The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-04-24
Highest all in Leavenng Power-Latest U. S. Govt Report
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HOME ENTERPRISES.

HOME ENTERPRISES.
We take the folio ing from the
Lyndon Union on account of It's appli-
cation to our own village. Why not
have a Board of Trade organized here
If such an enterprise should be carried
out with proper zeal it might result in
material advantage to us as a commu-
nifty. 1t is worth trying at least:
The suggestion in the Union last week,
of putting home capital into home busi-
ness and under home managers by enlarg-
ing profit-paying industries now here,
meets with favor by all who give it thought.
| If there is $40 900 or $4,000 to go into a
new enterprise under the management of a
stranger who assumes no risks and has no
interest in the place, that same capital
ought to be ready to go Into pay ing home
enterprises under the management of home
operators with successful business record
and who are Interested in building up the
village. Foreign enterprises are expert
ments which may praTe profitable and may
not. The history of home enterprises is
known, some having employed men and
supported fansiieS for years. Select the
best of these and they can be enlarged with
profit to increased capital. Call the own
erssor operators before the Board of Trade,
| learn their methods, inspect figures of eX-
the goods, the expense of selling, and thus
| learn from men who are reliable, interest
ed in the village and willing to risk their
own money, all about the business, its past,
its present and its,prospects Ii the inform
alton be favorable, enlarge the plant, in
corporate, organize. elect business direct
ors, put a competent man into the
management and go ahead. Do this with
| half dozen profitable small industries in
| the village, and the equivalent OF two shoe
| factories will be secured with the cost Of
one, the business Will be under the man
| agement of men who have made it pay,
who are known as fixtures in the village,
with Interest in its prosperity and growth.
There are a number of concerns here max
| ing money in small way. anxious -te
| enlarge to secure greater conVenlehceS
and better profits, but unable 10 40 50 1ron
want of capital.
The business to be preferred is that
which works raw material produced here.
and which reaches market with only one
freight. The business most profitable to a
village is that which employs the most help
on the least raw material The village
wants not the goods, but the increased oper
atives, with families to feed, clothe and
shelter and to increase demand for rents
and the value of real estate. The Board
of Trade aims to increase the prosperity of
the village. At various times they have
had strangers before them to discuss for
eign enterprises, the profits of which were
known only to the stranger. usually too
poor or too we'll acquainted with the busi-
ness recommendation to venture his own
capital.
As an instance of building up home in
dustries, look at the Perciyal Manufactur-
ing Co. in Barton, run for years by G. f.
Percival, Barton boy, who made furniture
in small way, gaining steadily, but
slowly, by reason of small capital. Noting
success and possibilities, others took hold
with him. enlarged and got the advantage
of division of labor. A rapid growth, pro-
fit, more people and more village attractions
followed. Last year this concern sold
about 5000 pieces of furniture, much of it of
fine workmanship and high price. Men
are on the road meeting with success IN
selling and securing orders in different
States.
A large establishment here, equipped
for making the best grades of furniture,
could prOtitably employ a large force OF
average mechc mics, fancy wood workers,
painters and UphOlStererS, to say nothing
of boOkkeeperS, shippers. runners and com
mon labOrers. Rockford, Ill, has lo large
furniture corporations prOsperlng on the
cooperative plan, with help all interested,
cOnfented and ready to put down combina-
tions and strikes Most of the raw materi-
al for furniture Is here. The establishment
of factory on large scale would increase
the value of our forests, and do its part
towards improving the condition of
surrounding farmers.
If villages would prosper they must
shape industries IN way to beneht tar-
merS, to give value to their forests, their
lands, with good market for their pro
ducts, People in villages must patr0nlZe
home merchants and practice the principle
of taking dollar out of one pocket, spend
ing il all at home and putting part OF II
back into the other pocket Our people
should keep constantly in mind the ten
dency to abandon the country and go West,
or bunch up in the cities, and should study
every method calculated to counteract this
tendency. They should farm less land,
farm it finer. and make one acre produce
the usual income of two or three, which
can be done without increase of capital or
help. Villages should establish industries
for the manufacture of raw material pro-
duced by their respective localities, lumber
and granite being leaders here. But the
same principle should be observed in man
as in neutrality-suspicious. the
most help possible on the least material. A
few men can send an acre of forest 10
market in the shape of dimension lumber,
while small army would be employed In
sencing it i'm the form of ready made house
finish, high grade furniture, erOquet SETS,
chairs, tool handles, bobbins, small SpOOlS,
buttons etc.
These suggestions are in outline only,
but when the Board of Trade takes hold of
the subject they will call in experienced
operatives and obtain reliable data on
which % shapen details. But ON opera
tinnS i'm this direction rests the hope ui the
average country .ilage 60 hold ITS own
and to hold the population of the surround
ing country.