The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-08-20
WANT FOREIGN TRADE.
Merchants Who Wish to Increase
the City's Bus
ness.
A Circular Letter Asking Subscrip'
tions Seat TO Those
Interested.

The merchants OF this City have decided
to make a united and aggressive move
ment to secure foreign commerce, and to
this end the great mercantile and manu-
featuring organizations of the City have
appointed committees and arranged for
campaign of progress.
The following circular tells its own story.
In brief it means that the Bureau of For
eign Commerce will raise the sum of $15,-
900, to be used in exploiting new fields of
foreign commerce and meeting changed
conditions. The great cities of the East
have already moved in this direction. and
the step San Francisco is taking has be-
come an absolute necessity. The move
ment in the interest of foreign commerce
affects the whole community. Every owner
of business property is more or less inter-
ested in the success of the new enterprise,
and it is confidently expected that these
men, as indirect benehciaries of the en-
larged trade, will join with the merchants
in subscribing to the foreign commerce
fund. The foreign commerce movement
is really public affair:
SAN Francisco, August 20, 1896
Dear Sirs:-A committee was recently named
to consider the ways and means for develop
ing the foreign commerce of San Francisco,
and the possibilities of this undertaking have
been considered and July discussed at q num-
bar of meetings.
tits the sense of the entire committee that
united, earnest and aggressive effort must be
made to induce our foreign neighbors, especi-
ally the countries of the Pacific Ocean, to
trade with San Francisco.
This is not pioneer movement On the
contrary all the leading commercial centers of
the United States have promptly responded to
the new demands for the new nelds, and are
already sending representatives to China, ia
pan. Australia and Central and South
America. These commercial embassies have
been favorabiy received and confident reports
have been returned.
If San Francisco is to maintain its CONNER
cial rank and position among the great cities
OF the United States and meet the demands of
modern commerce, we must enlarge the boun-
daries of our trade and boldly face the keen
com petition in business. To accomplish these
ends and purposes financial aid the sinews of
commerce as well as war, must be secured.
1t has been decided that 6 fund of SIS, 900 be
raised. This amount must be subscribed, SUBJ
scTiptions to be paid quarterly, the money to
be disbursed by the committee working under
the direction of the Chamber of Commerce,
the Board of Trade and the Manufacturers and
Produce rs Association.
Represen natives ire TO be sent from this City
to foreign ports from which, in the Judgment
of the committee, the best results may be Sc
cured in the development and extension of
our commerce.
A representative of the committee, which
has taken the title of Bureau of Foreign
Commerce." will wait upon you at early
date Immediately il requested) and will eX-
p ain the purposes and scope of the bureau
and ask your financial support and friendly
interest Respectfully, etc.
The circular is signed by all the mem.
bers of the Bureau of Foreign Commerce.