Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
York have emphasized the good feeling. There is a desire to give
and take. Matters are argued in the broadest possible way and no
feeling is displayed if one member of the association disagrees with
the other. To my mind the association proposition is a good one
and should be broadly encouraged."
The above views came from a man who is well qualified by
experience and temperament to judge of the actual value of the
association work to the industry and therefore should be widely
read and considered. Major Cleland does not believe in radical
association accomplishments. He believes in every man conducting
his business along lines which he deems to be the most successful
and which do not take from him his business liberty in the slightest.
GOOD deal of discussion came up at the Dealers' Convention
regarding freight costs, and Col. Hollenberg gave an in-
teresting talk, which appeared in last week's Review, showing that
under the old plan the Dealers' Association has paid to the Freight
Bureau about one cent for every piano which has been handled.
Under the new rules, however, a fair appropriation has been made,
and it is hoped that with the amount which is at the disposal of the
committee and the energy of the men behind the Freight Bureau
that considerable will be accomplished during the next twelve
months which will benefit piano dealers in all parts of the country.
The freight discussion was the most interesting one before the
Dealers' Convention and it seems from the Review report that the
members of the association are now thoroughly aroused as to the
benefit which may come to them through the maintenance of a
freight bureau.
A
S far as the manufacture of stencil or, properly named, special
brand pianos, is concerned, it may be said that this much
discussed subject rests precisely where it did years ago. Both
associations have passed resolutions deprecating the special brand
traffic and at the same time the members realize that to-day the
manufacture of special brand pianos is a large factor in the trade
and that their manufacture and sale cannot be regulated by either
of the associations; that it is rather a matter of business between
•manufacturers and dealers themselves. So it seems from present
indications that we shail have to struggle along in the same way,
damning the stencil pianos as we have in days agone, but neverthe-
less making and selling them.
A
WELL-KNOWN manufacturer, writing under date of last
Saturday morning, the 13th inst., says: "I was much sur-
prised and gratified to receive by the first mail this morning my
copy of The Review containing a complete report of Convention
proceedings. I congratulate you upon your splendid publication
and your promptness and enterprise in putting it forth." Thanks!
While we appreciate the kindly sentiments which prompted the
sending of the communication, yet we do not feel that we deserve
any special praise for having done our work accurately and on time.
This trade newspaper institution is so organized that conventions
are treated without flamboyancy and as ordinary news events, and
while The Review of last week was over a hundred pages it was
sent forth without an hour's delay, but we do not claim we are
entitled to any special credit for living up to good newspaper prin-
ciples. The same week we issued The Talking Machine World,
another publication, of eighty pages. A newspaper organization
should not be praised for meeting unusual conditions promptly, but
rather for the weekly work which it produces in the form of an
attractive and accurate presentation of trade happenings. An occa-
sional spurt should not be mistaken for newspaper enterprise.
A
T
HE papers read before the Dealers' Convention appeared in
full in The Review of last week and they will be interesting
to refer to from time to time throughout the year. There is some
criticism, however, in connection with these papers which we think
fair in this connection. When the topics are assigned to members
of the trade there should be a limit placed upon the length of the
contributions. It would seem as if five or eight hundred words
should suffice to clearly express an opinion upon an ordinary trade
topic and some who were present when the papers were read com-
plained that while they were interesting some were too long. The
terser and the more succinctly arguments are presented the greater
force they have. The same may be said about after-dinner speakers.
There should be a limitation placed upon speakers when there are a
REVIEW
number listed for the evening's entertainment. After men have
been seated for a couple of hours at banquet tables it becomes rather
tiresome to listen to long drawn out speeches on economic and
political affairs of the country. Statistical tables which may be
gathered from our census reports are interesting, but they hardly
seem fitting to be served up at the close of a heavy m**a1. Pithy
pointed paragraphs, bubbling with mental ebullitions which create
laughter are much more to the liking of diners than trade statistics
or political discourses.
D
RAMATIC indeed was the effect at the close of Martin W.
Littleton's veiled attack upon President Roosevelt's policies
when the toastmaster took him to task and mentioned the name of
Roosevelt. Every man was on his feet in an instant. They had
listened with polite silence to Mr. Littleton's remarks, but here was
an opportunity to manifest their resentment, and at the mention of
Roosevelt's name six hundred handkerchiefs waved in air and six
hundred guests were on their feet cheering and singing "America."'
These men represented every State in the Union. Politics had been
entirely tabooed up to that time and yet every man felt that the pre-
ceding speaker had attacked the President of this country and
endeavored to belittle his plans and policies. They resented it with
such force and enthusiasm that the event will be long remembered.
No man could deny for a moment after witnessing such a burst of
enthusiasm that Theodore Roosevelt is pretty close to the hearts of
the piano men of this great country of ours.
IN LIGHTER VEIN
To be happy, keep busy. There is no joy in idleness.
Slipshod management develops carelessness in salesmen.
Beautiful souvenirs were greatly in evidence at the recent Convention.
Punctuality counts. No engagement should be so unimportant that it
is not lived up to.
George G. Foster is a wonder and no mistake.
worlds to conquer.
And there still are new
"The piano trust" has been a subject of lively comment in the press
during the past two weeks.
If you expect your salesmen to be enthusiastic over your pianos you
must have confidence in them yourself.
It is usually noticed that the man who is ashamed to work with his
hands will never do any valuable work with his brains.
New York has been quite a waim old town in the last two weeks. Al
least that's the way it has appeared to the man on the outside.
TOO WELL FOUNDED.—"It's a pathetic thing in a way," sighed the
inventor, "that the only thing I've ever put money into that hasn't gone
up in the air was a new patent aeroplane.''
CONVERSING AS HE DANCED.—He (alluding to music the band
is playing)—This is that new waltz your sister was ravin' about. It
seems to me rather rotten. I expect she must have danced it with some-
body rather nice.
VERY PRACTICAL.—"What would you do, dear, if I were to die?"
asked Mrs. Darley fondly.
"I don't know," replied Darley thoughtfully. "Which is your choice—
burial or cremation?
Scan the ranks of successful men in the music trade industry who
have made substantial advance during the past decade and we will be
forced to admit that it is the keen, practical business man who is con-
stantly coming to the front.
Fair Patient—I suffer greatly from insomnia, doctor.
Doctor—You should eat something just before retiring.
"But you once told me never to eat anything before going to bed."
"Oh, that was a year ago. Science has made rapid strides since then."
BEFORE OR AFTER. — "You are to take these capsules," said Dr.
Fussey, "before meals, not after, remember."
"Oh!" said the patient, "I guess it doesn't matter much."
"But it does matter, sir!"
"You wouldn't say that, doctor, if you had ever had a meal at our
boarding house."