Music Trade Review
Issue: 1924 Vol. 78 N. 19 - Page 45
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MAY
THE
10, 1924
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
45
Ihew liOhtsAle
Toull never forget
^^J
*You can't |
FEIST
3
l a l i t e afc low uou steal in-lo m heart and I
C 192)
Leo. Fo.i. Inc
know what we want, and that we want what we want
when we want it.
Many important questions will be
discussed, so make your plans now to be in New York
op the above-mentioned date.
I am in favor of the establishing of a clearing house or
the printing of a general catalog. The first we can under-
take. The latter is a publishers' problem but one that we
would like to see them solve.
From S. Ernest Philpitt, Miami, Fla.
The retail sheet music distribution survey which the
executive committee referred to the publishers and which
tne latter referred back to us should be scheduled as one
topic for discussion at our convention.
It was with the greatest satisfaction that I learned
that the Federal Trade Commission has requested that
the publishers state a definite time when they will put
into operation the proper marking of sheet music with
a price indicating the retail selling price. This is good
news and a step in the right direction, practically the
culmination of a question which the majority of our
association has favored for several years.
I still feel that we should have a general catalog and
that it is up to the publishers to supply this demand from
the dealer.
As far as I am concerned, I feel positive that I am
not enjoying as much retail sheet music business in
Florida as I am entitled to, in consideration of the five
stores I am maintaining here.
Some few houses co-
operate, others protect me when once I have discovered
that they are trading in my territory. I feel that the
publisher should confine his trade entirely to the local
dealer wherever any dealer makes an honest effort to
serve a particular community. Am still and always have
been of the opinion that retail distribution should be
left with the retailer.
If the retailer is not what he
should be let the publisher help to establish him, but
not cut in.
In short 1 am in for anything that tends to protect the
public as to proper values, and dealers in every way that
will enable them to grow and develop, to give the publisher
every chance to exploit his prints but always through the
dealer. I hope some day to see legislation that will re-
strain any producer from marketing at retail his wares if
he attempts to wholesale.
From Leslie E. Miller, Knoxville
I' should not question the right to consideration of the
retail dealer in the matter of sheet music distribution.
However, I am not so sure that the time is ripe for the
retail dealer to demand this "right" of consideration.
Speaking from our own personal standpoint, we have not
found it difficult to get almost unlimited "consideration"
from the publishers in general. It has been demonstrated
and proven that certain publishers have succeeded and
built up a monumental business, almost without the aid
of the retailer and what one or two have done, all can do
if so inclined. We believe, however, that with the proper
spirit of co-operation, due consideration for every retailer
will voluntarily come from the publisher.
The matter of the publisher competing with the dealer
in the retail field has been a constant and much discussed
subject during my more than twenty years' association
with the industry, but I have concrete proof, from prac-
tically all of our foremost publishers, undeniably showing
a willing and hearty desire to direct retail business, in our
territory, through our department. I do not believe that
we, as dealers, have been singled out and made "pets" of.
The same existing conditions under which we operate can
prevail with every dealer and we see no really good reason
why the entire industry cannot proceed as one big family.
From Chas. W. Homeyer, Boston
With the approval of the Federal Trade Commission
of the net marking of sheet music, all who have an in-
terest in the selling of sheet music will be interested in
the working out of this problem.
While we all hope that this change in marking music
will be a great boon to the industry, one nevertheless can-
not help wondering what will happen to the firm that
doesn't maintain these prices. What is the penalty? As
our government has always objected to anything savoring
of price maintenance, what is to happen to the firm that
gives a discount of 10 per cent? If this is to be con-
sidered legitimate for Mr. Jones to give 10 per cent, why
is it not also legitimate for Mr. Smith to give 20 per cent
and if Mr. Smith can give 20 per cent why cannot Mr.
Brown give 33 1/3 per cent and mark his music high
enough to do this?
There is no question in my mind but what the average
store in the sheet music business is increasing in efficiency.
Ten years ago the knowledge that the small stores had
of how to purchase their merchandise to the best advan-
tage was lamentable, but this is gradually improving with
the greater demand for good music and with the larger
profit than existed at that time.
Another factor which
helps small stores is the placing of men in charge of
that portion of the business. While there are a few ex-
ceptionally able young ladies in charge of stores, most of
them stay but a comparatively short time or get married
and the business suffers until some other young lady takes
charge with inevitably the same result.
From W. Deane Preston, Jr., Boston
But a short time now, and we shall again be partici-
pating in the activities of our annual convention—that
gathering of members of the industry from all over the
country which provides such unusual opportunities for the
advancement of our industry, and likewise such healthy
stimulus to "carry on."
