New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-11
MOTOR PLAYS PART
in NATIONAL LIFE
Hugh Chalmers Optimistic
as to Future of the
Automobile.
INTEREST OF PUBLIC
GREATER THAN EVER
Manufacturer Declares Show Has
Recorded an Overwhelming
Vote of Confidence.

"The 1914 automobile show which mas
lust closed is the browning proof OF the
soundness Of the foundation Of the auto
mobile industry" I'm the opinion OF Hugn
Chalmers The Detroit manufacturer last
night declared that the future OF the
motor car industry can only be regarded
with optimism.
IF anything had been needed 10 show
that the motor car is so deeply rooted In
the life of the country that nothing I'M
toward can happen. the New York show
has certainly furnished the evidence.
do rot remember any New York show
which has been more satisfactory from
every point of view. Throughout the
week the attendance has been gratifying
" large: certainly sufficient evidence that
there has been no falling off In PUBIC
interest. The buying has been heavy;
positive indication that money Is not
tight and that general business condi-
tions are rot unsettled.
IF the show had done nothing moro
than make those IN the industry who
have looked darkly upon the future see
that. after all, ours is one OF the great
est businesses in the world" said Mr..
Chalmers. "a business of which we should
all be proud and in which We should have
every confidence, lit would still be the
best show ever held in New York l think
the show has proved concluslvely that the
public has never questioned the soundness
OF the industry. Just at time when It
is sure to do a great good, the motor car
, business has received an everlasting vote
Of public confidence.
THE new administration. recent leg
islation and the continued settling process
in the industry itself may have caused
some pessimism. In none of these things
have | personally ever seen any cause
for anxiety In my opinion the admins
tration has not wilfully done a single
thing inimical to the country's best busi-
ness interests. The nation is too big and
founded on too solid a basis seriously to
be affected by the unrest which, in some
quarters, is always attendant upon a
change in government.
81 have recently given some careful
study TO exhaustive authoritative reports
on the business conditions Of the last
year In them | find nothing but optim-
ism
The winter crops are the largest ever
raised In the country. The spring wheat
| yield in the Northwest is average. The
oat crop is the third largest on record.
! There is a falling off in the corn crop, but
even in the sections where the corn crop
| was smallest there was a good wheat
crop, precluding any alarming situation
! The Gotten market is strong. In word
there is every reason TO be more than
/ satisfied with the agricultural situation.
| The railroad situation, regarding the
country as whole. is highly satisfactory.
From the financial viewpoint, IL is si6nln-
| cant that during the last year there was
no stringencv during the time when crop
movements require most money.
"Uow. then, can we anticipate anything
but a notable recovery III all INES OF
| business the country over?
| THE automobile industry presents no
unusual or startling situation. IL IS sim
ply ridiculous to suppose even Tor an m
| slant that there can be any falling OIL III
| the demand for motor cars. Only ABOUT
| | per cent of the automobile market Oh Tue
world has been supplied. Ana that sihali
| proportion has proved that the Worid can
| no more 90 NllNOul hiOeOi NehAS
can do without tho telephone and the
! telegraph. We need have no Tear or the
! exhaustion of the market. The United
States alone will consume SOOOU motor
! cars this year
| ANY settling which has occurred was
anticipated four or five years ago. There
| has not been a single failure among the
sourdly established manufacturers TOT
whose product there is a legitimate mar
/ ket. The demand for motor cars Is as
! steady as ever. IL is merely question or
who Shall build the cars TO MI that de-
mand.
| ut is an actuas fact that business Tor
| those companies which are the real
| strength of the entire industry is more
+, than 20 per cent greater thus far In the
| 1914 season than 1t was in the same PERIOD
| of the 1913 season. Dealers in the standard
! lines of cars report notable increases IN
all parts OF the country for the faii
months. Winter buying has been better
! than ever before.
"As one of a group OF manufacturers
| whose Investments in the automobile In
| dustry aggregate many millions or dol-
| lars [ want TO say that l have never
| looked upon the future with Il feeling OF
| greater confidence than do at the pres
/ ent time. I am convinced-and L have
| staked a great dea, that nv conviction Is
right-that the future OF the automobile
/ industry has greater possibilities even
than tile astounding realities OF develop
ment in the past. The New York show,
which has just closed after week OF
! wonderful successes, is. II seems 10 me,
the strongest present proof that this Is
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