[a | The Daily British Whig [ren] exes x rt 3 ' : FOURTH SECTION YEAR 85. NO. 15 KINGSTON, ONTARIO, SATURDAY. MARCH 30, 1918 FOL nT rs - Caan Ry NAS RAL 3 Ta s A RE ET Er { s { : N oo i To-day may appropriately be called the opening day for antomobiles ifiFastern Ontario. 8 For several weeks back the cold weather has held this country in its grip and made motoring, not impossible, by any means, but uncomfortable for driving. From now until next fall the days will become warmer, the roads will dry up, the grass will become greenerand this country will turn from an ice-bound world into one which will rival in climate the far-famed south. Motoring this ¥ear lakes ils place not as a sport or a luxury, but as an absolute necessity. I'he gasoline motor of the farm tractor will plough the fields and reap the grain. That same source of energy will in commercial trucks relieve the railroads -of much of their heavy work, as well as reduce delivery costs within the cities' limits. In passenger cars il will carry human freight from one place to another. for business, for health, for speed and for , pleasure. - We » WV WN) Te ho "This is the industty which the Whig is endeavoring by such issues as this one, to extend in usefulriess so that the life of Canada and Eastern Ontario during this awful war will be car- ried on more effectively, more efficiently and be of greater benefit to the protectors of demo- eracy in Europe. WN \ At first there came the time when dare-devil sportsmen had an automobile so that they could careen along the highways at from twenty-five to thirty-five miles an hour. Then the mo- Lor ear was put on a business basis by such men as Chalmeys ind Ford, and it became more senérally into use. The wealthy people who were not too conservative to eling to Victorias and broughams bought them as one of many luxuries. Then as competition increased and prices wernt lower the populace started to purchase automobiles in vast numbers. WN Now all of these slages are past. This eontinent for three years has gradually been moulded into-a source of supply of materials to beat the German destructors of our civilization. During these three years the automobile industry was in the melting pot. If has developed as an essential industry and is here to stay. The power of gasoline has come to be an indispen- able part of the personal and commercial life of North America. Tye vear there will be a decrease of thirty per cenl. in the production. This means that later-omdtiere will be fewer ears obtainable by the buying public. © Under the unbreakable rale of supply and demand, ang that the material used in the ears will become scarcer, the prices are bound to advance: Already some of the prices are higher, Th: siogan being thrown out by the well informed authorities is "Buy Now." In connection with the local situation the Whig is indeed pleased with the prospects. The roads have been eontinually--though very slowly receiving attention, and now are in fair condition. The vity has adopted a plan of pavement which will after the war be adopted as standard for residential streets and be laid throughout the eity. In the meantime the Suburban Road Area Commission will continue with maintenance of the country highways. We have now several miles of pavement in various parts of the city sufficient to permit the heaviest trafic to circulate on good reads. The commercial use of automobiles in the city is growing rapidly, and in this the dealers see the birth of business which will, in a very short time, be fully as important as the supplying of pleasure cars. There are dozens of flirts in Kingston, of all lines of business, now using gasoline instead of horse-power, for hore rapid transit. The delivery eosts with horses have mounted so high that the motor truck is the only solution. Instead eof jeopardizing their business by refusing to deliver goods, many fizms have now chosen the molor as their salva- tion. They are buying a good grade of cars, and as an investment are firmly convinced that it will mean a big decrease in their operating expenses. . % The farm tractor is another braneh which is growing. This year the Onlario Department of Agricultural has commandeered the supply form the Ford factory, and now offers them to the farmers of Ontario at cost. With this tractor on thé market and others by such firms as the International, Case, ete., many farmers will undoubtedly use gasoline to save man-power this season. in the interests of greater production from a patriotic standpoint a farmer should consider a tractor, bul with the dollar mark as a guide he will most certainly bebuying a mo- or for his fields. : .- -- - ' gos BAT A90 90S HO 490 10100 TY VFEV ALINE) ORT AOR On 1 0000 B00) BAY . wld Lm 1111), be