The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-28
Prominent Local Piano Man
ufacturer Was Particular
~ Interested in Conditions
in Far East.
PIANO INTRODUCED
TO THE JAPANESE
But the Yankees of the Or
lent Are Not Very Musi-
cal-Says Division of Chi
ma Is to Come Soon.

and ASA, requiring nearly SIX months
of time, Henry Gennett, president of
the Starr Piano company, made num-
ber of important discoveries; that
there is little anti-American feeling in
Japan; that the sending of provisions
to China by Americans to be used in
the famine districts is utterly foolish.
for the food is used by rich Chinese
officials and never gets to the poor
classes; that China is a rich country,
which some day will be divided. with
Germany, England, Japan and Ameri.
ca making desperate grabs for their
shares; that Chinese immigration to
the United States is not desirable
Mr.. Gennett. his wife and daughter
Miss Rose, returned to Richmond Mon.
day night.
Mr.. Gennett, during his three weeks
stay in Japan, made careful study of
the country. The piano business there
is bad. he says, for the Japanese have
but little musical taste. But the Japs
otherwise, are thrifty, hard working
people, whose model in all things COM
mercial is America. The Jap is ready
to Gennett. The Jap says that the
American is the greatest man in the
world. In cloth making, An art for
which the French are noted. the Jap.
anese says America excels the world.
They are fond of all sorts of American
stuffs and admire the thrift and work
ing qualities of the American.
The hand of fellowship is extend
ed by the Japanese nation to the Uni
ted States SO far as my observation
was carried" declared the piano manu-
facturer I'VE were treated with the
greatest of courtesy during our trip
through the 'Flowery Kingdom The
Jap demands one thing: that he is to
be recognized commercially by the Uni
ted States. Japan wants to get on to
the commercial manners and customs
of the American, as he recognizes our
methods as the best in the world"
Continuing Mr.. Gennett said that his
company at first had been made sport
of in Japan for establishing an agency
in that country. BY doing so the local
company had to compete with the Ger.
sell pianos, though much inferior in
quality, for one-third the price of an
American instrument. The Japs are
not very particular what kind of in
struments they have, at least they
have shown no choice up to the pre-
sent time. However, the Starr Com
pany has been getting a foot-hold in
the Japanese market by offering a SUI
perior instrument. The Starr branch
house lis in Toxic.
While in China Mr.. Gennett became
familiar with the grab situation in
that country He says the American
railroad loan of 5O,0OGOOO was great
ly opposed by foreign nations, it be-
ing feared that United States would
get too great a hold on China by max
ing the loan.
China Big Country.
How there ever could be railroad
built through that country of gravel
mounds is more than 1 can say" com,
mented Mr.. Gennett, speaking of the
proposed railroad for which the loan
has been made. Every time a China
man died, anywhere in the world, you
know" continued Mr.. Gennett, his
bones are sent back to China for bur
ial. When a man is buried there the
body is placed any where the grave
digger happens to fancy; there are no
established grave yards. A large
mound, similar 10 our Indian mounds,
is built up over the grave. don't be-
lieve that railroad could be built
without the destruction of one of
these graves every 100 feet
At Tsingtau, one of the most beau
tiful and busiest places in China, the
Germans have their stronghold, while
the English are at Hong Kong. which
according to MIR. Gennett is probably
the trade center of the world He
thinks the Germans will get the big
gest share in the final division of Chi
ma The French are at Shanghai
One of the river pilots in China
told me-" said Mr. Gennett, that for
Americans to send provisions to the
famine districts in China is nearly
laughable. He said the provisions
have to go through the hands of sew
eral government officials and by the
process of elimination which takes
place during this governmental in
spection the provisions diminish until
there is nothing left of them when
they reach the famine districts"