The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-03-02
American Cotton and Cotton Manufac-
lures.

Gazette, contains new and important iniOrma
ton. ~
1t is a fact not generally known on this side
Of the Atlantic, that the principal imported
cotton goods, which enter into competition
with those made in this country, ar e manuFac'
tured almost exclusively of cotton grown in
the british East India possessions, which on
average for a succession of years, costs one
penny. or two cents Of our money, per pound
less than the American cotton.
To illustrate this fact more clearly, it should
be known that no cot ton twist, or werp, from
No. 5 to 90, except occasionally for home use,
hasbeen spun in England, within the last 20
years of anything better than East India cot
ton and that all cotton filing, or welt, under
80, is spun Of the same material. In this coun-
try the factories rarely if ever, spin for manu-
featuring purposes, any cotton yarn finer than
the numbers allowed named and they use the
American cotton exclusively, at an average
cost of two cents per pound, above the value
of the cotton used by the British manufactu-
rer in making the same fabrics.
In addition to the advantage Of an average
Of two cents per pound in the price Of raw ma
terial used, the British manufacturers have la
Dor much Cheaper-maChinery much cheaper
money in abundance and at a much cheaper
rate of interest, say generally at from two to
three per cent per annum on their business pa
per. They have large capitals embarked in
their business-they have secured TO them, be-
yond all doubt of contingency, both the home
and the colonial markets, embracing at pres-
ent a population exceeding two hundred mil
lions, who are clothed almost exclusively, from
the British manufactures. And they have a
government Of extraordinary sagacity and
Judgment in all matters Of business, to watch
over, protect, and extend and open new mark
cts for them. But we Of the United States have
not even q home market on which TO depend
With US, business Of manufacturing is consid-
cred so precarious and unstable that no capita
list is inclined to embark in it to that extent
which would be likely to insure success. Con-
sequentIy the business is engaged in by char
tered companies, who, for many good reasons,
rarely succeed well: or by individuals with
means, for the most part, entirely inadequate
to the undertaking. Machinery is extensive,
4 tho advantages Of extensive operations are
suclf, that in ninsty-nine cases out Of a humid
red, in the vain hope Of being able to compete
with the British manufacturer, the entire capi.
tai is absorbed in machinery, and as cotton and
other materials used in manufacturing are
generally sold for cash or on a very short cred.
it-as all wages are paid weekly or monthly
in cash, and the goods when manufactured, and
are sold on a credit Of eight months, in %confor-
nifty with the terlns on which the foreign goods
are sold in our markets, il may be conceived
that American manufacturers are constantly
exposed to suffer from high rates Of money and
bad markets.
These facts, Of SO much interest to Ameri-
can cotton planters, will be already demonslra-
ted by reference to the tubular statement
contained in Wilmot and Smiths European
Times, by which it will be seen that from the
Ist of January to the 18th October 1916, when
the Tariff of 1912 was in full operation, l,0O2,-
$50. bales from other countries were consumed
in Great Britain. During the same year it was
estimated there were over 100000 bales of A
merican cotton consumed in this country by
our own manufacturers, making an aggregate
of ,502, $50 bales Of cotton consumed in both
countries. Only about one-sixth OF that num-
Der of bales the products Of other countries,
it will be remembered, was consumed during
that period. From the same authority it aP-
F pears that from the lst January to the 18th
Of October, in the year l847, when The tariff OIL
l846 was in operation, there were consumed in
Great Britain only 636,550 bales of American
cotton and 242, $50 bales of the product of 9th
er countries. And it is estimated that, owing
to the distressed situation of our mqnufactu'
rers. there were not more than 100000 bales
consumed iu this country, making only 1885,
i $50 bales of American cotton actually consum-
ed in both countries during that period. II
will be seen from these statements, that whilst
the consumption of American cotton d%ecreas'
ed 565. 500 bales under the tariff Of l84t
the consumption Of cotton grown in Other
countries, increased $3.50 bales, and, further
that nearly one third Of all the cotton eonsum'
ed in Great Britain during the last named pc
Rod, that is, under the Tariff of 1916, was i'm
ported from British possessions; and the reason
for this large increase in the consumption Of
other cotton is obvious-the English manufac-
tories were mainly engaged in producing coars'
fabrics, which constituted almost the only de-
s~cription Of cotton goods they could send herr
to advantage, and which were the best calcu
lated to break down tho manufacturing estab
liShments of this country.
AS to a question that is frequently asked
viz; VIII cannot our manufactures enter into
,mro,;,;on w;th Cpeot Rtitain7 IN question