Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
RE™
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
GKO. B. KBLLKR,
L. D. BOWERS,
W. H. DYKES,
F. H. THOMPSON,
J. HAYDEN CLAMNDON,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
L. J. CHAMBERLIN,
A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE
BRNEST L. WAITT, 100 BoylBton St.E. P. VAN HARLINGBN, Room 806, 156 Wabash Are.
PHILADELPHIA:
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
Telephone, Central 414.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
ADOLF EDSTHN.
CHAS. N. VAN BDREN.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 2407 Sacramento St.
CINCINNATI. O.: BERNARD C. BOWBN.
BALTIMORE. MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON. ENGLAND: 69 Basinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
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Music Publishers'
An Interesting feature of this publication Is a special depart
Department T* V ment devoted exclusively to the world of music publishing.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Priw
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma.Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal. ...St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
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Cable a d d r e s s : "Elblll, N e w York."
NEW YORK,
OCTOBER
3 , 1908
EDITORIAL
T
HERE has never been a time in the history of the piano trade
when the rumor factories have been running overtime to
such an extent as during the past month. The wheels have been
revolving with frightful rapidity and hardly a day has passed with-
out rumors, in which the names of great concerns have been used,
being expressed to all sections of the country.
We have received at this office reports of combinations from
almost every city in the land. These reports have been widely-
circulated and the names of well-known concerns in New York,
Chicago and Boston have been used as being in some alleged com-
bine. It only shows how readily rumors travel, because they have
gone over the length and breadth of the trade and have returned
again to the starting-point and are still moving. In the meanwhile,
notwithstanding the rumors, the surface of the trade remains un-
changed. The convulsions have left no perceptible effect. Just hot
air—that's all.
GENCY shakeups have been quite in evidence during the past
month and it is probable that a greater number of local
changes will be made which will hold the attention of the trade.
One thing is clear, a piano merchant must be up and doing now-
adays if he is going to do business, for it is certain that he cannot
retain the agency for a well-known piano unless he conducts a
business which is paying to the manufacturer as well as himself—
in other words, there must be less of "just as good business" and
more of the real thing in order to satisfy the manufacturers who
have the simon pure article.
And another thing, aggressive merchants in every section of
the country are now keenly alive to the fact that no business estab-
lishment can grow in public favor if it stands still and relies solely
upon the reputation which it has acquired in former years.
There are some of the conductors of old retail establishments
who seem to think that because they are so well known and have
such a splendid reputation and standing in the community that
A
REVIEW
people will naturally gravitate to their establishments. But will they?
We are rather inclined to think not. The purchasing masses are
influenced largely by the progressiveness developed by local mer-
chants no matter whether they are selling drygoods or pianos.
While a good name is a valuable asset, it is not all that is required.
Back of it must be a progressive spirit, for the man who stands still
nowadays and relies solely upon reputation to win him business is
likely to be out of the race ere long.
HP* HERE are other piano merchants who seem to think that every
J-
now and then if they indulge in sensational bargain sales,
they can create such a lasting impression that the people will con-
tinue to move their way after the close of the special sales. There
is no question but that special bargains will interest the people—in
fact, nowadays the average man is looking for bargain announce-
ments. He is watching for a place where he can save money, and,
in our judgment, we will witness more special offerings in the piano
trade during the next six months than we have seen before for a
number of years during a similar period. There is no denying the
fact that stupendous bargains capture a great many purchasers, but
great care has to be used in the exploitation of certain piano bar-
gains, lest reputations may be practically ruined in these big offer-
ings.
It takes a long time to build up a piano reputation and that
reputation may be easily destroyed through injudicious work on the
part of the man who writes the advertising copy. Bargain offer-
ings in all lines will be sought eagerly perhaps, but bargain offer-
ings should be supplemented with good straight business energy,
showing the alertness of the merchant and his constant study of the
needs of the public in his vicinage.
A PPARENTLY the country is not digesting manufactured
i \
products quite as rapidly as in periods of entire healthful-
ness in commercial conditions. While there is a fair trade, as a
matter of fact the dealers are not finding it necessary to send in to
the manufacturers the voluminous orders which are generally ex-
pected at this season.
Certain locations, however, are enjoying an excellent trade.
The agricultural sections are suffering only a moderate depression,
which leaves a fairly satisfactory business to be taken care of.
Manufacturing towns and cities generally report a good many men
idle or only partially employed and factories are not running on full
schedule.
,
Politics certainly may be credited with diverting some attention
from business and there is a possibility that if the canvass warms
up the election may have some of its traditional influence in inter-
fering with the regular movement of trade. When men stop to
talk politics they are taking so much time from their business and
somehow the feeling gets abroad that it is well to wait until after
election before making radical business 'moves.
As far as the piano industry is concerned, it is safe to say that
it is keeping up surprisingly well as compared with some other
lines of trade and that it is having its full share of the gradual re-
covery which is noted throughout the country, a recovery which is
not to be gauged entirely by the somewhat fluctuating volume of
current business.
N
O gift of prophecy is required to predict with certainty that
the coming session of Congress will be marked by one of
the hardest fought campaigns in the history of a movement to secure
the passage of parcels post legislation. It is believed that the
President will recommend the establishment of a rural parcel post
plan. If it is once established, it will be difficult to ever change
conditions, and it will be the biggest possible move for the great
catalogue houses to get between the local merchant and his cus-
tomers, making the Government deliver the goods.
It will naturally affect the trade in small musical instruments
and to-day it is a well-known fact that even under the present con-
ditions the catalogue house people have cut enormously into the
sales of musical instruments by the regular dealers throughout the
country. While they have sold pianos, they never have been suc-
cessful in doing an enormous business, and during the past year
their sales have been cut into heavily. It seems strange when we
come to sum up this situation that the Dealers' National Associa-
tion, composed of hundreds of men whose interests will be directly