Music Trade Review

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THE
JULY 2, 1921
MUSIC
TRADE
13
REVIEW
APPEARS BEFORE MERCHANTS' ASS'N
GETTING BUSINESS IN PORTLAND
ITALY BARRING AMERICAN PIANOS
Alfred L. Smith Represents Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce at Tax Hearing
Morong's Music Store Doing Well With the
Hallet & Davis Co. Line
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce Mak-
ing Active Protest Against Alleged Discrimi-
nation on the Part of the Italian Government
PORTLAND, ME., June 27.—Morong's Music Store,
As a very important step in the campaign
of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce illustrated herewith, is one of the Portland estab-
against the present wartime excise taxes and lishments which knows how to get business.
for a commodity sales tax, Alfred L. Smith, A. H. Morong has been in business only a few
general manager, appeared at a hearing of the months and when he viewed the field for good
committee on taxation and public revenue of
the Merchants' Association of New York, on
June 2i, and presented the views of the music
industry.
The hearing was called to enable the mem-
bers of the Merchants' Association to air their
opinions previous to the registering of the vote
of the Asso-iat.on on Referendum No. 36 of the
Chamber of Commerce of the United States.
In view of the importance of the Merchants'
Association in the community and the nation,
the Chamber urged all members of the music
industry who are also members of the Asso-
ciation to be present or to authorize the Cham-
Morong's Music Store, Portland, Me.
ber's general manager to represent them.
lines to carry he decided upon the Hallet &
J. Newcomb Blackmail, of the Blackman Davis instruments as most desirable ones to
Talking Machine Co., was present in person and handle. Besides the pianos of this large Bos-
spoke, and among the companies which specifi- ton house Mr. Morong has a large line of Pathe
cally authorized Mr. Smith to appear for them talking machines. This establishment is located
were: Buegeleisen & Jacobson, Jacob Doll & at 17 Forest street and is rapidly building up a
Sons, J. & C. Fischer, Fred. Gretsch Manufac- good clientele.
turing Co., Haddorff Piano Co., Kranich &
The motor car which is seen in front of the
Bach, Kohler & Campbell, Inc.; Pathe Freres store belongs to H. T. Spain, the New England
Phonograph Co., Steinway & Sons, Sonora representative of the Hallet & Davis Co. Prob-
Phonograph Co., Inc., and Waterson, Berlin & ably in a few minutes Mr. Spain will be hustling
Snyder.
out and into his car to get among the trade as
In his talk Mr. Smith dwelt upon two points— fast as his high-powered motor will take him.
the bad features of the excise taxes and the
merits of the commodity sales tax. The excise
PRIZES AWARDED FOR ESSAYS
taxes, he said, were a war expedient, and the
designation of the industries for taxation was E. H. Droop Presents Prizes to Children for
made without principle. These taxes, proper
Best Essays on Music Week—Believes Music
at the time, have since become burdensome and
Week Idea Is of Great Benefit
grossly discriminatory.
Six or eight months ago, Mr. Smith said, there
WASHINGTON, D. C, June 27.—E. H. Droop, of
were a great many objections to the sales tax E. F. Droop & Sons, Steinway dealers, recently
which sounded reasonable even to the student awarded the prizes, totaling $25 in cash, offered
of sales. All of these, however, have now been to children in Washington for the best essays
answered after an exhaustive investigation by on the recent successful Music Week, in which
the Chamber and other organizations. There 60,000 youngsters participated. Accompanying
is now only one serious situation and that is many of the essays were notes written in
that Congress may fear that there is some cramped, childish hands, declaring in favor of a
truth in the assertion that the sales tax would "music week every week." The children derived
transfer the burden from business to the con- much pleasure from the final number of the
sumer. Mr. Smith said his hearers, as business Music Week program, that of an afternoon sere-
men, knew the absolute fallacy of this, and the nade of President and Mrs. Harding.
general public, through the publication of edi- Mr. Droop, incidentally, is keenly interested
torials in the newspapers and otherwise, is grad- in the possibilities, of an annual Music Week.
ually coming around to a sane view of the "No," he said, "I haven't yet received any direct
matter.
response from Music Week, but I realize that
It is suggested that members of the industry the trade will feel the effect as time passes.
everywhere make it a point to appear in per- Educate children to like good music and there
son before local organizations considering the will be plenty of response in a few years."
tax matter as the general manager of the Cham-
Mr. Droop blames "jazz" as the most obsti-
ber did in New York.
nate obstacle in the way of a healthy revival of
piano and player business. Though the Wash-
ington piano trade is dull at this time a share of
the inactivity may be labeled seasonal. That
part of Washington which finds itself the least
foot-loose has headed mountainward, following
thermometer records of 103 and 104 during the
past week.
