T h e A u t o m a t ic A ge
9
They usually have a fine workable model; one that will work
Pretty good until it gets into actual use. Occasionally there is one
that has genuine merit, that could serve the public honestly and
^gitimately, but it is being thrown away on a promotion scheme.
Since we have published the AU TOM ATIC AGE we have been
absolutely astonished at the number of acquaintances who have
actually invested or seriously considered investing in these enter
prises.
Apparently some of the promoters have made a big
cleanup. W e find them in every walk of life, but not one of them
has found his investment to be worth a Lincoln penny. And yet
these investors were thoroughly sold, they could show you how
these machines ought to make them independent. On paper, yes!
We do not know anything more convincing on paper than vending
^achine statistics. When it comes to putting it in practice there
ls nothing about the vending machine business that pays a profit
except experience and hard work.
It Is Our Prediction
^nd Confident Belief
t h a t the big e x p o s it io n to be held
ln connection With the convention o f th e o p e r a t o r s a n d m a n u fa c
turers of coin controlled machines will be the t u r n in g p o in t in this
lndustry. Its importance cannot be over estimated. We have the
annual shows of the automobile industry and the radio industry.
Twenty years ago the automobile was in its infancy; and it was
Neatly stimulated by the annual New York and Chicago shows.
have heard automobile men say that it was the rivalry created
ky these shows that stimulated the manufacturers to their utmost
activity. Each year they planned ahead to bring out something
new at the shows. And each year the big dealers of the country
l°°ked forward to attending either the New York or Chicago show
see the. latest in automobiles. They say that it was this stimulus
that perfected the automobile in less time than any invention cre
ated by the hands of man.
There was scarcely a radio set in existence five years ago; and
when the annual shows began to be held a tremenduous impetus
was given the radio trade. The manufacturers were put on edge
t° show the best they had. They knew they could not get away
^ t h any old stuff.
We predict the coin-controlled machine business will go through
same experience. The trade needs the inspiration and interest;
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