Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-13
By Lionel A. Sheldon

rear here a commercial center that
shall become a prominent factor In
world trade. 1t is worth the while at
the incipient stage of the enterprise to
acquaint ourselves fully in respect to
what are the circumstances and con-
ditions in their bearing upon the work
the people have so earnestly taken in
hand. Let us make an account of what
are the facts.
The first is that Los Angeles is i'm
medately and widely surrounded by
country highly productive of the neces-
stiles and luXures of life, mucn that
contributes to general wealth and
trade. In this respect few cities I'm the
nation are more favorably circum-
stanced. The population of the city and
vicinity is of a superior quality in in
teligenee and character, and it is fast
becoming greater numerically. An ex-
tensive adjacent country is capable of
maintaining a population of unusual
density Internal trade has already
attained large dimensions.
The second fact Is that the city is
the terminus of three important trans
continental railways that participate
as largely as any others in transcon-
tinental traffic Through them this
city has direct communication, and
should have trade relations with the
people in a territory embracing 100000
square miles, one-third of our conti-
mental domain. and which now contains
not fewer than 15,000,000 inhabitants or
one-sixth of our continental popula-
tion. 1t is a region productive, album
dainty and in variety, of exportable
comodities. and in which population
and development are increasing faster
and to a wider extent than nearly
anywhere else in the nation. The sec
tions through which the railways reach
this city are not only rich in produce
f,,,- fva. ean htff n
erals The rail lines whose termini
are here are shorter than those of
their rivals. They are less obstructed
by what nature has imposed, for they
are on the average on lower levels
than the northern railways Nature
provided for them the lowest gaps in
the mountain ranges from the north
ern boundary of Mexico to the south
ern boundary of British Columbia. 1t
has been said that sign boards should
be placed i'm these gaps with the IN
scription This is the way to the East
Indies"
Other facts are that the city is sit
uated on the greatest ocean. and there
can be no shifting of location, there
being no point that will bring produce
ers and consumers in closer proXln-
ity, nor that places exporters and mn
porters on transportation lines of less
resistance either in the matter of dis
!
this city shall become In commercial
rank ii will so remain. Its position is
such as to command the export trade
from the productive regions eastward
and the import trade from Oceanlca
and the Orient to supply those interior
and productive sections. The conditions
will remain fixed and permanent.
Another important fact is that the
mort of this city is nearer to a larger
number of the islands of the Indian and
Pacific oceans, to the larger part or
eastern Asia. all of eastern Africa,
Australia. New Zealand, Hawaii and
the Philippines than any other of our
Pacific coast ports. 1t is obvious TOO,
that through cheaper and more eXpe-
ditious transportation this city has
very much the advantage OF other Pa
cific coast cities in trade with the west
ern coast of Mexico, Central and Soutn
America. Those countries will be large
buyers OF products OF the sectlons
through which pass the railroads whose
termini are in this city, as they are
what are needed in those countries be-
cause they cannot produce them TO
great extent: but they do produce
much that is needed by the people IN
the vast territory commercially tr1pu-
tary to this city.
fact that the region which the railways
terminating here traverse will largely
take the imports brought to this city
from Oceanica, Asia. Africa, the Amer
lean countries southwark and our own
Pacific insular possessions.
Considerinp all the facts enumerated,
one Is forced to the conclusion that, If
utilized as they should he, there is as
surance that the largest center OF
commerce anywhere on the western
coast of the American hemisphere can
and should be built up here. Whatever
may become the number OF people the
citv shall acquire, they will be amply
supplied with food from the country
| eastward. and with such raw materials
as shall be required by the industries
| that are likely to be here established