The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-04-27
HOME INDUSTRIES.
a Few Remaeks on an I'M
portant Subject.


Enlistment of additional branches
of home industries. We fire quenty
hear it asserted that it is the doty OF
our citizens, VINO have grown
wealthy in the Territory, to invest
. he accumulated capital in the es-
adjustment Of such industries. even
though it may appear that the re,
turns on capital SO Invested would
be, in the beginning at least, some
what meagre and uncertain. Now,
this assertion contains an amount OF
truth, bit the question srises
whether this duty is the only one
connected with the subject. 1t
might, with equal propr ETY., be said
that it is the duty IF those who have
associated thems' Ives with the in
erests Of the com munity. to patron.
ize to the fullest extent the produc-
tions of the industries which have
been already established. or which
might be undertaken in the future.
A proper consideration CT some ex-
sting facts in relation to this mat
ter might not be altogether out Of
place at this particular time, when
the Territory is strugl ling under
heavy burden brought upon it, to a
great extent, by a somewhat exces-
sive importation of mei chandise
| from eastern and western markets.
and by the unwise discrimination of
the railroads, whose respective
mspagets, while competing strongly
for the OPP or;unities of carrying
freight into the Territory, have not
deemed il Of sufficient Importance to
compete for the carrying of any
fire ght out CT the Territory. Hence,
our markets have been overlooked
with goods from abroad and there
has been no outlet for our surplus
grain, and, in fact, our own markets
| for produce have been virtually
mon0polized by producers from
other p>rts Of she country. Inns
yorted grain could be puTchased
cheaper in Salt Lake City than that
ra sed IN cur own Territory. ibis
much for tie causes which assist in
produc ng the present great depres
sion in trade.
There is already established In the
city of Provo very promising
branch OF industry in the shape of
wooden mills, and the result is some
very excellent homemade cloth,
flannels, blankets, ETC., are being
placed by these mills upon our mar
kets. The capitalists interested in
these mills are doing their utmost
TO make this enterprise one worthy
the support and encouragement of
the community, and SO far they
have met with marked degree Of
success. Many thousands Of dollars
worth Of wool have been kept in the
Territory, many people have been
furnished emplOym and great
good has resulted from the estab-
lishment of this industry. But have
the community at largo "a 'roniZed
these mills as extensively as they
might have done? Is it not tact
that the majority of the people are
to-day wearing imported materials?
Does there not exist an unfortunate
feeling, amounting almost to preju-
dice, against anything that is home
made? If not, why is it that so
many thousands of dollars worth OF
cloth and ready made clothing are
imported annually into the Terri
tory? But it MAJ be urged that the
capacity OF these mills is not sufi-
Gent to supply the demands of the
entire people. Then let us by our
patronage pat it in the power OF the
management TO increase their capa-
city, to handle more wool. to en-
ploy more hands, and to render them
more efficient in competing with
imported goods. In this connection
we might ask why might we not
establish factories for the making
up OF clothing in the Territory We
have large numbers Of people who
might profitsbly be employed in this
way, and the large amount Of money
which IS yearly sent abroad in pay
ment for this class Of labor would be
more useful te Us as community if
kept at home.
But the wooden manufacture is
not the only industry that has been
inaugurated in the Territory; there
are others equally deserving OF our
ohPkOA = al esoSlSGAhOOS 6ulOuS ElIGIu 4
the shoe factory, the overall and
underwear factory, the soap factory,
and others. Yet Notwithstanding |
these sre all demanding our aid and |
support we are still sending out |
large sums Of money to bring in i'm
ported shoes, imported overalls, |
soap, furniture, etc, all of which |
could be produced in greater a6und-
ance and even of better quality, per-
haps, than they are at pres emit, if
the same amount of money which
goes out Of the Territory were de-
voted to the encouragement OF these
self-same industries at home.
It is sheer folly, for community
such as ours, 20 spend so much
money for imported articles, while
Dur exports remain SO insignificant
n comparison. Our prosperity is
diminished thereby, and cur Terri.
-ory is continually drained OF the
very means which should be devoted
% its development and the conse-
Iuent welfare OF its inhshitanfs. /
There ere hundreds Of mechanics
md artisans in our midst, gathered
rom every quarter of the civilized
Earth, and there is nothing
n binder fba octobf;eL roo,A e