The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-03-22
City Building by 10th
Century Methods"

other.
Factory payrolls must ever be the
one basis upon which any city is ev-
err builded for population or for pros
perity.
THAT is a law as old as cities
themselves and one that has never
been repealed. One factory with a
million dollar payroll builded in a
city will do more for the growth and
prosperity of that city than the ex-
pendlture OF seven million dollars in
idle flambouyant boasting often in
dulged in by cities through their
chambers Of commerce.
I, cover the gate to growth and glory
of every city must be inscribed the,
words: "A monument to them who
builded factories here
"All the proof necessary to sup
port this statement is found in the
reasions for the rapid and lasting
growth and prosperity of any city Of
all lands. Know the why and you
will find 1t written in the one word,
Factories
"Out Of the 800 cities Of this coun-
try having $4,000 or more population
we find that about 70 per cent Of
them are in what we term the man
uacturing sections or zone. In
those same sections 63 per cent of all
the people live in cities. They are
the buyers who distribute popula-
tion and prosperity to their cities.
"Note that of the cities of over l25,-
| 900 population which did not show a
gain equal to the average Of the coun
try, 60 per cent of them are found
| in that same district. Then ask why
/ Seek an excuse where you Will and
you will find on investigation the
cause must be ascribed to the fact
that their factories have moved away
| Then go further into the matter af-
/ ter you have found that only about
s per cent of them have gone out
Of business you can readily trace
/ the remainder in their migration tc
many cities in thc Middle West ant
South, which show the creates
growths.
"On the other hand it was found
on thorough and scientific investiga-
tion, that vast number Of those
factories were not making money
/ They had ifltalled every efficient
means or maintenance of profit earn
ing, but still they were not making
4 money In their research to find thu
real cause of the leakage 1t was fins
ally ascribed almost wholly to thu
enormous loss from cost of freight
on long hauls in collecting the raw
material and bringing II to sfia fac
tory and in aistribasing tie finished
product to the ultimate consumer
at will be noted that 43 per cen
of the entire manufactured prodneI
OF the country IS produced in the
new England district and yet hall
the population is found in the Mis-
sissippi Valley, and out of the same
valley comes 81 per cent of the do
nestle raw material used by these
factories. This means an enormous
tax upon the gross profits of these
factories for freight on raw material
power fuel and finished product. The
total freight cost on same charged
against the value of the manufac-
tured product of the country reaches
! s per cent of that value. For those
factories in the New England dis
trict the charge reaches IA per cent
a difference of 6 per cent in preju-
dice to that district where nearly
half our product is made. That ter
ritory has nearly 15,O00,00O people
and nearly 63 per cent of them are
workers in the factories and their
families To that territory was dis
bursed in wage payrolls and net res
idue of factories, after deducting the
freight and fuel cost and the s5,250,-
900, 900 paid for raw material about
$4,000, 100000. This represents the
sum that finds its way through the
retail stores. banks. realities, etc, OF
the cities, and equals sum of sl,-
200 for every family in the whole
section.
''No one city can ever hope to boast
of being the best city for all lines OF
manufarture Such statements are
foolish and only reflect upon the in
telligence of her people. Nor do
such generalities accomplish any
thing If Dallas or any particular
city is most profitable for a very
few of Che lines. and will show that
fact she has found a beacon star
that will lead her to that prosperity
oc1 e,rou,fh N tVhich she Is harm