Music Trade Review

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THE
8
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
HOBART M. CABLE CO.'SNEW CATALOG
NO REASON FOR BUSINESS APATHY
An Interesting Publication Carefully Edited,
Printed
and Illustrated,
Issued by the
Prominent
Chicago
Manufacturers—New
Styles Pictured and Described.
Says Clarence H. Mackay—Courts Still Know
the Law and People Have Common Sense
—Fear of Future Nonsensical—Only Attacks
We Have Is One of Bugaboos—He Finds
South Hustling and Prosperous.
(Special to The Review.)
Chicago, 111., Feb. 16, 1910.
One of the handsomest catalogs which has
reached the Chicago office of The Review for
many a day is that just issued hy the Hobart M.
Cable Co. The double covers are of mouse
colored linen stock, handsomely embossed with
the name of the instruments and the insignia of
the company in black and gold. The letter press
throughout is perfect and the H. M. C. insignia
also appears in tint throughout the text. The
descriptive matter is notable, both for literary
merit and the manner in which it is arranged
and sub-headed. Not only are the features of the
Hobart M. Cable pianos clearly set forth, but
the selling arguments are marshaled in a manner
convincing to the prospective retail purchaser
and also calculated to provide the dealer with
effective ammunition. For instance, we quote a
small portion of the chapter bearing the caption
"the question of cost."
"No piano is cheap or expensive because it is
sold for a certain amount of money. Usually the
cheaper the first cost, the more expensive the
piano proves in the end. You should know that
cheapness in a piano is only in first cost and
that in purchasing a cheap instrument, the price
you pay for years of annoyance and dissatisfac-
tion is far more than the first saving.
"When this is considered, the Hobart M. Cable
is actually the cheapest piano for you to buy.
The price we ask pays for the best to be had in
materials and workmanship. We put no limit
on the expense of producing highest quality in
any department of our factories, but not one cent
Is spent that is not needed to attain musical per-
fection and durability. If the price of any piano
is more than that asked for the Hobart M. Cable,
it is not for a difference in quality."
The catalog is not overburdened with technical
detail, but the essential constructional features
which are treated therein are handled in a con-
cise and exhaustive manner and are freely il-
lustrated with sectional and complete drawings
and photographs. Views of the Hobart M. Cable
factory at La Porte, both exterior and interior,
are presented. Excellent half-tones of the various
and beautiful Hobart M. Cable styles are given.
The final pages are devoted to some "voluntary
expressions of sincere opinions" from owners of,
and dealers in, the company's instruments, to-
gether with an imposing list of colleges, institu-
tions, theaters and schools and churches in which
they are installed. The tail-piece is a reproduc-
tion of the diploma awarded by the Alaska-
Pacific-Yukon exposition, and the frontispiece is
a striking likeness of the late Hobart M. Cable.
JOINS GEO. L. SCHIRMER & CO.
A. G. Gifford Taken Into Firm—Expected in
Boston by March 1.
A. G. Gifford, for a number of years connected
with the Emerson Piano Co., Boston, and more
recently retail manager for the Schiller Piano
Co., in Decatur, 111., has arranged to return to
Boston about March 1, and will become a mem-
ber of the firm of Geo. L. Schirmer & Co., the
arrangements being made upon the recent west-
ern trip of Mr. Schirmer. Menzo L. Howard
was taken into the Schirmer firm some time ago,
and with the addition of Mr. Gifford the com-
bination should prove a strong trade factor.
FLOREY BROS. CO. INCORPORATE.
The Florey Bros, Piano Co., Washington, N. J.,
have incorporated, with capital stock of $25,000,
for the piirpose of manufacturing pianos and
other musical instruments. The incorporators
are:
Alvin F. Florey, Tilghman J. Florey and
Harvey U. Florey. It is the intention of the com-
pany to build a factory early in the spring, em-
ploying twenty or thirty men at first.
There is nothing to justify the present fear
business men and corporations have of Congress
and the courts, said Clarence H. Mackay, Monday,
on his return from an inspection of the Postal
Telegraph and Commercial Cable lines in the
South. The South itself is going ahead philo-
sophically, prospering as it goes, he said, and
there is no reason why the rest of the country
should not brace up and do likewise.
"If the telegraph business is a barometer," he
said, "the South has lost none of the impetus that
began before and continued in a modified degree
through the panic. The people down there have
become philosophical as well as prosperous, and
do not easily get excited. We began to make
plans for extensions, enlargements and general
expansion of facilities throughout the South more
than a year ago, and the net outcome of my visit
is that we shall go ahead as demands require in
all directions. Pending decisions by the Supreme
Court may be and doubtless are important; pro-
posed legislation in Congress may or may not be
enacted, but what of it?
"Properties are not going to be confiscated, and
the country is not going to smash. On the con-
trary, we have only to rid ourselves of silly ap
prehensions of wanton official assaults upon legit-
imate business to enjoy the general prosperity
which conditions warrant. If we are going to
wait until capital ceases to be timid and labor de-
mands less instead of more and statesmen stop
seeking popularity we might as well shut up shop
and go home.
