Music Trade Review
Issue: 1912 Vol. 54 N. 23 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
in this direction has been extremely educational and instructive,
•and so far as we know there is no other source from which such
knowledge can be obtained. : . ^ : ;
Every purchaser has been afforded the opportunity of return-
ing books which he has purchased, if not satisfactory to him,
after an examination, and having his money refunded, and it is
worthy of note that in the entire business which we are conducting
in this particular line not three persons annually have availed them-
selves of this opportunity.
. -
This fact alone will show how useful and satisfactory our
books are considered by the critical trade, if you are in need of
reliable technical literature you will make no mistake in consulting
this office, for as a matter of fact there is no other institution in
the entire world which has so completely covered the field of music
trade technical literature.
R
EPORTS regarding conditions throughout the country show
that there is considerable difference of opinion regarding
business for the next few months. The better outlook for crops,
particularly in the Northwest, is already productive of an increase
of confidence and activity in the leading trade centers of the great
agricultural sections. In the East there is an inclination to quiet,
while the West and South shows steady improvement. In the
Southern territory particularly the subsidence of the Mississippi
floods has brought a better feeling in New Orleans and other cities
of the lower valley.
There is a tendency on the part of business men to await de-
velopments in the political field, and while trade is fair, orders are
being held up to some extent until crop prospects crystalize and
political conventions are out of the way. The general feeling,
however, is one of conservatism with an undercurrent of optimism
regarding the future. Railroad earnings for the past two weeks
show a steady betterment and the traffic demands of commerce
call for an increased number of freight cars.
^
Business men as a whole are inclined to pass over political
factors, yet the undercurrents are such that these cannot be entirely
disregarded, however strong the wish.
One fact stands out quite clear and it is that the piano houses
carrying on an active campaign for business, irrespective of poli-
tics, or other disturbances, are being commensuratelv rewarded.
There is a lesson in this, and it is that it will not pay to bemoan
conditions or the times. "Hustle" should be the slogan.
The live, progressive business man can always make good
times. Many superstitions are being rapidly eliminated in the piano
world, and among them is the idea that there are dull and busy
"seasons" in the retail trade. This is an error which has long
obtained, for piano merchants, whether in the East or West or
South, who go after business persistently at all times get it. There
are some parts of the year better than others, of course, for busi-
ness, but the "season" idea is something that is out of fashion
among progressive men.
J
UDGING from the abstract of statistics of the population of
the United States which has just been made public, there is
yet a mighty army of piano prospects to be captured in this great
country of ours. The general figures as given, bearing upon the
population up to April 10, IQTO, shows that this country and its
possessions can boast of IOTJOO.OOO inhabitants.
The rate of increase in population from TQOO to TQIO was 20.9
per cent, to the total area of enumeration and 2T per cent, for the
continental United States. The continental United' States has
increased 15,077,60,1, or 2T per cent.
Eleven States of the Union have increased more than 50 per
cent, in population since TQCO, as follows: Washington, Okla-
homa, Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Ore-
gon, California, Wyoming and Montana. Representation in Con-
gress, which will be based upon the new census figures, will be
materially changed. With a ratio of 1 representative to every
211,877 persons, there will be 435 members in the lower house
of Congress.
The density of population of the United States is 30.9 per
square mile, which is seven times the derisitv of the country in
1789 and three times the density of 1860, notwithstanding the
greater territory occupied. The Middle Atlantic States head the
list in density with a record of 193.2 persons per square mile, and
the Mountain States are at the bottom of the list with their 3.1 per-
REVIEW
Legal Questions Answered for the
Benefit of Review Readers
?We have opened a Department wherein legal
questions, which have direct bearing on music
trade affairs, will be answered free of charge.
•jThis Department is under the supervision of
Messrs. Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, attor-
neys at law, of 60 Wall Street, New York.
^fMatter intended for this Department should be
addressed plainly, Legal Department, The Music
Trade Review.
sons per square mile. Exclusive of the District of Columbia there
are ten States in which the density is more than 100 persons to
the square mile. A contrast figure is shown by Alaska and Porto
Rico. Alaska has 0.1 person to the square mile and Porto Rico
325.5 persons.
The center of population of the present census is 39 miles
west and seven-tenths of a mile north of the position of 1900. Its
location has clung closely to the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude
since the first census and has moved westward since 1790 a distance
of 557 miles.
