St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1914-06-05
As Manufacturer Sees Il

If one half the money and
effort were employed in securing
manufacturing institutions in
the Northwest, and supporting
those already here. instead of at
tempting to get people to the
coast who have no visible means,
and who but add to an already
glutted labor supply, better re.
suits would obtain.
The cry of back to the soiT'
and the constant endeavor to
get more producers of land pro.
ducts, is in itself well enough,
but what distributes value and
gets money radiating out into
channels of trade is the pay
roll. A good industry establish
ed in a community, employing
a fairly large number of people,
is worth a dozen farms and farm
ers, as a distributor of money
and affording activity to general
business. The monthly, or semi
monthly, pay envelope helps
merchants in all lines, while the
farm gives employment to but
few and ages are inconsiderable
and irregular in payment. The
value of the payroll is exemplified
in hundreds of small eastern
cities and should be encouraged
in the Northwest.
Much discussion has been adj
vanced concerning the vast
amounts paid out for transporta-
tion of commodities, but these
amounts are small in comparison
with the pay rolls that produce
the articles on which freights
are paid. The aggregate of
freight and labor in production
would be of vast Importance to
the coast. People of the North
west are slow to realize the value
of home industries. When the
wheels are turning, demand for
farm products will follow. the
result of which will not neces.
state advertising for farmers.
Home markets will be establish
ed with no resultant loss from
over supply. Demand for pro-
ducts will bring the farmer.
itThere has been a growing
tendency for some years to
hamper the manufacturer. and
hedge him on every hand, just
as the political vampire has
stifled transportation lines and
stopped their extension and
development. Especially is this
true il the manufacturer hap
pens TO be q corporation. These
seem common prey for political
buncombe. He is solicited for
every charity. or charitable
organization; for promotion
schemes that are supposed To
aid in general development; is
bounded by commissions of every
imaginable hue and color; is
easy picking for corporation tax
gatherers, the income political
freak; one set of commissioners
TO watch the other until taxes
are about intolerable. and yet
the work goes merrily on, until
some day, not long hence. capital
will pick itself up and remove
TO some country where at least
small appreciation will be given,
and where il will not be subject
10 the long, Shiny tentacles OF
every evil genius who can play
the political harp and excite
financial frenzy.
Then there exists. in every
city and town. the merchant or
jobber entirely wanting in
loyalty TO the home manufacture
er. In fact. commercial pirates,
wanting to make money in q
community or section and send
ing away for foreign made ar
ticles, the making of which in
home localities would accrue 10
their own as well as general
benefit. They even go further,
and pay out good dollars for adj
vertising foreign products in
local papers. Correction of this
evil rests with the consumer and
local merchant. Win our people
rise TO the occasion?-A manu-
facturer in the Pacific Coast