The record-union., 1893-08-02
BUYING HOME GOODS.

A correspondent of the San Francisco
Bulletin complains that one cause of hard
times is disloyalty of the people of Cali
fornia to home industries-tha is to say
they pass the home-produced article by
and purchase the imported. 1t is added
that the seller in nine cases out of ten
endeavors to persuade the purchaser to
take the foreign rather than the home
product. 1t is not stated, however,
whether in these cases all other things
are equal, but we may assume that for
arguments sake.
The san Francisco Call proceeds to
comment upon this charge, and asks
why the dealer prefers to sell the foreign
made article? 1t intimates that it may be
because the retailer makes more on the
foreign article; or it is of better manu-
tacture; or that it costs more to put the
homemade article before the public.
The call is in position to easily verify
or Gisprove the statement of the CORE
spondent, and to receive definite reasons
why this or that is so. However. it
sensibly comes to the conclusion
that trade is not sentimental,
and that people viii buy to the
best advantage regardless of sentiment
When the RECoED-UNIoN announced
precisely these truths a few months ago
the CAL was among those who denounced
the statement hotly, and insisted, in the
matter of freight tariffs, that sentiment is
a governing motive in commerce. and
can be made to influence trade. 1t comes
duced goods must be as good as those of
the East, sell as cheaply and afford the
dealer as large margin of profit Which
is but another way of saying what the
RECoRD-UNIoN frequently asserted, and
for which this same San Francisco CaLE
criticised this journal harshly.
We recall that nothing more stirred the
ire of our San Francisco contemporaries
than our assertion that most of the San
Francisco merchants are little more than
agents for Eastern manufacturers; that
the manufacturer at the East is deter
mined to crush out incipient manufac-
lures in California, and that to that end
they often sell in this market at cost or
less, in order to prevent establishment of
rivals of place, trusting to making up for
the consequent loss in future dealings
when the field is cleared Of home manu-
facturers.
We recall that for saying this much the
San Francisco press did its utmost to
warm our ears. We were right then, as
we are now, when we say that if it were
possible, it would be the best for Califor-
MIA if there was an exceedingly high rate
for all goods incoming that are in the line
of home production, and low price for
home products outgoing.
We repeat now, and are glad to find the
CGH practically conceding our statement.
that there is no sentiment in trade; that
the merchant is too largely the agent for
Ni-C A-s'tSA IA SA anu NedAGT. luul
it is the policy of the latter to break down
incipient manufactures on this coast: that
wherever this coast has been a large
patron of an Eastern establishment, and
manufacture in that line has been es-
tablished here, the Eastern concern. in
order to maintain its trade, has sold goods
at cost. so that this market may not es-
cape the Eastern grip.
We repeat that because labor is cheaper
at the East, because material is cheaper
there, because there is larger patronage
for manufactures there, and larger per.
eentage in the quantity which any one
can manufacture. home production is
difficult, especially so when the Eastern
ambition is seconded by the greed of the
San Francisco merchant to enlarge The
margin of his profits, regardless OF tn,
results upon home interests.
s If to these reasons is added the deter
mination of railroads, expressed in th'
way of low freights, to induce people tC