New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-01-02
AUTO INFANTGROWS
MOTOR CAR FORKS TO
FIFTH PL4CE.
Automobile Makers Take For
card Position 4mong Ma
tons Manufacturers.
BY IL o. Smith.

Like the self-made man, the motor car
industry has forced recognition and re-
spect. Ii is probable that no industry has
ever started with so much to overcome
IN the early days the financier's lack of
belief and faith in the ultimate success
was wellnigh universal AS the industry
grew the opposition of the banker seemed
10 more than keep pace, but progress, de-
velcpn1ent and demand could not be
stopped-there was too much merit behind
the proposition. While this was get q
struggling Industry, seemingly foundering
and cropping in the dark for guiding light
u statement was made by one who had
doubtless made a study of the situation
that il would take a panic to really de-
veiop the automobile Industry.
This statement has since nroved almost
prophetic, and the man responsible for Ii
must be credited with unusual foresight
although he probably realized but little
OF the real truth the remark carried. The
depression OF 1907 measured the stability.
strength and soundness OF our country and
every branch of trade, and it will be re-
membered that probably no other line held
its own, while the automobile business con-
tinued to grow In spite of the would-be
encouragement on all sides.
Results have proved that there was lit-
lack OF confidence and belief that the gen.
erzI demand was not staple, and the re-
n1arka bic part OF il all lay In the fact that
the most discredited industry at that time.
the automobile, was the greatest help in
sveruns a panic and restoring such conf
dence as was scarcely hoped for The fact
that the automobile business would not be
Kept down caused the thoughtful TO pause
and consider.
Why the remarkable record?
Saving Of time and Iessening of distance
are two important factors in our modern
civilization. The motor Car is the great
agency which has met these requirements
in practical way. and to a degree never
dreamed of. and il possesses a third and
Important virtue--of being able to do this at
a very marked saving in cost 1t is the
motor car which has forced recognition,
and II is to-day quite as indispensable as
the telephone, telegraph or railway train.
1t is safe TO predict that we have not
more than scratched the surface of the pos
siole demand for the motor propelled vehi-
Gle. The motor car was first looked upon
as the rich mans and the sportsman's toy
later. as a pleasure vehicle, TO be cIassed
as a luxury, but to-day il is admitted that
II is the practical conveyance of the future
II would be quite as reasonable 10 expect
the prairie schooner as for the motor
car user TO return to the horse drawn We
hicle. In fact, the step from the horse
drawn vehicle 10 the motor car is quite as
advanced as turning TO the use OF the rail-
way cars, except that the use OF the motor
car is brought home to us in a more gem
eral and telling way
Many do not realize the firm way in
which the motor car has established itself
To the physician, the contractor in fact
any man who finds il necessary to be in
divers locations in the ordinary routine OF
work, it proves Indispensable. and as vet
ne are only beginning to understand the
possible sdvanta geous uses a motor can be
put TO.
We have seen an industry spring I'D In
night as it were, and move from moth
ing 70 & position OF probably fifth in i'm
portance among the great industries of
this country in the brief period of less than
ten years. We are only beginning to real
ize the scope Of this modern agency of
progress, and il is impossible to measure
its ultimate influence and usefulness.
There Is another and interesting phase
II has been said that the motor car in
France affords employment for more people
than any other tine, and in America we
are employing, directly and indirectly.
more people than they are. It has set a
new mark In the consumption OF rubber
1t requires hundreds Of thousands of hides
8 year for upholstering. It is safe to say
that tbs motor car builders are furnishing
the greatest number OF orders placed with
our machinery builders, and the develop
ment OF the most modern devices to facili-
tate production and Standardization is d.
rectly attributable 10 the motor car build
ers- They have been directly responsible
as well for the development of high class
snti-fatigue sueels-
So It can be seen that the motor car has
not only been forcing recognition. but it's
requirements have reached out in various
channels until IL has become great factor
IN the labor market and in the new use
for materials OF various sorts and kinds.
AUTOMOBILES.