Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-30
OUTLOOK OF AUTOS
FOR COMING YEAR
John R. Eustis Can See Moth
ing Vow But the Most
Encouraging Prospects.
DEPENDS ON WAR DURATION
Manufacturers and Dealers
Have Had Biggest Year in
History of Business.

In reviewing the outlook OF the au-
tonobie business. John r.. Eustis, in
Golfers Weekly, says;
IF the war continues after>this win
ter, general business conditions In
this country should be good. In fact
the war prosperity of a year ago
should be duplicated on a greater
scale with the one added factor of
heavier taxation. The billions of dol
lars collected thru special taxation
and bond sales. including the loans to
our allies, are practically all spent
in this country. The situation really
constitutes nothing more than an ac-
celeration in the circulation Of money,
which means prosperous times.
Canadian automobile factories and
dealers have experienced an increas-
ing business since the end of the first
six months of the war the current
years business being the best they
have ever had This respite the fact
that Canada, with a population oi
less than nine million, has sent 42b,-
900 volunteers over seas.
English automobile stocks were
listed higher on the stock exchange
this year than they were a Few
months before the outbreak of the
war, attesting the present condition
Of the English automobile industry.
This latter fact directs attention 20
o comparatively new and potential
automobile market IN the United
StateS-the working people and par
ticularly the ranks of skilled labor.
Because Of the marked increase In
their earnings in the past year, work
ers are now, as a class, prospective
automobile owners. In the last few
years the sale of automobiles In the
agricultural districts have been some
thing like three times greater than in
Industrial sections. This seems TO
emphasize the potentialities of the
latter field, and the automobile dealer
who neglects it is permitting a gol-
den opportunity to be ungrasped.
The farmers should not be neg
lected They have enjoyed and are
still enjoying real prosperity as n re-
~ult Of the high prices secured for
farm products, and should be in the
market for automobiles in steadily in
creasirg numbers.
Importance of Good Roads.
No one will deny that there must
be a definite increase in the use of
automobiles in any section with the
Increase Of good roads. Consequent
ly the sale of automobiles in any te,~
ritory will grow as road improvement
progresses.
There is then, no work more bene-
ficial to his business in which the
automobile dealer can engage than
in the promotion of improved roads.
He should be the leading good roads
booster in the community. lie -
warranted in devoting time, effort
and money in this cause. lie should
enlist the help of other intere It's,
especially automobile owners a d
suburban and farm real-estate peo-
pie.
Already there. are. powerful inter-
ests engaged in promoting road i'm
provement, and, unfortunately, they
have not had the cooperation of
automobile dealers as n class. The
manufacturers have contributed lib
orally, and does the dealer not bene-
TT equally as mach? With less than
10 per cent Of the 100000 miles Of
road in the United States improved
the task is n gigantic one, but the re-
turns to the automobile business are
definie and tangible.
The Tractor Field.
Right now the automobile dealer
has a golden opportunity in the sale
Of tractors for agricultural use. Tne
automobile manufacturers are alive
to the situation, a few, are already in
the field with tractors, and many
others are experimenting. The largest
maker of automobiles confidently
predicts that within few years his
tractor business will exceed in volume