Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-12-04
ARGENTINE IS GREAT
MARKET FOR MACHINES

other country in South America as a
market for automotive vehicles, says
David Beecroft in report made pub
lie today by the Bureau of Foreign
and Domestic Commerce, of the De-
partment of Commerce.
The physical characteristics of the
country, with its prairielike pampas,
ideal for agriculture, its population of
eight million scattered over an area
greater than that Of the United States
east of the Mississippi river, and its
great need for motor transportation
of all types make the country par
ticularly opportune field for ouch ap-
paratus. Like the great Mississippi
Valley in North America, Argentina
will undoubtedly develop into the
largest consumer Of motor vehicles 10
South America.
Previous to 1911, says the report,
automobiles imported in Argentina
came largely from Europe. This
number Of cars imported into Argen-
tina the last six years was as follows
1911, 2,461; 1912, 4,281; 1918, 5,115;
1914, 2.185; 1915, 1.S47; 1916. 1929.
Argentina was importing automobiles
from Europe as early as from the
United States Each year saw many
Argentine citizens spending the win
tiers in Paris, London, and Berlin,
where they lived at the finest hotels,
purchased the finest motor cars, and
naturally attracted the attention Of
tie entire European automobile in
Custry to their country The importa.
ton of European automobiles into Ar
gentina reached its zenith in 1911, the
year of the crisis. Since tina t time
the sales Of the expensive cars have
fallen, and today there are unsold cars
that dealers have been carrying for
years These cars are now obsolete
models and many dealers will have
d ffculty in getting their original in
yestment out of them. 1t was this
stock of high-priced European cars
@hat held back the American car AMI
that is still holding back to some ex.
tent the sale Of American cars IN
the cities.
For ten or fifteen years previous
10 the war automobiles in Argentina
were confined chiefly to the cities,
such as Buenos Aires, Rosario, Bahia
Blanca, Mendoza, Cordoba, La Plata,
Santa Fe, and Tacuman. The Euro
pean cars sold almost exclusively in
the cities. The American car today is
selling almost exclusively in the coun
try. European cars were largely of
tie expensive types in all the best
makes. They were owned by the
ealthy business men as wen as the
ealthy farmers, who spent much Of
tAeir time in the cities. The country
d. rict being practically without inn
owed roads, were not suitable for
1h automobiles IN fact. it was
y - rare that a resident OF Buenos
Aires woald attempt to drive iven
10 Rosario, distance of IT'S miles
In dry weather such a drive might
possibel, but it would be very I'M
! l-asant because Of the trail-like
roads and the clouds Of dust. In
vat weather the trip is impossible, for
the heavy cars could not make pro-
ass over the blacksoil roads. With
{ y exceptions the expensive European /
!; tomotila was a city vehicle for the
ealthy CLASSES.
The advent OF the American car in
1anfities introduced new order Of
tor The cheap American car did {
appeal to the wealthy citizen. He 4
nsidered the United States capable !
{ manufacturing form implements, /
; jlroad cars, and heavy hardware,
but not Of producing the luxurious
aud scientific automobile. He refused
81 buy the American ear. American
u anufactrcrs who confined their sell |
ias activities in Argentina to the cities /
iaot with very limited response.
almost simultaneously with the war
change came about in the represea-
T. ton Of American automobiles in Ar
gentinn. Selling activities formerly
lined to the cities were transfer
re to the country. Pioneer American
statesmen started across the pampa4
with their demonstrating cars. They
proved that the American car is a
practical machine for those endless |
level stretches of fertile farming
land. The proved that the virgin
trails over which ten to twenty horses
slowly pulled the huge farm cart with
6 10 12-foo. wheels could be Travelled
by the American car. The salesman
demonstrated to the farmer At first
Ii" was opposed to the car. 1t was i'm