Presto
Issue: 1920 1794 - Page 5
December 11, 1920.
PRESTO
maker to turn out a Cinderella with more than an inch-and-a-half
rear elevation. When will some equally inspired Rostonian con-
sider that more than six octaves are too many for an upright piano,
and when will he be ready to declare that the player-piano is an
emissary of evil because it will play all kinds of secular music without
the aid of a moral director?
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce is busy in many
ways. A recent chart, resembling- the genealogical table of some
royal family, and designed to clear up any confusion covering the
Chamber's ramifications into all departments of the art and trade,
displays the far reaching ambition of the organization. But whether
the Chamber, in any of its departments, is watching the possibilities
of the spread of the activities of the mock moralists or not we do not
know. It is clear, however, that what Professor Fitch, of Amherst
College, said about the kind of Prussianism that persists, and prom-
ises to spread over free America, contains some thought that is new
to most people.
And there is a good deal in it that should interest the men who
are directly concerned in the manufacture and sale of musical in-
struments. For every restriction of the rational pleasures of the
people must curtail the possibilities of the music trade by lessen-
ing the uses and purposes of music.
One or two of the trade papers, with ill-placed exuberance, or
eagerness to present the "last news first," published a story of the
technical and, no doubt, temporary entanglements of the R. S. How-
ard Company. It is a complication due to the war-time emergency
by which Mr. Howard's factory was taken over for special purposes.
At least so we understand it. No one who knows Mr. R. S. Howard
and his circumstances can doubt that he will quickly "come back"
with colors flying. We expect to make that announcement in the
near future. Meanwhile what some term "trade journalism" is a
mysterious process too often played with by the kind of inexperience
and shallowness that hurts where it should help.
* * *
Methods of taxing and the things taxed will be subjects consid-
ered by our legislators within the next few months. The music trade
and industry recognize taxation as necessary, but they do not admit
SUMMING UP PROBLEM
OF CANCELLATIONS
Department of Chamber of Commerce of the
United States Points to Causes and
Suggests Remedies.
An exhaustive study of the practice of cancella-
tion of orders and repudiation of contracts in almost
every division of business has been made by the
Fabricated Production Department of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, as a result of
which study it groups opinions as to possible causes
under these three heads: That the practice is the
result of war-time irregularities and will pass as
we return to normal basis. That we are now reap-
ing the results of the loose business practices in-
augurated before the war, when many lines were in
a state of over production and the measures taken
to unload this surplus were demoralizing, and that
we have been drifting away from the fundamentals
of sound business and the "Golden Rule,," and that
we must return to a stronger belief in the rights of
others and a higher regard for our own integrity
if the change is to be permanent.
Terming the cancellation practice a "serious mat
ter," the bulletin goes on to say that "earlier in the
year when cancellations began to trickle in they
were almost welcomed by those having more orders
than production, but as prices began to crumble am!
the tide of refusals to perform set in, the seriousness
of the situation was manifest, for it brought with iv
a curtailment of production in lines which had not
reached the volume of normal requirements.
"The retailer cancelled to the jobber and whole-
saler and they in turn to the manufacturer, and he
to those supplying his raw materials—a literal 'pass-
ing the buck' and shirking of responsibility regard-
less of consequences," says the report.
''Sellers
had encouraged buyers by misleading paternalism in
assuming many of the natural responsibilities in
herent of their customers' functions as merchants.
'We will take care of you' or 'you may return the
goods' are examples of some of the undermining- fac-
tors when the pinch came. Last but not least, it is
claimed that banks favored concellations as a rapid
means of house cleaning and bringing business back
that the methods of taxing put in force within the past few years are
fair. Taxes that serve to impede industry and halt commercial
progress and harass trade generally because of the unwisdom in un-
fair apportionment, call for the revision which news from Washington
promises this week. The business world is sick of governmental sug-
gestions to economize so that the economizers would be better able
to dig up the billions for the spending orgy.
* * *
The best proof that the public is interested in music in a great
degree is that the newspapers are featuring music in a particular way.
The newspaper without a music department will soon be as great an
oddity as a newspaper without a baseball page. The newspapers re-
ilect the thoughts and tastes of readers. If public interest in music
were to cease tomorrow the newspapers would quit featuring music
the day after. The editors supply the daily ration of music matter
because the public appetite calls for it.
>|:
*
*
These are times when it behooves all men who think at all to do
some of it. And, still more, it is the part of good judgment to dig in
and sell pianos. Get out and do business instead of hanging around
the store talking about what may never happen—and certainly will
not if everyone attends to his own business and does it well.
