The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-01-09
THE SOUTHERN STAPLE.
SUCCESS OF THE AMERICAN MANU.
FACTURE OF COTTON
The True Policy for the Southern People

The Importance of the great success which
| has attended the manufacture of cotton
| fabrics In this country, has, we fear, not been
| fully, appreciated. That success has been so
| marked as to emancipate our people from de-
pendence upon England for most OF the cot
ton fabrics which we consume: Moreover,
not only does the success of cotton manufac-
lures here deprive British Industry OF this lu.
cratiye trade on this side of the Atlantic,
which 1t once enjoyed, but 1t threatens 1t
with a formidable rivalry In markets hitherto
even more exclusively It's own than was the
market here. Before the war, when we were
practically fee from taxation, we competed
with Manchester In supplying the China, India
and other markets with certain kinds OF cotton
cloth, and there is no reason why. With re-
duced taxes and a return to specie payments,
we should not do it again. England has the
important advantage of cheaper labor and
capital, but this advantage is partially onset oy
an abundance Of motive power at our doofs.
It is slow and difficult thing to move skilled
labor, but to commercial people II is ine
easiest thing possible to move the material.
Hence, In getting the two necessities together,
cotton has gone too largely, from our side to
the labor on the other side, the only advantage
from this movement being the lucrative
employment of American shipping. But
this trade was practically destroyed by the
it will ever be fully restored. lhere is q
possibility, however, of turning the tables
upon the Lancashire cotton manufactur.
ers. The English laborers. by whom cot.
ton is wrought into woven fabrics, are living
In country which gives fewer comforts OF
life and smaller share of the general physl.
cal and intellectual inheritance OF humanli,y. m y
This Ia beginning to be understood oy the Ia
borers themselves, and, judging from the dis
satisfaction which exists among them, Il may
be safely assumed that thee influx OF the
skilled labor OF England to our shores will be
far greater In the luture than 1t has been IN
the past. With the drain of her excess in the
supply of loom workers, we shall have gained
a strong point In favor of our renewed COM
petition In this important field of industry.
Indeed. we believe the period is not remote
when England will no longer have the great
advantage of cheap labor. We shall then be
able to contest with her for the supremacy 10
q branch of Industry that has done so much to
make her great In the modern world.
The spread Of cotton manufacturing Indus
tries at the South is one Of The most grairylng
cotton mills ali over the South would add an
Immense valuation to the raw material. This
would be retained In the country, and dlslrlo.
uted among operatives and laborers OF all
classes, who are required In and about manu-
factories. These would In turn dls'rloute II
In purchaser, and thus create widespread
respects the employment Of capital and laoor,
is to be on an entirely different basis 10 the
future. In the days of slavery, capital was
invested In large plantations and ID
slaves to carry them on. There was
little money to spare for the erection
OF manufactures, aud If there had been.
there was an insurmountan!e obstacle
n the way OF entering largely into man.
ufaciurlng. It was the conflict between
slave labor and free labor. Slave labor was
uuskilled, and, under slavery, was Incapable
of attaining any high degree OF excellencei
free labor would not work, aud 30 the South
was confined mainly to the production OF tne
raw material. Now, however, the conditions
are changed; the old plantation system aas
order of things There will be, more or less,
divisions of plantations There will be
more productive system of cotton culture,
more beastiful crops and large cash returns
for them. 1t is not too much 10 say tnae the :
accumulated capital will be literally invested
IN manufacturing enterprises. cnlel OF Thicn
will be cotton mills A tide OF lmmlSra.
tlon southwark aud the natural Increase OF
population will furnish an abundance Oh labor,
not only for the plantation, but for the mills.
Now the arts of reproduction are IN rudl-
mentary state; but with that spirit OF enter
prise which accompanies free LABOR, higher
degrees OF skill will be gradually introduced,
and there will come time when Inc hnest
fabrics will be produced in the midst of the
plan lations where the cotton is grown. The
true interest OF the South lies In the en-
couragement of manufactures, that she may
retain within her own hands the profits upon
the production of the raw material and upon
the manufactured goods, and that she may
also save the freights that are now lost ior
want of skilled industry within her own bor-
ders.