Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-19
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now TO HELP Omaha.

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must have found food for thought in
the series of interviews printed in The
Bee in which our most prominent bank
ers, capitalists, merchants and real es-
tate men discuss the question raised in
a communication to The Bee asking why
local capital is not more freely available
for the promotion of new industrial and
commercial enterprises.
From the expressions of opinion given
it is easily discerned that the reasons
are not one, but many. While a num-
! Der of Omaha capitalists are known to
have made their investments largely in
/ cities and states other than their own
! it is pointed out that this is not peculiar
| to Omaha, but it Is common to a greater
or less degree everywhere. Yet brush
| ing aside the explanations all of which
enter to n certain extent into the prob
! lem, such as overtaXation, excessive de-
mands upon public spirit and public
charity, bad collection laws, the reac-
ton from financial depression, all of the
answers seem to overlook several vital
points.
In the first place, this is the age of
consolidation, of combination and large
business enterprises. 1t takes much
more capital now to launch Il successful
industrial institution than it did for
mcrly. and the difficulty of raising the
necessary funds either in the form of
stock subscriptions or guaranteed loans
is therefore increased
In the second place, industry is cumu-
lative. Certain lines of manufacturing
can be developed only after others,
which are a foundation for them, have
been firmly established. 1t would have
been impossible, for example, to have
built up the extensive soap industry at
South Omaha ten years ago, before the
meat packing interests had grown to
their present proportions. Omaha's Job
bing business, which might have sufticed
to cover the territory at our command
when Omaha's railroad facilities were
in their infancy, are certainly now in
adequate to the demands Of the new sec
tions opened up by the additional rail
roads and various extensions of exist
ing lines that in the last few years have
vastly improved Omaha's transporta-
tion facilities. This, it seems to us. is
the most important feature to be con
Sidered and the one to which our busi-
ness men should direct themselves.
Take just one line as an example, If
the hides of the animals slaughtered at
South Omaha could be tanned and
worked into leather at this point it
would lead to the erection of a dozen
new factories, each employing hundreds
of men at good wages With the leather
as the raw material we would have boot
and shoe factories, trunk factories |
harness factories, betting factories. !
Satchel and fancy goods factories. and |
still others. 1t would pay the stock .
yards company to enter into Il contract /
TO defray the freight charges on all the /
tan bark required for large tannery
for five years to come to get these vari-
Gus establishments inaugurated. and it
would pay the business men of Omaha,
if necessary, to indemnify the stock
yards company for whatever sum should
Nv iN'IuiItu
incidentally. cheaper power would do
much TO stimulate manufacturing enter
prises, especially those in which ma
chinery is largely used. Several WAYS
for accomplishing this object have been
and one project is said still
to be under consideration. If success
fully carried out it will certainly give
great impetus to Omaha's forward move
ment.
Another need of Omaha for the devcl-
opment of its trade and industry is bet
ter rates on the railroads. As IA dis
uibuting center Omaha can sell goods
only in competition with other cities
and it can compete on equal terms only
when it has equal treatment from the
railroads.
The most encouraging omen arises out
Of the fact that our business men are
opening their eyes TO the need of united
action and are willing to discuss the
subject in serious and practical vein.
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The mayor of South Omaha has moda