The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-08-04
Cotton Manufacturing.

ooSNNS'
to argue that nature has afforded the most
abundant resources fer the encouragement OF
our people to engage in manufacturing, especi-
ally the peculiar advantages to be derived from
the conversion Of the great staple into more
profitable article of commerce. None WILL dis
pute these propositions. But the obstacles IN
the way of augmenting the production OF cot
ton warn and cotton fabrics in the South are
simply two-fold in our estimation, and these
are not insurmountable.
| First, we have the objection that this is an
agricultural country, and that its population
can be more proftably engaged in the pursuit
of agriculture. On this score, we will only re-
mark that there is a large class of persons not
engaged in farming, or indeed any avocation,
who can be made available as factory opera
tives, and whose industrious employment would
materially enhance the general prosperity OF
the country. From this class alone can be de-
rived sufficient number of operatives in the
South to enlarge the present manufacturing
product at least one Thousand per cent, with
out disturbing agricultural labor for moment.
Idleness would give way to thrift, and many
instances of abject poverty would be transform
ed into comfort and contented employment
Secondly. The chief drawback to manufac-
turing enterprises is the want of capital. We
believe that this can be overcome by proper
exertion. There are large numbers of farmers
and planters all over the South who have found
it profitable to cultivate the ground, and who
have realized large per cent upon their in
vestment in lands, stock and implements. The
dividends thus arising for the last four years
have generally been applied to the adjustment
of ante-war debts. 1t is fair to presume that
the bulk of this mighty incubus upon our pros
perity and advancement as a people has been
removed, and that with good prices and fair
crop this year there will be hundreds and
thousands of men everywhere with small
amount of capital over and above their neces-
sary expenses. Why not aggregate this capi-
tai and engage in manufactures, where still
greater per cent. can be realized upon the in
vestment? 1t is our belief that there was an
abundant surplus capital last fall and winter,
in the county of Anderson, TO erect an cstab-
ishment of greater capacity than any in the
up-country. 1t is not here to-day. The pur-
chase of breadstuffs and fertilizers exhausted
the greater portion of this surplus. But let us
suppose that the farmer has raised sufficient
corn and meat, with other supplies to require
no outlay of this character next year, and that
a due proportion only of his profits are to be
invested in commercial manures, is it not en-
tirely feasible that there can be combination
of this capital and an earnest step forward in
the direction of cotton manufacturing. Five
hundred men, organized into joint stock COM
pany, with an average subscription of 5000
each, would start with an aggregate capital of
100000, whcrewith to purchase the water
power and machinery, and to erect buildings.
Or, two hundred persons subscribing $500 each
would produce the same result, and one hun
dred persons with 81 900 each could do the same
thing. This capital is amply sufficient for a
beginning, and the example of the Pendleton
Factory demonstrates how this could be in
creased in few years. Without declaring
dividends for five years, during which period
there is no taxation upon the investment the
net earnings might be appropriated to the pur-
chase of additional machinery, which would
only enhance the probability of greater divi-
dends at the expiration of that time. But we
will desist from this line of argument. In our
judgment, the scheme is practicable, and is ca
pablc of being profitably tested in this COM
munity. 1t needs little energy and combina-
tion of purpose to make the experiment, at
least, of raising the joint stock company.
AS matter of information cn the subject of
cotton manufacturing, we append number of
extracts from influential journals. The New
York Shipping and Commercial List, in ganc
ing at the experience of American manufac-
| turers during the past ten years, comments in
| this wise:
| In succeeding years, it seems likely that the
cotton manufacturing branch of industry will
be, to considerable extent, transferred from
the Eastern States to the South, where, accor
ding to the testimony of many practical OBJ
servers, cotton factories can be operated to bet
ter advantage 1t has been estimated by
Northern manufacturer who has had some ex-
perence in Georgia during the last two years,
that from two to three millions of dollars would
be saved annually in each of the principal Cot
ton States by working up the raw material at
and near the sources Of supply. Samples of
yarn that were sent to England last spring,
from factory in South Carolina, sold at an
advance of eleven per cent on the cost of man
ufacturing. 1t has been demonstrated that the
yarns can be manufactured at the point where
cotton is grown-thcrcby saving the cost Of
transporting the raw material to the factory
at about five cents per pound less than they
can be made in Northern factories. After the
expense of transportation to the New York
market, the payment of commissions and other
contingent expenses the Southern yarns have
made return to the manufacturer of nearly
ten cents profit on the pound. These are i'm