The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1916)

50 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD BANQUET OF THE JOBBERS' ASSOCIATION Never in the history of the Jobbers' Association has there ever been a banquet that quite compared in attendance, entertainment and general arrangements with that held on Tuesday evening at the Traymore, which represented the big social event of the convention. Not the least interesting feature was the appearance of James F. Bowers in his regular role of toastmaster, with his fund of Celtic wit bubbling out in practically every sentence. The speakers of the evening included Louis F. Geissler, general manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co.; Hon. Edward F. Trefz, of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States; Edwin C. Rauth, the newly elected president; Andrew G. McCarthy, the retiring president of the association, and J. Raymond Bill, of the Talking Machine World. In his address, as the first speaker, Mr. Geissler told of the wonderful development of the Victor business and of the optimistic outlook for the future and said: Louis F. Geissler on Victor Expansion "Mr. President, Mr. Toastmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen — I am again grateful for the honor and pleasure afforded by your kind invitation to another meeting with your association and our friends of the talking machine industry. "Your conventions are indeed an exceptionally genial gathering of friends rather than competitors; I doubt if there be another national business organization wherein a feeling of such fine fellowship — such general interest and comradeship exists as does within this body of Victor distributers who comprise the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers of America. "For years your annual meetings have been looked forward to by your members with anticipatory pleasure — your affairs and relations as between yourselves and with our company have been so tranquil — confidence so complete and mutual, that little of frictional purport has ever darkened the horizon or threatened the harmony of our meetings and conferences; for this the Victor Co. has striven and to the maintenance of this delightful condition our distributers have contributed until this policy of real family intimacy and trust has been created. "It is our hope that the behavior of our company in its future dealings with your membership will be such as to perpetuate this enviable relationship. "Your meetings have been honored socially and advantaged by a good attendance and a lively interest upon the part of the ladies of your families — God bless them — what a prosy lot of fellows we would appear on these occasions without them. The debt that we owe them we gratefully acknowledge — they are the incentive for our noblest impulses and greatest ambitions — their intelligent interest in our business affairs, their intuitively good advice in times of crisis, their encouragement and solace in adversity, every real man applauds and we of the talking machine industry are blessed with women who have come up and through with us from the days of smaller and less pretentious things, through the days of experiment, doubt and worry in the industry to these days of prosperity and expansion and the enjoyment of your prosperity is all the more complete because of the happy association of your charming wives and daughters with your accomplishments. "While I yield to no man any greater respect for the ladies than I possess and, have tried to express, I am not entirely oblivious of the traits of some very importunate business women and at this point a story recently read may be apropos just to show my male friends present what they have missed: "John D. Rockefeller's friends say that he tells this most frequently: It is the story about the man whose wife had him bluffed and who was obliged to do her bidding. One night she chased him under the bed. He persisted in peeking out from under to see what she was up to. In harsh tones she bade him quit his peeking. Summoning all the courage at his command he declared: 'So long as I've the spirit of a real man, I'll take a little peek!' "If I have less to say to you all to-night than has been my wont upon similar occasions, it is because to-morrow I hope, the Victor Co. is to have the pleasure of this audience at our program of business talks, whereat more technical affairs will be dealt with and in which we hope your business instincts and acumen will cause you to be much interested. "The evening concert will assemble such an array of world ' renowned talent as is possible only for the Victor Co. to gather. "The artists who are present to entertain you and have their children play pianos and other musical instruments. Talking machines are simply the great stepping stones to a realization of how life improves because of the music which is put into it. "This Jobbers' Association has not only endeavored to raise the national character of our people through musical appreciation, but it has fought to place the music trade on a basis of healthy profits — profits of a standard sort that admit of great constructive service^ in the vending of musical instruments, and some day when price maintenance has been established, thanks in great measure to the untiring efforts of the association, the rest of the music trade will be loud in its acclamation of the far sighted policy which you gentlemen have adopted. "The talking machine has not only brought music into the homes of the masses — has not Hotel Traymore, Atlantic City, Where responded to the invitation to appear at your convention with such unfeigned pleasure and with such an exhibition of appreciation for what you have done and are doing for them that the compliment is all the prettier and more enjoyable. "I will close my remarks by extending to you all, on behalf of the Victor Co., the warmest invitation to be in attendance at our Victor Day at Camden and Philadelphia on Thursday." Messrs. Clay and Rauth Speak Following Mr. Geissler came Philip T. Clay, who made a witty address on general subjects, and who gave way to E. C. Rauth, the newly elected president. Mr. Rauth expressed his belief in short speeches and stated that he would follow that rule, which he accordingly did. Silent Toast to the Late Col. Bill Before introducing the next speaker, J. Raymond Bill, of the Talking Machine World, Mr. Bowers paid a glowing tribute to his father, the late Col. Edward Lyman Bill, founder and editor of The World, and called for a standing and silent toast to Col. Bill's memory. J. Raymond Bill's Remarks "To my mind the true mission of music is to ennoble and uplift, and I doubt if anything has been a greater factor towards accomplishing this result than has the talking machine. Most musical instruments require years of training to play them, not so the talking machine. That is why its appeal has been so universal, because through it music in all its varieties is open to everyone and anyone. It is the one practical instrument that can introduce musical appreciation on a real and nation-wide scale. As far as hurting the other branches of the music trade — that is impossible — for the more that people become familiar with the great musical compositions the more they will want to play Convention and Banquet Were Held only happily enriched the men who have made the talking machine business their calling, but it has also left an indelible mark of good nature on the men who have been engaged in the work of spreading music broadcast. Surely if music raises a national character, there is a great deal of satisfaction in furthering its cause. Whether we be manufacturers, jobbers, dealers or journalists, we all unite under the inspiration given by good music, and this inspiration is not without its reflection. It shows in the contented smiles of every person here. Look around you and you will easily see that not only is there no discord in good music, but that the social harmony between the vendors of good music is complete." Speech, of Hon. Edward F. Trefz The final speaker was E. F. Trefz, who talked on "The Relation of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States to the Business Interests of the Country," and gave the jobbers some new ideas of just what the Chamber is and how it operates for the protection of the business man. He said: "Business for the past few years has been under a sort of theoretical indictment on the part of our government. Business has been looked upon with suspicion. It started with the fight upon the railroads about fifteen years ago, and while doubtless in the process of rehabilitation, recapitalization and readjustment, there have been some abuses in the conduct of those corporations, we believe the railroads of this country, because of their particular advancement over the railroads of all other countries, have given in the increase of taxable wealth far greater value than they can possibly have taken out of society. . . . "It is not in the passage of a law but in the inculcation of law that society realizes its surest safeguard.