* * *
A wise manufacturer said to a Presto representative that it. is
his plan to put a larger proportion of his profits into publicity next
year than ever before. "When a few are frightened is a good time
in which to show that you are not afraid but fully alive." The scheme
will work well.
According to an item in one of the sources of trade information,
"some of the shrewdest trade experts in Washington are freely pre-
dicting a big trade revival to begin not later than next Spring." No
doubt about it, and the piano business should come in for its full share.
Look out for the expenses, but don't saw the limb off so close to
the trunk that it will carry you down with it. Economy in business
doesn't mean drawing in all of the lines that are baited to bring sub-
stantial results.
more quickly to a normal state. If the latter con-
clusion has any merit the fact should not be lost
sight of that somebody paid the bill, for between
May and November the failures both in manufac-
turing and among merchants increased rapidly.
"The apparent lowering of business standards has
made doubtful the value of business written and
placed upon the books for future shipment. Pro-
duction schedules could not be definitely worked out
because of this increasing doubt."
In suggesting the possible remedy for this evil,
the bulletin says: "There is a strong feeling that
this thing must not happen again and to that end many
trade organizations have met and formed committees
and bureaus to deal with it. And the Credit Co-op-
erative and Credit Methods Committee of the Na-
tional Association of Credit Men have met twice
to consider the cancellation of orders problem, and
they suggest one remedy as a safeguard against the
unscrupulous: That each line of trade should at
once examine its contract making and order tak-
ing methods to bring them strictly within legal lines.
"We feel, however," is the statement, "that perhaps
the most effective remedy must be the one that will
call us back to 'first principles,' to where we can
'point with pride' to our house as one that 'fills its
orders and keeps its contracts.'"
F. S. SPOFFORD'S TRADE GROWS.
While F. S. Spofford, piano dealer in the Republic
Building, Chicago, is no longer agent at Chicago for
Hardman, Peck & Co., of New York, that agency
having passed to the Cab'e Piano Company, he is
still selling Hnrdman pianos and he has the agency
for the Hazelton pianos, of New York. He is also
selling talking machines from New York and he says
that trade is growing livelier every day now.
F. D. WIGGINS WITH STARR CO.
F. D. Wiggins, formerly well known in the piano
trade, is back at the business once more, having be-
gun as a retail salesman at the Starr Piano Com-
pany's store in Chicago last Saturday. Mr. Wiggins
was at one time buyer and assistant factory manager
at the M. Schulz Company in Chicago. Later he
traveled out of Chicago for about fifteen years for
the Starr Piano Company, of Richmond, Ind. He
has recently been in the furniture business at Green-
vi'le. Pa. Greenville is 90 miles north of Pittsburgh
and 28 miles northeast of Youngstown, Ohio.
NEW COMPANY SUCCEEDS
FIELD=LIPPMAN IN FORT WORTH
The Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Incorporated for
$50,000, to Continue Policies of Old Concern.
The new Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Fort Worth,
Tex., which succeeds the Field-Lippman Music
Store, is a strictly Fort Worth enterprise and it is
well known that the strongest business men in the
city are associated with Ernest I. Conkling and B.
A. Grimes in the new company, recently incorporated
with $50,000 capital stock. The business will be con-
tinued at 500 Houston street, where the Field-Lipp-
man Music House was moved last May. The new
heads of the concern say the well-known policies
of the Field-Lippman Music House will be con-
tinued.
Ernest I. Conkling, the president of the new or-
ganization, has been with the Field-Lippman Music
House for over twelve years and has an experience
of thirty years in the piano business.
Mr. Grimes, vice-president, has also been asso-
ciated with the Field-Lippman Music House for
several years. He has a wide acquaintance among
musical people in the Texas city and is prominently
active in all public events of a musical nature.
TRADE PRESS MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Chicago Trade Press
Association was held on Monday evening of this
week at the City Club, Dinner was served at $1.50
a plate. New officers were elected and new plans
enunciated. C. S. Richardson was on hand and told
ihe association how to use charts for business pro-
motion. He is an expert well known to business ex-
ecutives. His talk was followed by a round table
on business conditions, postal service and other mat-
ters of business interest.
CHRISTMAS CLUBS.
Christmas clubs will distribute to the more than
3,000.000 member^ throughout the country approxi-
mately $110,000,000. This is an increase over the
amount distributed a year ago of about $10,000,000.
