The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-03-22
EIsx w. Cotton

The attempts in England to manufacture FAX so
economically as TO compete with, or even supersede
cotton, seem to be approaching successful accom-
plishment. In the meantime, however, a Ken
tuckian has constructed machinery by which hemp,
as taken from the field can be at once broken and
spun, without the mixture of cotton, and the linen
cloth sold at the same prices now charged for cot
TONS The element in the high price of linen, is
the six landings of the hemp before il is ready for
the spinner. These manipulations are done away
with and the material is delivered at the factory
as cheap as cotton At present, cotton goods are
worth from six to sixteen cents yard, linen from
forty to ninety cents. Here is description of the
process, taken from the Cincinnati Commercial:
Leaving the Of beaten track of experiment, and muddy
theory Leaytt struck boldly At one object alone know
He clearly that il flax hemp could be reduced from
the dry unroed stalk to lint. Of sufficient ,ones and PHI
cotton sppss Be could il adapting Sher spindle.
h s IL s Sans aa@ n
ing the sta of hemp sufficiently they could he reduced
of flax and hemp of Shortening retained their entire
length, even down the most minute fneness. This fibre
ont to he eenon for snde equally %ha
as cotton and reflects al the brightness and brancy Of
cotton machinery they could be made to take up the lint
though but slowly and at himself to work adapt
= He succeeded in the first atrempt. and his energies
he worked way forward, until his friends the model
his triumph and the accomplishment OF his hopes and asp
wish monopoize the benefits OF his discovery or conns
them to one place alone. but Invites all who wish avail
themselves oil this new source of wealth. to forward
and embark in the undertaking. Lr. Leavt wishes only
e s e hs hSt % to "a
the door that enters this field Of industry and all
In wh9 Will, and parake OF Its advantages and profits
The machinery being very similar 10 cotton machinery
can be moved by either power that instead
running cotton spndes and machinery, have only
them and substitute the machinery for the lint indeed
those factories contemplating enlargement OF buildings
chnery for the same'
Should this discovery succeed in practice, another
great revolution is approaching. The culture and
manufacture of cotton, within the last half century,
has been one of the wonderful phenomena of the
age The cotton field has in fact given law to the
industry of the world. The United States by its
command of this single plant, holds in check the
vast power of England The discovery of the
cheap mode of manufacturing hemp, will, how
ever, deprive us Of this powerful agent Years,
however, must elapse, before the supply of linen
can meet the demands of the world. In the mean
time the sugar lands of Louisiana and Texas must
appreciate The thousands of laborers, now en-
ployed on cotton, will be put in the cane fields.
So far these two States are concerned, we do not
consider the gradual abandonment of cotton as an
injury.
The northern parts of the cotton States will pro-
duce wheat and stock. Missouri and Kentucky
will receive large acoessions of slaves to be EN-
ployed in the hemp business. But the destruction
of the cotton culture will develop the manufacture
ing resources of the South. Alabama, Georgia,
South Carolina, abound in water power, COAL iron,
marble. Slave labor is admirably adapted to man
ufacturing purposes. The free operative is paid
by the capitalist to learn the art which becomes
his own The value of that knowledge belongs to
himself His power of increasing his wages is his
own. Not with the slave. When he has
learned the trade, the increased value is the prop
erty of his master he is worth that much more
Then, too, the condition of the slave is improved
physically and morally, by the change from the
field to the workshop. The superiority of the
rough mechanic the field hand is acknowl-
edged by both. The time is not far distant when
the slave States will be the great manufacturing
region.
Pennsylvania, with her coal and iron, and wheat
fields, requires additional protection. While, in
Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, the iron bust.
ness even under the present rates, is flourishing
The free soil papers exut at the prospect of destroy
ing the cotton supremacy. But they will vet find
that the resources of the South have been encum-
bered, -overlaid by the and profit of the cot
ton culture; and that gradual change in its
industry will only develop these neglected resources