New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-11-19
AS TO AUTOMOBILES AND
PROSPERITY.

deal OF attention from the gentl,
men who look after the fiuancif
interest Of the pubic general
that is TO say the bankers q
the cOuntry-and much ha
been written about the none
being diverted from otner chan
neis to the purchase of the aut
and III this connection the Man
ufacturers Record. recently said
p" Eminent fnanciers and poiti
cal economists, so-called, hav
! been very much disturbed of lat
for fear that the automobile woul,
prove the downfall Of nationa
prosperity. They are constant,
benz 2anlng the money expende,
IN the purchase and running o
automobiles, bltt might they no
turn their thought to the fact that
while large sums have been spen
in the development of the auto
mobile industry, there are many
exceedingly strong poim.s in fav
or of this industry and its value
t. the country. Might they not
on the other hand, turn their at
tention to ihe fact that this coun
try annually spends about s.. 800,
OOO,ON for strong drink, which
has not one redeeming thing in
its favor?
Are we Financially going to
the dogs because We are spend
ling perchance a few hundred mil
lion dollars year on automobiles.
which are helping to develop the
country, helping to give health to
many sick, helping 10 build good
roads, helping to cause the broad
ening of national life by greater
travel, and yet are not suffering
at least we are not told so by the
same financiers and political
economists. from the money drain
of the 81, 500, 100000 spent on
drink? The automobile builds no
jails, nor peniteldiaries; creates
no necessity for enlarged police
force. and builds no almshouses.
The manufacture of the autOmO-
bile gives employment to many
thousands of skilled laborers, ere
ates demand for cotton and iron
and steel and aluminium. 1t
makes market for the diversi-
fled products of the farm. and il
awakens the whole country to a
broader national life by the ming
ling of the people of all sections
through travel 1t lis the great
est factor in the development of
good roads. and good roads mean
advancement in education, in re-
ligion activities, in business de
velopment, in enhanced value Of
farms. in the better cultivation
of land, in lessening the burden
of transportation 10 and from the
farm, and thus increasing the
prosperity of the farmers. Good
roads mean the elimination of the
loneliness of country life and the
turning back Of population from
congestion in cities to country life
again. Good roads building means
more than material development !;
it is really a moral issue, because
Of it's great effect upon the re-
ligious and educational work OF
the land.
"The automobile has these
things in its favor. On the 9th
er hand, drink which costs the
country ten times as much as the
automobile, has nothing in its
favor. It builds almshouss, jails
and penitentiaries.. It is the
chief factor in requiring the main
tenance Of a great police force
Instead Of building up health, as
does the outdoor life of the au
ton,obile, it destroys health.
destroys Nife. and the cost Of
strong drink to the country. in
stead of being two and half bill
lion expended by the consumer, is
probably twice as much in the
aggregate through the enormous
expenditures in the building and
maintenance Of jails. alnshouses
and penitentiaries, the burden
put upon the land by this mighty
curse.
eve have not, however, seen
any agitation on the part Of the
great rich about any panic com
ing by reason of drink, though
they are free in their predictions
of panic by reason of the ap
tomobiles. Is this due to shallow
ness Of reasoning. which marks
many of the statements put out
by these so-called authorities l.
it due to lack of knowledge' Or
is it due ito the fact that the mar
who has been able. as railroad
president or a great financier, to
ride in his palace car is not will
ling to see the ordinary everyday
man able to ride in equal com
fort in the motor cart At any
rate. whatever may be the cause.
may if not be well for those who
are decrying the development Of
the motor-car industry to give
consideration to the fact that the
nation s loss through drink is GER
tainly ten times as great as the
amount that is being expended for
autompbilesi On one side there
are very great benefits; on the
other side there is a curse beyond
the power of words to depict. Are
the fiDanciers saying anything
about the latterf
This reference to one form OF
extravaganza inherently evil.
which does not seem to attract the
sttention Of men on the anxious
bench about the future for the