The Grange advance., 1873-11-12
From wssl'y Granger:
Industrial Enterprises in the West.

1ne FARMERS tloVement is rapidly
calling the attention of the people to
the Importance ofsthe establishment of
more varied industrial pursuits in the
West. The cost of transporting raw
material long distances to be manu-
tactured and then returned in the man
ufactured form and sold to the produ.
GERS whence it came, is being counted.
The per centages paid to freight and
handling men are also being considered.
and the remedy will soon be applied.
1t will not be many years'ere the ener-
getic people Of the. West will do much
Of their own manufacturing, and there
by save enormous sums to themselves
Heretofore the people have been too
much in the habit Of permitting the
manufacturers and middlemen to have
their own way without question or
thought. The country was young, and
the chief battle had been with the re-
sisting elements Of nature; butt little
consideration was bestowed upfn the
waste and cost Of being separated from
manufactures by long @isAqces, and
the existing order Of things Aes per-
mitted without an effort bling made to
find relief: 1t has scarcely been sup.
posed that any change. E.. could be made
that any other mode of procedure was
practicable, and the money powers of
the east and foreign countries, had
their own way and accumulated i'm
mense fortunes off the people. But
there is now change in sentiment in
this regard, and another view is being
taken. 1t is seen that the balance is
not properly adjusted; that it is so ad-
justed as to enrich one section of the
country, and one or two classes Of men,
to the impoverishment and at the ex-
pense of the producing class
The result of this investigation is
that preparations are making with the
view to establishing industrial enter
prises Of various kinds throughout the
West. The enterprising of these
among the million farms lying in every
direction, will bring market almost to
the doors Of the producers, and add
largely to the value of their farms as
we'll as to whatever may be grown or
raised upon them. The price Of pro-
duce and live stock will not be eaten
up in exorbitant freights, and ma
chinery and goods of all kinds can be
furnished at less cost than when
brought long distances on the iron rails
Of overbearing monopolies. No enor~
nous establishments may spring up,
there being more establishments and
competition, but the wealth now con-
centrated in few hands will be more
evenly distributed, bringing more hap
piness, greater intelligence and less
suffering. Our own State is notable
example Of this determination to use
the iron and coal and wood 80 bounti-
fully spread over our country, without
shipping them hundreds of miles to
ditant manufactures. The past year
or two have witnessed great progress
in this respect, and it will bs a grand
day for the Hoosier State when it can
be proclaimed that hex mineral and
other resources are keR withip-> her
borders for home manuAcArifs, And
that her farmers can find NJ mhrketA near at
home for all or nearly all they produced,
and are no longer depending upon the
fluctuations Of foreign markets, or sub
ject to the manipulations of carriers.
The whole community should act as
one man in fostering and encouraging
industrial enterprises, for therein lie
wealth and salty to the people. There
is no occasion for injudicious and hasty
steps in that direction; but there
should be no pulling back when it is
clearly demonstrated that thing of
that kind should be done. With a