In the New England group of States more than four-fifths of
the population is urban. In the Middle Atlantic States it is seven-
tenths. The lowest point/in urban population is reached in the
South with 25.4 per cent, in the South Atlantic Division and but
18.7 per cent, in the East South Central. The greatest urban
growth in the country at large has been upon the Pacific Coast,
where the growth has been unprecedented in the history of such
movements in any part of the world. The urban population of
the country at large has increased at a ratio of 3 to 1 as compared
with the rural population.
The population of the great cities of the country has been
decided upon as embracing, in the present census, some 25 metro-
politan districts. These 25 greatest cities in the United States in
their respective order are N«w York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco and Oakland, Baltimore,
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Detroit, Buffalo,
Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Providence, Washington, New Orleans,
Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., Louisville, Rochester,
Seattle, Indianapolis, Denver, and Portland, Ore. There are 225
cities with 25,000 or more population.
Since the first census the country as a whole has grown one-
third in each of the first seven decades, from 1790 to 1860, one-
fourth during each of the four decades from i860 to 1890, and one-
fifth in the last two decades from 1890 to 1900.
A
N interesting topic is discussed elsewhere in The Review by
A. W. Sawyer, manager of the Spokane branch of the
Eilers Music House, as to whether manufacturers should not, in
the interest of their representatives, advertise in the local papers
rather than in the magazines. The writer presents the dealers'
side of the argument in an interesting way, and the subject is one
which well merits a general discussion. Manufacturers, it goes
without saying, desire the best possible results from their adver-
tising expenditure so as to benefit their representatives, and if
piano merchants can demonstrate to them that it would be more
profitable and more resultful to do a larger share of local newspaper
advertising and less in the magazines, they will take action ac-
cordingly. It is entirely up to the piano merchants to follow the
example of Mr. Sawyer and present arguments and facts to help
the manufacturers arrive at definite conclusions in this matter.
We shall be glad to hear from others on this subject.
R
EPORTS from Washington indicate that much opposition has
arisen against the bill introduced by Representative Oldfield,
revising the patent laws so as to effect price maintenance. So many
flaws have been pointed out in the bill that there seems to be little
prospect of its passage during the present session of Congress,
THE
MUSIC TRADE
in this direction has been extremely educational and instructive,
•and so far as we know there is no other source from which such
knowledge can be obtained. : . ^ : ;
Every purchaser has been afforded the opportunity of return-
ing books which he has purchased, if not satisfactory to him,
after an examination, and having his money refunded, and it is
worthy of note that in the entire business which we are conducting
in this particular line not three persons annually have availed them-
selves of this opportunity.
. -
This fact alone will show how useful and satisfactory our
books are considered by the critical trade, if you are in need of
reliable technical literature you will make no mistake in consulting
this office, for as a matter of fact there is no other institution in
the entire world which has so completely covered the field of music
trade technical literature.
R
EPORTS regarding conditions throughout the country show
that there is considerable difference of opinion regarding
business for the next few months. The better outlook for crops,
particularly in the Northwest, is already productive of an increase
of confidence and activity in the leading trade centers of the great
agricultural sections. In the East there is an inclination to quiet,
while the West and South shows steady improvement. In the
Southern territory particularly the subsidence of the Mississippi
floods has brought a better feeling in New Orleans and other cities
of the lower valley.
There is a tendency on the part of business men to await de-
velopments in the political field, and while trade is fair, orders are
being held up to some extent until crop prospects crystalize and
political conventions are out of the way. The general feeling,
however, is one of conservatism with an undercurrent of optimism
regarding the future. Railroad earnings for the past two weeks
show a steady betterment and the traffic demands of commerce
call for an increased number of freight cars.
^
Business men as a whole are inclined to pass over political
factors, yet the undercurrents are such that these cannot be entirely
disregarded, however strong the wish.
One fact stands out quite clear and it is that the piano houses
carrying on an active campaign for business, irrespective of poli-
tics, or other disturbances, are being commensuratelv rewarded.
There is a lesson in this, and it is that it will not pay to bemoan
conditions or the times. "Hustle" should be the slogan.
The live, progressive business man can always make good
times. Many superstitions are being rapidly eliminated in the piano
world, and among them is the idea that there are dull and busy
"seasons" in the retail trade. This is an error which has long
obtained, for piano merchants, whether in the East or West or
South, who go after business persistently at all times get it. There
are some parts of the year better than others, of course, for busi-
ness, but the "season" idea is something that is out of fashion
among progressive men.
