The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-20
CONSPICUOUS RESULTS.

The Manufacturers and Producers As
ISOLATION is certainly making its pressure
felt in very direct and positive manner.
AS it is composed of persons who manu-
facture and produce an exceedingly wide
range of articles here in California it has
more than an indirect interest or vague
patriotism in seeing that its manu-
features and products are consumed at
home; and as it has membership run
ming into the hundreds and is composed of
men of influence it is most powerful
organization. Although it has only begun
operations it has already brought the State
and some municipal institutions under its
influence and has suddenly and summarily
put stop to official preference Of foreign
articles.
Its power and influence will increase
with its membership and every manu-
facturer and producer who has allied him
self with it will reap the benefits which it
secures. For naturally it will first protect
the interests of its own members. This is
right, and it will have the effect of Undue
ing all manufacturers and producers to
become members, to the end that an over
whelming influence will be created in time
tons. 1t hence becomes the interest of all
manufacturers and producers to join the
association.
The ways in which its power for good
can be exercised are innumerable 1t rep
resents industrial cooperation in its most
benign aspect. By increasing the con-
sumption of homemade articles it will
keep among our own people vast sums of
money that are heedlessly sent abroad,
and this is clear addition to the wealth
of the people. Better than that, however,
is the fact that an increase of home con-
sumption means an increase in the mum.
Der of persons employed and consequent
decrease of idleness, suffering, despair and
crime. 1t is not possible to imagine a
more beneicent scheme IN whatever light
it may be viewed.
Every additional member increases the
power of the association not only in in
huence and prestige, but also in the ability
to discover means for meeting Eastern
competition. This is a very complex mat
ter in itself. AS each member has a per-
sonal financial interest in the work o. the
association he constitutes himself watch
upon the field of consumption in his par
ticular line. When he discovers the char
acter and extent of this consumption he
brings the whole tremendous force of the
association to bear in the seeking of
remedy. Not only this, but it is evident
that as each member is himself consider
able consumer he will buy of his fellow
members in the association whatever he
may require in their various lines. With
out considering the outside influence which
the association can WELD, it is clear that by
becoming member a manufacturer or
producer finds a greatly enlarged market
within the association itself.
There is no possible danger that the as
ISOLATION will ever be able, even though it
should be so unwise to desire, to constitute
a powerful trust that could exclude COM
petition. On the contrary, its efforts will
only sharpen the energies of its foreign
competitors and tend to a general reduc-
ton of prices. This reduction will be all
the easier for the association to meet by
reason Of the increased facilities for pro-
duction which an enlarged consumption
will enable its members to enjoy.
The whole subject is exceedingly inter-
esting. We do not see why every manu-
facturer and producer in the State should
not become member of the association,
and we believe that before long the asso-
citation will have inspired the organization
of citizens leagues pledged to consume
articles of home production where the
quality and prices permit.