New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-09
PIANO MEN AND THEIR TRADE
THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS ANNUAL
MEETING IN BOSTON
STEPS TO ADVANCE THE TRADE AND BENEFIT
THE PUBLIC TAKEN-'FAKEs' OF VARIOUS
KINDS TO RE FOUGHT.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.1

KINDS TO RE FOUGHT.
inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE1
Roston June Sat two meetings held in the
| Hotel Brunswick to-day the Piano Manufacturers
| Association Of America took action which II ID
believed will tend to the advancement OF the
/ trade and the benefit of the public. Inc mee'lhe
was the first regular annual meeting OF the associa-
,ion II began with dinner given to the associa-
,ion nv the local association OF dealers, ana eue'
r.,th a hanouet at which the speakers were hehry
;, Miller president OF the association VINO pre-
sided; Mayor Quincy. the Rev. Or. Edwafu H'e's''
Hale H. f. Krehbie and Charles n Parsons,
The routine business transacted was the seiec'ion
- ycahl,oton "a the Mace OF meeting next April
ard tho recollection OF board OF ofhcers' coipo'0u
Of Henry +. Miller. president: a. H. risohe', ~.
vicc-president: Handel Pond second wee ~
George p Bent treasurer, and ROBERT - ""'"
merer, secretary. , .s oiso
Tho Executive Committee named below was also
~ Nth the exception OF Nahum Stetson
r,bo declined a reelection Charles II. Steih"aS
,os elocted in his stead Together with I. H. Fa'
CONS and Robert Prodiow, he was placed vi wv
new Committee OF Complaints and GrieVanoe''
Tho principal object of the meeting was ~ -
cider means for correcting certain ABUSES -
49,, ,o ~, IN the pianoforte trade chieny as
a rosult OF the sharp competition when mas pr
vailed in It FOR several decades past Inc cnh'
or these abuses discussed AT inc "e'S
manufacturers held in New-York IN Aus'S' "
W
tbroa sub-committees were appointed 10 iof"uin''
,h,, and sugrest remedies to Executive Con
,oi,tee composcd of Nahum Stetson. cnarna"' "
Nev-York: George r. Blake, Boston, i'ou''
Rach New York; Frederick T. Stien, ba''''',V'
and Robert A. Widenmann. OF New-fo ln' ""
committee In turn brought the matters " vac
,ention OF the association to-day Inc mates
80 nm under three heads-"Trade EthIcs'
80 ogislatIon" and Systems" The sisnitoahce VI
the first title Is indicated BY letter ""'0' ~
CON, ont 70 about six hundred pianoforte dealers
throughout the country, asking them 10 common
cate 10 the chairman of the committee i-o
pach any abuses questionable practices vi u.'u'
,,abI methods existing In the various cities Vi INC
county together with suggestions as 10 re"euie'
To these letters only nfty-n answers "e'e
ceived and some OF them were WHOLLY irreie'ns
tho matters at Issue 1t IL understood that Some
the things against which action was 10 pe ui'7
were various kinds OF deception practlsen uy VI"
scrupulous dealers on the public. SUN hie adve--
auctions fake" private safes nlsi p nnhustness-
Using and Misrepresentation, az aso u" IL "a
Ike treatmen; OF competitors The lax axe, rS.T
fsctnrcrs ard dealers Of a low grade OF instru-
rnents panofortes are put INTO prNate 'D- 80
a,,o ,,r Th"v must be sold Sometimes men. but
more frequently women. are employee 10 "a irSi.
eating that prices far beyond the real vaiue 81 .e
Instruments have been paid, ana me @ lid Tor
much more than they are worth. rake auS syn
are conducted in an analogous way piano. 81 re
h.tpo laced houses and SOLD as part OF w
sS,,ntI pf"rnituTe Misrepresentatons touching the
OF the instruments OF TWAS are a,so MO
and Il is a common trick 10 attract purchasers ''so
salcsrooms by announcements OF hlSn-sIaue IA, IN
sfrumenr AT an absurdly low price and then claim,
Ing that the Instrument has just been sold. or that
the announcement OF price. stldlhleu " a Al
space from the name, had no reference 10 p ~
these practices are eondemnSd by me repdsaoo
men OF the trade on ms supjoG, we h, deaer. in
he larger cities TO form local organizauons Jay
our plans to meet the Objectionable features con-
fronting them and covering conditions when they
have TO face, with view 10 s,narnE ,,'rssr -
ISOLATION. such local organizations having me helP
o. nember Of the Executive commute, ros , $50
provide. ,or 70 receive and investigate complaints.
To- tie Executive COMMITTEES for prompt action,
Tho questions which came up under Inc head OF
legislation deal: with such subjects as the advisa
sold on the nsialment plan (whec was decided TO
the laws of the different States such subjects'
fraudulent tuners regua!ors ETC., whom me aS
through the medium Of such a committee on grey
:Se rs II was Was aso decided 70 urge upon the con-
gress the. need and desirability of the prompt pI
ob,aa.ns credit Information drstted BY the Com,
m,:ee on Systems, OF which Robert A. Widenmainn
was chairman. also reported by the Executive
Committee. II Is to be referred TO legal counsel:
rs Is ss iha5 at Systems 'OO"ea 0y
Tho following REPRESENTATIVES OF different firms
throughout me country were present: Nahum stet,
Bchr. John Evans, r. \: widenmsnn, r. Koch
Ra" Robert sf = kacmmeTeT II Paul Mehln
II. Proddow Kroeger Plano Company, {. H. Par,
sons. T. Floyd Jones, Myron 4. Decker, Leopold
=. t. Waters. Ludwig & Co. and f. Conner. OF
Ncw-York. George A. Gibson, ". H. Poole. p n
l. I; Mason. James Hollzer; C Howes. Henry
Stenert Chandler W. Smith and James G. Miller,
q Boston: + = stien p and George W steff Of
Mass. George I. Rent and the ". w Kimball
Company, OF Chicago; q. A. Anderson, Of Van
Vert Ohio; W. g. Burgess OF Auburn. y. y; A.
Brambach and Charles Amman. OF Dogevie. y.
Y. j. j. Estey OF Hratteboro: n. Y: James s.
Gray and William J. Gray, OF Albany. n. Y. g. y.
r. Prescott Of Concord. n H.; +. c. Smith and f.
q Smith. jr. OF Brooklyn; G. Whitney. OF Norwalk.
Onto; Rufus A. Flanders OF Milwaukee. and J. c.
81 of hflafalDhts