The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-04
PHOTOGRAPHS NOW
POPULAR IN CHINA
French Machines Favored Be-
cause of Lower Price-Jap-
anese Have Eye on Market.

When monographs nrst appeared In
China the great Introductory appeal
was made through the well known lis
tening dog, and the practical Chinese
Immediately asked: "Why spend SO
much money to entertain dog?'
But times have changed. and through
out all Of the Orient monographs are in
constant use and their distribution Is
almost as general as that of sewing
machines and even more general than
that of cheap motor cars.
Concerning monographs In Manchuria
Consul-General Pontins says: "Phono-
graphs are now well known and popular
throughout this district, and their sale
would be greatly extended II the manu-
facturers and foreign importers would
handle and push the trade themselves
instead of leaving it to Chinese mid
dlemen. The Chinese use Photographs
not only for purposes of entertainment,
but also install them in shops to at
tract customers by playing well known
and popular pieces of native music.
When n native shop is opened the
photograph plays a prominent part In
the ceremony. On the public streets, in
tea houses and other places OF public
entertainment men carry instruments
and records on their backs, offering to
play records for very small fee.
"A French machine finds ready sale
ir this market and is well known among
The Chinese for its good quality A few
American machines are to be found IN
the local stores but owing to the rather
i.tgh prices do not find a ready sale.
A few years ago an endeavor was made
TO introduce machines of Japanese man
ufacture to the local trade, but the
effort met with small success in spite
Of the favorable terms offered, owing to
the inferiority of the instruments and
the comparatively high prices asked.
because of very small foreign pop
ulation there Is little or no demand for
the higher priced cabinet machines.
The most popular styles of instrument
among the Chinese are those of the box
shape variety of medium size. with horn,
using disk records. No doubt cheap
cabinet graphophone would also find q
ready sale. Double records are the
cnly kind in demand. and these must be
OF native, popular, and patriotic music
either vocal or instrumental. Records
containing dialogues on educational sub
;ects are in demand among the student
,iass. Records Intended to be used IN
North China and Manchuria must be in
iects are quite unintelligible to the peo-
rIe of the North.
Permission could readily be obtained
for demonstration purposes In various
local stores or premises on main thor
oughfare might be rented for the pur'
lose. Since the class of people who car
afford to buy monographs are all able
to read. literature printed in Chinese
could be distributed and posters used II
order to attract public attention.
"If machines were sold on cash pay
ments of about 90 per cent. the balance
In monthly instruments, undoubtedl!
many people would buy instruments who
now feel they cannot afford to pay al
cash. 1t would be advisable to include
certain number of records with ever,
machine sold. A good stock of records
,hould be kept on hand either In Mukder
or some nearby distributing centre"