Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE:
MUSIC TRADE
RE™
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Stall:
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
W. H. DYKES,
L. E. BOWEKS.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
WM. B. WHITE,
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave.
Telephone, Central 414.
Telephone, Main 6950.
Room 806.
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
R. W. KAUFKMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First Street.
v
•
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
REVIEW
most intelligent business men who understand the subject. No one
who has given the matter serious attention doubts that South
American trade, especially in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peiu, has
advanced very rapidly in the last generation, that it is now far
greater than that of Canada, that it is bound to grow in an increasing
ratio, that we have a pitifully small share of it, and that we shall
get but little more until our absurd tariff restrictions are removed.
But even the well-informed will hardly be prepared for such a
graphic illustration of the situation as is offered in the following
paragraph from Mr. Hamlen's communication, referring to the Port
of Buenos Ayres: "To show the extent of that port, I would say
that when I was recently there not only were the largest steamers
lying at the quays, sometimes three and four deep, unloading cargo
one over the decks of the other, but by reason of the immense
amount of shipments which were constantly arriving, the largest
steamers and sailing vessels were anchored in a line ten or fifteen
miles down the river, discharging cargo into lighters, to be towed
to Buenos Ayres, and of all these craft not one that I could see was
flying the American flag, but principally British and German."'
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager..
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entettd
at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Can
ada, $3.50; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.50 per inch, single column, per insertion, On quarterly or
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Ljmau Bill.
Music Section
An important feature of this publication is a complete sec-
tion devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
allU
tions of
nature e relating g to the tuning,
reg-
o a
a d technical
g
i i of
f pianos
i
l
i g, ar.e
Ilonartmontc
ulating and
repairing
and d player-pianos
IfCffal IIIIC1II9. fe a \ t yvith, will be found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
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
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES NUMBERS 4677 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting all Departments.
Cable address : "Elbill, N e w York."
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1 4 , 1911
EDITORIAL
H
OW the foreign trade of Argentina is upward of $800,000,000;
that of Brizil some $300,000,000; that of Chile at least $200,-
000,000, and that of all the chief countries of South America is over
a billion and a half- Of this very considerable traffic the United
States enjoys a beggarly 12 per cent, to 15 per cent. We could
have a good part of it, probably the larger part, for the asking—that
is, for the asking in a really fair and friendly manner. That would
involve, according to Mr. Hamlen, whose advice is based on inti-
mate knowledge—(1) reciprocity; (2) an adequate mercantile
marine; (3) reasonable attention on the part of our manufactur-
ers and exporters to the wants and wishes of the customers they
may be seeking. We should be inclined to put the last remedy first.
It is plain, whatever the reason, says the New York Times, that
no considerable number of our manufacturers and merchants have
any real desire to get South American trade. The official attitude
of the United States as represented by legislation, which is sus-
tained by a public sentiment largely inspired by manufacturers, has
been until recently one of frank hostility to foreign commerce. The
law treats foreign commerce as a quasi-criminal practice and
heavily fines all those who indulge in any one of the thousand forms
of it prescribed by the tariff. Mr. Hamlen thinks, and rightly, that
sound and liberal reciprocity with the progressive and prosperous
States of South American would promote trade. Of course it would.
But first we must wish trade.
T
HE head of a prominent automobile manufacturing company
in a recent address to his salesmen had some excellent ad-
vice
to
offer regarding the manner in which competition should be
N excellent thermometer for gauging the current demand for
met
and
the suggestions were of a nature that would apply equally
crude and manufactured products throughout the country
well
to
the
piano salesman and his problems along similar lines.
is the call for freight cars. When the demand is dull the number
According to the automobile man, to ignore competition showed
of idle freight cars begins to increase and as general business im-
lack of wisdom, for it is a factor to be recognized in the trade,
proves the number decreases proportionately. It is therefore en-
and the solution of the problem lay in putting the distinctive fea-
couraging to note that in spite of the discouraging reports from
tures of the particular product the salesman represented so strongly
Chicago, the great railroad center of the country, on the declining
to the fore that the selling talk of a competitor would not break it
tendency exhibited by freight traffic in recent weeks, the number of
idle cars on the American and Canadian roads continues to show down. Instead of making comparisons with competing goods, it
an increased demand for equipment. The latest bulletin of the was suggested that the salesman devote the same amount of time to
learning the points in his own car considered weak by competitors
American Railway Association gives the total number of idle cars
and then pointing out those features to the prospective purchaser
on September 27, after deducting the shortages, as 50,038, a drop
in the beginning with appropriate explanations as to the why and
of 14,245 from the number not in use two weeks earlier.
In the fortnight since the previous report was made up the wherefore of their adoption and continuance. By that system,
said the head of the company, the customer's faith in the product
number of idle coal cars decreased from 23,795 to 19,543. while the
and the man selling is raised many points and the battle is carried
box surplus was reduced from 19,419 to 12,372.
into the competitor's own territory. The competitor thus finds his
knocking plans undermined and either has to confine himself to
HE question of export trade and its development continues to
upholding the merits of his own product or creating a set of argu-
occupy the attention of some of our most progressive thinkers ments on the spot which usually proves weak and ineffective. It is
and business men. Mostly all concede that the most important
safe to say that many piano salesmen have been shrewd enough to
means to attain recognition for our goods is an adequate mercantile adopt such a method of handling competition ere this and others
marine on the lines advocated by those members of the music trade
could well afford to give the plan a tryout at least.
industry who carried on Such a very active campaign in inducing
legislation in the last Congress. James C. Hemlen, of Portland,
Me., has set forth his views of trade with South America in a
PON the arrival of a shipment at your store, every new article
letter to the New York Times which are based on long experience,
should be gone over critically and its advantages, or attrac-
personal observation and study. They are undoubtedly shared by
tions, for the consumer carefully noted.
A
T
U