The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-24
TO ENCOURAGE
Home INDUSTRIES.
A CALL FOR STATE MANUFAC.
TURERS TO MEET FOR
SPEEDY ACTION.
BLOOD SAPPING BY THE EAST
LEADERS OF COMMERCIAL INSTITU-
TONS AROUSED TO THE
SITUATION.

The following call to manufacturers
throughout the State was issued yester-
day:
The statistics of California show an alarming
decrease in the amount of wages expended by
the manufacturers of this State during the past
five years, while the population has shown a
material increase. Eastern manufacturers are
virtually sappng the Likelihood of our home
industries which viii be almost totally swept
out OF existence unless steps are taken to check
the evil. 1t is believed that much can be
gained by concert OF action.
Many OF the leading wage employers of this
city OF the belief that convention of all of
the manufacturers OF the State would lead TO
beneficial results. 1t has, therefore been de-
cided to invite all persons engaged in manu-
featuring in California to meet in this city on
Tuesday, March 10, for the purpose OF forming
q permanent organization OF manufacturers
The object Will be to educate the masses to
the needs of fostering home industries secure
necessary legislation in behalf OF these indus
tries, and to take an active interest in general
business affairs. such a convention would
necessarily bring this all-important matter be-
fore the people through the medium of the
press.
Unity of action is the principal present need
1t is hoped that you will be represented at
the convention either in person or bv dele
gated representative. Very truly yours Henry
J.. Davis, president Manufacturers and EN-
ployers Association; w. H. Dimond president
Chamber of Commerce.; Board of Trade by A.
A. Watkins, president; Mechanics Institute by
NJ. NJ. Barnet, managing editor of the
Journal of Commerce, in speaking of the
call said yesterday:
'From careful study of State statistics
l find that the manufacturing OUTPUT OF
California has fallen off so per cent in the
last five years. The chief cause of that is
the reduction of fully 40 per cent in freight
rates from the East within the same ne
Rod
This proposed meeting of manufac-
turers is the result of a movement to bring
capital and labor together and devise WAYS
and means whereby home labor may be
employed and the influx of Eastern manu-.
featured staples may be stopped
The Eastern manufacturers have about
killed our boot and shoe trade, our cigar,
clothing business, that of grainbags, car.
riages, harness and wagons, while our
foundries and machine-shops are going to
pieces.
The manufacturers hope bv con.
certed action and interchange of trade as
far as possible, as well as by the influence
laboring men can WELD with labor in
general, to start revival of local manufac.
lures. They hope to show the retailer that
If that idle so per cent of labor could be
employed-of which there is no doubt il
retailers would patronize home manufac-
lures, and consumers would attend to their
end of the business-this idleness would be
dissipated.
San Francisco manufacturers are look.
ing forward to manufacturers from other
parts OF the State cooperating to this end
The idea at present is to form a central or
ganization here with branches in the vari-
Gus parts of the State in favor of home in.
dustries.
Zone trouble is that workingmen think
too lightly of the subject. Every dollar
they expend on Eastern goods goes to hurt
their fellow workmen. Local unions hold
prices of labor higher than the same unions
East, while living is cheaper.
LAS an instance of Western blindness
take the Pioneer wooden mills We buy
Eastern blankets, though our ma.
chinery lies idle, and yet the blankets we
buy from the East are made of California
wool. Our wool is shipped back East in
the grease, and the average California WOO
will spin 80 per cent per yard Now we
pay on that same wool profit to the WOO
commission-house in Boston equal to Del
cent Cf the cost of the wool; we paw the
expenses of the scourer and his profit &
per cent?; we pay freight on the wool from
Boston to the mill and the freight on the
manufactured article to the commission.
houses in New York City. These commits.