-
cesses will be won in the various cities when the distinguished
European pianists make their appearance.
T
F a man desires to feel well, he should not consort with those
I ability
people who have no faith in him. Confidence in a man's
and the constant expression of that trust in his merits, buoys
him wonderfully. With all due deference to the undoubted value
of occasional criticism, if a man wants to feel miserable, let him
go and talk with someone whom he positively knows is constantly
predicting failure for him and his enterprise. The conversation
apparently will be ordinary, but there will be an undercurrent of
distrust and want of confidence which will be far from beneficial.
Such an interview will take the heart out of a man as fast as the
actual loss of money.
If a man feels "down in the mouth," let him go and see those
people who have the strongest possible faith in his ability, and who
would even, if necessary, back him up financially.. Such an inter-
view will undoubtedly act as a bracer, and make him feel as though
he really did weigh a trifle more mentally than he had supposed.
HE wireless which has reached The Review in telling this
story does not state whether it was a music trade paper man:
"May I come in?" asked the careworn shade as St. Peter ap-
peared in response to his knock at the gate.
"What was your occupation while on earth?" asked the veteran
gatekeeper.
"I published a weekly trade paper," replied the applicant.
"Of course it had the largest circulation in the country?" said
the old man in a tone that savored of sarcasm.
"No, the smallest," answered the man outside the golden por-
tals.
And after St. Peter had recovered from the shock he threw
the gate wide open and invited the new arrival to enter and take his
choice of harps and halos.
T