The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 27 Eighth Annual Convention oflthe National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers Atlantic City, N. J., July 6 and 7, 1914 (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Atlantic City, N. J., July 7. — In the matter of full attendance and harmony the eighth annual convention of the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers' which was held at the Chalfonte Hotel yesterday will stand forth in the association's history as the most successful annual session ever held by the body. In regard to the attendance, particularly, the success of the meeting was not accidental. The officers of the association, L. C. Wiswell, the chairman, and other members of the arrangements committee, and Louis F. Geissler, general manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co., by means of his recent letter to the jobbers urging them to attend the session, all put forth strenuous efforts to make the gathering a notable J. C. Roush, Retiring President. one. The result was that seventy-four of the eighty-five jobbing houses, now members of the association, answered to the roll call in the meeting and representatives of two other houses reached convention headquarters on the day following, making the wonderful total of seventy-six out of eighty-five members represented, or 90 per cent. It is, indeed, rare that in any association convention such a record is made. Following the roll call, reading of minutes and other preliminary business, Joseph C. Roush, president of the association presented his report for the year, which was as follows : President Roush's Report. "Since taking office, September 15, 1913, I have deemed it necessary to call two meetings of the executive committee to discuss matters of importance to the talking machine trade, the first meeting being held in Chicago, September 21, 1913, and the second at Philadelphia, February 15, 1914. I am happy to say that at each meeting the entire executive board was present. Many matters of interest were discussed and Secretary Whitsit will give complete details in his annual report. "The work accomplished during the year has been very gratifying to your officers, and the flour ishing condition of the association at the present time is doubly pleasing in view of the fact that conditions have changed wonderfully during the past year in the talking machine industry. "The Edison disc jobbers have formed an association which should be of immense value to those handling the Edison disc line, and this has created a condition in our membership which should tend towards bettering our association, inasmuch as our association now virtually consists of Victor jobbers, this feature bringing us much closer to our source of supply, as is shown by the tone of General Manager Louis F. Geissler's letter to the jobbing trade, under date of June 20, inviting the heads of Victor jobbing firms to be present at our eighth annual convention. "Your various committees have been received by the Victor officials during the past year with every consideration and every possible attention has been given our various requests. "Financially, the association is stronger than ever and in its present form much can be expected in betterments during the coming year. "During my term I considered it advisable to appoint an advisory committee to consist of all expresidents still actively engaged in the jobbing of talking machines, the junior retiring president to be chairman, this committee to be subject to call of the executive committee for any advice and work deemed necessary by them. I would recommend that our by-laws be amended lo make this committee a permanent one. "I would further recommend that our by-laws be changed at this meeting in order that our membership be strengthened. For instance, we have a number of jobbing firms who are jobbers in two or more cities yet who are members of the association only at one point. I believe it would be wise to amend our by-laws to read that jobbing firms having two or more jobbing branches be admitted to membership at the regular dues of $15 per year at the home office, and $5 per year for each branch house. Officers of the National Talking Machine Jobbers' Association for 1914-1915. President — George E. Mickel, Nebraska Cycle Co., Omaha, Neb. Vice President — E. F. Taft, Eastern Talking Machine Co., Boston, Mass. Secretary — E. C. Rauth, Koerber-Brenner Music Co., St. Louis, Mo. Treasurer — W. H. Reynalds, Reynalds Music Co., Mobile, Ala. "In closing, on behalf of your retiring officers, executive committee, and myself, I wish to thank each and every member for the courtesy and support given your officers and executive committee during their term of office. We also wish to thank you for your promptness in answering various communications which were very important to our association." Next Convention City San Francisco President Roush, in his report before the executive committee at its final meeting on Sunday, also suggested that the by-laws of the association be amended as outlined, and the amendments were adopted in the meeting unanimously. Secretary Whitsit next presented his annual report as follows : Secretary Whitsit's Report. "The membership of the N. A. T. M. J. September 15, 1913, was 108 members, composed of fiftynine jobbers o.f Victor goods, twenty-five jobbers who handle both Edison and Victor, and twentyfour jobbers who handle only the Edison product. Since that time we have had thirteen resignations of jobbers who were handling Edison goods only, and your executive committee dropped from mem Perry B. Whitsit, Retiring Secretary. bership nine concerns for non-payment of dues. There have been four jobbers who have discontinued business, therefore have been dropped from membership in the association, making a total loss of twenty-six members in the association. We have had two new members, which makes the association now stand at a total of eighty-four members. "There has been collected and turned over to the treasurer through this office the sum of $1,380. "The executive committee since the seventh convention has had two meetings, one at Chicago, September 21, 1913, and one at Philadelphia, February 15, 1914. "Every member of the executive committee was present at the Chicago meeting, as well as a number of other members of the association. A number of subjects of interest to the association were acted upon at this time and a committee was appointed to confer with the Victor Co. in regard to them. "The following resolution was unanimously adopted at that time: 'Resolved, That an advisory committee be created, this committee to be made up of the expresidents of the N. A. T. M. J actively engaged in the wholesale distributing of talking machines {Continued on page 28.)