Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-07
Limit TO SALES
!. OF AUTOMOBILES
IS VAGUE dream
Expert Predicts Trucks Will
Take Place of Short Line
Feeder Railroads

Alfred Reeves, general manager OF
the National Automobile Chamber OF
Commerce, said recently regarding
automobile production: 49,. @.-
TO those who study the situation
there is nothing strange about the
rapid increase in the sale Of motor
vehicles, although it, is a source OF
amazement TO many people who have
| figured motor car sales In comparison
with the number of people who had
incomes Of $500 or more They over.
looked the tremendous disadvantage
of the motor car to statesmen, contrac-
tors, and others in general business,
and particularly to farmers, who have
been the biggest buyers Of motor cars
during the last couple Of years. Thus
We find a real answer to this autoTno-
bile trade prosperity in the magic
word service ILL., III T.
"Just as long as the motor car can
transport the individual or transport
freight more rapidly and at lower costs
than any. other type of vehicle, just
so long viii this country and the bal
ance of the world continue to use
motor cars In increasing numbers.
The automobile is now a public utility
to be classed with street cars, electric
lighting. and the telephone and render
ing service on a par with those i'm
portant requirements of civilization.
No Limit Seen
Just how many motor cars can be
used in this country, aside from the
balance of the world has been a source
OF discussion In and out of the trade.
with estimates so far out of line that
even the closest students of the indus
try have given up the task. No one
can really tell.
"At first. we said a million cars
Then as cars got better and prices
lower, we raised the estimate to two
millions. Then came the widest kind
OF estimates and the figures put at
three millions; but this has been
passed, and now there are about three
and one-half million automobiles run
ming and registered In the various
states, with apparently no decrease In
the demand. 4
Motor Feeders to Railroads
There are increasing Uses for pas
senger. or so-called pleasure cars In
every part of the country while
trucks are just beginning to come into
their own, with the practical certainty
that few years from now great guam
titles OF freight will be moved on the
highways by motor trucks, which will
also act as feeders to railroads, max !
ing unnecessary the, construction of
expensive so-called feeder. lines. No
tor vehicles must supplant q big part
of the 24,000.000 horses now in use
in this country.
ut is most gratifying to leaders of
the industry to know that their efforts |
to supply the best in motor cars at |
prices within the reach Of millions has |
been appreciated by an increasing |
number of buyers, very few of whom
have q thought of leaving the ranks
OF motor car owners, and with others /
more and more acknowledging the
need they have for power-driyen We
hicles.
Production is certain to go on at a
stronger rate, and, while standardized /
to marked degree in many parts,
there will always be great variety
OF designs In motor casses and bodies
and large number of companies sup
plying them. II Is fair to assume,
however. that with the keen. COMPETE
ton only standard products OF estab-
lished and well managed companies
can be expected to survive in this
business, now so firmly established
ard so generally recognized as one of
he giants OF industrial America.
Composition Strong
while the manufacturer has sup
ported in royal fashion the new creed
of cooperative competition in the mat.
ter.of standardization, simplifying and
Derfectings motor cars to be offered at
he lowest possible price so as to In
.erest the greatest number of people"
,aid Mr.. Reeves, "the competition for
.rade has been of the fiercest kind,
he path during the past five years be-
Hg strewn with the financial wrecks
If more than 400 companies. showing
hat only the strongest in men, meth
IDS, materials, money, and machinery
rave been able to survive" i,
Mr.. Reeves said that the average L,
price for passenger vehicles in 1916
vas $605 and for trucks $500. These
Tehicles were made by more than 400
companies and sold by $4,000 dealers
throughout the United States and for
ign countries, for motor car exports
n 1916 viii reach a value Of more
han $96 ,000, 900 at wholesale, exclu- I