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Show HOME INDUSTRIES. Editor Leader - Having called the attention of your readers in a former article to the vast difference in the commercial value of land consequent upon its adjacency to, and distance from where its products could be consumed, or sold at a profit to the producer, let it now be a matter of consideration to those whom it would pay the best, to establish industries in our midst. It may certainly be the case that many occupants of land are able, if they had to pay the difference, to increase the value of their farms from four to tenfold. But understanding the effect that a certain policy would have upon their estates, they would embrace every opportunity of pursuing that policy just the same as a farmer, knowing how valuable shelter and protection is to man and beast. He embraces every opportunity to add to his buildings whatever the necessities require. And looking over the list of importations, in connection with the facilities the country affords for materials of manufacture, enables anyone to arrive at a conclusion as to what should be manufactured and what should not. Or in other words, what class of manufactures would pay the best. And the conclusion should be arrived at, that to establish manufactures will pay, though it may not be apparent that it will pay those immediately engaged in them. It may not pay directly the manufacturer of boots and shoes, cloth and other common necessities that might be mentioned; but for that reason alone it is a false conclusion to come to that they should not be produced here. If those local manufactures were to their owners and operators paying enterprises, there would be no lack of capital to carry them on, for the reason that capitalists are quick to scent or perceive that which will give them individually the best return for their money; not caring to invest in enterprises solely for public benefit. If a capitalist could reap himself the benefit that would accrue to each of the inhabitants of a town or district where an industry was started, then would home manufactures prosper; though the public might not be very much benefitted. But the fact, that every bit of land or labor, the products of which cannot be consumed by its owner, is a standing necessity for customers. A farm where there is no market nor consumers for its produce is like a store of goods in a desert, where there are no inhabitants for customers. It is dead property. The store of goods might be moved but the farm cannot. But the owners of farms can take a course to secure home customers if they know how to do it. Now we all know that the great trouble about starting home industry is the want of capital. Our immigrants and our boys are continually arriving and the cry is there is nothing for them to do. No employment. Not a few of the new-comers through the inactivity of our own labor market, go and ruin their health and perhaps morals, among mines and smelters, against their will; for they would rather work for "the brethren" if brothers could pay them. But home manufactures won't pay "the brethren" individually; therefore they cannot hire the necessary help. It requires a probable average of five hundred dollars to furnish the necessary stock in trade of a manufacturing laborer. A newcomer has nothing perhaps. A resident engaged in the business has no capital to enlarge his business nor to set up another in competition. Who shall furnish this capital? If a man having no interest in the country had that amount in available funds, it would pay him better to purchase a piece of the country for himself, or use his means to emigrate to where he could take up a good piece.. This is "what they all do;" so still there is no prospect of either employment for the poor or ???Unreadable???. Who then should be willing to make every exertion possible to secure these two results, which are comparatively a necessity to each other. Is it not plain that every community of land owners should earnestly engage their best energies to furnish the means and secure the laborers necessary to bring about these points, and that the laborer should also be willing to invest a portion of his earnings to make complete the stock in trade necessary for his continuous employment. It is firmly believed that ten per cent of the value of the land in a given district- large enough to control the patronage of a manufacturing institution - applied on the establishment of one would increase the value of said land, by the patronage received from its employees to an extent of double the investment in a very short time. So that if capital therein invested, failed, to pay the investors simple interest thereon, at the usual rates, they would be more than repaid a remunerative interest, by the profits arising from the sale of products, which previously, were but of little value. And if the establishment of industries which necessitate the presence of numerous customers, for the produce of certain lands, increase the value of those lands from a point near zero to the top of the scale, why should not those lands stand responsible for the interest on all, or at least a part of the capital invested to bring about this result? |