"The only attack we have now is an attack of
bugaboos. The courts have not been suddenly
deprived of knowledge of law, nor the Adminis-
tration of patriotism, nor Congress of representa-
tive ability, nor the American people of common
sense. It may and doubtless will take some time
to adjust legislation to meet the requirements of
changing conditions, but that is no reason busi-
ness men should get scared and sit like bumps on
a log till all questions are finally and definitely
settled.
"If the heads of big concerns show the white
feather the thousands of business men engaged in
lesser affairs will be disheartened naturally, and
a period of common apathy will set in without
rhyme or reason. Such a policy is not only non-
sensical, but wrong. At least that is my opinion,
and our companies are going to act accordingly.
"We are doing more business to day than ever
before, and the apparent requirements for the im-
mediate future are greater than ever before, and
we are not going to be swerved from our original
determination to provide the additional facilities
that we foresee are going to be required."
BUSH & GERTS GRAND IN RECITAL.
Wins Unstinted Praise When Played by Mme.
Rive-King in Rochester, N. Y.—Responded
to Every Demand,
(Special to The Review.)
Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1910.
One of the most successful recitals of the sea-
son was given in Convention Hall last Friday
night by Mme. Julie Rive King for the benefit of
the RorheKtfr Teachers' Association Hospital
Fund, and in which she was assisted by Mme.
Florence Mulford, of New York.
Mme. Rive-King, at a Bush & Gerts concert
grand piano, interpreted a most ambitious pro-
gram in a manner to arouse the enthusiasm of a
large audience, and in the papers the following
morning the critics were unanimous in the praise
of her work. The way in which the piano re-
sponded to the demands made uron it was also
much commented upon.
J. W. Martin & Bio., who handle the Bush &
Gerts line in this city are highly pleased at what
they term a red-letter occasion for both the ar-
tist and the piano and state that it means another
advance in the popularity of the Rush & Gerts
piMro ju this city and vicinity.
OTHER DEALERS MAY PROTEST.
Philip Werlein's Action in Connection with
New Orleans and the Result Arouses Dealers
in Other Cities.
The protest of Philip Werlein to the news-
papers of New Orleans regarding the use of
names of automobiles in reading columns while
the names of pianos used in musical affairs
were entirely ignored, and which was referred
lo editorially in The Review, seems to have
struck a responsive chord among the dealers in
many cities, who are talking strongly of emulat-
ing Mr. Werlein's example. The fact that the
New Orleans papers readily agreed to use the
names of pianos when practical should encour-
age dealers in other cities to act.
ELECTRIC ORGAN BLOWER.
The Latest Device for Operating the Bellows
of Pipe Organs Is Entitled the "Rotasphere"
and Is an English Invention.
The electrically operated organ blower called
the "Rotasphere," a new English apparatus, is
designed to be attached to the bellows handle of
any ordinary large organ. The handle is given
its usual reciprocating motion by the rotation of
a crank, which is driven through a chain and
sprocket gear, by a bicycle wheel having a pneu-
matic tire. This wheel is turned by the friction
or a hemisphere of aluminum, which is mounted
on the spindle of a shunt-wound constant-speed
electric motor, and the rate is varied by swinging
the motor on a vertical pivot so that the arc of
contact of the hemisphere with the tire is al-
tered. The speed change is automatic. A chain
connects the organ reservoir with the swinging
motor, and a spiral spring resists the swing of
the motor, so that as the reservoir rises and falls
the chain is drawn in or pulled out, thus shift-
ing the arc of contact by its action on the motor.
VOTING SCHEME HURTS DEALERS.
Southern California Well Covered by Young
Men with Free Piano
Proposition
That
Nets Them Good Profit, but Means Trouble
for Merchants.
Piano dealers in southern California are con-
siderably worked up over the fact that several
young men are covering that territory very thor-
oughly with a scheme whereby merchants give
out coupons with purchases and on a certain date
give a piano, furnished to the young men of the
organization having the most coupons or votes.
The pianos are advertised as being worth $400,
but it is said that $225 would be nearer their
value. In several cases the promoters have re-
ceived over $1,000 from a group bf merchants
for one of the pianos.
Though the whole scheme generally spells trou-
ble for the merchants adopting it the contracts
are so carefully worded and promise so little that
there is no way the merchant can evade payment
without incurring prohibitive expense. According
to the verbal promise made, the merchant cannot
lose and many are biting.
WANT E. A. PARKS FOR MAYOR.
E. A. Parks, of the Parks Music House, Louisi-
ana, Mo., is being strongly boomed by his friends
for the nomination for mayor of that city on the
Republican ticket. Mr. Parks is very popular and
if nominated it is said he would be almost sure
of success.
De Volney Everett, a well known piano trav-
eler, has become associated with F. Radle.
It will be interesting to note the development
which occurs week by week on page 6. It is
worth your while.