The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-10-15
INFLUENCE OF THE AUTOMOBILE
ON "BACk TO THE FARM
MOVEMENT"
By Mr.. Hayden Games, General Mana
ger, Studebaker Automobile Co.

Mr.. j. J. Hills address before the
meeting of the Bankers Association of
Chicago, is most refreshing and gives
the ordinary business man consider
grasp of those who control our finan-
cial affairs than is usually derived from
contact with that class. A little ac-
quaintance usually shows up the great
methods and entertaining mental points
of view varying, accordingly to cir
cumstances, from those of pawn
broker to those of professional
gambler.
There is one point, however, in re-
gard to which Mr. Hill. seems to be mis-
informed, namely, the favorable in
fuence Of the automobile upon the
very conditions which he would like
to bring about, namely, an increase of
agricultural as compared with urban
population.
1t looks as though the vast affairs
with which he is concerned, has COM
PEELED him to view the farmer collec-
lively rather than individually, and he
seems to be correspondingly unfami-
liar with the change the last six or
seven years and the advent of the
automobile, has made in the details
of the farmers life. Nor, does he seem
to recognize the large part which the
automop-.e has, and can be made to
play in justifying extension of his
own railroads and in the preliminary
work Of opening up new territory with
that ultimate object in view.
We wonder if he recognizes the eX-
tent to which me individual farmer
is beginning to specialize in the ap-
paratus which he employs on his farm.
No small number of agricultural i'm
plements now used by the farmer have
their functions so combined with those
of other implements which hereto
fore been of general application, as
to supersede the latter, and, cOnse-
Quently, materially specialize the
type of apparatus and vehicles which
he uses for other purposes.
The advent of the automobile, while
not directly responsible for it, has
tended to facilitate this process.
At one time, there were dozen uses
for certain kind of wagon which
might be described today as an I'M
specialized type. Today, a number of
agricultural implements accomplish in
themselves a part of the service which
we're heretofore accomplished by such
wagons; and, with one exception, the
remainder of the services performed
by that wagon, is now found to be bet
ter performed by a more specialized
type; that exception is the transpOrta-
ton of the farmer and his people from
one point to another The new special
lied type is not convenient for this
purpose and the farmer resorts to the
automobile. He goes to town every
day perhaps anu spends very little
time in doing so, instead Of every
week at the expense Of an entire day
and service of "a team"
The automobile makes the quarter
section farmers near neighborS and
develops a sense of community in ag-
ricultural districts which was utter
ly impossible with the former methods
of transportation. 1t makes the farm
er's life and surroundings much more
liberal, and under many conditions,
far more attractive even to the young
people than the life of the city.
Mr. Hill should recognize the Auto
mobile not as a disadvantage to the
agriculturist, but as one of the most
potent factors cooperating with his
own splendid efforts and accomplish