"Perfected" "Crown"
John Keyser, sales manager for Arthur Jor-
dan Piano Co., Ampico dealer, does not agree
Highest acoustic excellence dating back to the
days of Jonas Chickering. Took prize over whole
with Mr. Droop on the value of Music Weeks.
world a t Paris, 1900. For generations t h e
He similarly reports no direct responses from
standard, and used on the greatest number of
the
festival, but does not trust the future as
pianos in the world.
does Mr. Droop. Jordan salesmen are working
Services of our Acoustic Engineer always available — free
industriously "on the outside."
Illustrated books—free
American
Piano Wire
American Steel & Wire
ACOUSTIC DEPARTMENT
208 S. LA SALLE ST., CHICAGO
Consult the universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
has taken up with the proper Federal authori-
ties a case of alleged discrimination on the part
of the Italian government against the importa-
tion of American pianos into Italy. The atten-
tion of the Chamber was called to the refusal of
the Italian government to release from the
Custom House at Genoa two player-pianos pur-
chased in New York by an Italian and shipped
last August.
According to the Department of Commerce,
Italy is at the present time prohibiting the
importation of pianos, and it is believed that
the holding up of instruments in America does
not represent any special discrimination.
Henry C. McLean, Commercial Attache of the
American Embassy at Rome, is looking into
the matter with a view to not only securing
the release of the two player-pianos in ques-
tion, but the removal of the restrictions on all
pianos of American manufacture. It is stated
that similar restrictions against American auto-
mobiles were eliminated after proper representa-
tions were made.
TRADE NEWS FROM BUFFALO
Summer Business Continues Along Even Lines
—Fruit Belt Not Productive of as Much Busi-
ness as Was Anticipated—Other News
BUFFALO, N. Y., June 28.—Jacob Becker, of
Becker Bros., was a caller in town last week.
He visited the store of the Albert Schuler Piano
Co. and was entertained by Mr. Schuler, who
took him to Niagara Falls.
Albert F. Koenig, of the Koenig Piano Co.,
was in Syracuse this week, attending a meeting
of the Hallet & Davis Piano Co. dealers of
Western New York and Pennsylvania.
What looked for a time like a fertile field
for piano salesmen does not now seem so
promising. This is the Niagara fruit belt.
Early in the season, when the prospects for a
big fruit crop were promising, it looked like
prosperous times for the fruit growers, and
piano men, with business dull in the city, looked
that way with eager eyes, but frosts and cold
have caused great damage to the crop and some
of the dealers who had salesmen there have re-
called them.
Stephen J. Butler, of J. N. Adam & Co., is
in the country, but not on a vacation. He has
a crew with him and they are all devoting their
efforts to the drumming up of trade in the rural
districts. With business in the city at low ebb
Mr. Butler made up his mind that the country
was about the next best place and so he gath-
ered up a force and hied away to open lands.
A great deal of attention is being focused on
Mr. Butler's efforts in the country, which is
somewhat of a house-to-house canvass and
which will at least get the farmer acquainted
w"ith the house that Mr. Butler and his workers
represent.
Speaking of going to the country—but not
on business—is a reminder that many of the
trade are either getting ready or have gone on
their vacations. The weather has been very
hot and some jumped into their vacations—
sort of making hay while the sun shines.
T. A. and George Goold, of the firm of Goold
Bros., are in Atlantic City, attending the an-
nual convention of the Zuleika Grotto. They
intend to make a time of it, because they have
left word that they will not be home before
July 4.
PREMIER BABY GRAND PIANOS
Stimulate Sales—Promote Prestige and Profits
PREMIER GRAND PIANO CORPORATION
-
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510-532 West 23rd Street, New York