New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-26
PRAISES OIL COMPANIES
Clement Studebaker. Jr., Says
Gasoline Is Still "Cheap."
CALLS FOR LESS WASTE
Motorists, He Asserts, Can
Effect Economy by Studying
Control of Autos.

That the cost of gasolene rests to n
great extent on each individual motorist
and that motoring in general is under a
deep obligation to the big oil companies
is asserted by Clement Studebaker. jr, Of
the Studebaker Corporation.
II have recently noted several articles
quoting automobile manufacturers and
others as deprecating the recent increases
in the price of gasolene," said Mr.. Studc-
baker. Some have even professed to see
in the advance q menace to automobile
popularity ana the Industry. As a matter
OF fact the difference amounts 10 but a
fraction Of a cent for each mile per car
and should not in a seasons running Of
five thousand miles exceed a total Of $2j
ION the other hand, it IS high time tina;
uotordom should consider the debt it
owes 10 the big oil companies. Before the
internal combustion motor gaso'ene was
virtually a by-product. on sale al central
stations for perhaps 10 cents gallon.
The cost Of delivery fell on the buyer and
often amounted Ia more than this figure.
The oil companies were glad 10 sell the
Casolene at almost any price. for this
market enabled them 10 manufacture at
profit greater quantities Of oils. greases
and lubricants. While this condition pre-
vailed the BUYERS Of the staples paid n
large share of the motorists fuel bill
But gasolene motor cars multiplied.
and eventually the demand for fuel
eQualled that for the other products. 4
year or so ago the old balance was re-
vePsed. Now the demand for gasolene
greatly exceeds that for he staple oils
and greases. And in place Of the old
method Of distribution the oil companies
have established system which covers
the entire country, bringing to the very
door of each garage refined product
which has often travelled thousands Of
miles When one considers the cost OF
drilling. pumping. transportation, rehn-
ing and delivering he must admit that
there is no manufactured product sold
as cheaply as gasolene Even at the
present price il costs the consumer less
than an equal quantity of most brands
of spring water
when the demand for gasolene came
TO exceed that for other crude oil prod
ucts the manufacturers faced a dilemma
IneY tOuIu not pTOuuCe BdSOlt0c anu
throw away the other products. Such a
process would have made the fuel pro-
hibitive in cost. To advance the price
of gasolene and 10 lower the price Of the
other products was the only available
means Of regaining the balance. SO now
we pay more for gasolene and less for
oils and greases.
"As matter Of fact" Mr. Studerbaker
continued. I'VE have all wasted easolene
1T has been so cheap. A little economy
will hurt none of us. Automobile man
1facturers have built wasteful cars-cars
with motors much larger than necessity
demanded; cars that lacked efficiency.
But the manufacturer is seeing the
light The recent New York show en-
phasized a new tendency-a tendency
toward motors that yield more In miles
a gallon. But these cars will fail to
save gasolene unless their owners do
their part.
Just as a wasteful car raises the cost
Of gasolene. so every motorist who fails
TO make his car efficient makes fuel cost
more owners of automobiles owe 1t TO
one another to start united effort, Keep
ing track Of gallon miles. watching car
buretion, learning the art Of controlling
a car more by the clutch and less by tne
brakes. a campaign along this line VIII
save enough gasolene 10 more than bai-
ance the recent increase In cost