The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-08-14

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to the Southern States" We certainly
can manufacture that which VIC produce.
Our attention ..uo neeu a......acted to a
clear and able article on this subject in
the New Orleans Commercial Bulletin.
In the hope that it may awaken and
direct the energies of our people in this
manifest direction of destiny and pros
pcrity, We give it publication, and invoke
its earnest pcrusal.
Although it alludes somewhat special
ly to New Orleans, its teucts and argu-
ments apply equally to the whole south.
1t says, "The South will become 'exclu-
sively the producer of cotton fabrics in
this country We believe that we shall
nave this greatness thrust upon u.s.
thrust upon us in spite of our own in
credulity and Indifference to great des.
tiny. We make two hundred millions
of dollars by the production of cotton.
Content with this sum and the factorage
upon it, we see, with composure, this
great value exported in its lowest and
rawest state. We learn with the same
equanimity that within six months from
the date of its expectation has been
raised to a value of eight hundred mil
lions of dollars. No one enquiries the
process by which this great staple has
been quadrupled in it's value. 1t has
been effected by some process unknown
to our own people. A superior degree
of Intelligence has been employed in its
manipulation. There must be other
skies over the manufactures. There
must be other hands engaged in effect
ing this vast change. Ask an intclli-
gent politician for the cause he will
tell you it is caused by the protective
tariff.
"You naturally enquire if this same
tariff, whether laid for protection or rev.
enue, does not protect one part of the
Union as we'll as another? There can be
no difference. He tells you again that
labor is cheaper elsewhere than in the
South. Few know the fact that many
thousands of the same class which furn-
ish the operatives in cotton mills else
where, are here an unemployed burden
upon parents and poor houses Again it
is said that machinery and buildings are
cheaper elsewhere. Reflection, however,
shows that machinery costs no more
when sent to one place than to another,
except the difference of distance. Three
thousand spindles packed TO go to Iowa,
or even interior Ohio, will cost no more
perhaps even less, than if sent into Ala
bama or Louisiana. Then cotton, manu-
factured where grown, must cost less
than that which is sent with from three
to six cents charges per pound to mill
in Massachusetts or Manchester. The
mystery increases. Can it be that our
people are incompetent to make cloth
They are energetic and intelligent
enough to grow all the cotton that the
cloth is made out of. \ planter conducts
all the ploughing, planting and picking.
He hires, feeds and directs the hands
and animals. He markets and sells the
corn. Talk with him and see if he does
not comprehend any subject in which he
is interested. If, then, there be no ap-
parent physical cause why people hav-
ing made staple worth S2,0O000O, can
not perform the wok necessary to quad
ruple its value, we need not be surprised
that strangers living at distance should
puzzle themselves over phenomenon
which we ourselves cannot explain.
"The very class of labor by which
this work is effected abounds in the
South. Real estate is cheaper. Water,
and even steam power is no higher here
than elsewhere. There is an immense
home demard amongst the emancipated
consumers of cotton prints.
"The whole South and Central A Ameri-
can and Mexican markets, of more than
thirty millions of consumers, are at our
doors. Nay, we have an advantage. 1t
is this: Liverpool holds an average stock
of about three-fourths of million of
bales on interest and insurance. The
millers of America and Europe lay in
annual or semi-annual stocks which they
must hold and spin without regard to the
cost of cotton or money. The Southern
spinner could purchase stock for the
larger part of the year at home; he