New-York tribune., 1907-11-07

Henderson; first vice-president s. D. Waldon: sec
ond v1ce-president, William E Metzger; third vice
president, L. H Kittridge; secretary, c. c. Hide
brand; treasurer William R Inns.
The next monthly meeting Will IN all probability
be held on Wednesday, December 4. at the Chicago
SHOW. In accordance with request OF the Ameri-
can Automobile Association for the appointment of
conference committee the president was in
sUucted 10 make such an appointment. The sug-
gestions relative to racing circular tracks re-
Gently adopted by a conference under the auspices
OF the American Automobile Association were re-
ferred to the contest committee for action.
The repo OF the president IN part foIlows
1T has been the good fortune of all my prede-
cessors in office to be able. in opening their
report TO congratulate you and the entire industry
upon the favorable conditions under which the
automobile business has been conducted. At our
last annual meeting the retiring president noted
that the members of this association had been rea-
sonably conservative in the number of cars pro-
duced. and expressed the opinion that so long
this conservatism went hand in hand with quality
the automobile industry would be conducted on a
safe and sound basis. The wisdom of the advice
implied by his remark has been proved by recent
events.
Not because of overproducton, not because there
has been falling off in quality, not because the
country IS less prosperous the purchasing power
of the people Is exhausted but because Of abnor-
NAL conditions for which manufacturer can be
blamed. which no manufacturer could accurately
foretell. and against the effects Of which
facturer consider himself absolutely proof. the
time has come when consider II my duty to
phasZe the remarks OF your last president, and to
that IT IS now necessary and Will in al proba-
bity continue necessary all through the season
exercise the utmost caution.
brief intimation has been given you in earlier
reports Of the work performed by your committee
on highway Improvement. The most satisfactory
results have been obtained. 1t has not been, and
is not now considered wise to give publicity TO a
complete report. The committee has been quietly
working for three years. studying the good roads
movement throughout the country, with the idea
OF making sure in which direction II could best
expend its efforts. Analysis has shown that most
OF the good roads organizations have been able
to accomplish good only locally, and that there is
to-day no representative national good roads move
ment including all industries and individuals de-
sirous of better highways. With this idea in view
this past summer has been spent in gathering to-
gether the larger Industrial interests who could
be counted upon for financial support in this
movement and in the perfectlng of an organization
that might really accomplish something in a tan
gible way.
Just the moment the plans of the committee
are eliminating in long hoped for combination Of
interests which will absolutely national in its
representation and will undoubtedly be heard from
in every state within the next three months.
THE legislative work carried on by the American
Automobile Association has been literally sup
ported by the National Association of Automobile
Manufacturers Qnc.), which has borne the entire
expense of counsel. The work has been carried on
prncipally in New York state, for the reason that
the laws of this state serve in great measure as
a pattern for those of others. 1t has been the ex-
ectiye committees policy, heretofore, to pre-
vent as far as possible meddng with the law as IT
nov stands 1t Is our belief that the present law
presents few serious objections and that attempts
10 alter It might result in the adoption OF more
stringent measures.