The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-03-29
The Manufacturing Interests Of the
SOuth,

Some few years ago it was quite an
easy matter to apportlon to each section
of this mighty continent its various
sources of wealth; to the New England
states belonged the industries to the
west the raising of wheat, and to the
south the production of cotton, but as the
country has developed, the minds of all
shrewd business men have been opened
to the necessity of combining manufac.
turing enterprises with agricultural pur-
suits; the west was the first to adopt
the necessity of producing goods in pro-
portion to what was grown within her
districts, for she found out she never de-
rived any benefit OF reciprocation from
the importation of the articles she paid
50 dearly for in the east. Apart from
the mere question Of grain, it is one OF
the first principles of political economy
to diversity as much as possible the dit
fcrcnt channels in which labor is en-
poyed, and so of late years it has dawn
ed upon the south that so long as she
continued to plant cotton and make it
her chief source Of occupation, she could
only attract to her territory the very
poorest class OF field labor, for from sta
tistics it has clearly been shown that the
cotton Iaborer very rarely is able to earn
ANYTHING over and above his actual ex-
pcnses, and of course the man who has
nothing to spend does nothing tor the
opening up or progress of that section in
which he is working.
The contrast has been very marked be.
tween the farming hands Of the cotton
states and the workmen in the manufac.
turing districts; to this end the south
has been Obliged to push forward her ut.
most energies in encouraging everything
that tended to promote her future
wealth, and 50 has determined to apprO
pirate certain share in the rapid
growth the United States has made il
manufactures, which have doubled with
in the last ten years. The tinancia
crisis of 1873 did great deal OF good Il
the south. as while all industries wer
at a standstill in the north, suffering Il
they did from the encumbrances of debt
contracted i'll prosperous times, the ic,
cotton factories that had been erected i
the South were all doing most success
full business. In Tennessee, Alabama
Georgia and Texas mill property TO tht
day is paying large dividends. Til
only way to keep trade ever on the il
crease, is to create new activity the N,
: ment it is discovered that certain othC
localities are outstrifping the south {
her legitimate occupation, the spinning
as well as the growing oi cotton. Til
great drawback to the proper advance
ment of manufacturing enterprise Is tha
9 both state and municipal laws p:even
| the unlrameled execution OF local enel
r gy. and while, OF COurse, it Ia very am
:, cult for legislators to sac that tue Wealtl
i of their various sections depends upnI
= the self:supportiug capacity OF thelr III
r habitants. still il is an essential point I
c inspire due encouragement 70 build u
:, every kind of enterprise, instead OF pull
d inc il dowr by stringent taxes, for til
Il amalgama;ion OF agricultural and maj
;. ufacturing pursuits Is the only way f
any people to acquire permanent wealt
and retain lasting independence.