Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-11-03
Where Does the Money Go?

w mere NOSo SAC NASASJ
Every day somebody tells US that
there is plenty of money in the coun-
try, and in the next breath they ask
us, "Where has it all gone," In our
article a few days ago we gave a
general statement of just how it had
taken it's departure, from "here-
about" as Justice Gage of the the
Supreme Court would put it. The
truths we sought to elucidate are so
clearly and succinctly and convinc-
ingly stated in an article in the Spar
tanburg Journal of Wednesday that
we are reproducing it. The article
says:
"According to statistics compiled
by the State Highway Commission
S115, ,4OO,250 has been invested IN
automobiles and motor vehicles in
South Carolina. BY way of contrast,
it is stated that "the combined invest
ments in all the banks of the State"
aggregate $42,OO0,O0G; that the cap
ital invested in the textile mills of
the State is about $117,0O0,O0O, and
that the total amount of capital in
vested in all industries in South Car
olina last year was slightly more
than S2O1, 100000.
"This year, counting only nine
months, there were 94,511 cars in
South Carolina of the average value
of S1,275. This was an increase,
compared with 1919, of 20,212 cars;
compared with 1918, an increase of
35,7OS cars; compared with 1917 an
increase of 54,337 cars. Last year
the consumption of gasoline in South
Carolina was more than 32,000,00O
gallons; the consumption in the first
nine months of 1920 has reached
31,75S,S3O gallons, an average
monthly consumption of 3,539,75O
gallons. 1t was reckoned yesterday
by the owner of car that the aver
age price of gasoline for easy fgur-
ing could be given at 80 cents the
gallon which would mean that the
average monthly expenditure for gas
oline in this State is S1,O61,925, or
S12,735,90O the year.
"The figures, which are taken from
the Columbia State are staggering,
they probably explain in some meas
ure the distress among certain of the
farmers, which has been emphasized
recently, and possibly they may have
had some bearing on the advice re-
Gently given to the banks on the sub
iect of loans. 1t is hard to believe
that the value of automobiles in
South Carolina is within about ST.
100000 of the capital stock of all
the cotton mills in the, state; that the
investment in automobiles is greater
by S1OO,64O,25O than the investment
in horses, 500, 9,566,250 greater than
the total investment in milch cows,
and $93,224,250 greater than the in
vestment in hogs. 1t would be mighty
interestin' readin'' if the Highway
Association would go step further
and find out the aggregate amount
of loans made by the banks of the
State on automobiles, how many OF
the cars are used for pleasure and
how many for business.
And yet we know good many peo
Pile who are planning now to get rid
of the old car and get a new one
next year. A car is bad enough in
hard times, but one without new
paint is a calamity. Why do people
think that car is worthless after
the paint comes off anyway?,
And then again may we not sug-
gest that John D. must have a fine
time these Sunday afternoons, in
this Indian Summer weather, when
all the old cars and fivvers are drink
ing in the "juice" causing John DIS
mill to grind out the shining shekels
each happy hour. Somewhere we read
prayer by a drunkard, we think it
was where he besought the Good
Man to give him a barrel full, with
little leak in the bung, and that he
might be allowed to lie on his back
and let the liquors drop into his
month. We have forgotten just how
the matter ran, but we know now
that John D. would have the drunk
ard "beaten a city block" in real en-
joyment even if his prayer might be
answered-yes, even in these dry
times.
Even the old darkey who prayer
for filters and "New Orleans las
ses to sop my filters Gen." as told by
the story books of years ago lis a
back number in the land of happi-
ness.--The Press and Banner.