Automobile Extravagance.—Perhaps in nothing outside of women's fashions has extravagance found more expensive indulgence than in the purchase of automobiles during the last five years in this country. For instance in 1905 there were 101 manufacturing concerns; in 1910 there are 280. In 1905 there were made 28,400 cars of the value of $56,000,000; in 1910 there were made 185,000 cars, valued at $240,000,000. The capital invested in 1905 was $23,000,000; in 1910 it is $175,000,000. In 1905 there were employed in manufacturing autos, in trades supplying parts of cars, in selling, etc., deriving direct benefit from the auto business, 77,800 persons; in 1910, 1,685,600 persons. Of these employed by auto manufacturers in 1905 there were 15,000; in 1910, 140,000. The cars sold in the last five years are of the estimated value of $490,000,000. In many cases the car is without doubt a great boon and benefit. In many, many cases it is a matter of sheer extravagance, oftentimes purchased by mortgaging a home.