Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-15

MACON, Ga, has extensive armOry
buildings, erected for the Southern
Confederacy. They have somehow
become the property of that city.
Her authorities have just completed
an arrangement by which they are
transformed into a great cotton fac
tory with a capital of 100000. The
city puts in the buildings and grounds
| twenty acres), and takes therefor
$75, 900 in stock; the $425, 600 cash cap
ital is subscribed in and about this
city. The Macon Telegraph says:
"Nothing now remains TO be lone but
the exchange of formal papers; after
which it is understood the company will
swarm 500 masons and carpenters into the
immense structures, and complete them
as rapidly as possible. There is room
enough for so, 900 spindles; but the task OF
putting everything in order is almost her
\ culean. If completed properly, the world
will show few factories of greater magni-
tude.
"No man ever looked upon more
splendid specimens of masonry than are
displayed in the walls of the buildings.
One wing was nearly finished when the
war closed. The roofs, floors and win
dows were left incomplete, and they must
be finished before machinery, looms,
spindles, and all the other apparatus for a
factory, can be introduced. EXtraordi-
nary energy n plenty of capital might
complete the whole in six months. 1t is
Thought by one of our master mechanics
that S23, 900 will complete them. Located
Immediately on the Macon and Western
Railroad, material both for construction,
N afterward for the factory, can be dis
charged from the cars right upon the
grounds"
o that euery southern city could
have two OF three such factories put
| into operation to educate her poor
children to industry and thrift! And,
if we can but maintain the tariff, they
soon will have.
We clip the above interesting para
graphs from the New York Tribune.
They contain good news for southern
enterprise, and a good, practical hint
to other States besides Georgia, which
we are glad to see. But the
Tribune attributes the building
I'D factories in the south to
the tariff. Why, then, have we
had no factories until 1870, when we
have had the tariff to perfection for
half a century? 1t is because money
can no longer be invested in negroes
that the surplus earnings Of the South
ern people now begin to find their
way to railroad building and manu-
featuring. And, in consequence, for
coarse fabrics, we shall be able to do
something for the South in the way of
manufacturing; and if the tariff main
tains high rates to the consumer, shall
be able to make all the more by it. If
that suits consumers, it may suit
Southern as well as Northern manu-
facturers. But either New England
will maintain its ascendancy in man
ufactures, as New York city has in
commerce, by the advantage Of
millions over our thousands, or
our whole cotton product will so
into manufacturing; and then over
production will so reduce prices, in
spite of tariffs especially intended to
keep them up, that tariffs will become
inefficient enough to make New Eng
land howl. Revising and raising the
tariff will no longer answer the pres
ent sectional purpose. But its exist
ence will forever favor the established
factories and give their immense ac-
emulation of capital the advantage
in a growth which will overtOp u
utmost exertions. We can stand the
tariff awhile if the effect should be to
render the South independent of New
England, just as our ancestors were Of
old England. But give the country
free trade and our home production
of cotton, natural advantages, sutfi-
cheney of capital, and the saving OF
freights and commissions will enable
us to make our own coarse goods,
which is all that is necessary to indie
pendence. For the rest, let the world
make articles of luxury, where it has
most skill and can make them cheap
est; and to buy and sell freely where
our interests prompts is what we re-
/ -,,sro