Music Trade Review

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THE: MUSIC TRADE
The influences which were opposing us, however, did not hesi-
tate in the slightest to impugn our motives and to sneer at our
actions in their endeavor to discredit our utterances, but that abuse,
however, did not affect us.
We were conducting a campaign on a principle above per-
sonalities 1 , and, now viewing the field after years of effort, we are
inclined to the belief that our attitude was a correct one.
Finally, the Government stepped in, and the last stroke was
applied recently when large fines were imposed upon men who
pleaded guilty to using the mails for deceptive purposes.
Who came out best, the trade newspaper which opposed its
own clients in their attitude and finally won, or the men who held
to these methods until they were driven out by the Government
and in the meantime indulged in bitter invective and violnt abuse
anent the trade newspaper which was opposing them?
We are quite satisfied to rest the case with the music trade as
the jury.
This case only represents in a forcible manner that personal
abuse is not necessary to accomplish a purpose. If we appeal to
the reason—to the intelligence—to the fairness of men we will
accomplish much more than by personal abuse.
That is why this publication has never paid the slightest atten-
tion to the snarling whines of the jackal press whom we have
antagonized in our attacks upon holdup journalism by making their
career of piracy more and more difficult.
If we should lower ourselves to the point of a reply to the
men who have neither morals nor manners—who have long dis-
graced trade journalism by their presence, we, ourselves, would
have dropped down a point or two from the position which a digni-
fied, straightforward exponent of journalism should retain.
If one gets down to the level of these leprous members who
conduct alleged trade publications some kind of frightful disease
would be the natural result of such contamination.
Let the yawning doors of the prison close upon the slimy
creatures who pollute a decent trade by their presence.
W
E are in constant receipt of communications embodying
complimentary criticisms anent our new journalistic crea-
tion, La Maquina Parlante Mundo. It would seem as if this paper
was destined to be a powerful influence in business building
throughout Latin America. Certainly the new move starts off with
hearty good wishes from many people who have been kind enough
to pass appreciated compliments upon our work.
This Spanish paper is the only one covering the music trade
and talking machine interests in the countries which lie south of
us. In addition, thousands of copies are sent to merchants of
standing who will doubtless be interested in taking on American
specialties such as pianos and musical instruments.
This new move gives this trade newspaper institution a dis-
tinct position and strengthens it in every way.
We publish, too, the oldest and most influential paper cover-
ing the music trade industries in a comprehensive manner—also
The Talking Machine World, which occupies a unique position
in that it is T H E recognized exponent of the talking machine in-
dustries of the world circulating not only extensively in.this coun-
try, but throughout the globe as well.
Now, with the Spanish publication it places us in a position
comprehensively covering the music trade and allied fields of the
world.
. We have some new moves which are now being planned which
will be announced later.
The result of a constructive policy is naturally a business build-
ing influence which operates distinctly to the advantage of our
advertising clientele.
;i|
l T T T T H a great many piano dealers, all too many in fact, the
V V
sale of a piano is corpleted as soon as the instrument has
been paid for. and the matter holds no further interest so far as
thev are concerned. With such a dealer, the instalment buyer re-
ceives the greatest consideration, for be must be kept satisfied and
contented until the last payment is made, and through the collection
department the dealer Ve^ps in touch with him for several years.
There are dealers, however, and they are the dealers who can see
their businesses "rowing year by year who make it a point to keep
in close touch with the customer as long as possible and long after
REVIEW
Legal Questions Answered for the
Benefit of Review Readers
questions, which have direct bearing on music
trade affairs, will be answered free of charge.
fflThis Department is under the supervision of
Messrs. Wentworth, Lowenstein & Stern, attor-
neys at law, of 60 Wall Street, New York.
tflMatter intended for this Department should be
addressed plainly, Legal Department, The Music
Trade Review.
there is any possibility of. financial benefit from the connection, on
the theory that the friendship of a satisfied customer is an adver-
tisement the value of which to future business cannot be computed
on a cash basis. When the dealer sees to it that the piano of such
a customer-friend is always kept in first-class condition, he is pay-
ing proper attention to the publicity end of his business.
An example of post-sale service and attention that is worthy
of study and emulation on the part of piano dealers in practically
every part of the country is that recently set by the Knight-
Campbell Music Co., Pueblo, Col., who took advantage of the dull
summer season to send out several automobiles through the
Arkansas Valley, manned by salesmen, repairmen and tuners, who
called upon a large number of people who had purchased pianos
from the Knight-Campbell Music Co., and put the instruments
of a variety of makes' into first-class condition.
Besides the good will of the people called upon, the direct
result of the tour, which lasted a week, was the sale of a Kurtz-
mann piano and an Apollo player-piano and a number of live pros-
pects were added to the company's list. Many piano dealers dur-
ing this season of the year could work the same scheme even in a
smaller way.
Even one tuner spending, a fortnight in looking over the
pianos sold by the dealer some years before could produce results
that would make for a better business in the fall even if immediate
sales were not closed.
r
I ^HE question as to the destination of old pianos is discussed
X
almost as much as the immortality of the soul, and it is
always interesting to find our brethren of the daily papers delving
into this abstruse subject about the future of the old pianos. Re-
cently a contemporary solved the problem to its own satisfaction
at least by repairing those old instruments, revarnishing them and
sending them to South America for the purpose of enlightening our
musically benighted friends, if there be any, in the countries to the
south of us. But .here is the momentous article: "What becomes
of all the old pianos? Thousands of new pianos are sold every
year, the greater number to those who already have musical instru-
ments'. The salesman allows a liberal price for the old piano in
trade, accepts a little cash, and takes the balance on monthly pay-
ments. Now, while he has sold one piano he has just as many on
his hands as before, for he has accepted an old one. What becomes
of it? He does not care to sell it to soreone who has ever had a
piano if he can avoid it, for if the process of trading continued he
would soon be following himself around in a circle and there are
no dividends in that. He must find a market for the old musical
instrument. To do this he repairs and revarnishes the old piano,
boxes it, and with hundreds 1 of others, it is shipped to South Amer-
ica, Africa, Asia, and other benighted portions of the world, where
it is sold to the natives, who yearn for music and whose ambition
is' to drum out tunes on an instrument of their own. These pianos
are sold for a small amount down and the balance in monthly, some-
times weekly, payments extended over a long period of time. In
this way the dealer gets back not only the price he allows for the
old piano in the first place, but the cost of repairing, boxing and
shipping, with irferest added to each of the charges."
Sounds well, doesn't it?