The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-20

Total value of exports. ......... .s29 zoo, ,OO0
We cannot concur in all the conclusions
reached By our correspondent; but, not
withstandiug the looseness and inexacti-
tude which must characterize such esti-
mates as that which is now before us, it is
still apparent that our exports this year
will be sufficiently large to warrant the be-
lief that Charleston will maintain and i'm
prove her position as the great shipping
port of the southeastern coast.
1t must, however, be borne ia mind that
the exports at this point do not show the
true progress Of the State. Cotton, in par
ticular, is brought from even Mobile and
Memphis to our waters, and other articles
of export show less the productive power
of South Carolina than the effort which has
been made to give Charleston the command
of the shipping trade of the South and
Southwest. The mere production of cotton,
rice and cereals, and the mere shipment of
lumber, phosphates aud naval stores, will
not cause the abundant prosperity which
we desire; for the Improvement in our gen
eral condition depends in a greater degree
upon the development Of our manufactures
than upon the amount of our raw produce.
At the present time, the cotton Of South
Carolina is manufactured in the North and
in England, and is brought back in its nan
ufactured state, at o price which must cover
the cost of shipment. to and fro, the COM
missions of the broker, and the profit of the
mill owner and the merchant. Our lumber
is sent to New England, there to form the
framework of the stou. ships which carry
our agricultural wealth to the foreign or
domestic market. Naval stores likewise
fiud their consumers at distance from our
shores, and even our phosphate earths must
be manipulated in Northern State, before
they can be used to quicken the fertility
and increase the fecundity of the bosom Of
our mother State So far we have been
producing and not manufacturing people,
and the favorable results which have been
attained by the few factories already estab-
lished here, only show how much more re-
mains to be done if we would turn to the
best account the natural riches with which
our State is blessed.
Of course, it is not easy to overthrow the
traditions and customs Of a life time; but
in revolutionary days men become ductile
and malleable, permitting themselves to be
forced by circumstances into that form
which is most surely advantageous. And
if they steadily remember how much is lost
in the one article of cotton by producing
it in this State and manufacturing it hun
dreds ofmiles away, they will not cease striy-
ing until mill has been erected and is in
operation in every county of South Caro-
lima. If cotton is made up in the district
in which it is grown, the cost of carriage
to market is saved as well as the commits
sions of shippers and dealers. The cost OF
labor is less than in New England, the ex-
peuse of living is not nearly as high, and
when the manufactured goods leave the
mill they have already found market
The producer of cotton buys his cloths at
low price, and the profit of the manufac-
turer and the wages of the operatives re-
main in the State, and are spent or invested
in it, instead Of going to swell The wealth
of the mill-owners and merchants of the
North. And whatever may not bo needed
for domestic consumption can be forwarded
to another market, there to COMPETE with
Goods made out of more costly raw mate
rial and manufactured at greater expense.
The argument which holds good in regard
to cotton applies with equal force to naval
stores, phosphatcs, lumber, kaolin, buhr
stones, and miscellaneous produces not used
for food; and every day makes it more plain
that if we wish to turn to the best acc3unt
our natural advantages, and to obtain the
largest practicable returns from our pro-