The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1911)

THE TALKING MACHIISE WORLD. 33 CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TALKING MACHINE JOBBERS — Continued. lieve we have passed a fairly peaceful period since our last convention. Unofficially, three or four individual cases of complaint have reached the ears of the committee, but nothing has been presented for action. All of which is respectfully submitted. REPORT OF MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE. At the beginning of the year there were 156 job■ bers, both Victor and Edison, in the United States. There were 117 who were members of the association. During the year every firm and every individual not a member of the association has been solicited by mail to join tlie association, and an application blank sent them. We have been able to secure the following members : Sol Bloom (Talking Machine Co., Philadelphia) ; R. I. Penick, Montgomery, Ala. ; R. S. Williams & Sons Co., Toronto, Can. ; Sherman, Clay & Co., Seattle, Wash.; Philip Werlein, New Orleans, La.; Schultz Bros., Omaha, Neb.; Early Music House, Fort Dodge, la.; Walter G. Clark Co., Omaha, iNeb. ; Eilers Piano House, Seattle, Wash. ; Henry Horton, New Haven, Conn. ; Wisconsin Talking Machine Co., Milwaukee, Wis. ; Emanuel Blout, New York City ; making a total membership of 120. There are now thirty jobbers who are not members of the association. Respectfully submitted, Geo. E. MicHELS, Chairman. REPORT OF PRESS COMMITTEE. L. C. Wiswell, chairman Press Committee, submitted the following report ; Your Press Committee desires to report that they have worked diligently endeavoring to give as wide publicity as possible to all notices and announcements pertaining to our association. Your committee, immediately upon receipt of news matter, placed same in tlic hands of the trade papefs for publication. All members present can testify that the trade papers, especially The Talking Machine World, have had, during the past few months, many excellent articles pertaining to our association and the present convention, i. e., arrangements made for the entertainment of delegates, etc. This small report would not be complete without a due vote of thanks and extension of our lasting appreciation to the trade papers, especially The Talking Machine World, for their support and good-fellowship. Edward Lyman Bill, editor of The Talking Macliine World, is due a special vote of thanks for the excellent full-page ads. he ran in The Talking Machine World, issues of May and June, in the interest of this convention. LAWRENCE McGREAL'S REPORT. Lawrence McGreal, chairman of Arrangement Committee, made a report detailing the program which was carried out so successfully during the week. TREASURER BUEHN'S REPORT. Louis Buehn, treasurer, made the following report: It has been my privilege since the forma L. C. WISWELL, CHlMRM.^X, PRESS CO.MMITTEE. tioii of the National Association of Talking Macliine Jobbers at Buffalo in 1908 to hold the office of treasurer, and it is with considerable pleasure that I submit herewith my report showing the most healthy condition of our finances since our organization. RKCEIPTS. Balance un hand, July 1, 1910 $410.T2 Casli received from dues 1,702.50 Cash received from Report IJlanl<s 20.42 Banquet receipts 618.00 $2,751.64 EXPEMHTLRES. Printing $200.43 -Salary ( T. C. Konsli) 375.00 1910 Bamiuet 575.00 Stenographers" fees J!il(i 49.80 Postage 106.55 Mileage for E.Kecutive C'lMnn iiu 354.24 Misccllarieoiis 30.20 1,691.22 ]!alance Jn hand $1,060,42 It is very gratifying to note the substantial increase in the cash on hand, this being particularly true when you take into consideration that we have absolutely no unpaid bills on file and that our secretary's salary is paid up until the expiration of his present term, September 15. I feel that our entire membership is entitled to hearty thanks for the manner in which they have responded with their dues, and it is particularly gratifying that there is such a small amount on our books as delinquent. EDISON POLICY DEFINED. An interesting paper on "The Edison Policy," by Frank L. Dyer, president of Thos. A. Edison, Inc., was then read by F. K. Dolbeer, sales manager of the Edison concern, as follows : The first announcement to which attention should be called, rather more as an actual achievement than as a prediction, is the change of our corporate name, and the inclusion within our activities of a large and lucrative business in connection with moving pictures. The coupling of Mr. Edison's name with the companj', was, we believe, an important move, because he stands to-day pre-eminent as a man who has accomplished wonders in the past, and who may be expected to accomplish even greater wonders in the future. The public realize this, and they know that in an active commercial life of upwards of forty years Mr. Edison has never handed them a gold-brick. His cement and storage battery enterprises, to which he devoted so much of his time during recent years, are now on a commercial basis, and he has, theiefore, turned his almost undivided attention to the development and improvement of the phonograph, with which his name has been so intimately connected. Artistic Reproducing Disc Machine Designed. We have recognized that for some years past a demand has been gradually growing for phonographs outside of the field of popular amusement ; that is, in the field of artistic reproduction. Robert G. Ingersoll divided music into three classes — that which appeals to the head, that which appeals to the heart and that which appeals to the heels. In the past the phonograph has largely appealed to the heart and to the heels, but we now recognize that it should make an appeal to the head. For the past two years we have been devoting much time and expense to the perfection of a d.sc machine designed especially to make this appeal, but which we do not anticipate will seriously displace our present machines and records in the special fields they have always filled. It would have been a simple matter to have copied the designs of our compe'itors, making only such changes and adapting such e.xpedients as were necessary in view of patents, and in doing so we would not have been without precedent. We need only call your attention to the fact that probably the greatest invention in the phonograph art was the system originally introduced by us of selling goods under agreements to maintain prices. We (Continued on page 34.) PHOTOGRAPH OF SOME; Qf THE VISITING DELEGATES TAKEN IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL PFISTER.