The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-01
HOMn MANUFACTURER AND JOE
BIER.

published in your issue OF the 18th inst,
under the heading "Jobbers Are Conf
dent" we wish to take exception 20 some
OF the statements made by the representa-
tives Of local Jobbing house. He says
some very nice things about the Pacific
coast jobber and manufactures, and II
sman portion Of his sayings were practiced
by the local jobbers. quite number Of the
local manufacturers would be greatly bene-
fited.
1t IL not selfish motive that prompts
US to take exception to some of the state
Erenfs contained In the article, nor have
We any AZ to grind. In bringing the mat
ter up. we are simply inspired with de-
sire to correct some statements that are
misleading. In the first place. the name
manufacturer should have been omitted
from the statement, then the article
might have passed as "Wafl From the
Jcbber." for the simple reason that the
local manufacturers worst competitor Is
the jobber. and furthermore has always
been 10.
In one part of his statement the inter-
viewed party states that ''tle local jobber
patrunfzes every home industry possible"
Perhaps he does, In way peculiarly his
own: that word possible as 1t Is used COW
ers up multitude. az the only time ne
finds 1t possible to patronize a local prod
net is when he can get no other, or when
manufactured goods has run too low to be
safe. 1t 10 then that he patronizes home
industry by gett'r~ barely enough goods
from the nome factory to last until his
stock Of Eastern goods Is replenished.
We quote from the article: "In former
years the Pacific coast jobbers and manu-
facturers bore the attacks OF the Middle
West jobbers without complaint" This
may be true of other localities on the
Coast, but In the case OF this particular
section such attacks may have been, but
the local manufacturer has been 20 busy
resisting the attacks at home from the
home job5er that he has not had time to
be concerned In the fights of the Home
J0bber We. the Middle West Jobber. We
would amend his statement by saying that
for years past, and at the present time,
the local manufacturer has and IL bearing
the attacks of the Eastern manufacturer,
and that the Eastern manufacturer has al
ways had the assistance Of the local job
Der.
Again we quote from his statement:
THE commerce Of the Pacific coast has
been built up entirely by the jobbing and
manufacturing interests" This may be
true OF the Pacific coast, with the excep-
ton of this section. BY investigating you
win md that the few small manufacturers
that we have In this state. and particularly
In this section, have been left to SHIFT for
themselves. and that the partial success
achieved has not been through any effort
put forth by the jobber.
II YOU viii look at the records of other
Coast cities you Will find that their manu-
featuring interests are protected by their
10bbers, and you will also see that the re-
suits show plainly.
By way Of comparison--in our own par
ticuiar industry:
Every town OF any size on the Coast out.
aide Of fhfs state of atsi V1u<n,, a v,rr,u-
porous soap factory; San Francisco sup
ports over twenty-five such factories, all Of
them as large. and the majority larger
than any in our state. Portland supports
five. two of which are considerably larger
than any in our state. The state OF Wash
ington supports but four, two Of which are
In this city. Compare these figures. a-d
what conclusions do we arrive at? Some
thing is radically wrong; 1t isn't the quail
ity of the goods, as you will find on trial
and close examination that the product of
our factories will compare very favorably
with any Eastern goods on the market, as
will both the jobbing and the retail prices.
Now, quality and price being equal. what
else can be wrong? We might suggest that
the Jobber offer a solution.
As further example, we will state that
San Francisco. with population probably
four times greater than ours supports
over twenty-five factories. or one to each
1900 population. 1t may be argued here
that she supplies the state of California.
In order to set this point right we will
state that each town In that state with a
population over 5000 has soap factory.
Now. 1t seems strange that in one section
a factory will thrive with population of
1900. and in our state. with about 800, 900
people. four small soap factories barely
exist. Why Is this? Ask the jobber.
Personal knowledge of the consumption
of this class Of goods leads US to state that
the factories in the state of Washington
supply less than one-tenth of the soap con-
sumed In the state. This will tend to show
the loyalty of our Jobbers. There Is also
another element that we had almost for
gotten. and that Is the state institutions. If
you will look over their calls for supplies,
you will note that they particularly specify
Eastern brands. This enables the local
jobber to shut out the home manufacturer.
II the jobber were as liberal with his
patronage as his statement would make
him seem, we will ask, How is 1t that
every factory In the city Ia forced to have
travelling statesmen on the roady'
W. J. BERNARD,
Manager Seattle Soap Co.