The southern press., 1851-10-29
From the Nsw York Dry Goods Reporter.
Manufactures at the South.

The history Of manufactures is singular and
useful one, whether We regard it as matter of
industrial enterprise or political speculation.
Nations, as well as individuals, are sometimes
compelled to serve apprenticeship, and nothing
illustrates this remark as we'll as the history OF
those countries which, by their manufactures.
have become wealthy and independent We will
90 no further back than to the time when Eng
land was in condition of vassalage to Holland
and the Netherlands, in respect to this most i'm.
portant feature of her industry and greatness.
The markets of London, we are informed, were
filled with iron, lumber, and leather ready
manufactured. The English grew food for the
Dutch, and the Dutch ate it wool for the Dutch,
and the Dutch wove it." But this condition
lasted only long enough for England to become
as thoroughly acquainted with manufacturing as
her taskmaster was; when, throwing off the
shackes which made her dependent, that impe-
rial system Of British manufactures was estab
ished which has reared an empire the most
magnificent in wealth and power the world has
ever seen.
America, in her colonial condition, was to
Great Britain, what Great Britain had been to the
German States. The House of Commons 10
considered it, when they declared shat the
erecting of manufactures in the colonies tended
TO lessen their dependence upon the mother
". Il
conversant with the early history of'his country,
that it was only after our political independence
was achieved that we turned our attention to
profitable manufactures. Aud no lover of his
country can ever forget, that from the year 1907
to 1915, duringt the embargo, nonintercourse act
and the war, dates our industrial independence
OF Great Britain; and that those very acts gave
an impetus TO manufactures, trade and business,
which were beyond precedent profitable.
We do not mean by these comparisons to ex-
cite sectional jealousy, or persuade the South
that she has been in condition Of degrading
vassalage 10 the North We only wish the South
to feel that the term Of her apprenticeship has
expired. We would desire to impress upon the
minds Of her people the conviction that the sd
yantsges which they possess over the North for
the manufacture Of cheap and coarse goods, (for
to manufacture the finer qualities will require
more experience and capital than they now pos
ses,) are many and important. Cheap living
low wages, cheap cotton, coal and iron, const.
tute the great elements Of success in the intro
duction and successful prosecution Of cotton
manufacture. No country in the world posses
ses these elements in degree equal TO the
Southern and Southwestern States. Hereto
fore the capital and industry Of this large section
Of the country have been almost entirely devoted
10 agricultural pursuits. BY diversifying their
labor, in the manner we have proposed, they en-.
.nre their independence both Of England and the
North, while their labor, thus diversified, is made
more profitable 10 themselves. The cotton is
ready at their doors, and costs them one cent per
pound less than IL does the Northern manufac.
iurer. The cost Of transportation from the
field to some Southern port, thence TO Northern
factories, the cost ofinsurarce, payment Of sgen.
cies profits 10 manufacturers, and cost Of retrans-
portaton back in the form Of cloth all these are
items which 90 10 swell the difference 10 The pro-
fits which the Northern and Southern manufac.
turer receives.
Nor are we without hope that the interest
which has been excited on this subject will not
be proftless. Already Il IL estimated that
Georgia has in operation 40 cotton mills, using
$1,000 spndes, and consuming $4,000 bales Of
cotton annually; in Tennessee there are 80 fac.
tories, and $4,000 spindles; in South Carolina
here are Is factories, SO 800 spndes, and TOO
looms, consuming 10 900 bales OF cotton; Ala |
bama has Ia factories, 12,5S0 spindles, and 300
looms, consuming 0 800 bales Of cotton. Thus
in four States alone there are 9S factories, be |
sides those in process Of building, working 40,
900 spindles, consuming probably $4,000 bales
Of cotton annually, and, IL they go on increasing
for the next five years rs they have for the past
FIVE, we may safely calculate on some 900 cot
ION MUS w OpeFhtlOO wv tne SOutnern STATES
consuming annually over 100000 bales Of cot
ton, and giving employment 10 some thirty or
forty thousand operatives.
Thus we see the work mas already commenced
Southern planters have the monopoly Of this
great staple. They will not hereafter be 30 en-.
tirely at the mercy Of English or Northern pur.
chasers. They can manufacture that de 'cription
Of goods mostly in demand by the planters
themselves, such as osnaburgs, sheetIngs, yarns,
jeans aud linsey =, cheaper by far than their CON.
pettors They can lay the foundation for fu-
ture veal b and power as Great Bitan did
They will add both 10 their commercial and DO.
tical power They will encourage the immi ,
grafton Of an industrious, hardy and enterprisinp
population. BY this increase Of population and
,f wealth, the Southern States will be enabled
o bind themselves together by a net work OF q
ailroads They can perfect their internal i'm !
,rovements, increase the facilities Of intercom.
nunication, develop their boundless resources,
md become what they long since should have /
,een, among the richest, most active and power.
al States Of the Union. =
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