players are barely 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
49 
Musical Instruments in the Foreign 
Trade of the United States. 
Musical instruments to the value 
of over 72 million dollars have 
passed through the ports of the 
United States during the last 20 
years, of which value 25 million 
dollars represented imports and 47 
million, exports. Imports during 
the 20-year period show a decline, 
the value for 1910 being about 20 
per cent less than in 1890; while ex- 
ports show a marked increase, the 
figures for 1910 being nearly three 
times as great as those 20 years ear- 
lier. This statement epitomizes the 
results of a compilation regarding 
imports and exports of musical in- 
struments recently made by the Bu- 
reau of Statistics, Department of 
Commerce and Labor. 
Twenty years ago our foreign 
trade in musical instruments was 
characterized by a large excess of 
imports over exports; at present 
exports largely exceed imports. 
The total importation of musical in- 
struments in the fiscal year 1890 
was $1,703,129, against exports of 
$1,105,134, the excess of imports be- 
ing thus over $600,000. By 1900 im- 
ports had decreased to $1,090,541, 
while exports had risen to $1,958,779, 
making an excess of exports. over 
imports of nearly $900,000. By 
1910 imports had _ increased _ to 
$1,347,862 while exports had _ ad- 
vanced in even greater proportion 
to $3,182,343, the excess of exports 
being thus nearly $2,000,000. The 
10. months ending with April, 1911, 
for which figures are available show 
imports of musical instruments val- 
ued at $1,348,545 and exports of like 
character valued at $2,823,471, indi- 
cating that the complete fiscal year 
which ends with next month will re- 
cord a total of $1,600,000 on the im- 
port side and of $3,300,000 on the 
export side, an excess of exports of 
$1,700,000. If this estimate should 
be actually realized it- would still 
leave the imports of musical instru- 
ments $100,000 less than the figures 
of 1890, while the exports under that 
head would be $2,200,000 above the 
total of 20 years ago and $1,400,000 
above that of 1900. 
Pianos, organs, and piano-players 
are the only classes of musical in- 
struments separately enumerated in 
the export records of the Bureau of 
Statistics. Of these, exports of pi- 
anos are increasing, those of organs 
decreasing, and those of  piano- 
holding their 
own. In 1890 the domestic exports 
_ of pianos amounted to $213,369; in 
1900, $355,665; in 1905, $513,725, 
and in 1910, $1,163,467; while a 
record of $1,066,337 already made 
by the 10 months ending with April, 
1911, indicates that the total for the 
year will be about $1,300,000. Ex- 
ports of organs, on the other hand, 
while advaneing from $750,583 in 
1890 to $993,309 in 1900, have since 
declined to $721,913 in 1910, while 
the figures for the 10 months of 
1911, $534,141, are considerably be- 
low those for the lke period of 
1910, suggesting that the total for 
the fiscal year 1911 will be but little 
over $600,000, or 20 per cent below 
the figures of 1890. Of piano play- 
ers the export record began with the 
fiscal year 1904, the total for that 
year, $889,951, being the largest yet 
shown. In 1905 the total was 
$842,817; in 1907, $585,763; in 1909, 
$463,153; and in 1910, $739,265; 
while the 10 months’ total to April 
30, 1911, $635,988 is sufficiently in 
advance of the corresponding 1910 
figures to justify an estimate of 
$800,000 for the complete fiscal year 
which ends with next month. 
All the grand divisions and prac- 
tically all the civilized communities 
are represented in the list of coun- 
tries to which pianos, organs and 
other musical instruments of Amer- 
ican manufacture are exported. Of 
the 4,966 pianos exported last year, 
1,690, or one-third of the total ex- 
port, went to Canada, 838 to Eng- 
land, 480 to Mexico, 305 to Austra- 
ha, 300 to Cuba, 293 to Argentina, 
137 to Germany, 76 to Italy, and 61 
to France. Of the 9,450 American- 
made organs exported in 1910, 3,297, 
or one-third of the total export, 
went to England, 1,602 to Australia, 
899 to Netherlands, 791 to British 
Africa, 614 to Germany, 327 to Scot- 
land, 322 to Canada, 189 to the Brit- 
ish West Indies, 185 to New Zea- 
land, 150 to Mexico, 122 to the Chi- 
nese Empire, 103 to Norway, and 
100 to Denmark: “QE the 2.735 
piano-players exported last year, 
England is credited with 1,407, or 
more than one-half of the entire 
number, compared with 454 export- 
ed to Germany, 242 to’ Australia, 
169 to Canada, 126 to Argentina, 
and 121 to Brazil. In addition to 
the exports above enumerated, ship- 
ments of greater or less importance 
were made to many remote sections 
of the world, such as the Philippine 
Islands, Korea, British India, Eeua- 
dor, Siam, Liberia, Hongkong, and 
the islands of the sea. 
Most of the musical instruments 
imported into the United States 
come from Germany. Of the total 
importations in 1910, valued at 
$1,347,862, Germany is credited with 
$940,955, against $224,795 from 
France, $99,345 from Austria-~-Hun- 
gary, $28,174 from England, and 
$17,540 from Italy, the imports from 
no other country being as much as 
$10,000. The various kinds of musi- 
cal instruments imported cannot be 
stated, as they are not separately 
enumerated in the returns made by 
the Collectors of Customs to the 
Bureau of Statisties. 
The $3,000,000 worth of musical 
instruments annualy exported repre- 
sents but a very small part of the 
domestic product, since the Census 
Office reports a total production in 
1905 of 69% million dollars. That 
the industry is a growing one may 
be inferred from its record of prog- 
ress. Taking the results as shown 
by the Censuses of 1880, 1890, 1900, 
and 1905, the number of establish- 
ments was, respectively, 429, 674, 
619, and 625;. the capital invested, 
1444 million, 29 2-3 million, 4734 
million, and 72!4 million dollars; 
and the value of products, 1914 mil- 
lion dollars in 1880, 37 million in 
1890, 44% million in 1900, and 6914 
million in 1905. 
Imagination is the supreme gift 
of the gods, and the degree of its 
possession is the measure of any 
man’s advantage over circumstance 
—the measure of his clutch on suc- 
cess. —James Howard Kehler. 
Of what shall a man be proud if 
he is not proud of his friends? 
—Robert Louis Stevenson. 
If you have knowledge, let others 
light their candles by it. 
—Thomas Fuller. 
To be polite is to do and say 
The kindest things in the kindest 
way. 
—Sophia Bronson Titterington. 
“For the Sweet Girl Graduate ” 
All sorts of pretty articles: 
Watches from $5.00 to $50.00 
Diamond Rings from $12 to $50, bargains 
Signet Rings, Ruby Rings, Emerald 
Rings from $2.50 to $12.00 
Pendants, Lockets, Chains, Bracelets, etc, 
STARR @. HEWITT 
158 Essex Street, Salem 
