The Bismarck tribune., 1919-02-07
WITH THE EDITORS
THE AUTOMOBILE SHOW

Probably not many people, even in Minneapolis
know that the annual automobile exhibition in thi
city is the biggest affair of, its kind in America
and probably when they have learned this the,
will wonder at it until they learn the further fac
that Minneapolis is the largest automobile dis
tributing point in America; that the AUTOMOBILE
business, by which is meant the sales during tn
past year, aggregate $150,000,000, of which $98,
900 900 was in automobiles alone and the balanc
in tires and accessories, etc. ~
But that doesn't tell the whole story of the in
dustry. Related to the automobile is the tractor
the new motive power of the farm. With respec
to this industry also Minneapolis is both the arg
est manufacturing and largest distributing cente
in the United States. " 595E& ts'@a#,ys e
These are@facts which should stimulate the in
terest Of thepeople of Minneapolis. and the North
west in the sgreat exhibition Which is to open il
this city February 15 The old Exposition build
ing, in which Minneapolis years ago held an annua
exhibition that drew immense crowds to see tht
industrial exhibit, and which on it's merits re
ected great credit upon this city, is to house this
years automobile show. .ss. -,o. ....y,. -,z
The. success pf this enterprise rests chiefly upor
its power tod1'aw visitors fronial over the North
west. There is probably no product of industry
in general use in which more interest is taken
than in the automobile, and the exhibition of the
new patterns for 1919 is expected to bring to the
city more visitors than have been attracted by
any previous exhibition of this kind.
In looking for the reasons for the volume of
automobile business in Minneapolis and for the
interest of the people Of the Northwest, we find
both these accounted for by the wonderful wealth
of production of this region during the past year.
A government report fer October covering the
states of Minnesota, the Dakotas and Montana,
estimated the average farm receipts of this re-
gion for the six leading crops of wheat oats, rye,
barley, flax and corn at $3,737 In Minnesota,
which we think of as a great wheat state, the
corn crop exceed in value the wheat crop by more
than $l0,000000.
Taking the figure 100 as the average price Of the
composite crop production of the United States,
this report shows that the composite price of all
farm crops in Minnesota in 1918 was 122 4-1O
per cent, of Wisconsin 10 $40 per cent of North
Dakota 109 $40 per cent of South Dakota 1879
4-10 per cent. Outside of this group the highest
percentage was that of Indiana, at 108 $40. Only
13 states excelled the standard figure of 100.
This helps to explain why Minneapolis is the
largest automobile distributing center in the Unit
ed States and why the automobile men did busi-
ness in the past year to the amount of $780,
100000. 1t suggests, too that the tractor indus
try, which is centered IN this city, has possi-
bilities Of growth which it would be difficult to
over-estimate. 1t will occupy large place in the
automobile show and as factor in the industrial
growth Of Minneapolis is deserving of great con-
sideration.
In connection with the automobile and tractor
show there is to be also an industrial exhibit made
up from the many and varied industries of this
ciyt. The opportunity for these various industries
to identify themselves with this exhibition and
profit from the interest which the automobile and
tractor display has aroused and the attendance
which it will attract is expected to bring into the
exhibition splendid showing of the industrial in
terests of this city The opportunity is one not
to be lightly regarded, in view of the quality of
the attendance and in view of the conditions which
obtain in the Northwest at the present time by
reason of the enormous returns from agriculture
in an era Of high prices Minneapolis Tribune.