Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-17
A PRESENT DUTY.

We have before drawn the attention of
Californians to the duty incumbent upon
them to support home-manufacturingi inter-
ests. 1t can be done in but one way-the
creating of demand for California-made
goods, by asking the retail dealer for them
in preference to the imported article. I'm
less there is general demand of this
character from this time forward a very
large number of home-manufacturing en-
terprises will go to the wall within the
next few months, possibly weeks. There
must be home consumption of home pro-
ducts, or inevitably failure will be an
nounced of important industrial ventures.
This result will throw many men, women
and children out of employment, and the
effect viii be to make times harder, to
limit investment for some time in the
future, and to make capital still more
timid in aiding California ventures. The
cut IN freight rates has resulted in heavily
stocking the State with Eastern goods and
the placing of local manufactures at great
acknowledgements which, indeed, only
the few can maintain themselves. Of
course, every one must realize that the
shutting down of manufactures, under
such circumstances, would be very seri-
Gus blow to the State In some degree it
would affect oil business. The consumer
is always inclined to buy at the cheapest
rate, and to resist that natural tendency
requires some self-sacrifce now and then
But he can at least, before purchasing, ask
for articles of California manufacture,
and ascertain whether or not the
home product differs so very materially in
price from the imported. Jobbers uni
formly reply to the solicitation of manu-
facturers, d" If the people will ask for and
receive your goods, we will keep your sup
plies" OF course a fsr-seeing view and
comprehensive consideration Of the whole
question will convince every one having
the development of the State at heart that
the real profit and deepest interest of con-
sumers resides in sustaining home indus
tries, even when this demands some tenn
porary sacrifice on the part of the con-
sumner. There ale several lines of supply
on which the life of manufacturing in Cal
ifornia depends in large degree, that are
so nearly on plane with the Eastern
manufactured article as to price, that the
mass of consumers should not hesitate for
an instant to favor the product of the in
dustry that is of us and contributes to us.
There are others in which the mere ca
price of prejudice for the foreign product
is the only thing that weighs against the
home product. There is moral protection
needed for home manufactures at this
critical juncture, that rests upon a broader
and deeper foundation than any protective
theory known to political economy. 1t
can be extended only by the consumer. Its
demands are of such character as to adj
dress not only our self-interest, but the
sentiment Of local pride and the matter of
self-prosperity. In purchasing food, cloth
ing, implements Of common use, and many
of the mechanical and household supplies
of daily use, we can, if we choose to do SO,
not only encourage home industries, but at
this particular time save great number
of them from embarrassment or ruin. In
not all cases is there call for sacrifice to
this end, but in not few no greater de-
mand is made than the abandonment of
notions" that the article produced abroad
is therefore of greater merit.