National Republican., 1885-04-20
A vital Local Question.

Knowing that great deal Of money
was going out of this city every month
in the year to purchase commodities that
should bo bought Of our own dealers, and
believing that there were really no valid
reasons for such discrimination against
home interests, we opened our columns
foy' discussion of the question, "Why
ri ZIP in Baltimore"
- both sides have been given full hear
ing. Some very sensible letters have
boen published, and wo have admitted
others that were frivolous almost to
childishncss. Some of our contributors
have made valuable suggestions Of a
really practical character, while others
have made petty complaints Of annoy
nncos incident to human nature and COM
mon to the trade of all cities.
The discussion is now closed, and we
can say of it that it has, as a whole,
shown just what it was expected to-that
there is no good ground for discrimina.
tion against tho trado of Washington.
The Washington Of 1885 is q very diff
forent city from the Washington of other
days, when the current of trade began to
flow from here to Baltimore. There has
been as much improvement in trade cir.
cles-in stores, stocks, and methods-as
there has been in streets, parks, and pub.
lie buildings.
Those who got into the habit of helping
TO build up other cities by spending their
money away from home years ago should
make a fair investigation of the trade
facilities Of to-day. And If it should so
happen that, on some one item, Balti-
moro house undersells q Washington
house, let not the inquirer illogically con-
cludo that the case is decided against
home interests. We have known Balti-
more ladies TO find great bargains" in
the dry goods stores OF Washington. 1t
10 not by one or two instances, but by a
general average Of prices that the ques-
tion of relative cheapneSs can be deter.
mined, and VIC are confident that the
trade of Washington has nothing to fear
from this test.
Live and let live' is good maxim,
and no city can have its just measure Of
prosperitylunless this motto Is generally
observed. Patronage of homo industry
is just as important as between differen,
cities as it is between rival nations.
If the money earned in one town is OK
pended in another, II the people of a city
have so little pride in its growth and de
velopment that they habitually con
tribute to the growth and development
Of other cities, we have the conditions
which good citizens ought to condemn.
The REPUBLICAN desires to put OF
record its condemnation of the habit, Sc
far as it exists, OF going away from hom
to purchase goods or wares or products 0
huy hlhu Nhht Nah w hhu ht iaii pllSc
of home dealers or artisans. The mer
chants and mechanics of Washington ar
doing their utmost to meet all reasonabl
demands. Good, consumed here should
us a rule, be bought here.
There must to some extent be co-opera
tion of all interests in city in order t
make sure of satisfactory progress. IN
man liveth to himself" Each interest
dependent on all the rost No one in
terest can be damaged without injuriousl
affecting others. For these reasons-an
because there is no good reason for gon
elsewhere to trade-THE REPURLIcA
reiterates its advice: "Patronize HON
dealers, home mechanics, home trad
home labor. Live and lot live"