St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-26
HOME INDUSTRIES.

The board of directors of the chamber
of commerce desire full attendance of
the members of that body at the meet
ing tomorrow morning. The subjects
named as the special orders for to-inor-
row are immigration and manufactur-
ing, and it is desirable to have full eX
preston of the business interests of
this city on these twoimportant sub
Jects. There are those who believe
that we have reached a crisis in the
growth of this city, and that unless
some special effort is made in the way
of inducing immigration and in estab-
fishing manufacturing industries we
will come to stand still, if not actually
retrograde. While the GLOBE does not
share III this opinion, still we are i'm
pressed with the fact that we are ap-
preaching an epoch in the city's pros
perity, and that it behooves every man
to lay his shoulder to the wheel and
help to usher in the epoch with becom-
ing splendor.
The men who laid the foundations of
our commercial prosperity are still liv-
ing, and as long as they are at the helm
there is no danger of a retrograde move
ment. But there are new fields of
conquest now opening up before them,
and their services are needed in achiey-
ing the new developments that are in
viting their attention. Our commercial
supremacy is established, and now we
want to made reputation for st. Paul
as manufacturing center. Shall we
do it?
In st. Paul's sudden rise to fame and
fortune it would be marvel if some
mistakes had not been made during the
progress of this rapid development.
Yet it is more of marvel that compar-
atively SO few have been made. Those
few are potent to the eye, so there is no
necessity of directing attention to them
in this connection.
1t is sufficient to say we have reached
the period when we must give over our
Qualification and settle down to earnest,
hard work in solidifying the advantages
we have gained. We have achieved
prosperity. The thing now to do is to
so adjust conditions that prosperity will
be forever perpetuated.
How are we to go about it?
Well, let us see. A good way to begin
is by propounding questions to our
selves, and then finding satisfactory an
SwerS to them.
Outside of our commercial and rail-
way interests, what have we done in the
way of establishing substantial home
Industries?
The railroads have opened avenues of
communication for the city with the
country in all directions, over which
jObbers ars shipping out their goods,
but what are the roads bringing back
into st. Paul?
The country tributary to st. Paul
grows annually about 60,0O0.OO0 bushels
of wheat. How much of that wheat
ought to be ground in this city, and
how many elevators ought we to have
to receive it? How many mills and
elevators have we?
The annual wool clip to the west of
us amounts to 100000 pounds, and
every pound of it passes through st.
Paul on its way to market. How many
spindles and looms ought we to have to
work up this great wool clip? How
many spindles and looms have we?
There is great iron district lying to
the north of US, and every iron bed con-
nected with this city by railways. How
many furnaces and mills ought we to
have? How many have we?
We are on the border of one of the
finest lumber sections in the world,
with all the streams running right to
US and through US. How many wooden
ware factories ought we to have? How
many have we?
We are the metropolis of one of the
finest agricultural regions of the West.
How many of the articles needed by the
farming population of Minnesota and
the country beyond ought to be made in
st. Paul? How many do we make?
These are few questions we pro-
pound by way of suggestion to the
chamber of commerce meeting to-mOr-
row. They will serve as starter for
the discussion. There is room for more,
and all will admit of elaboration.
There is another thing we want to
suggest. 1t is trite saying that the
gods help those who help themselves.
If we are going to invite capital to come
here and invest in manufacturing, we
must first show our faith by our works.
There is good deal of home capital
lying around loose that might as well
find investment i'll substantial home in
dustries. 1t will encourage capitalists
abroad when they see evidences of our
own faith in st. Paul as manufacture
ing center. And, until home capital
takes hold, foreign capital will be shy.
We hope 10 see good attendance at
the meeting tomorrow, and shall be
disappointed if good results do not fol-
low.