St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-21
1851. Il 1891.
The Labor View.

For long time st. Paul was badly
handicapped in this line by scarcity
of the right kind of labor, but this is no
longer the case. Except in one or two
branches there is now sufficient labor,
although all that is to be had is being
utilized at present. The inauguration.
of the fine clothing manufacture has
been the means of bringing large num-
Der of skilled operators to the city, all
of whom have families, the younger
members of which readily find employ
ment in the unskilled branches of the
same business. Right here, too. is a
matter that seems 10 be largely lost
sight of. but which is really Of great i'm
portance in the way of inducing skilled
mechanics to come to st. Paul. Each
of these men. probably, has a family.
If there are a number of industries,
such as cigar factories, overall factories
and others of that line he knows the
younger members of his family will be
able to find work, and., hence, the es-
tabishment of these is indirectly the
means of furnishing the factories that
require skilled labor with what they
need. This accounts for the eagerness
with which the men engaged in the
manufacture of the coarser grades of
clothing welcome the establishment of
factories devoted to the manufacture of
the finer grades. ru- fee
9eneNs the Market.
There is also another point to be con-
sidered in this question and 1t is the es-
tablishing of a market. As things
stand to-day the merchant who comes to
st. Paul to purchase his stockrot goods
does not need to confine himself to one
house. Take it in dry goods for eX-
q tal- ol,
number of houses. If he is not quite
satisfied with certain line in ons
place he can go to another. The mar
ket is here, and he knows he can find
what he wants. This making of mar
ket has been done in most lines in St.
Paul, but none so completely and
thoroughly as in the line of mems fur
nishings, overalls, shirts, mackinaws.
duck suits and the heavy goods
demanded by farmers. miners and
lumbermen. In these lines St. Paul
manufacturers have no real competitors
in the great territory reaching from the
Great Lakes to the Pacifc,and are meet
ing their Eastern rivals in the South
west. In the line of the finer grades of
clothing, Jobblng houses have prepared
the way and the factories now here will
soon be in as complete possession of the
nishing goods men are of theirs. They
are making goods peculiarly adapted to
the needs OF the people of the North
west, and the trade will go to-theIn be-
cause that is where it belongs.
st. Paul made clothing has a reputa-
ton all over the Northwest. Lumber
men, for instance. know what they need
for the severe winters of this section.
and they know they can get Just what
they want in st. Paul, and they will
have nothing made elsewhere And so
it is in every other line. The people of
the Northwest have learned that st.
Paul makes clothing of the same high
grade and quality as she does every
thing else. And, what is more to the
point, they have found that they can
purchase as cheaply in st. Paul as they
can further East, aud save freight and
be sure of securing their goods before
the season has gone by in which they
expected TO sell them.
Eastern Competition.
But how can st. Paul manufacturers
compete in prices with Eastern houses?
This is question that will naturally
enough occur to many, and it is one
that the manufacturers of st. Paul ex-
plain to the satisfaction of all. Labor is
no more expensive here than 1t is in
other manufacturing centers, and. as
rule, at the present time there is no
busy SEASONS Whefhepr et the Climate an 'Gs is
responsible for it or not the fact re-
mains that the manufacturers 81 ST.
Paul obtain the best and most infeIlf-
gent labor in the country. No disastrous
strikes have ever occurred. The opera
tiyes are to large extent PROPERTY
owners, and for that reason are inter
ested In the growth and DEVELOPMENT of