Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-07

This is an increase over the production OF
the previous year of 1O7,7S2 lbs, 9,4l0
pieces, 316,51S yards. The average pro
duction of each loom per day was 55 4l-lOO
yards, the calculation being based upon the
supposition that every loom was at work
during every working day in the year. In
the manufacture Of the above quantity of
cloth there were consumed $685., OIL lbs. of
cotton in the gross, or 1915 bales, of the
average weight of $50 lbs, costing in the
aggregate 1861 ,537.5s, or 10 $500 cents
per pound, the highest price paid being 24a
cents, and the lowest II cents. for Liverpool
middling. The total number of bales of
cotton consumed from Sept. l, 1872, to
Aug. l, 1873, was $3.50.
An active girl finds no difficulty in tend
ing four power looms; and as each loom
turns out an average Of 81 o5-100 yards cf
cloth day, it will be seen that she wesVes
23f 4 yar:s a day from week to week and
month to month. 1t is easy to understand
that no girl can earn as much by picking
cotton in field as she can by superinteDd-
ing power looms. Her labor in taking care
of pi;kers and spinning jennies is quite as
profitable. In view of these facts, why not
devote more of our capital to the manufsc-
ture of cotton, and less to the purchase OF
mules, cotton lands, presses and gins, to
wear out the soil? Capital should be with
drawn from planting and farming, and
placed in better paying industries. Farm
ing is oUerdOne. There is a large slice Of
insanity in the practice of wearing out our
farms in business tat hardly pays five per
cent isterest on capital, when we might
soon work into business that pays from
Is to 20 per cent, while our lands could be
improved by grass, sheep and other stock.
It is absurd to say that Tennessee cotton
should be sent all the way TO New England
to be carded, spun and wove; and
that our corn, flour and
meat must also be transported thousand
miles to feed the operatives who perform
this labor. This unnecessary transporta-
ton will keep US poor forever, if this folly
continues. Proper pains should be taken
TO have every man, woman and child work
to the very best advantage. Now large
numbers are idle, and still other damage the
soil more than the crops they raise are
worth; so that after twenty years tllage
on plantation, the land and its owner are
both poorer than they were at tie beginning.
1t would re easy TO find some millions Of
acres in Tennessee which are poorer to-day
than they were twenty ye,rs ago. l. is a
blood-sucking plan Of farming and planting,
| that increases taxes on land, and at the
same time decreases its natural fertility.
We must thoughtfully diversity our labor
by manufacturing and mining industry,
and carefully save all fertiiisers in every
village and city TO be carried back to
the depicted fields that feed town
inhabitants. Nashville might easily COM
mand manufacturic population of 1CO,-
600, if her citizens would co operate to
accomplish that object. Every man is
waiting for some outside enterprise, capital
or power to build up his city and State, and
make him rich with no toll ncr trouble on
his part. Such disposition is not inviting
to immigrants. They like to eettle in a
community actively engaged in making
visible improvements, building factories,
furnaces, FORCES and school houses. There
is an inspiration in WORKS of this kind felt
by all, which no mere words can furnish or
impart. 1t is well directed labor that wins.
Labor is wisely directed when it
is taken from an old hand loom weaving
some ten or twelve yards day, and placed
where it ca as easily weave 23l yards in a
day. Machinery and science are the great
elements of wealth and power. Let us
cultivate science and rival England in the
extent and number of our labor-saving
machines.