Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-01-19
Changed Attitude of Bankers Toward
Automobile

Bankers throughout the country
are more inclined now to look upon
the business of distributing automo-
biles as a sound and practical propos-
ition, and as a business continuity.
This attitude in the money house is
something the distributor long has
sought to bring about, and now that
the motor car retailer has come to be
viewed as a business man and not as
a speculator, the motoring public will
feel degree of benefit. The banker
has much to do with the dealers eff
forts to further the use of automo-
biles in any given locality.
The banker is rightfully shy on
easing the channels OF money when
the money is to be employed to fur
nish the use of use of luxury, and
the motor car for years was viewed
as a luxury. 1t has ceased to be
that, however, and has become an
economic necessity. It's utility is de-
manded by the farmer as well as by
the city department store. 1t brings
the country districts into closer COM
munication with the city marts and
thus promotes commerce. 1t is the
influence in the good roads propa-
ganda in the entire Nation today, and
is every way it creates values which
are more offset by its cost.
So the banker may well encourage
the automobile distributors in his i'm
mediate vicinity toward the sale of
automobiles to every possible pros
poets. Those centers which show the
greater number of automobiles in
their streets are certain to be the
centers of prosperity.
Another factor which should oper-
ate to encourage the banker to favor
able relations with the motor car re-
taller is contained in the vast de-
velopment throughout the industry
here at home, together with what the
developments mean to the motoring
world, selling as well as consuming.
These developments mean that all ex-
cessive and speculative costs have
been eliminated from the completed
car, and that instead of an experience
ed luxury the consumer is today Of
fered a machine of the greatest util
ity and pleasure value at the mini
mum of cost. In every way the in
vestment returns handsome divid-
ends, and if it were not so the auto
mobile industry would be fighting to
keep inself alive instead of struggling
as it is, for more and still more re-
sources in order to create cars as fast
as the world takes them.
Still, the automobile does not sell
itself in any sense. The tremendous
demand which deluged Detroit this
year was due not alone TO sound eco
)nomic conditions. 1t was due in a
large sense to the fact that the manu-
facturers of automobiles have built in
and around themselves organization
which for efficiency cannot be surpas-
sed.
Perhaps no body Of retailers in the
worlds industry comprise such gen.
uine selling ability as do the distrib-
utors of automobiles. 1t takes ability
to dispose of something that takes
$1,000 or more of the purchasers
money, and particularly is this true
in field where there is such COM
petition as exists in the automobile
industry.
For this reason the maker permits
only a business man of real standing
to represent him, and now that the
makers have had a period of years
to develop and strengthen their sell
ing forces, the retailing branch has
been brought to about the highest
point of general excellence.
The banker does business with
something solid when he co-operates
with the automobile distributor.