The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-01
SEATTLE, TUESDAY, MAY 1.
Hits the Nail on the Head.


Seattle is naturally gratified with all
the nice things that are being said about
her these days. Her fame is in all
mouths. and the country over there are
hundreds of thousands of people who.
without having been within half the
breadth Of continent of the city. are
convinced of her present prosperity and
her future greatness. More welcome
stnl are the praises OF those who. hav-
ing large investments here are prepar-
ing to extend them and to make perma-
nent improvements. The approving
judgment Of capitalists, exhibited In the
expenditure OF immense sums OF money
on the strength OF their faith in this
city's destiny. is the most substantial
Of all possible testimony.
Equally Interested ought we to be
when such men point out what, In their
opinion. are deficiencies and dangers;
where are the openings that we fail to
improve; what are the opportunities that
mast be made the most Of II our ambi-
lions are to be realized In full. And we
md some instructive remarks In an in
terview with gentleman having large
interests In Seattle who Is now here.
After dwelling upon our growth and our
prospects. he comments upon the need
OF more manufactures. And every ar
gument that he uses goes to the bulls
eye. We have. as he says a great and
fertile territory behind us: we have an
unexampled wealth OF raw material; we
have a climate where manufacturing
may be carried on every working day In
the year without discomfort or Interrupt
ton; we have a demand for commodl-
ties which we can make as well as an
other. Why should we not establish our
interests as a manufacturing center as
firmly and amply as those that attach
10 trade and commerce?
We believe that this gentleman hits
the nail on the head. There is not a
sufficiently large manufacturing inter-
est here. II Is not wonderful and It is
no discredlt We have had SO many out
let's for energy. such vast demands upon
Intelligent forethought and activity, 80
many more opportunities for the em-
ployment OF capital probably than
there was capital available. that what
lack there is must be ascribed to cir
oumstance and not to ignorance and In
difference. We have also more than
respectable and growing manufacturing
interest. But we should give special
care TO II and use special effort to build
IL up. expand and diversity It,
Our people and those who deal with
US are now well satisfied with the ad-
vantages OF this as port OF trade. The
mighty business OF the Orient win flow
more and more through the water gates
of Seattle. But more Is necessary. New
York is famed for iis commerce. and
most people suppose that this is It's
chief title to eminence. They may not
know that New York is also the great
est manufacturing center In the United
States 1t does not appear in evidence.
The visitor sees the palaces Of trade
and the homes Of merchant princes. The
dusky eanters Of manufacture do not
obtrude themselves, But were they
taken away. New York would no longer
be the metropolis OF nation. 1, is 20
development along this line that we
must address ourselves.
Every thing is ripe for it. II we were
TO examine the contents Of all the con-
signments OF merchandise arriving in
Seattle within a week and destined for
local consumption. we should be sur
prised to see how large a portion of
these wares could be manufactured on
the spot as well. Here is the raw ma
terial. and here is the certain profit to
be made by the mere saving of freight
charges to say nothing Of the ordinary