Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-01-21
o he 0rf9on 8fpab!ifau.
DALLAS, SATURDAY, JAN. 81.
Advantages of Manllfac.
fures.-C Continued.

ing forth some of the advantages of
manufactures to our State. Much more
might have been said upon the profits
of wool growing and manufacturing,
but We now wish to call attention to
another branch of manufacturing that
might be successfully carried on to the
great advantage of all our citizens.
What we refer to is the manufacture Of
leather, and all kinds of leather work.
The hides of the vast numbers of cat
tie and sheep, reared and slaughtered in
this State, if converted into good mer-
chantable leather, and that again man
ufactufedsinto boots, shoes, &C., which
could be done, as we'll as not, would
save us. thousands of dollars annually,
that now goes to fill the Golfers of man-
nfacturers in San Francisco and the
East. Were we to count the cost Of
shipment to and from those manufac-
tories, as well as the profits of the diff
ferent dealers through whose hands
those articles pass, we wonld bring in
an account TO pass to the debit side of
profit and loss that would surprise even
the most observant. And when we add
to this the advantage Of furnis hing
employment to hundreds of men, young
and old, who are now, to use their own
expression, 6 bumming" half their
time, we find strong inducements to
prompt us to energy 10 this direction.
But an objection is raised by some in
regard to this point, that the wages de-
manded by these same men are so high,
that they cannot be proftably employed
in this manner To this we state that
the manner In which business has been
conducted heretofore, and to great
extent is still conducted here, only
gives them employment paratively
a very small portion of their time, and
the remainder they are ''lying on their
oars" doing nothing. But open to them
the prospect of steady employment, and
they can be obtained at prices that they
could not under the present status of
affairs, afford to take; for their cx,
penses during their idle time are so
great, that their wages during their
laboring hours must be proportionately
high tofgive them living. Another
objection raised against the manufac.
turepof these articles here is, that the
leather made here is not so durable as
that made in other places. This fault
We would attribute to the present linn
tied means, and want of care of the
manufacturer for certainly We have
all the facilities for making as good
leather here as can be found anywhere;
and if it is not as good, it most cer>
tainly is the fault OF the manufacturer,
and not the lack of necessary materials
All are aware of the fact that the Santa
Cruz leather of California stands second
to none in this market, not even being
excelled by that of any of the Eastern
manufactures. And if they can make
leather there of first rate quality, we
see no reason why we cannot do as
well. One thing lost sight of in this
matter is the fact that our climate is
peculiarly destructive on everything
that is exposed to the weather. This
should prompt all those using leather
ware to use more oils, varnishes, &c.
for the protection of shoes, boots, bar
ness, and all lcathern articles exposed
TO, ard that are liable to suffer from
the effects of the suns heat and winter
storms.
But the great fault at the bottom o
all the difficulty is, not the want of ma
teriaIs, not that we cannot profit bJ
these manufactures, not that we cannot
make these articles as durab e and al
good as they can be made anywhere
else. but. that We, as a people, are ever
reaching after something foreign, some.
thing distant, and something new and
novel. ga
The EnglisLman, as he dons his suit
OF best clothes, and you meet him upon
the street, and remark concerning his
outfit, tells you with flush of national
pride, "These, Sir, are all English
manufacture" And as he points to the
quality of the goods, be tells you they
are the best that can be found; and to
say aught agains: them, wonld be tc
insult his national pride. But the
American does not consider himself