Music Trade Review

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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
MEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
REVIEW
agitation or other influences, that usually have a retarding effect
on trade generally are being ignored. The business interests of
the country are just now showing evidences of full recovery from
the panic of 1907, and firm in the belief that no drastic tariff
changes will be made without due warning, merchants in all lines
are showing a pleasing inclination to get away from the hand-to-
mouth style of buying that has prevailed so long. Consequently
indications point to a healthy and substantial growth of fall and
winter business.
T
HE development of export trade in pianos to South American
countries was the subject of some very interesting remarks
GLAD. HENDERSON,
H. E. JAMASON,
C. CHACE,
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
by
Adolphe
Apfelberger in last week's Review. He pointed out
A. J. NICKLIN,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
WM. B. WHITE,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
wherein the American piano manufacturer is weak as compared
JOHN H. WILSON, 824 Washington St.
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 87 South Wabash Ave
with his German competitor in securing his share of the rapidly
Telephone, Main 6950.
Telephone, Central 414.
Room 806.
increasing business being done in the continent south of us.
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
It is clear that if American manufacturers are to win a larger
R. W. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First St.
DETROIT, MICH.: MORRIS J. WHITE.
degree of success there must be a realization of the fact that study
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND-: STANLEY H. SMITH
and preparation are necessary. The Germans set a splendid ex-
BALTIMORE, MD.: A. ROBERT FRENCH.
MILWAUKEE, WIS.: L. E. MEYER.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
ample in this respect. They do not go into things hastily. They
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
find out what the people of the different countries require and then
Enteted at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
study to supply it,
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage). United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Canada,
A special department or bureau under the direction of a com-
$3.50; all other countries, $4.00.
petent man is the first essential. Then comes properly acquired
ADVERTISEMENTS,. $2.50 per inch single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75.00.
data covering the requirements of each country; making styles of
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
instruments required; proper packing and shipping; carefully
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
PlaflA dUU
anil
watched credits; supplying catalogs and other information in the
TlallV
t i O n S of a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
language
of the country, with which business is being done, as well
ICllllllldl VC|ldl
lllieill&.
|
dealth with, will be found in another section of this
paper. W
We also
l publish
blih a number
b of reliable technical works, information concerning which
as
sending
out representatives who are likewise equipped. These
will be cheerfully given upon request.
points covered, a step forward has been taken in competing with
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
the German, English and French manufacturers.
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
It is most extraordinary that while Americans excel in sales-
Diploma. .. .Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
manship, advertising and business methods generally, many of them
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES-NUMBERS S982-5983 MADISON SQUARE
refuse to comprehend the requirements' of foreign countries in the
Connecting all Departments.
matter of manufacturing and shipping goods to fill their exact
Cable address ' "Hblll, N e w York."
necessities. In this respect they are the very antithesis of the
NEW Y O R K , AUGUST 1 0 , 1 9 1 2 .
German, English and other European manufacturers.
There is a story told of a South American merchant who upon
being asked what fuel he used, replied: "American catalogs in
English." The point is obvious. American manufacturers will per-
EDITORIAL
sist in sending out catalogs and other literature to South American
countries printed in English when they should be in Spanish or
HE coming Presidential campaign is destined to be a remark-
Portuguese, with every detail regarding the goods so stated, as to
able one in its lack of baneful effect on the general business
make it easy for merchants in these countries to place orders direct
of the country. In another portion of this paper we print the
with the house or its representative, or through a commission house.
opinions of a number of prominent piano merchants which bear
It is satisfactory to note that piano manufacturers taken as a
testimony to this condition in a most emphatic way.
whole
are no longer contributing to this catalog fire. They have
Business men in tjiis country are rapidly realizing that Presi-
improved
materially in the matter of packing and shipping which
dential campaigns and crop scares are largely bugaboos; in other
hitherto
has
been pronounced abroad as slovenly, with complaints
words, they become the catchwords of pessimists—the men who
of
injury
to
goods,
due to this fact. One thing our manufacturers
stand pat—the men who look on the gloomy instead of the bright
must
realize,
it
is
not
what they want, but what their customers in
side of things.
foreign countries want that count—that sells—that pays. This is
The men of energy, of ideas—the men who believe in forcing
the secret of successful export trading.
the issue—the optimists—are not influenced by these conditions be
they superficial or real. They always plan their business campaign
N the keen competition among various piano manufacturers to
along winning lines and succeed.
effect the distribution of their product through the medium
As Edward H. Droop so well says 1 : "This country is far too
of
the
merchant they often enter into arrangements that are far
enlightened—far too progressive—far too solidly founded commer-
from
satisfactory
and the results from the territory assigned to a
cially and financially to permit of any men, or set of men, or party
certain
merchant
are
practically nil.
driving it to the 'demnition bow-wows.' This country has gone
The
manufacturer,
however, is frequently compelled to put up
forward with tremendous strides in all matters relating to social,
with
this
poor
representation
on the part of a merchant who has
commercial, economical, moral and financial development, and I am
taken
the
line
simply
for
the
purpose
of keeping it out of the hands
inclined to think that it will continue along conservative lines that
of
competitors,
owing
to
the
fact
that
when the agency was placed
are based upon absolutely sound principles."
a
contract
was
entered
into
for
a
specified
period.
The communications received in response to the inquiry sent
While the contract is in force, the territory covered by the
out recently by The Review may well be entitled, "A symposium of
optimism." They tell a story of faith in the country, irrespective agency is closed, and under certain conditions' the effects are
worse than if the agency had been left open and the territory un-
of party domination—of faith in the piano industry, its future, and
covered.
in themselves, and of the certainty of an increasing volume of busi-
The situation, as outlined, means that the piano merchant is
ness the coming fall and winter, based upon the great wealth which
often placed in a position where he can come pretty close to getting
will come from the ground this year, due to a crop yield that in
some sections will break all records. The Northwest expects the
anything he wants from certain manufacturers simply for the pur-
largest general crop ever raised, while business conditions and pros-
pose of displaying their instruments in his warerooms and sup-
pects throughout the West, as well as the Northwest and Southwest,
posedly, at least, exploiting the line in his territory.
are excellent.
The merchant can, in many instances, secure the pianos on con-
Judging from the reports received, it is clear that politics, tariff
signment, which means that his stock costs him only the storage.
T
I