The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-01-15
WESTERN ENTERPRISE,

WtoltNN INlNh'WN''
Chicago, ~ Louis, Cincinnati ana
Louisville aro each striving for the
trade of the west aud southwest, II ls
a curious study 10 note the character OF
tho efforts made 'rhoy all send awarms
Of sleek, wcll,led woll-iresfed young
men here, who personally represent
tho claims n the cities, but more
especially of the individual house they
are connected with, They do this IN
diligently and efficiently, but these
Young men are not backed in way by
their principals, TO secure the best
results There Ia no special effort made
TO secure q rate for the transportation
Of freights or q reasonable schedule of
prices, all Of which are necessary to
attach permanently tho already great
aud now rapidly developing trade of
the great southwest 10 any particular
market or region Of manufacturing
territory In this neither of the cities
named net with the foresight and bust
ness intelligence which distinguished
them in the earlier days of their COM
mcrcal and business history
1t Ia with cities and trade territory,
NJ II ia with individuals, When You
drive hard bargain or even get
away with" u stranger on his
first essay 10 open trade with
you, tho chances ara that he does not
repent the attempt, or il no does, it il
with the ayowed purpose and skilllully
engineered effort TO "get even" The
cities named have been theoretically en-.
gagged lorycarsin killing the goose which
lays the golden egg for them in the
southwest by pursuing this very course,
Whenever u bill from either city IL
placed beside New York or u Boston
bll the effect of western extravaganza
and unthrllt beComcs ut once painfully
apparent The western merchant pays
the eastern importer not only the actual
expense of transportation, but the profit
which enables him to live in that style
of mOgniliccnce and splendor which
has rendered New York shoddysm
lllustrious throughout the world Then,
too, nearly every western merchant,
but more particularly those of Chicago,
inhubls houses and does business in
stores owned 10y these eastern people,
and pHy them enormous profits in rents,
upon the cost of building Then, also,
these elegant young men who do the
local advertising for these houses nre
paid handsome salaries and have clc.
CANT and costly tastes.
There is absolutely no escape from
the conviction that the consumer pays
for all of this Now then, pcrmi, us to
ask, If it is necessary for our merchants
here in Texas, to pay more than ono OF
these charges, Why not deal directly
with our domestic manufacturers, and
why not demand thot the merchants OF
Galveston shall import directly from
| Europe, SO that Texan consumers urc
only taxed one time between the loom
and the local dealer2 We're this subject
pursued a little, and if one or two such
houses were established. il would force
the cities named, to resort to smaller
profits, and other and less extravagant
methods Of business and styles OF living
Another consideration ofequal weight
and soundnoss is presented in conncc,
ton with the opening the import bust.
ness in Galveston. We have now direct
and easy rail communication to all parts
of the west and northwest, and these
facilities are extending every day, Not
only would tn Q matter have an import
ant bearing on our own state, but 10y
this means reach and have favorable
effect upon an immense trading terri,
tory, now only reached by the longer
and infinitely moro expensive rail
routes from the east We might in
this connection with, great propriety,
urge the Importance of establishing
manufactures here at Dallas for cotton
and WOODEN goods, shoes agricultural
implements and other articles OF prime
necessity We should rely more upon
ourselves and less upon others if we
would overcome the evils of buying in
distant and expensive markets and of
transporting goods from great distances
10y expensive routes of rail- when
water transportation is available to our
very doors. These problems force
themselves irresistably upon the mcr.
chants and business men of the south.
west, and Texas particularly.
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THE STATE OVER.