The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1915)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Editor and Proprietor. J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor. Trade Representatives: Glad. Henderson, C. Chace, L. E. Bowers, B. Brittain Wilson, A. J. Nicklin, August J. Timpe, L. M. Robinson. Boston: John H. Wilson, 324 Washington Street. Chicago Office: J£. P. Van Harlingen, Consumers' Building, 220 South State Street. Henry S. Kingwill, Associate. Telephone, Wabash 5774. London, Eng-., Office: 2 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St. W. Lionel Sturdy, Mgr. The Talking Machine World has regular correspondents located in all of the principal cities throughout America. Published the 15th of every month at 373 Fourth Ave., New York. SUBSCRIPTION (including postage): United States, Mexico, $1.00 per Year; Canada, $1.25; all other countries, $1.75. ADVERTISEMENTS: $4.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising pages, $125.00. REMITTANCES should be made payable to Edward Lyman Bill by check or Post Umce Money Order. iS" NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. — Advertising copy should reach this office by the first of each month. By following this rule clients will greatly facilitate work at the publication headquarters. Long Distance Telephones — Numbers 5982-5983 Madison Sq. Cable Address: "Elbill," New York. NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 15, 1915. DURING the concert, or musical, season talking machine men would do well to feature their business in such a way that they could take advantage of the publicity which the great artists are receiving. Window featuring could be made an effective part of the advertising campaign, and it may be truthfully stated that the window display feature is growing steadily in this trade. It shows after all the result of educational work and what steady pounding means. We have seen more beautifully decorated windows in the talking machine trade in the past six months than any previous six months since the industry has been established. That shows that the talking machine dealers are realizing more than ever the advertising advantages of what the best space in the store means to them. We say the best space— that is, the window space. Many have attractive window displays of a most original and effective character. It is impossible to enumerate the special windows to which our attention has been drawn, but certainly the dealers are showing resourcefulness in the development of this feature of their business. This is going to tell more than ever during the musical and approaching holiday season. New plans are going to be developed so that the advertising advantages of the show window will be utilized more effectively than ever before. It is the kind of work which will bring the talking machine into favorable notice before hundreds of thousands of people whose attention might not otherwise be drawn to it. It is the kind of work which should be encouraged in every possible way, and the entire trade, from Maine to California, is now becoming thoroughly aroused to the advantage of an attractive window display as a business building force. The talking machine affords the introduction of many novel features in a window environment and gives the imagination an opportunity for play which is resultful in creating some decidedly attractive shows. Here is a feature of the business that cannot be overdone, and ideas in this direction can be translated into good, cold cash. THE opponents to price maintenance are active and every reader of The Talking Machine World should understand fully that the interests supported by the cut-rate advocates are using strenuous efforts to defeat the Stevens Bill, which will be presented to the next Congress. Various arguments are being prepared, some of which to the superficial reader seem fair and plausible. The cut-raters are carrying on an extensive campaign, and every man who believes in price maintenance should realize that he must do something to counteract this systematic work, which is country-wide in its influence, that is being carried on against price maintenance, as typified in the proposed law. It should be understood that this opposition comes largely from the people who are interested in cut-rate offerings, but unless the talking machine men wake up to the seriousness of the situation, there is no doubt but that the cut-raters are going to make their efforts felt in many quarters. There is no industry that would be more benefited by price maintenance than that to which The World directly appeals. Price maintenance means business stability, and it means the upholding of those principles which are of vital interest to the public and are recognized as an incentive in the promotion of business efficiency among merchants. Without price maintenance talking machine men will find a depreciation in their present stock values. Depend upon it, the cutraters, if they can, will place this industry in such a position that every man whose investments to-day are buttressed around with every element of protection in the talking machine trade, will be seriously weakened. HERE is no question of greater importance which confronts the trade than the one of price maintenance. Not only is the manufacturer injured by the destruction of fixed prices, but the jobber and the dealer likewise, and straight through to the public, because the public will lack that protection which it receives to-day through standardized articles which are maintained, the manufacture of which is conducted on the highest lines, insuring the public a quality standard which it cannot secure in bargain counter purchases. No manufacturer can maintain the excellence of his product in the face of cut prices. Price maintenance means protection all the way through, and price cutting means the destruction of conditions which make for business stability, and we may add all of the incentive to increased excellence. In this connection we might quote from the opinion of the Supreme Court of Washington in the Fischer Flouring Mills case: The court said : "The true competition is between rival articles, a competition in excellence, which can never be maintained if, through the perfidy of the retailer who cuts prices for his own ulterior purposes, the manufacturer is forced to compete in prices with goods of his own production, while the retailer recoups his losses on the cut prices by the sale of other articles, at, or above, their reasonable price. It is a fallacy to assume that the price cutters pocket the loss. The public makes it up on other purchases. The manufacturer alone is injured, except as the public is also injured through the manufacturer's inability, in the face of cut prices, to maintain the excellence of his product. Fixing the price on all brands of high-grade flour is a very different thing from fixing the price on one brand of high-grade flour. The one means destruction of all competition and of all incentive to increased excellence. The other means heightened competition and intensified incentive to increased excellence." A GOOD many talking machine men like to cherish the belief that somebody is going to save them without exertion on their part. That is a most selfish position, and one which if followed broadly would mean victory for the price cutters. Every man whose interests are involved should see to it that he relies upon no one else save himself to impress the men who represent him in Congress regarding his views concerning the Stevens Bill. It is not a question to ignore, because it is most vital, and every man who reads The Talking Machine World should call upon his Congressman personally if he can. If not, wire him his opinions why the Stevens Bill should be supported. It is a question of selfprotection to himself and to the public, and one which should not be ignored and passed along to someone else. We do not care whether a man is located in a small town or a large one — whether in the densely populated East or on the great plains of the West — the principle is the same everywhere, and the