The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-02-08
FUTURE OF THE AUTOMOBILE
INDUSTRY

tie Oh lHe UlOtOT car III
dustry and so many prophesies have
been ventured without proper cOnsid-
Grafton of vital and controlling factors,
that a clear and simple analysis of the
subject may serve to dissipate much of
the %unfounded conjecture.
The automobile market is divided in
to two broad fields. First the rural
class, which includes all persons en-
gagged in farming and others in various
businesses who live in towns of less
than five hundred population. Second,
the urban class, which comprises all
who live in towns of five hundred or
more population.
In the rural or farming market, there
are $500, 900 families. One million of
these now own motor cars and one and
one-half millions are poor, illiterate, or
negroes, who for the purpose of this
study may be excluded from the pros
pective buying class. There remain,
then, 1900. 900 farm families who are
possible automobile buyers.
In the urban class, covered by II, 900
towns and cities of more than five hun
dred population there are about $780,
600 home owners of which number only
1000, 900 now w cars. Accordingly,
there remain 5000, 900 prospective buy
ers in this class, or a total actual un-
sold market in both rural and urban
classes of 1000, 900 possible automobile
buyers.
The accepted average life of an auto
mobile is abont five years in the hands
of the original owners; and as the man
who once owns a car will not thereafter
be without one, we must include the
recorder market in which the Calendar
year of 1917 will be about SOC, 900, this
being twenty per cen of the 5000, 900
now in use.
For the year 1917, therefore, the au-
tomobile business will face a market Of
about 1900, 900 possible buyers. Not
more than 1900, 900 ars will be built in
the coming year, leaving a possible ex-
| cess market of 5000, 900 buyers at the
beginning of 1918.
These figures are decidedly conserv-
ative because they take no consid-
Grafton of(1) any export outlet, CD the
people who have or will have two or
more machines, co increased popula-
ton, (4) increased prosperity, 60 a
million or more town and city families
who do not own the homes in which
live, but are well able to buy and
maintain a motor car, co the business
houses, retail and wholesale merchants
who use thousands of roadsters for
statesmen, and many thousands more of
delivery cars Irregular automobile
chassis with commercial body, CD tax.
icabs and other cars for public hire.
AN IMPORTANT FACT
An important and noteworthy fact
is vouched for by the Editorial Depart
ment of Automobile Topics" a we'll
known trade authority, which has been
making a careful analysis of the com
parative nature of automobile service.
They state that of the 5000 900 motor
cars Of all kinds in service in the
United States today, they can conser'
vatively say from their investigation
that over one-half of the mileage of the
1900. 900 cars is used for business pur
poses. Literally, this means that OF
the 5000, 900 automobiles running III
this country today one-half or 1,5OO, OOC
are used for business purposes. This
leaves only one and a half million in
use for pleasure or social transporta
ton purposes.
In considering the 100000 automo
bilesin use today, which may legiti
mately be classed as pleasure cars
an important fact should be borne in
mind, namely: the so-called pleasure
car of today has a distinct economic
use, 1t being only reasonable to deduct
that the time and money spent in mot
oring for pleasure or social inter
course almost invariable takes the
place of some other form of expendi
ture of less actual economic value
Motoring is a pleasure that makes To-
broader vision. saner and more helpful
diversions. and a more sympathetic
social life. A nation without its sane
pleasures is hopeless. Therefore, II
lis far more logical to consider the so
called pleasure car Of today as an ad
ded luxury.
II production increases at the aver
age rate maintained for the past iv'
years-which is unlikely. u to great
or manufacturing problems and to Ina
bility Of the selling and distributiv'