SEPTEMnFR 



1906.] 



IHE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



387 



AMERICAN IMPORTATION OH TIRES. 



Wlv trust that our reputation amonj^ our readers for 

 broadinindedncss is such as to allovvus to discuss 

 so delicate and complex a question as that of im- 

 ported 2<ersiis home made tires with a steady 

 head and without takinjj sides with either. Manj- men's 

 greatness has been founded upon tlic simple policy of telling 

 the whole story and letting their hearers draw their own 

 conclusions. When a man states his conclusions boldly, he 

 commits himself and lays himself open to attack, which not 

 everybody can anbrd to do ; while if he leaves the final de- 

 cision to others, he gets the credit without the burden of 

 deciding, and most hearers would rather have it so. 



The actual number of tires imported is of no significance. 

 The present discussion is of relative matters and of tenden- 

 cies or drifts in the trade. From a business point of view, 

 one may be indifferent vvhether all or none of the tires used 

 in the United States are imported 



The question whether people will want foreign or home 

 made tires, or any goods, for that matter, depe.ids upon a 

 great number of influences, the studj' of which is a science 

 in itself. Fashion, wdiich is also imitation, is generally the 

 strongest of these forces, patriotism being a close second. 

 Practically the whole of the British automobile industry, is 

 based upon patriotism, and the same is certainly true of the 

 American tire trade, as yet. Without the 30 or 45 per cent, 

 tariff on imported tires, the American tire industry could not 

 live. For certain reasons, based largely upon fasliion and 

 inertia, a very considerable number of jmeumalic automo- 

 bile tires arc imported, but the tax is prohibitive against 

 solid rubber tires, in the case of which ncme but eeonimiic 

 considerations are entertained. 



As everybody knows, the manufacture of automobile tires 

 began in Europe, so that the few automobiles found here in 

 the early years all wore imported tires. Nowadays, about 90 

 per cent, of the automobiles owned in America are fitted 

 with .American tires. Of course the foreign tires are heavily 

 handicapped by the duty, but we are talking about facts. 

 Whether the time will cnuu- when only American tires will 

 be used, can only be speculated. As was said above, it is 

 largely a matter of fashion. Fconomv, wdiicli is self interest, 

 tells us to buy where we can get the most for our money : 

 Ijut then comes in the question of long run and short run 

 economy Some jjeople. especially the English belie\e in 

 paUonizing home industries ; and some others, like the pro- 

 tectionists, believe in making folks do so, whether or no. 

 Many men, on the other hand, find a certain pleasure in 

 bn\ing things from way off somewheie, and these whims 

 and fancies have a pow-erful effect in trade matters. Fash- 

 ions come and go, and at times people get tired of home 

 things, because of a certain glamour which attaches to a far 

 off origin. 



Whether fir not foreign tires are still better than the lionie 

 made; .Xmerican makes have been vastlj- inqiroved wilhin 

 the last year, ami are gaining so rapidly that many exiiei is 

 look for the time when .'\nierican tires will compete openly 

 with those from abroad. Even now, large numbers of im- 

 ported chassis or running gears are fitted with American 

 bodies, which are considered fullv as good as the foieisrn. 



Imported cars always wear imported tires, except in rare in- 

 stances, when otherwise specified. Not only that, but the 

 tendency of owners of imported cars is stronglj' toward the 

 continued use or im])orted tires. 



Ineitia, which is habit, is stronger, in most men, than the 

 love of experimenting. The desire to try new things is a 

 characteristic of Americans, on the whole, but it is not a 

 general trait of mankind. The same instinct that prompts 

 a man to buy a foreign car also prompts him to get foreign 

 tires. If these tires give satisfaction, which is gener- 

 allj' true, he naturally continues their use. Foreign cars 

 are generally much heavier than the average American 

 make, so common sense tells him to use tires designed for 

 this greater weight. The difference between metric and inch 

 sizes, though less than the range of fit, is made much of by 

 the agents, who naturally wish to sell the more expensive 

 tire. The influence of the chauffeur, for some reason, is al- 

 most invariablj- in favor of the European tires. Many have 

 suspected that the chauffeurs are influenced thus by personal 

 interests, though this is a serious charge, and hard to prove. 



Much in the same way, the buyer of an American car is 

 ver\' likely to bin- American tires. ISIost car builders now 

 give the buyer his choice between home and foreign tires at 

 the same price ; but unle-ss otherwi.se specified, the cars are 

 fitted with American tires, and the average buj'er yields to 

 the advice of the agent in this matter. American cars being 

 far cheaper than the foreign, the American buyer of an 

 American car naturally buvs the chea|)er American tire, be- 

 ing prompted thereto by the same motive which induced 

 him to buy the home made car. 



These are some of the rea.sons for the acknowledged fact 

 that more than three-fourths of the imported tires are for 

 use on imported cars. This has been the banner year for 

 the importers of tires, and there has been a great increase in 

 the sale of foreign tires for use on home made cars ; but it 

 must be kept in mind that this increase is relatively small. 

 The whole automobile business has increased rapidly, and 

 this same period of heavy tire importation has been marked 

 by a more rapid limitation of their use to imported cars. 



On account of the heavy duty, the best makes of inipinted 

 tires are more expensive than the Americans, even though 

 they are sold on a smaller margin of profit. The iinjiorter 

 tries to compete openly with the home makes, and when 

 fpiality is considered, the prices are about the same for each. 

 It is barely possible that this open competition is not the 

 best managenient, because it often happens that the more 

 costly aiticle is bought just because it is the more costlv. 

 Value and price are closely associated in the American 

 mind, and the main difierence betw-een conveniences and 

 luxuries is that the bidding is downward, in the one case, 

 and upward in the other. A foreign car is a luxury, and 

 the more expensive it is, the better does it serve as a social 

 distinction. Were the price of imported tires doubled, the 

 fall in sales would probably not be proportionate. 



The question of tariffs makes little difference to the im- 

 porter of automobile tires. Pneumatic tires, when imported 

 separatelj', pay the regular duty of 30 per cent, on manufac- 

 tured rubber. Imported automobiles paj- 45 percent., which 