J
UDGING from the abstract of statistics of the population of
the United States which has just been made public, there is
yet a mighty army of piano prospects to be captured in this great
country of ours. The general figures as given, bearing upon the
population up to April 10, IQTO, shows that this country and its
possessions can boast of IOTJOO.OOO inhabitants.
The rate of increase in population from TQOO to TQIO was 20.9
per cent, to the total area of enumeration and 2T per cent, for the
continental United States. The continental United' States has
increased 15,077,60,1, or 2T per cent.
Eleven States of the Union have increased more than 50 per
cent, in population since TQCO, as follows: Washington, Okla-
homa, Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Ore-
gon, California, Wyoming and Montana. Representation in Con-
gress, which will be based upon the new census figures, will be
materially changed. With a ratio of 1 representative to every
211,877 persons, there will be 435 members in the lower house
of Congress.
The density of population of the United States is 30.9 per
square mile, which is seven times the derisitv of the country in
1789 and three times the density of 1860, notwithstanding the
greater territory occupied. The Middle Atlantic States head the
list in density with a record of 193.2 persons per square mile, and
the Mountain States are at the bottom of the list with their 3.1 per-
REVIEW
Legal Questions Answered for the
Benefit of Review Readers
?We have opened a Department wherein legal
questions, which have direct bearing on music
trade affairs, will be answered free of charge.
•jThis Department is under the supervision of
Messrs. Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, attor-
neys at law, of 60 Wall Street, New York.
^fMatter intended for this Department should be
addressed plainly, Legal Department, The Music
Trade Review.
sons per square mile. Exclusive of the District of Columbia there
are ten States in which the density is more than 100 persons to
the square mile. A contrast figure is shown by Alaska and Porto
Rico. Alaska has 0.1 person to the square mile and Porto Rico
325.5 persons.
The center of population of the present census is 39 miles
west and seven-tenths of a mile north of the position of 1900. Its
location has clung closely to the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude
since the first census and has moved westward since 1790 a distance
of 557 miles.
In the New England group of States more than four-fifths of
the population is urban. In the Middle Atlantic States it is seven-
tenths. The lowest point/in urban population is reached in the
South with 25.4 per cent, in the South Atlantic Division and but
18.7 per cent, in the East South Central. The greatest urban
growth in the country at large has been upon the Pacific Coast,
where the growth has been unprecedented in the history of such
movements in any part of the world. The urban population of
the country at large has increased at a ratio of 3 to 1 as compared
with the rural population.
The population of the great cities of the country has been
decided upon as embracing, in the present census, some 25 metro-
politan districts. These 25 greatest cities in the United States in
their respective order are N«w York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Francisco and Oakland, Baltimore,
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Detroit, Buffalo,
Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Providence, Washington, New Orleans,
Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City, Kan., Louisville, Rochester,
Seattle, Indianapolis, Denver, and Portland, Ore. There are 225
cities with 25,000 or more population.
Since the first census the country as a whole has grown one-
third in each of the first seven decades, from 1790 to 1860, one-
fourth during each of the four decades from i860 to 1890, and one-
fifth in the last two decades from 1890 to 1900.
A
N interesting topic is discussed elsewhere in The Review by
A. W. Sawyer, manager of the Spokane branch of the
Eilers Music House, as to whether manufacturers should not, in
the interest of their representatives, advertise in the local papers
rather than in the magazines. The writer presents the dealers'
side of the argument in an interesting way, and the subject is one
which well merits a general discussion. Manufacturers, it goes
without saying, desire the best possible results from their adver-
tising expenditure so as to benefit their representatives, and if
piano merchants can demonstrate to them that it would be more
profitable and more resultful to do a larger share of local newspaper
advertising and less in the magazines, they will take action ac-
cordingly. It is entirely up to the piano merchants to follow the
example of Mr. Sawyer and present arguments and facts to help
the manufacturers arrive at definite conclusions in this matter.
We shall be glad to hear from others on this subject.
R
EPORTS from Washington indicate that much opposition has
arisen against the bill introduced by Representative Oldfield,
revising the patent laws so as to effect price maintenance. So many
flaws have been pointed out in the bill that there seems to be little
prospect of its passage during the present session of Congress,
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).