Another phase of the thrift of the peop 1 e is the
Christmas Piano Club, the approximate total for
which would be interesting.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
PRESTO
maker to turn out a Cinderella with more than an inch-and-a-half
rear elevation. When will some equally inspired Rostonian con-
sider that more than six octaves are too many for an upright piano,
and when will he be ready to declare that the player-piano is an
emissary of evil because it will play all kinds of secular music without
the aid of a moral director?
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce is busy in many
ways. A recent chart, resembling- the genealogical table of some
royal family, and designed to clear up any confusion covering the
Chamber's ramifications into all departments of the art and trade,
displays the far reaching ambition of the organization. But whether
the Chamber, in any of its departments, is watching the possibilities
of the spread of the activities of the mock moralists or not we do not
know. It is clear, however, that what Professor Fitch, of Amherst
College, said about the kind of Prussianism that persists, and prom-
ises to spread over free America, contains some thought that is new
to most people.
And there is a good deal in it that should interest the men who
are directly concerned in the manufacture and sale of musical in-
struments. For every restriction of the rational pleasures of the
people must curtail the possibilities of the music trade by lessen-
ing the uses and purposes of music.
One or two of the trade papers, with ill-placed exuberance, or
eagerness to present the "last news first," published a story of the
technical and, no doubt, temporary entanglements of the R. S. How-
ard Company. It is a complication due to the war-time emergency
by which Mr. Howard's factory was taken over for special purposes.
At least so we understand it. No one who knows Mr. R. S. Howard
and his circumstances can doubt that he will quickly "come back"
with colors flying. We expect to make that announcement in the
near future. Meanwhile what some term "trade journalism" is a
mysterious process too often played with by the kind of inexperience
and shallowness that hurts where it should help.
* * *
Methods of taxing and the things taxed will be subjects consid-
ered by our legislators within the next few months. The music trade
and industry recognize taxation as necessary, but they do not admit
SUMMING UP PROBLEM
OF CANCELLATIONS
Department of Chamber of Commerce of the
United States Points to Causes and
Suggests Remedies.
An exhaustive study of the practice of cancella-
tion of orders and repudiation of contracts in almost
every division of business has been made by the
Fabricated Production Department of the Chamber
of Commerce of the United States, as a result of
which study it groups opinions as to possible causes
under these three heads: That the practice is the
result of war-time irregularities and will pass as
we return to normal basis. That we are now reap-
ing the results of the loose business practices in-
augurated before the war, when many lines were in
a state of over production and the measures taken
to unload this surplus were demoralizing, and that
we have been drifting away from the fundamentals
of sound business and the "Golden Rule,," and that
we must return to a stronger belief in the rights of
others and a higher regard for our own integrity
if the change is to be permanent.
Terming the cancellation practice a "serious mat
ter," the bulletin goes on to say that "earlier in the
year when cancellations began to trickle in they
were almost welcomed by those having more orders
than production, but as prices began to crumble am!
the tide of refusals to perform set in, the seriousness
of the situation was manifest, for it brought with iv
a curtailment of production in lines which had not
reached the volume of normal requirements.
"The retailer cancelled to the jobber and whole-
saler and they in turn to the manufacturer, and he
to those supplying his raw materials—a literal 'pass-
ing the buck' and shirking of responsibility regard-
less of consequences," says the report.
''Sellers
had encouraged buyers by misleading paternalism in
assuming many of the natural responsibilities in
herent of their customers' functions as merchants.
'We will take care of you' or 'you may return the
goods' are examples of some of the undermining- fac-
tors when the pinch came. Last but not least, it is
claimed that banks favored concellations as a rapid
means of house cleaning and bringing business back
that the methods of taxing put in force within the past few years are
fair. Taxes that serve to impede industry and halt commercial
progress and harass trade generally because of the unwisdom in un-
fair apportionment, call for the revision which news from Washington
promises this week. The business world is sick of governmental sug-
gestions to economize so that the economizers would be better able
to dig up the billions for the spending orgy.
* * *
The best proof that the public is interested in music in a great
degree is that the newspapers are featuring music in a particular way.
The newspaper without a music department will soon be as great an
oddity as a newspaper without a baseball page. The newspapers re-
ilect the thoughts and tastes of readers. If public interest in music
were to cease tomorrow the newspapers would quit featuring music
the day after. The editors supply the daily ration of music matter
because the public appetite calls for it.
>|:
*
*
These are times when it behooves all men who think at all to do
some of it. And, still more, it is the part of good judgment to dig in
and sell pianos. Get out and do business instead of hanging around
the store talking about what may never happen—and certainly will
not if everyone attends to his own business and does it well.
