Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-10
REASONS FOR THE UPLIFT
Automobile Row Explains What's
the Matter with Farmers.
MILLIONS PUT IN MOTOR CARS
Practical Benefits Overshadow the
Luxury of the PRce-ChecrfuIl-
est Customer that Blows
Into the Garage.

While the Country Life commission is try
Ing to find out What's the matter with the
farmer" boosters on Automobile Row are
on to the trouble and applying the remedy.
The patients like the treatment so well
and enjoy It's uplift possibilities that they
carry the news to ~neign0ors and show
them where to get in. The exhllarant Is
labeled "Automobilitis'
out OF the millions raised from the soil
last year quite a stiff aggregate was in
vested by farmers in automobiles. Esti-
mates place the number Of automobiles
owned by Nebraska farmers at 1900. lowe
and Kansas farmers are put down at 5000
each.
The average cost of the machines is
placed at $500. All Of the farmers Of the
country are estimated to own 5000 ma
chimes. There are mail order houses which
make a speciality Of building and selling
automobiles to farmers, some Of the ma
chimes being as cheap as $685.. A large
corportion manufactures motor buggies for
the farmer, along with harvester machines
and reapers. The buggy type Of automobile
no longer satisfies. lie demands pneumatic
tires, 80 that he can ride in comfort. and a
lot Of horsepower, so that he won't have
to take the dust Of city folks he meets
on the road.
When the automobile is not being used
by the farmer as a luxury, he bitches it
on to a fodder cutter, a buzz saw or a milk
separator in the back yard. BY lacking
up th- rear wheels and slipping a belt
arOuuC one Of them, the touring car Is
transformed into an efficient and powerful
stationery engine. More than half the
population Of the country lives on the
farm or thereabouts, and in the past it
has not known how the other half lives.
The automobile gives the other half a
chance to visit and patronize the city half.
Motors especially made for all sorts OF
farm work, from blowing to threshlng, bid
fair TO displace both animal and human
labor. Speaking Of what this gasoline-fe fed
slave will do for the farmer an adver-
Using Macaulay remarks when the motor
doesn't work 1t need not be fed. There is
no danger OF its getting sick, as Is the
case with the horse; nor will it go on strike
or get drunk, as is the case with the man
helper" Aye, the motor is a total abb
stainer and an heroic exponent Of the open
shop principle; 1t Is the ideal producer of
surplus value. 1t will pillow, 1t will reap. #
win cut grass, 1t will drive a threshing ma
chime and do any other work of a Stationary
engine. 1t drinks nothing but gasoline; 1t
does not set sick, tired or drunk.
Kansas farmers spent 50, 200, 900 for auto
mobiles during 1909 and $2,75O.00 o in 1908
In one Nebraska town of 800 population
forty automobiles were sold last year to
farmers near the town and retired farmers
in the town. Careful estimate of the num-
Der of automobiles owned by farmers in the
entire United States is 10000.
The farmer has more good reasons for
having an automobile than any other man.
IL Is commonly said now that many city
men are buying automobiles who cannot
afford them. Garage and chauffeur cost.
are largely responsible for this condition.
He Knows Machinery.
But the farmer takes to an automobile
quite like the proverblal duck to water
In the first place he knows machinery.
He handles It all day long and has to be
his own repair man. As a result he is
his own best chauffeur and so is his son.
The fits in the farm work as
If made for 1t. 1t doesn't replace the horse
mot a bit of it. The horse goes into the
field in the morning and the automobile
runs the milk to town or goes to the mil.
for flour in a hurry OF makes a quick dash
TO the machine shop in town for a part "a
repair the binder OF the threshlng machine
1t saves the time in many instances Gas
many farmers testify of a big gang OF men
In the field In an emergency. 1t pays for
Itself in real service by the end of a year
or two.
Sixteen makers are advertising
automobiles 10 the farmer in the 40 farm
papers OF the country, and most of then
are arguing that the m will keeI
the boy on the tarm and make life more
liVable for the wife. Automobile men are
constantly being astonished at the price
farmers are wiling to pay for the best cars
and the way they are paying is in cash
with as little fuss as II they were buying