Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-02-20
Manufacturing.


LEDGER has been doing it for weeks. Is
il possible in so plain case, that no
good is to result from it? Are we to rest |
satisfied with crying, like so many spoilt |
children, about hard times, when we have
it in our power, by the exertion of com
mon energy, to command permanent
and brilliant success
MRssRs EDITORS: In my former notes
| have to some extent pointed out some
Of the natural resources we possess as a
city for manufactures, that are possessed
by no other point or place in the United
States that is at all accessible at all sea-
sons of the year; thereby giving us the
advantage of easy distribution, at all
seasons, to every point of the compass.
Then, why have we not engaged largely in
manufactures heretofore, and why do we
not now enter the list as manufacturing
city, are questions propose to discuss
to some extent. Then, frst-before the
war, with our peculiar labor system,
agriculture was better adapted TO the
then existing regime, aud our rich lands
produced the great staples Of cotton,
\ sugar and rice in great abundance; and
the controlling idea was cotton, which
always found ready market, and we, as
| a section, cared little for other pursuits,
feeling perfectly content with our own
peculiar civilization and pastoral pur-
suits. But the war came, and with it the
destruction of our labor system and the
almost entire destruction of our great
staples; and it is to-day self evident
fact, that if cotton is ever again grown to
it's former extent, it must be cultivated
by other labor than the present freedmen.
Hence, with the loss of farm labor, cot
ton crops are small, and will not, for
years to come, be sufficient to sustain,
much less to add to our population as a
city, simply by its exchanges and dis
tribution. And we must add another
calamity to loss of labor by making
sovereigns out ofslares 1--WE have to-day
a pauper population that was unknown to
us before the war, and is to-day cor
suming the very vitals of the body poll
tic). Then with much of our fertile
lands lying waste; our onerous taxes
consuming what is left; our stores being
vacated; our mechanics out of employ
our merchants with posters at one-hal
their windows. Goods at Cost, at Less
| than New York Prices with all these
things staring us in the face; yea,
more, with our skilled laborers departing
from us day by day, thus decimatlng oui
population, / ask the question Why
don't we manufacture, and thus give EN-
ployment to hundreds of idle hands, anc
food to hundreds of hungry mouthsI
again ask: Is it honest to stand and see
your neighbor's house burn, and even
not cry fire, or help put it outf feei'
sirs, that blight is gathering over
our goodly city and section, and
unless we cease to send our earn
ipgs and raw material to other
sections, for them to shape to oul
use. the blight and mildew will have
consumed us to such an extent that we
shall have nothing to send. Then, again
cav we must manufacture and give
employment to the idle hands, who hav'
the skill to execute and brains to direct
and make your own brooms, AK helves
soap boxes and household affairs, and II
so doing save to your section at least Il
per cent. of all the manufactured articleI
consumed by us as people. wei
wby don't we manufacture ? Every
body admits its practicability, its feasl'
bility, yes its absolute necessity. why
then. do we not manufacture l will
try to answer this question. But VIXEN
do so. don't get vexed at me if 1t hits
you, neighbor. Possessed OF your goodly
blocks of iron-front stores, until your
rents have been counted by the tens oil
thousands; and you have been adding
year BY year, more blocks, adding beauty
and wealth to our goodly city; and you
realizing from these handsome income
All this is and has been right and
legitimate; but, friend, times have
changed, and new policy must be
adopted. If you would continue tC
realize on your past investments, you
must not only patronize your present
Young factories by preference (all else
being equal), but you must invest part
of your means in new msnutactures
thereby aiding the hardy sons OF soil tc
build up in your midst factories that Will
eompete. when fairly started, with any
on the continent. And when you invest
ten thousand dollars in factory, don
draw out twenty in its wares until 1t can
stand alone. And as you invest be as
sured that it will pay handsome profit
but it will not pay two and a half pei
cent. per month for a while. And when
YOU invest do it as you would buy home
| for wife and babies Let Il be well 10
Gated. and don't be too particular about
an expeueture of few extra hundred
dolI,s to put up the very best machinery
but Be assured that is the very cheapest
Take into your confidence a thorough