And what are you, Mr. Individual Member, preparing
to do as your share in the forward movement on this
occasion? It is the individual making up our membership
on whom rests the responsibility for the success and accom-
plishments of the Convention sessions. It is your asso-
ciation, and the benefits which it aims to accomplish are
your benefits.
Don't feel that the program is cut and
dried, for the outlines which may be provided in advance
by your officers are prepared simply as an inducement to
you to participate more freely in the general discussions,
and to open up possible lines of thought which might
otherwise be overlooked.
Here is your opportunity to present to practically the
entire trade of the country any ideas which you think
worthy of consideration, with assurance that you'll get
helpful response. Have you any complaints of undesirable
conditions existing in your relations with either publishers
or other retailers?
If so, let them be heard, and an
attempt be made to determine the cause, and, if possible,
to arrive at a satisfactory correction.
It seems but a short time since the convention of 1923,
with its interesting discussions and its pretentious plans
for carrying out certain ideas which promised such benefits
to the industry.
Some of those ideas have been carried
through with tremendous help to every retail dealer; yet
others have fallen by the wayside—the victims of inability
to determine that the ideas were practicable of execution at
the moment. But that should not reflect on the desirability
of presenting an idea, for out of these ideas which may
be temporarily called failures may grow one which shall
be better still, and which otherwise might never have seen
the light.
The publishers are shortly to work out the new schedule
of so-called net prices—a matter first mentioned and re-
quested by the Association at a session several years ago.
For various reasons it seemed impossible to carry out
the suggestion at that time, but the seed had been sown,
and now we see the fruits in this very definite change of
system which many retailers feel provides a remarkable
opportunity to place the sheet music business, at last, OB
a permanently sound basis. If so, was it not worth while,
even though the idea at first seemed, to many, a hopeless
dream ?
Epoch-making as this change may be considered, it is
but one of the accomplishments of the Association which
sprung up as a result of an idea presented to the member-
ship, and which grew to fruition by constantly working
on it until it became a reality. Without the Association
it never could have been accomplished, and simply confirms
the statement that here we have the opportunity of making
the industry just what is desired, and all that it should be.
Why not, then, utilize this opportunity for still greater
benefits?
The machinery is only waiting to be started.
MAY
THE
10, 1924
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
45
Ihew liOhtsAle
Toull never forget
^^J
*You can't |
FEIST
3
l a l i t e afc low uou steal in-lo m heart and I
C 192)
Leo. Fo.i. Inc
know what we want, and that we want what we want
when we want it.
Many important questions will be
discussed, so make your plans now to be in New York
op the above-mentioned date.
I am in favor of the establishing of a clearing house or
the printing of a general catalog. The first we can under-
take. The latter is a publishers' problem but one that we
would like to see them solve.
From S. Ernest Philpitt, Miami, Fla.
The retail sheet music distribution survey which the
executive committee referred to the publishers and which
tne latter referred back to us should be scheduled as one
topic for discussion at our convention.
It was with the greatest satisfaction that I learned
that the Federal Trade Commission has requested that
the publishers state a definite time when they will put
into operation the proper marking of sheet music with
a price indicating the retail selling price. This is good
news and a step in the right direction, practically the
culmination of a question which the majority of our
association has favored for several years.
I still feel that we should have a general catalog and
that it is up to the publishers to supply this demand from
the dealer.
As far as I am concerned, I feel positive that I am
not enjoying as much retail sheet music business in
Florida as I am entitled to, in consideration of the five
stores I am maintaining here.
Some few houses co-
operate, others protect me when once I have discovered
that they are trading in my territory. I feel that the
publisher should confine his trade entirely to the local
dealer wherever any dealer makes an honest effort to
serve a particular community. Am still and always have
been of the opinion that retail distribution should be
left with the retailer.
If the retailer is not what he
should be let the publisher help to establish him, but
not cut in.
In short 1 am in for anything that tends to protect the
public as to proper values, and dealers in every way that
will enable them to grow and develop, to give the publisher
every chance to exploit his prints but always through the
dealer. I hope some day to see legislation that will re-
strain any producer from marketing at retail his wares if
he attempts to wholesale.
From Leslie E. Miller, Knoxville
I' should not question the right to consideration of the
retail dealer in the matter of sheet music distribution.
However, I am not so sure that the time is ripe for the
retail dealer to demand this "right" of consideration.
