Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-16
WAR WILL HELP
j. S. IS OPINION OF
F. A. WASHbURN
SAYS EUROPEAN CONFLICT WILL
MAKE Us MORE SELF-SUP-
PORTING

In an interview with +. A. Wash
burn this week he expressed himself
to the Banner as being optimistic of
the future.
Mr.. Washburn said, in speaking of
the present business conditions: "As
to the future business activities none
can foretell TO a certainty just what
Will be the avenues of our operations
| am very optimistic concerning the
future business of the Richardson Silk
Company We will get the business,
| believe. in the near future in "A de-
gree that we have not received il be-
fore. There are at the present time
some conditions that are affecting our
markets. For example the styles of
the present season are slightly dis
advantageous To our class of goods
This country is the greatest in the
world from the standpoint of indust-
ries and resources. our country is
large enough to supply "A market for
American products for all time to
come. We are not limited to the
United States. however, for a market
There are abundant possibilities in
South American trade.
"As to the supply of raw material
for the Richardson Silk Company the
most Of our silk comes from China
and Japan. | think the Chinese and
Japs can keep the ocean clear SO as
to deliver their products TO the United
States. True, approximately eighty
per cent Of the dye stuffs that we use
comes from Germany but we are sup
piled with enough so that we have no
occasion to worry for some time To
come. In the light of the present
situation this country should take cog
nzance and plan to manufacture her
own dye stuffs. The ingredients
might be different, but i have no
doubt they would be as good and very
probably they would excel foreign
products This would take time. !
Chemists would have to be educated /
and capital interested. 1t would take !
money 10 push the thing through on |
the start but it would be worth it.
II want To make this statement I
right here. The greatest lack of this I
today is that of loyalty to our !
We are not American I
enough either in spirit or in practice.
Y on cannot find a German in this I
country but what he is still loyal to
Germany. You cannot find a French
man who will not stand up for his
,wn country and its products. Neither
AN you make an Englishman believe
hat any other country eXcels his The
,ame is true Of men of other nationali-
les. They are all loyal to their own
country i'm a greater degree than is
he American To his country. Thus
say we are not Americanized.'
How do you account for such
condition" was asked Of Mr.. Wash
,urn.
well, / would say that 1t is in our
breeding. We have been trained to
,elieve that foreign products are best.
)ur ancestors are mostly foreign. We
ack the essential quality and charac-
eristic Of speaking well of our own
PRODUCTS Of encouraging our local in
ustries by using American products.
THE manufacturers of Belding are
lot going out OF business right away.
hey have built on too firm founda-
ion. The industries Of Belding are
lot so old as some others but they are
uilt on permanent foundations and
gli endure long after many weaker
mes have suspended operations. ] do
ot believe that there is city any
where that has as strong and perma-
ent a line of factories for it's size as
las Belding. We are here TO stay and
ere To grow. We do not expect to
make steady advances but after one
tride ahead we expect to hold our
ostion until our markets have come
ID To our production and then we
xpect to make another stride y
"The outcome of the European war
annot help but be beneficial to the
-nited States, as I see il. II will
rake us more self-supporting and al
0 supply a market for our American
roducts. II will teach us to see the =
God qualities in our own goods, and
, be patriotic to the home industries.