The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-08-17
FOR A GREATER AND MORE
PROSPEROUS DULUTH

1HVoE 6IkVOS 0OAO In
Fellow Citizens: ....
Since there appears to be, at the
present time. a most vigorous agita-
ton being waged for the principle of
patronizing home industries, it be-
hooves the Cigar Makers Local union
to give brief statement Of the. de-
plorable condition of the cigar max
ing industry of Duluth for your ear
nest consideration.
There are at the present time about
40 cigar makers in our city, and of
this number some are continually out
Of employment. Some time ago, the
union made a careful and conserva-
tive investigation of the number of
cigars consumed yearly in our city and
it was found that it would give en-
ployment to at least 400 cigar MAX
ers. AS the wages of the cigar maxi
ers generally amount to about $40
per week, this would mean weekly
payroll of $4,000, or $416,O00 per
year. Instead of these figures (Which
are very conservative the present pay
roll of the cigar makers amounts to
about $500 per week or $41,60O per
year.
You can readily observe from these
figures, the enormous amount of
money in wages to cigar makers alone
that Is being sent away each year in
stead Of going into the channels of
trade Of our own city. which would
mean more prosperous merchants
and a more prosperous city. This
same fact applies to every industry
In our city.
We hear considerable talk these
days of inducing various industries
to locate in Duluth; but how can we
expect capitalists to invest money
here when they know for positive
fact that Duluth does not patronize
the industries that are already es-
tablished. The most logical conclu-
sion to come to, for any man with
money to invest in factories, is that
1t would be very poor investment.
The vast difference in the above fig
ures proves conclusively that there is
something radically wrong, and it is
nothing else than the fault of the
smokers, who either negligently, pur-
posely Or otherwise do not call for
homemade cigars, which is a duty as
loyal citizens of Duluth.
We often hear the argument ad-
vanced that the quality of the cigars
manufactured in this city is not up
to the standard Of those produced
elsewhere. That is all idle talk and
invariably comes from interruptions
dealers who make a little more profit
on some outside brands, and with this
sort Of argument try to induce the
smoker (and most of the time Sue
ceeds) to purchase them in prefer
ence to the home product. The quail
ity Of the product of the Duluth cigar
manufacturer is as good (and In many
cases better Jas any produced in the
world. And why not? The Duluth
manufacturer buys his raw material
In precisely the same market as does
the manufacturer Of New York,
Tampa or elsewhere. Does it i'm
prove the quality of the cigars used
here to have them manufactured in
different climate? Common sense
will answer the last question.
We believe that If every smoker in
sisted on having homemade cigars
that it would add materially to the
prosperity Of our city. And, in fact,
not only the patronizing of the cigar
industry, but the purchase of the pro-
ducts of every other factory In our
city, which are too numerous to men,
ton. It would mean that more homes
would have to be built, which would
give employment to thousands OF
workingmen engaged in this pursuit
OF livelihood. They in turn would
become consumers, thereby increasing
the trade of our merchants and
eventually this would lead to the de-
sired and ideal result-A GREATER
AND MORE PROSPEROUS DU-
LUTH.
In conclusion, permit us to request
OF the smokers Of Duluth to hereby
resolve not only to call for, but to
insist on having homemade cigars
for then you will not only aid in
giving employment to the cigar maxi
ers of Duluth, but you will be con-
tributing to the general prosperity OF
upbuilding of our city.
Respectfully,
C1GARMAKERS' LOCAL UNION.