Speaking from our own personal standpoint, we have not
found it difficult to get almost unlimited "consideration"
from the publishers in general. It has been demonstrated
and proven that certain publishers have succeeded and
built up a monumental business, almost without the aid
of the retailer and what one or two have done, all can do
if so inclined. We believe, however, that with the proper
spirit of co-operation, due consideration for every retailer
will voluntarily come from the publisher.
The matter of the publisher competing with the dealer
in the retail field has been a constant and much discussed
subject during my more than twenty years' association
with the industry, but I have concrete proof, from prac-
tically all of our foremost publishers, undeniably showing
a willing and hearty desire to direct retail business, in our
territory, through our department. I do not believe that
we, as dealers, have been singled out and made "pets" of.
The same existing conditions under which we operate can
prevail with every dealer and we see no really good reason
why the entire industry cannot proceed as one big family.
From Chas. W. Homeyer, Boston
With the approval of the Federal Trade Commission
of the net marking of sheet music, all who have an in-
terest in the selling of sheet music will be interested in
the working out of this problem.
While we all hope that this change in marking music
will be a great boon to the industry, one nevertheless can-
not help wondering what will happen to the firm that
doesn't maintain these prices. What is the penalty? As
our government has always objected to anything savoring
of price maintenance, what is to happen to the firm that
gives a discount of 10 per cent? If this is to be con-
sidered legitimate for Mr. Jones to give 10 per cent, why
is it not also legitimate for Mr. Smith to give 20 per cent
and if Mr. Smith can give 20 per cent why cannot Mr.
Brown give 33 1/3 per cent and mark his music high
enough to do this?
There is no question in my mind but what the average
store in the sheet music business is increasing in efficiency.
Ten years ago the knowledge that the small stores had
of how to purchase their merchandise to the best advan-
tage was lamentable, but this is gradually improving with
the greater demand for good music and with the larger
profit than existed at that time.
Another factor which
helps small stores is the placing of men in charge of
that portion of the business. While there are a few ex-
ceptionally able young ladies in charge of stores, most of
them stay but a comparatively short time or get married
and the business suffers until some other young lady takes
charge with inevitably the same result.
From W. Deane Preston, Jr., Boston
But a short time now, and we shall again be partici-
pating in the activities of our annual convention—that
gathering of members of the industry from all over the
country which provides such unusual opportunities for the
advancement of our industry, and likewise such healthy
stimulus to "carry on."
And what are you, Mr. Individual Member, preparing
to do as your share in the forward movement on this
occasion? It is the individual making up our membership
on whom rests the responsibility for the success and accom-
plishments of the Convention sessions. It is your asso-
ciation, and the benefits which it aims to accomplish are
your benefits.
Don't feel that the program is cut and
dried, for the outlines which may be provided in advance
by your officers are prepared simply as an inducement to
you to participate more freely in the general discussions,
and to open up possible lines of thought which might
otherwise be overlooked.
Here is your opportunity to present to practically the
entire trade of the country any ideas which you think
worthy of consideration, with assurance that you'll get
helpful response. Have you any complaints of undesirable
conditions existing in your relations with either publishers
or other retailers?
If so, let them be heard, and an
attempt be made to determine the cause, and, if possible,
to arrive at a satisfactory correction.
It seems but a short time since the convention of 1923,
with its interesting discussions and its pretentious plans
for carrying out certain ideas which promised such benefits
to the industry.
Some of those ideas have been carried
through with tremendous help to every retail dealer; yet
others have fallen by the wayside—the victims of inability
to determine that the ideas were practicable of execution at
the moment. But that should not reflect on the desirability
of presenting an idea, for out of these ideas which may
be temporarily called failures may grow one which shall
be better still, and which otherwise might never have seen
the light.
The publishers are shortly to work out the new schedule
of so-called net prices—a matter first mentioned and re-
quested by the Association at a session several years ago.
For various reasons it seemed impossible to carry out
the suggestion at that time, but the seed had been sown,
and now we see the fruits in this very definite change of
system which many retailers feel provides a remarkable
opportunity to place the sheet music business, at last, OB
a permanently sound basis. If so, was it not worth while,
even though the idea at first seemed, to many, a hopeless
dream ?
Epoch-making as this change may be considered, it is
but one of the accomplishments of the Association which
sprung up as a result of an idea presented to the member-
ship, and which grew to fruition by constantly working
on it until it became a reality. Without the Association
it never could have been accomplished, and simply confirms
the statement that here we have the opportunity of making
the industry just what is desired, and all that it should be.
Why not, then, utilize this opportunity for still greater
benefits?
The machinery is only waiting to be started.
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