The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-09-04

and preposterous, and wholly without justitica
ton or excuse.
ono part Of the world has shown the same ca
pacity TO meet the growing wants of the cotton
manufactures as the United States; but, even in
that vast field of enterprise and skill, the power OF
producing sufficient quantities seems to have reach
ed its limits. Other countries equally well
adapted by climate and soil-the East and the
West Indies, and the coast of Africa for example;
but many years must evidently elapse before the
necessary machinery can be brought into play;
and, in the mean time, exclusive dependence on
one country is attended with serious evils Until
abundance can be secured, the manufacturer must
be crippled In his operations, prices will continue to
rise, the demand will corrcspondingy decline, and
the millions Of persons engaged in this branch of
trade will have their means of existence seriously
endangered. cotton famine is scarcely less la
mentable in its effects society than famine in
the cereal products.
"To meet this impending evil, many ingenious
schemes have been devised but all that we have
seen propoundcd fall far short of any immediate
practical result. One of the most feasible has been
put forward by Mr. G. Il. Porter, a gentleman well
known by his able contributions to the Commercial
and manufacturing statistics of the country. Mr..
Porter's substitute is flax. lie advocates the growth
Of fax by the farmers in England aud Ireland, and
shows that it would not fail TO pay; while the par
tial adoption of new machinery would be more
than counterbalanced by the advantages Of a regu-
lar trade and uniform supply"
[JViime and Smiths Times,
The cotton planters have witnessed the va
rious efiurts Of the English manufacturers to
rid themselves in some degree of their depend
encc upon the vicssitudes of the American
crop. with comparative Indifference They
have had ne faith in the success Of such en-
deayors, with whatever zeal they might be
pursued. All experience heretofore has war
rantcd this confidence in their failure; but the
fact that the effort is persisted in, in the face
OF every Encouragement, may well be regard
ed as strong evidence that it will not be aban-
doned 50 long as new fields Of experiment re
main to be tried.
The motives which urge the English manu-
lacturers to multiply the sources Of their sup
ply of the raw material, failure in which en-
perils the daily bread Of four millions Of peo-
pie, need no elucidation. All that skill. capt
tai, and enterprise can do TO accomplish their
end will be done, and that these will always
prove unavailng is too much to expect Every
successive short crop in this country increases
the inducements 10 perseverance Such crop
is that which has now begun TO be gathered
and we find, in anticipation, renewed discus
sions Of the practicablity Of raising cotton else
where, and also Of substituting other materials
for clothing.
The present value Of cotton in England, we
are informed by the London Economist. is from
fifty to sixty per cent. higher than at the same
time in 1919. This is not accompanied by a
prpportionale increase in the cost of fabrics. be
cause il divcrts the manufacture from those in
which the material constitutes the great portion
Of the value tD those IN which labor Is the larger
element 80 far ~ the coarscr fabrics continue
10 be produced, il is at an enhanced cost which
tends to diminish the power TO purchase them.
and 10 encourage the production Of wool and
flax as substitutes. The Economist, Of August
oh. contains statements showing that while the
quantity taken for consumption by British
manufacturers, in the first six months Of the
present year, was 1928 bales less than the
dHi'NH' 'hh'H W hh' corresponding pfliVN ~
last year, the exports Of cotton manufactures
Tor the six months Of 1850 exceeded those Of
lSi9 by Sj,3GO, 623 in value. This exhibits
an increased necessity TO 90 abroad for Gus
toners with a diminished production Of fabrics,
and is the inevitable result of high prices and
short crops. The same returns Of the Board Of
Trade from which we gather the above facts,
exhibit very large increase, amounting TO
about fifty per cent. in the importation Of wool.
and the Economist comments upon IL "as a
striking evidence, when taken in connection
with the recent large advance in the price Of
English wool, how much more price depends
upon a good trade and an active demand than
on the quantity imported" How much Of
this active demand is a consequence Of the
effort to substitute wool for cotton. it might be
worth while for the planters to inquire.
Il is obviously the policy Of the cotton grow
ers to meet the efforts of England, to diminish
her dependence upon them for supply, by cor
responding endeavors to build up their own in
dependence Of the markets Of Liverpool and
Manchester for demand This can only be
done by increasing the demand at home The
home demand for the purpose OF manufacture
depends upon the number Of looms and spin
dies, but, as we have seen by the experience