The Washington times., 1906-05-15
President Philip Werlein
Addresses BiggeStCon
ventiOn Ever Held.
STENCIL EVIL A MENACE
lnterfereS With Sales at Uni
form Prices. P. Byrne
Chosen President.

The fifth annual convention OF the Ma
tional Association Of Piano Dealers Of
America was called to order by Presl-
dent Philip Werlein in the convention
hall OF the New Willard this morning.
The convention is the largest in the
history OF the organization. and the
great number OF new members who at
tended showed the membership COM
mlttee had conducted a successful cam
paign during the past year.
In his opening address Mr.. Werle!n
declared the piano trade is deprurng It
self Of much profit that should be OBJ
tained by the loose methods Of selling
practiced by large majority Of the
dealers. He also sounded a timely warm
ing on the stencil evil" saying II is
becoming more serious every year. and
that some method should be adopted
whereby il would be done away with.
Ilus convention should take UP the
matter OF further support of its freight
bureau said Mr.. Werlein. The work
done in this department merits a con-
tinuance Of activity along the same
lines. There are still many gross par
tlalltes shown by the railroads IN deal
Ing with other industries less important
than ours. We must be alive in this
matter and continue the work
The One-Price System.
AAN o-A-- III lCb ASleil1 must become
more nearly a practice than a resolu-
ton The piano trade is depriving itself
of much profit that should be obtained
by the loose method of selling now in
vogue The stencil evil IS becoming
more serious from time to time, and It
should be treated IN no uncertain way.
The mail order competition viii bec7
impossible if the stencil is abandoned
and much unscrHpulous conpetitiop. Will
also become fulpossfbfe TIE definition
OF the stencil should simply be any
piano made in a factory where more
tnan one named piano is manufactured.
The definition will put all of us in the
category of stencil sellers. but we can,
without loss, stop il.
Territory jumping can be prevented
oy the. manufactures. We should take
no action on that matter. The regula-
ton of prices is also n matter for the
manufacturer 10 handle. and II he will
discontinue making stencils he can reg
ulate II. The piano business should. be
put on an absolute basis OF the truest
COmmercialism. for the severe cOmpeti-
uon OF the future VIII not be between
piano and piano, but between commod-
!ty and commodity
Doesn't Want a Trust.
1.-THE automobile. the talking machine.
and the music box are competitors that
rob the piano of its heritage at every
moment. Other commodities have BEEN
put in 4 position TO best protect their
interests by combination OF capital. Far
be IL from me TO suggest such remedy
10 the piano men. for a trust IS as re-
mote a possibility as we can imagine
at this moment in our trade. although
nVe or SIX great houses now produce
and nine or ten sell, One-third Of the
total output OF the country. Methods
must improve. not to prevent a trust
but to stop the wasteful use OF our
resources of capital and ability"
Mr.. Weriein said that during the past
five years the piano trade has improved
hundreds per cent. and the number Of
failures can be counted on one hand. IN
the last five years the one price system
has come largely IN vogue not by liv-
ing up to IL altogether, he explained,
but by setting a maximum price. and
making an effort TO obtain II.
BY this new method a larger average
price has been obtained than ev-r he
fore in the history of the trade, and in
this time nearly 10000 more pianos have
been sold than IN any previous CeriOd.
Asking for Better Rates.
The most important committee report
that will be presented during the Sos
sion was probably the one made this
morning by the freight committee. II
which =. S. Conway, of Chicago, IS
chairman This committee has been con
Quoting n vigorous campaign for the
restoration OF the 81 per hundred rate
10 Pacific Coast points from Atlantic
coast and Eastern points. The commit
tee had expected to accomplish this be-
fore the annual meeung. but owing to
the earthquake. and the heavy losses
TO the railway companies. they consid-
cred 1t inadvisable to press the matter
al this time.
The traffic manager Of the association
Thomas G. Moore, also took up througb
two representatives of the Trans-Conii--
mental AsSOC.S ton the rule Of that a.
ISOLATION by which unlocked pianos 4,
carload lots could be shipped when bar-
messed, and il IS now open to all mann.
facturers to ship according to the West
ern classification
An effort is now being made tosecura
commodity rates from the Southerr
lines. or classification on all shipments
including less than carloads at a reduced
rate Another movement Is on foot To-
have the uniform bil of lading aboI-
ished, and substitute bill of lading
which Will protect the railways and
shippers under the common law This
has practically been successfully carried
out. although the carriers and shippers
have not agreed upon a bill of aiding
that is satisfactory to both interests
The report Of the membership COM
Continued on Fourth Page)