The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-01
AMERICAN AUTOMOBILES,

1t appears that the American auto
mobile industry is making great
deal Of trouble in the world. Not long
ago we noted the English protest
against the large imports into England
Of American automobiles, and the
efforts Of the British manufacturers to
prevent that import. Now we have a
like protest from Germany.
The Berliner Zeitung am Mittag, no.
ticing continued discussion in the
German press on the American peril to
the German automobile industry, and
opinions expressed generally that the
Americans, In spite Of their production
in large quantities and resultant low
cost, can never seriously menace the
German industry on account of the
opinion prevailing "that low prices
indicate an inferior quality" The
zeitung, however, does not agree with
this view, and its discussion of the
whole matter, as follows, discloses an
interesting feature that is of wide pub
lie interest, and especially so in
America:
AS matter OF fact. the Americans
have established themselves In PRACTICAL
ly all the South American countries and
In the last few years, have almost en-
tirely supplnnted European manufactur-
ers- Recently they have turned their at
tention to England and are gaining
ground in that country with surprising
rapidity- The principle OF the Ameri-
can manufacturer Is to make his price
as low as possible by manufa cturing in
large quantities. In some cases 40 600 to
$4,000 cars a year, and by delivering the
car complete and ready for the road /,
for 1000 to $500 marks $4,000 to sl125).
These low prices have made the au-
tomobile very popular In America and
have stimulated an Increased demand.
economic value OF money here and in
the United States. IT will be seen that
| these prices are really lower In America
than they seem to us.
This production In large quantities.
with its accompanying lowering OF the
price. naturally results in a wider mar
ket which in turn increases the demand.
| which again reacts upon the output.
duction in the cost OF production. at
still lower price. So We have a steady
cycle. tending to lower prices. which.
OF raw material and labor.
Another factor is that Americans spe-
oialize on two types Geo and 30 horse
pONeTDs 80 tnhl tne cost OF the con-
stituent parts Is thus further reduced.
| The short space of time required for de-
| livery is also OF great Importance In
America. IN great majority OF cases.
the owner drives his own car and has
no chauffeur. so Ii is easy 10 under
stand that many now have cars who a
few years ago regarded them as a great
| luxury.
| Owing to their low price. il IS often
deduced that American cars are con-
structed from poor ma terials and can
therefore furnish but limited service.
| This. however. is not The case; indeed.
| the bad condition Of American roads
soon showed the manufacturer that only
by using the best materials could he com
pete with his rivals In trade
The Americans constantly varying
needs and their severe use OF all ma
| chinery mean that A car Is not ex-
pecrcd 70 have as long a life as In this
country In America. when a man has
used car three years. he sells II and
buvs another.
Il cannot be Sainsaid that Americans
In their ceaseIess search for new mar
ke,s for their tremendous output viii
already shown by the fact tina: several
selling agents In Germany expect to han
die American cars this coming year.
There is no doubt but that the lei.
tung has. the right of it. The Ameri.
can pro puct is not only standardized
and superior, as stated, and the idea
Of inferior quality is foolish, bu,
the fact is that the American automo-