The record-union., 1893-08-28
OUR MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

The recent annual address of President
w. L. Davis of the San Francisco Manu-
facturers' Association contains some ex-
ceedingly well-timed and practical sug-
gestions. On the whole, we regard it as
among the most rational and wholesome
expressions that have been put forth by
any commercial association in the me-
tropolis during later years. 1t is a dis
passionate, matter-of-fact analysis of con-
ditions affecting some of the principal, if
not all, of the manufacturing industries
OF the State. 1t goes to the root of one of
the evils by which the manufacturing in
terest is specially afflicted and not stop
ping at this point, 1t proposes a remedy
for this particular evil which seems feasi-
bic and adequate. The gist of the trouble,
as stated by President Davis, is that an
unreasonable prejudice has grown up
and become confirmed against home
manufacturers in favor of similar Eastern
manufacturers, while the California prod
ucts in question are not only of superior
quality, but cheaper than the products of
the East. For instance. leather and
woolen goods manufactured in San Fran
cisco are not only better, but cost the con-
sumner less than similar classes of goods
imported from the Atlantic States. In
confirmation of this statement, Mr..
Davis shows that many articles of wooden
and leather manufactured here are sent
East and shipped back to us with the ad-
dition of New York stamp, whereupon
they find ready sale, while so long as
they were presented without this dis
guise they remained comparatively un-
salable.
President Davis calls attention to the
singular fact that while San Francisco
has lost great part Of her home market
for homemade goods, she has succeeded
largely in drawing out her Eastern COM
petitors in these goods from Colorado and
New Mexico.
The remedy proposed by Mr.. Davis, on
behalf OF the association, is to educate our
people regarding these facts and to Sc
cure the cooperation of retail dealers,
through whom consumers are directly
reached. This having been accomplished,
it is claimed that in two years the effect
will be to increase the population of San
Francisco to 100000 souls. We should
say that so large an increase in popula-
ton in so short a time would be rather a
nigh estimate, but the statement is in the
line OF truth and within the range of pos
sibility.
On account of the immediate results
that will probably attend the action of the
Manufacturers Association, it cannot be
regarded as other than important; but it
seems to us still more important in view
of the consequences to which it may lead;
for while of itself it is a well-defined,
wholesome move in the right direction, it
is only the beginning of general system
of introspection whereby we shall be able
to determine clearly, in business-like
manner, wherein we are ourselves to be
blamed for lack of greater advancement
in the various branches of commerce and
industry. Community development pro-
ceeds from within outward, not from
without inward. We fully believe. and
the facts are abundant to confirm US in
the belief, that no city in the United
States, not excepting even Chicago, has
gone forward more substantially or more
rapidly than San Francisco will advance
when that city has once fully realized and
gone to work squarely on the principle
that, after all, the creation of a great city
depends upon enterprise.