PREFACE. 1 This is one of a series of Tariff Information Surveys prepared by the United States Tariff Commission and transmitted to the Committee on Ways and Means. The series covers all of the articles and commodities provided for in the tariff act of October 3, 1913, and others not specifically provided for. It is arranged in the numerical order of paragraphs of that act. In some cases two or more paragraphs have been combined in one pamphlet. In doing this industrial relationship of the articles has been followed when possible. In those instances where a paragraph has been treated under a preceding paragraph of the tariff act reference is made to this fact at the point where the paragraph appears in numerical order. Where one grade of an article is dutiable and another grade of the same article is on the free list, the article is discussed under the dutiable paragraph, which appears first in numerical order in the tariff act. In certain instances articles of close industrial relationship and which occur in separate paragraphs of the tariff act have been combined under one paragraph for convenience of discussion. Reference is made to this fact at the point where the commodities would naturally occur in numerical order. The first pamphlet in the series is an "Introduction and Index,” which contains: 1. An introductory chapter discussing the scope of the series and the general method of treatment. 2. An alphabetical index of the articles provided for in the tariff act of 1913, showing the paragraph of the act in which the article is provided for, and, if discussed under a different paragraph, the number of such paragraph. 3. A list of the pamphlets in the series, showing the paragraphs and articles included in each pamphlet. Thus by use of this "Introduction and Index" the exact location of the discussion relating to a given article or commodity can be ascertained. In the preparation of this report the Tariff Commission had the services of Guy G. George and Charles F. Yauch, of the Commission's staff, and of others. Summary. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PHONOGRAPHS. Summary tables: Musical instruments. General information: 1913 tariff paragraphs..... Description. Domestic production Size and importance of the industry... Materials, equipment, and methods of production. Geographical distribution. History of the industry. Domestic production and consumption............ Domestic exports.... Foreign production.. Imports... Prices.. Tariff history. Competitive conditions. Tariff considerations. : MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PHONOGRAPHS. SUMMARY. The musical instrument industry in the United States has developed mainly since 1850. The essential and distinctive features of the modern piano were introduced in the United States, and the reed organ is almost wholly an American product. The phonograph was invented and developed in the United States. The value of the products of the industry in 1849 was about $2,000,000, and in 1914 the total value of the products of the musical instrument industry, including phonographs, was approximately $120,000,000. Nearly 50,000 wage earners were employed in 1914 and 326,274 pianos, 42,806 organs, and 514,154 phonographs were produced. There were 737 establishments engaged in the industry, capitalized at a total of about $170,000,000. The States of New York and Illinois produced 59.4 per cent of the total value of pianos and organs in 1914, while New Jersey was by far the leading State in the manufacture of phonographs. Foreign competition in the case of pianos, organs, and phonographs has been almost negligible. Imports have been mainly supplementary rather than competitive in the past. The native wood used in the American piano is said to be one of its great permanent advantages. In the foreign market only the high-grade American piano or phonograph can be sold in competition with other makes, but the American reed organ is sold very extensively in all parts of the world. When the sale of a piano or phonograph depends mainly upon, the price rather than upon the quality, the foreign instrument almost invariably finds a more ready sale than the American. The tariff rate on musical instruments was 45 per cent ad valorem from 1897 until 1913, when it was reduced to 35 per cent. |