The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-12
HOME INDUSTRIES.
The Mechanics Institute
in Their Favor.
THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
The Finance Committees Report Is
Unfayorable TO a New Building
at Present.

The quarterly meeting Of the Mechanics
Institute was held last night in the Me-
ehanics' Pavilion and quite breezy ses-
sion was the result About 100 of the
members were present, and after the pre-
llminary opening exercises number of
reports of committees were received.
Among them were the following:
The committee on finance recommended
economy in the expenditure of money;
that the cost of the needed improvements
in the P0st-street property be reduced to a
minimum and that further consideration
of the new buildings on the pavilion lot be
laid over until the finances of the institute
are in better condition. The institute
had been compelled to borrow $4,000 on its
note to make good its overdraft at the bank.
The pavilion committee reported that
while it had not been determined as yet to
hold fair the coming winter. yet the in
stitute could not afford TO have the build
ing lie idle. and q reinauguration of the
fall industrial fairs is recommended at the
earliest possible time.
After the reports had been formally
acted upon President Hallidie delivered
an interesting address upon the impress
sionS produced by a recent visit made
by him TO the Worlds Fair and their ap-
pication to existing conditions in this city.
After reviewing the more attractive
features OF the fair, the immensely of the
Undertaking and his conclusion that these
great exhibitions have served their pur-
pose and OutlIved their usefulness, the
speaker concluded as follows:
The great lesson of the exhibition is the
building up of State or nation by the
mutual SUPP ort of a people within itself,
and Chicago is an evidence OF this. It's
unqualified support of IFS local enterprises
ana industries has made it a great and
prosperous city. From a population no
greater in 1856 than that of San Francisco
aud with less wealth it h as become the
first city in the country.
at never would have attained its pre-
eminence IL it had been satisfied with its
position as a distributing point alone. but
1t needed the stimulus Of a manufacturing
and pr due ne community, which it very
soon got by its wise and liberal policy in
standing faithfully by all the industries
within lis Inn t., as, for instance, when
the Calumet Nail Works were started
years ago no merchant dared TO deal in
any other nails than its local factory pro-
duced. Public opinion compelled this,
being founded on mutual dependence
and determination to make Chicago
great city. independent'and free"
Mr.. Holiday then referred briefly TO the
annual address of the president of the
Board of Manufacturers and Employers of
California a It's meeting held last month,
in which the practice of merchants in
buying Eastern-made goods and the exist
ing prejudice against those made at home
was dwelt upon al length, and which. the
speaker said, were heartily Endorsed by
the Mechanics Institute.
Irving NJ. Scott OF the Union Iron
Works made a few forcible remarks upon
his experience with and inves igation of
home Industries. He cited firm in this
city that had been engaged in the manu-
factuIe of bolts. They had made them at
cost Of 2S4 cents apiece, and had thought
they were doing welt. Meantime however,
in the East a firm was making the same
kind OF bolts at cost OF "a cents each.
This and several other similar iliuStra-
tions were cited as showing how lacking
many Californlans were IN progressive
ness. 1t was not, he said, because of a
lack of skill or ability among mechanics in
this State that our manufacturing indus
tries were Frustrated, but because of a
disposition among our citizens to purchase
their supplies In the East. lie compared
the methods IN use in that section of the
country, as applied to manufactures, with
those common in California, and offered
the following resolutions to the meeting
as expressing the sentiment of the men,
bers of the institute upon the mportation
of goods that can be procured of local in
dustries:
Resolred, The Mechanics Institute views
with alarm the practice OF many corporations
and individuals doing business in this city Of
sending the money earned from the people
abroad for the purchase of supplies which can
be manufactured and procured here.
ResOtUed, In The opinion of the institute IL Is
The duly of every corporation and citizen doing
business In this city and State and pro ected by
It's laws 10 encourage and foster by every means
in their power all lawful local industries and
caliiDgS, To the end that profitable employment
may he secured by those among us Who haze
10 earn their living by labor; that industry
ana thrift may be encouraged and mat our
people by mutual help may bui up the city
and State 10 a condition OF independence and
ResotUed, That the Mechanics Institute
founded TO encourage the mechanic arts and
The indus rieS. arnestly asks the cooperation
OF the municipality OF the city and all busin IS
and social organizations for the purpose OF
stopping the further importation Of goods that
can be supplied by the local factories. so that
the present depression may be aleviated, that
The money earned here may be retained To pay
wages to our working men and women and the
local industries may recover from the depres-
sion under which they now suffer.
RESOLVED, That the Mechanics Institute
heartily echoes the sentiments expressed in
the address OF the president of the Board OF
craze with said board in its efforts To revive the
industries OF this city and State.
The resolutions were carried with one
dissenting vote, after G. aries NJ. Plum,
manufacturer of furniture, and several
other gentlemen had sustained the remarks
OF Mr.. Scott.
The question of the adoption of an
amendment to the constitution tending to
prevent future tinkering with that insiru-
ment caused hot discussion and resulted
in the amendment being heavily defeated,
1t apparently being the sentiment of those
present that the protested amendment was
In the nature of sag.
The institute then adjourned.