The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28

The high cost of living, or, some one
has more properly termed it, the cost of
high living, might in measure be ac-
counted for and the causes attributed to
the motor car, judging by the impressive
array of figures as to money invested in
them and the number of cars used, were
these figures a correct presentation of
the facts The actual circumstances are
interesting and no doubt the public is
looking for proper statement of them. 1t
should be realized that 1t is difficult to
correctly distinguish between necessities
and economies and Injuries and extrav-
agances.
The telephone today is seldom cassed as
an extravaganza and rarely as a luxury;
on the contrary 1t is an economy and a
necessity under modern conditions. The
railway train and the electric car have
also become necessities. and are now
recognized as economies If time is indeed
a consideration. The argument that
these modern means of transportation
encourage more travel and the expendi-
ture Of a greater amount of money in
travelling is pefuted by the fact that in eff
feet they reduce distance and save time,
making possible undertakings otherwise
impraOticable.
A recent article from the Technical
World estimates the cost of operating
motor cars, including that of mileage,
covering the cars now in service, and
while conservative these estimates reckon
the entire cost luxury representing
an outlay for pleasure and an expense
only which is obviously unfair without
taking into account the facts. The true
situation was presented by acting Mayor
MACEDONIAN OF New York recently In a
statement that the use of the motor car
had increased the capacity of city streets
skiold over that of horse-drawn We
hicles which can be further reckoned as
saving of hve-sxths of the time, an
equivalent of reducing the distance to
one-sixth. What does the saving of such
time, or the reduction of distance as 1t
might be considered, mean to the public
and to those whose capacity is limited by
the time available? Would not travel
by motor car be economy even with the
mileage cost as great as by other means,
Notwithstanding the fact that the ease In
travelling and the saving OF time might
induce an increase in travel?
Accurate comparisons with statistics
representing other expenses in modern
life, liberalization of the enormous amount
of money which is distributed through
the channels of the motor car industry,
and a proper consideration of the vast
economic advantages of the automobile
should certainly be sufficient to convince
the logical mlnu OI the value VI the
whole industry and its effect and to de-
preciate the attacks which have been
made upon 1t in a very peculiar manner
There has been strong inclination to
blame the automobile for things that are
going wrong and by placing the effect
before the cause to go far astray In the
diagnosis of the national ailment II II
be such.
1t cannot be disputed that the motor
car has greatly increased property values
making accessible remote localities. bring
ing the city to the farm and the farm
en- to the markets. 1t encourages more
time being spent in pure air by those
confined to offices under the great pres
sure of modern business. and is of far
greater benefit to the owner and his fam
| lily than would be the annual interest
| on tho same amount at per cent or I
per cent. 1t would be quite as reasonable
| and practical to consider abandoning The