* * *
A wise manufacturer said to a Presto representative that it. is
his plan to put a larger proportion of his profits into publicity next
year than ever before. "When a few are frightened is a good time
in which to show that you are not afraid but fully alive." The scheme
will work well.
According to an item in one of the sources of trade information,
"some of the shrewdest trade experts in Washington are freely pre-
dicting a big trade revival to begin not later than next Spring." No
doubt about it, and the piano business should come in for its full share.
Look out for the expenses, but don't saw the limb off so close to
the trunk that it will carry you down with it. Economy in business
doesn't mean drawing in all of the lines that are baited to bring sub-
stantial results.
more quickly to a normal state. If the latter con-
clusion has any merit the fact should not be lost
sight of that somebody paid the bill, for between
May and November the failures both in manufac-
turing and among merchants increased rapidly.
"The apparent lowering of business standards has
made doubtful the value of business written and
placed upon the books for future shipment. Pro-
duction schedules could not be definitely worked out
because of this increasing doubt."
In suggesting the possible remedy for this evil,
the bulletin says: "There is a strong feeling that
this thing must not happen again and to that end many
trade organizations have met and formed committees
and bureaus to deal with it. And the Credit Co-op-
erative and Credit Methods Committee of the Na-
tional Association of Credit Men have met twice
to consider the cancellation of orders problem, and
they suggest one remedy as a safeguard against the
unscrupulous: That each line of trade should at
once examine its contract making and order tak-
ing methods to bring them strictly within legal lines.
"We feel, however," is the statement, "that perhaps
the most effective remedy must be the one that will
call us back to 'first principles,' to where we can
'point with pride' to our house as one that 'fills its
orders and keeps its contracts.'"
F. S. SPOFFORD'S TRADE GROWS.
While F. S. Spofford, piano dealer in the Republic
Building, Chicago, is no longer agent at Chicago for
Hardman, Peck & Co., of New York, that agency
having passed to the Cab'e Piano Company, he is
still selling Hnrdman pianos and he has the agency
for the Hazelton pianos, of New York. He is also
selling talking machines from New York and he says
that trade is growing livelier every day now.
F. D. WIGGINS WITH STARR CO.
F. D. Wiggins, formerly well known in the piano
trade, is back at the business once more, having be-
gun as a retail salesman at the Starr Piano Com-
pany's store in Chicago last Saturday. Mr. Wiggins
was at one time buyer and assistant factory manager
at the M. Schulz Company in Chicago. Later he
traveled out of Chicago for about fifteen years for
the Starr Piano Company, of Richmond, Ind. He
has recently been in the furniture business at Green-
vi'le. Pa. Greenville is 90 miles north of Pittsburgh
and 28 miles northeast of Youngstown, Ohio.
NEW COMPANY SUCCEEDS
FIELD=LIPPMAN IN FORT WORTH
The Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Incorporated for
$50,000, to Continue Policies of Old Concern.
The new Conkling-Grimes Piano Co., Fort Worth,
Tex., which succeeds the Field-Lippman Music
Store, is a strictly Fort Worth enterprise and it is
well known that the strongest business men in the
city are associated with Ernest I. Conkling and B.
A. Grimes in the new company, recently incorporated
with $50,000 capital stock. The business will be con-
tinued at 500 Houston street, where the Field-Lipp-
man Music House was moved last May. The new
heads of the concern say the well-known policies
of the Field-Lippman Music House will be con-
tinued.
Ernest I. Conkling, the president of the new or-
ganization, has been with the Field-Lippman Music
House for over twelve years and has an experience
of thirty years in the piano business.
Mr. Grimes, vice-president, has also been asso-
ciated with the Field-Lippman Music House for
several years. He has a wide acquaintance among
musical people in the Texas city and is prominently
active in all public events of a musical nature.
TRADE PRESS MEETING.
The annual meeting of the Chicago Trade Press
Association was held on Monday evening of this
week at the City Club, Dinner was served at $1.50
a plate. New officers were elected and new plans
enunciated. C. S. Richardson was on hand and told
ihe association how to use charts for business pro-
motion. He is an expert well known to business ex-
ecutives. His talk was followed by a round table
on business conditions, postal service and other mat-
ters of business interest.
CHRISTMAS CLUBS.
Christmas clubs will distribute to the more than
3,000.000 member^ throughout the country approxi-
mately $110,000,000. This is an increase over the
amount distributed a year ago of about $10,000,000.
Another phase of the thrift of the peop 1 e is the
Christmas Piano Club, the approximate total for
which would be interesting.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).