Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-26
THE vALUE oF nANUFACrUREA

AS the material interests Of the
country are Of more importance than
party politics, We make no apology
for adopting the following article from
the Richmond Dispatch in regard t0
the value Of manufactures to a city.
the people know from the uniform
results elsewhere Of the great increase
In wealth and population attendant
upon the establishment Of manufae.
turing enterprises, and yet they stub
bornly refuse to engage in what
will enrich themselves while build
ing up a most magnificent and
prosperous city. This idea Is thus
clearly elaborated by the Richmond
Dispatch: 1.-THE value Of manufactures
IN increasing the wealth and power Of
6 community cannot be over-estimat-
ed. There can be no great city with
out manufactures. There is no great
city which does not manufacture a
vast amount of fabrics. 1t is in refe-
renee to its manufacturing facilities
that we look upon Richmond as des-
tined to become n of the largest in
land cities in the Union, and possibly
the very largest.
"Five hundred thousand dollars in
vested in manufacturing would give
to Richmond more population and a
more rapid increase of wealth than
would five hundred millions of dollars
employed in merchandise. The bust
ness of merchandise employs only a
small number Of men In proportion to
capital, while manufacturing requires
q great number. In the matter of
buying and selling we only retain
the gains in the transactions, and in
case Of dealing In imported goods we
send all except the gains that is paid
for those goods out Of the country. In
manufacturing we keep everything.
The raw material, save in some small
er branches ofart,i is produced or mined
In our own country. Theconverting of
it into fabrics is the final enchantment
of the value of the raw material, and
when it is sold and sent away its
whole value is retained at home. The
miner gets pay for his labor, and the
manufacturers gets his, while the
wealth of the State is increased more
than by any other means.
"Then we must count the business
Of the feeding, and clothing, and lodg-
ing Of a large population, which add
so Auch to the prosperity Of trade and
30 much to the value OF real
estate and the rents of land
lords. We repeat, a capital Of
i've hundred thousand dollars in man
l~fscturing will give employment to
more people than five millions Of dol
-ars employed in merchandising.
The reader may have some better APP
probation Of numbers in this matter
we say that the Tredegar Works
nave given employment at q time
10 fourteen hundred men, and could,
when full of work, employ many
more. But take fourteen hundred,
and estimate the number OF the
antilles, and Of "helps" required to
meet all their wants, and we would
have, through those works alone, a
population Of at least six thousand
The capital of the Tredegar
invested in merchandise
would hardly employ more than a
hundred men, if that many.
"Now, it was mainly with reference
this great interest that the expsn-
ion Of Richmond to the south side
vas and is a matter Of paramount
Importance. We suppose that if we
that the manufacturing capacity !
Il Richmond would be doubled by
hat expansion, nobody will deny it.
Yet we know that it would be more /
han doubled. What a world of man. |
liaeturing wealth this multiplication I
+ the force Of the city would give US, /,
nd how every citizen would share in
he golden results Of such accumulated
Industry and thrift" ]