The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-30
ABANDON YEARLY DATES.
Says a Prominent Manufactures of
 Automobiles.

At the last m eeting of the Automo- bile Board of Trade it was decided 60 officially abandon the use of season models identified by yearly dates, so 1912 or 1913 models, but the changes incorporated by the different manu- facturerss will be desi ignated in some other way, by series numbers, letters or similar designation referring to mechanical changes irrespective of date.
 The logic of this is clear since the actual date of a car is the day 1t was put in service, and the mileage 1t has made is as important consideration as that date.
 Tn view of this action, we quote from a public journal of last Spring a statement by MT. w. c. Shepherd, president and general manager of the Matheson Automobile Company of April 20. 1911, and appeared imme- diately thereafter in New York and other newspapers, which is shown to be prophetic, being that kind of pro- phecy which is possible to those long sighted business men who can see in advance the trend of affairs.
 MT. Shepherd brought to the auto mobile business a thorough knowl- edge of standardized commercial methods. He saw that the designa- tion of models by yearly dates tend in a marked degree and needlessiy, as shown by the following extract from his original article
 Many automobile manufacturers have put behind them much of the fool business which surrounded the business.
 ''They know, and the public knows, that the day for fooling and hum bug ging the buying public has gone by the old days of pioneership which were loved so well, and which car ments and premiums for ears, are no longer with us.
 ..The introduction of such an in- dustry i'll the commercial world was n necessar riIy attended with all the reckl esSneSs, high prices, eXtravd- gance,- etc. which characterize the and launching of new en- terpriSes pregnant with such poSSibil- ities; and there are marked through out America and elsewhere, similar courses in the introduction of great vo umes-
 ''But the sober sense, the commer- cial instinct of the people, combined | with the sound and unerring business | press it--demand5 that the manufac- | Lurers of automobiles shall trade on | reasonable and legitimate accepted l com m ercial lines.
 s'They are in a position to know, | and do know-they are in a position | to command and will do so.
 ''The people are buying the auto | mobile to-day upon its merits
 A woman sets the pace for finish | ing, luxury, comfort and equipment | with an insistent demand for quality. | and good taste.
 Even a child can distinguish as be- | tween the principal mechanical parts 1f a car.
 'Woman's commercial instinct has developed. She knows how to buy and what to buy.
 -HShe drives her own car.
 Quality counts
 service is demanded to-day as at 10 other period in the history of the business: Service in marketing-and service afterward-at prices that shall furnish a reasonable profit over man fla curing cost, the same as any other business which has long ago reached l. will stand sound commercial analysis.
 Will the dealer, whose capi. al S invested longer stand for such non jense2
 ssWiIl he be willing that his capital hall be jeojardized and his investment nent when he, in good faith, last Tall or Winter, purchased his cars or this year, signed contracts and ac- epted de iVeries; and, while in the midst of his active Spring campaign, nave the announcements 1912,' which lis product as one year old. l.
 ''If the sales and adve. tis-ng Depart nents of the business demand the con- inuance of this old method of mis- representation in order to market cars, hen the business departments will oon be called upon to close up the actories.
 Merit. quality and service count, md vii count as always, in line of manufacture. |
 Misrepresentation will inevitably