Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SAFEGUARDING THE INTERESTS OF THE MUSIC TRADE
(Continued from page 3)
with national, as well as trade conditions, and who are able to take up with the Government matters of vital
importance connected with the regulation of industries in a manner that will carry weight.
In short, it would seem desirable that there be organized a board or committee—call it a ''war board"
for want of a better name—to represent all branches of the music trade industry in relation to the situation
that now confronts it. Such a board should at least be permanent for the period of the war, in order that its
members might grow thoroughly familiar with conditions and thereby be able to act with authority. If the
situation should demand a protest, for instance, that protest should be based upon accurate knowledge carefully
collated, rather than the hasty opinions of half a dozen or so members of the trade, who have only given
the matter casual attention.
There is nothing unpatriotic in such an attitude, for the object is not to relieve the trade from bearing
its fair proportion of the war's burden, but rather to bring relief when that burden, through lack of knowledge
or accident, is so distributed that an unfair portion is settled on the music industry.
Both the piano and talking machine interests in England have had this self same experience. Shortly
after the beginning of the war the Board of Trade in Great Britain formulated rules and regulations
regarding imports and supplies of musical instruments, allowances of steel and other materials for manufacturing
purposes, etc., that threatened to throttle the music industry completely and practically did force many concerns
out of business. It became necessary for the music trade interests to offer repeated and organized protests
bearing on the regulations, with the result that more lenient regulations were, from time to time, secured, as
the actual conditions w r ere brought to the attention of the members of the Board.
With a business manager now regularly employed, the National Piano Manufacturers' Association should
call into consultation the brightest minds of the industry and compile facts and figures for presentation to
the proper authorities when the necessity warrants it. Meanwhile, constant watchfulness is demanded.
clined to meet their obligations without fuss or quibble, and
that eliminating the careless and improvident element the per-
centage of dead beats who "get away with it" under ordinary
circumstances is practically negligible.
With the growth of instalment selling, methods have been
systematized to a greater or lesser degree to prevent loss, or at
least to cut it down to a minimum. In granting credits, the re-
tailer has at hand predetermined elements that serve to guide
him in his decision. Certain classes and certain types of. people
are much more likely to cause trouble than other classes. If
he knows his business, the dealer can protect himself by a
knowledge of this fact. Every bit of trouble growing out of
an instalment sale, every repossession should be carefully classi-
fied in all its details, for it is by such experience that similar
occurrences may be avoided in the future. Accurate statistics
regarding losses will also enable the merchant to so arrange his
charges as to cover such losses—to create a sinking fund, as it
were.
* Those who conduct enormous business enterprises on the
instalment basis and for the most part by mail, for instance,
such as the Larkin Co., are reported to suffer losses totaling less
than 1 per cent, of their business. Members of the music trade
who do business in practically every instance with people with
whom they come in direct personal touch can insure themselves
against this small percentage of loss by a proper study of pur-
chasers and prospective purchasers. In certain sections types
of foreigners are recognized as poor risks. Those engaged in
various occupations, particularly certain classes of professional
people, are widely known as poor payers.
By profiting to the utmost from his personal experience
and those of other merchants in his line the average piano or
talking machine retailer can ofttimes so handle his business as
to suffer no loss at all. In fact, there are several concerns who
boast that they have not had a repossession in years, due to
a careful advance estimate of the prospect's ability or likelihood
to pay.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York