The Washington times., 1912-10-12
LARGE CROPS MEAN
ADDITIONAL SALES
Of MOTOR VEHICLES
Nebraska Now Has Automo-
bile for Every As Per-
sons in State.

In the year 1911 the potato crop In
Maine was unusually good. The first
six months Of 1872 saw an increase Of
81 per cent in the number of automo-
biles In the Pine Tree State. In Ne
braska there is an automobile licensed
for every forty-five men, women and
children. Missouri has motor car for
every 1856 persons. The total number of
licensed motor vehicles in the United
States on July ], 1872, was Sss,s5s which
cost their owners practically $1,000, 900, 900.
In all the United States every one hun
dted and tenth individual has car
These are impressive facts and tre-
medous figures. They mean that a
decade has seen revolution in trans
portation without q parallel in history;
that the automobile IL the vehicle Of the
great middle class and not Of the ultra
rich. and that the third industry in I'M
portance In the United States has a
still greater future.
Decides to Buy.
A Washington business man was sit
ting on the porch Of his Fourteenth
street home this summer, chatting with
neighbor. Automobiles glided up and
down the broad thoroughfare In never
ending procession.
Jim" said one. II think 1 will have
,S,v to Pet 2 m. machine; chine Here I've been e.,
an hour. and hanged II I've seen a
really wealthy man in one of them.
Most OF them seem to be like folks In
ordinary circumstances. A short time
ago my grocer went whizzing up the
cabinet maker--the fellow who fixed up
the paneling In the library--in a rum
about. II they can afford 1t
Wei. by Jove-there goes the fore
man Of our shipping department." he
added. as neat little touring car
rushed by, with the missus and the
kids. That settles tine for a car"
And there you have. by the medium
Of an anecdote, one explanation of
the startling growth of the automo-
more than made good In durability
and reliability Is obvious to anyone.
That its economy of operation has
brought II within the reach of those
of only moderate income Is equally
the manifold pleasures and convent
lences Of 2 motor car. The most natu-
raj thing, therefore, Is the desire to
own one. and sooner or later the de-
sire becomes an actuality.
Prices on Decrease.
This desire could not be realized,
yhowsver. unless there had been q con-
stantly downward tendency in the
matter of price. It should be under
stood. however. that as the cost OF
an automobile has gone steadily
downward the efficiency and dura-
bility Of the machine has doubled and
trebted and more. The thousand dol
lar machine Of today Is superior In
every way to the car that cost three
four. and often nve times as much six
or seven years ago.
Where prices Of standard makes
have not decreased--and perhaps in
'creased-in the last few years. It has
been due in every case to putting
more and more money into the manu-
facture of the car-better material.
more equipment, inner upholstery,
more powerful mechanical plants and
bigger and better cars generally.
The great proportion Of cars sold
naturally, are low and medium priced
Reduction In cost has been brought
about by manufacturing in tremen.
dous quantities, the Standardization OF
many parts, the reduction Of over
head expense and the cheapening In
cost of extras-such things as mag
netos-which the average automobile
builder does not make himself.