The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-11-07

| az VIC iulO Tic river. Two persons
are reported lost, and thirty cattle were
drowned.
| Ihe Cotton GpShOt Of the War.
In speaking of the privation occasioned
| by the American war among the cotton op-
eratlves of England, the North British Re
g'eW says: With the exception of the
l , Ianline,. no misfortune so great, no
distress so widespread or so sharp. has
visited these islands for at least century"
In the Irish famine, it is estimated that be-
| tween "a million and a million and half
OF people persisted in the course of 1916 and
1917, either of famine or of the pestilence
Which famine engenders." In the case of
the manufacturing districts, the misery.
great as it has been, never spread over so
| Wlue an area, or attained so tragical hight
IN the former case it was the failure of sus-
| tenance from the blighting of the crop on
Which the poor Irish mainly relied, while
ia the latter case it was the failure of en-
ployment consequent upon the limitation
OF the supply of the raw material. that pro-
| duced the distress -
Up 10 ana including the year 1860, the
coIton manufactures OF Great Britain had
Deen IN state of remarkable prosperity.
during the previous two or three years, the
exports had been enormous and the profits
unexampled. Masters grew rich. and one.
ratives found their wages increasing wear
| by year, till not few We're becoming Cant
talists in their turn. The persons actually
employed in the manufacture numbered
500, 600; while those engaged in the subsid-
larry trades, We're at least as Numerous
mus, million Of persons We're dependent
upon the cotton manufacture for employ
ment. Their wages, including men, wo-
men and children, averaged near Us, or
| about 30 per week. The income of most
families was 3Os., or about 81 so per week,
while that of many families was as high as
t3 to s4, Or SIS to $50 per week.
But the whole of the raw material on
which this vast population depended was
imported from abroad, and from the Unit
ed States alone was obtained from two
thirds to three-fourths of the whole. From
1901 to 1860, the proportion from the United
states averaged II per cent; the remainder
came from Egypt, Brazil and India, but
chiefly from India.
The breaking out of the war and the
blockade OF the cotton ports cut off this II
per cent. OF supply, and consequently that
proportion of the work of the operatives
was also cut off. But the supply of cotton
kept up good degree of comfort among
the employees, till the close of 1861, when
the pressure began, and early in 1852 it was
severely felt. In May of that year, out of
35O, 900 mill hands, 10000 were thrown en-
trely out, 100000 were working on half
time, and 100000 were fully employed
About slo0, 900, or $500, 900 per week, were
the support of the operatives.
Before applying for charitable aid, these
operatives consumed all they had laid up,
pawnea all their household property, me-
mentoes, &C., for food, and reduced their
sustenance to the lowest possible amount.
But the cry OF distress was at length heard;
and when the appeal was made, such q
fund was raised as never before had made
glad the furnishing sons and daughters of
earth. To the end of June, 1863, G3, OOO, 900,
or about $l5,OOO,OOO, were raised for their
support. OF this sum, G750,O00, or $780,
o00, were raised in the counties of Lanca-
shire and Cheshire alone! This shows how
vastly profitable the cotton manufacture
must have been to that region. In Deem
Der, 1862, the whole number of operatives
entirely out of work was $4,000, and the
weekly loss of wages not less than ESQ, 200,
or about 81 ,250,OOO.
Since the close of 1862 the number of per-
sons wholly or partially dependent on re-
lief has undergone steady and progress
slve dimunition. The recipients of relief
have fallen Oft i'll six months from 500, OO9
to 100000.
Now, look at the result upon the produce
ton OF cotton in other countries than our
own. 1t is now pouring into England from
all quarters. China, Syria and Peru are
sending greatly increased quantities, and
Brazil has sent her 30 per cent. mose than
last year. So also have Egypt and India.
The quantity imported from those countries
is as follows:
January 1st to July 1st, 1863 764,75s
January lst to July 1st, 1862 517,56S
Increase 247, 100
At this rate it is thought that two years
more would see England independent of
the American supply, and able to resume
full work. But to get through these two
years the capital of that country will be
severely taxed to keep the operatives sus-
tanned. They can afford it, however, for
the profits of the manufacturers have been
enormous for many years. They seem,
however willing to humiate their country
by the deportation of thousands to foreign
lands for the sake of enabling them to slis-
tain themselves.
rms subject Is, therefore, one of absorb
ing interest, not only to Great Britain but
to ourselves. What the competition of
South America, China, and India, may eff
feet prejudicial to our future cotton inter-
est, 1t Is impossible just now to calculate
But we can rest assured that these countries
cannot render the culture of cotton in the
Southern section of our country unremun--
erative. The present high prices
are rapidly extending to the production
OF cotton in other countries and it
and the resumption of the culture in this
country will materially reduce the produce
ton on other continents. Capital will have
been invested, and the industry so deeply
rooted that peace will not greatly disturb
it. The result will be, doubtless, to greatly
increase the aggregate produced, and as a
the price will be diminished.
The cotton planters Of the South have made
it too profitable for their Republican
health, and hence the Rebellion. The man
lfacturers of England have also made it
100 profto6le for the soundness of their
views in reference to human freedom.
The war will accordingly have the good
Effect of checking for the future the aris-
stocracy which great profits engender on
10Th sides of the ocean, and at the same
ime the prices of cotton goods will be
much lower.
1t is not improbable, therefore, that the
mount the people of the Northern States
viii save out of cheaper cotton consequent
lpon the war, will in fifty years go far to-
yard paying the expense of the struggle
Or our national unity. Cotton is high now,
ut 1T will be lower than ever when the
var is over. Wages also are high now, and
'hile the working class of the loyal States