The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-12

This subject has for years engaged the atten-
tion OF our political economists. and many and
diverse have been the opinions expressed
thereon by men of comprehensive ability, lib
eral views and practical knowledge. Many
insist that as long as our soil continues to be
rich and prolific we should devote our whole
attention to agricultural pursuits, and let those
who dwell In a section of the country less
favored in this respect engage In the manufac-
ture of the products especially of our great
staple, cotton-of the Southern portion of I'm
Gle Sans dominions. This reasoning may.
perhaps, apply to Louisiana and the southern
portion Of the States bordering on the Gulf.
where the soil is of the richest and most fertile
description.
But the planters living in the middle and up
per sections of the Southern States have found
that the soil has become exhausted. and that
they cannot afford to resort to the use OF the
expensive imported fertilizers which are requ-
site to make their lands productive. Conse-
auently many of them have withdrawn their
capital from agriculture and invested it in man
nfactures of various kinds. Especially is this
the case In Georgia. South and North Carolina
and Alabama. The first named State. as is well
known leads all her sisters of the South in the
manufacture of cotton. Even before the war some
OF the Georgia cottons attained great reputation
same class. Since 1865 manufacturing enter
prises have been rapidly pushed for
ward, until cotton spinning has be-
come one of the most noted indus
tries of that glorious old State. An inves-
tigation, recently made shows that while East
ern mills have been losing money, those of
Georgia and Carolina have been running at a
profit and that too, in the face of close com
petition as to both quality and price of goods.
In this connection the Memphis Avalanche
from which we take an extract or two, copies a
very interesting article in an Augusta journal,
designed as comparison In point of manu-
featuring advantages of the South and North.
1t is In the shape of interviews with manufac-
turers, and answers the argument made by Gov,
Straw, of New Hampshire in Northern Journals
to prove that cotton can be much more cheaply
manufactured in the North than IN the South.
The reporter called on Mr.. Cogin. of the Au-
gusta factory, who said:
There Is no question but the South possesses
vastly superior advantages In many ways. We
atmosphere has just the proper humidity for
manufacturing purposes. Now, at the North,
the air becomes so dry that steam has to be in
atmosphere so as to prevent the threads from
breaking. We never have any such trouble as
because use the water courses are frozen up This
never happens at the South. and we can there
fore run uninterrqptedly We can y get plenty INT
ter than that which the Northern ;, mills now
have. 1t is equal to the Yankee labor the
sa ms to make bt wn wards n
cloth per loom than they can, running the same
number of hours as they do and we can there
is plentiful, and cheaper on the average than at
the North. They can't begin to compete with us
where they have to use steam It costs less than "a
River, where steam Is used. the cost is $12 per
horse power 1t wouldn't. pay the Augusta fac
If all the necessary fuel was put down at the
factory free. The operatives In the Augusta
o wh LABOR There ans Is
never had a machine stopped for the want of
help during the nineteen years have been with
of the same size of ours to-day. we would have
ME- sibley president Of the ,hfangsys
Gently in the Atlanta Constellation, in which he
had within the last three years sold about five
thousand bales OF goods that were exported
from New York to England, the continent of
Europe, Africa and South America. and the
United States have awarded the contract for
sheeting needed for the Indian supplies to the
ity Tor three Years This contract is let let out in
New York and the goods delivered there. thus
competing successfully with goods made in
New England. In regard to the labor. Mr..
Il haye been president of the Langley Manu-
featuring Company of South Carolina since its
organization in 1870 and have had no difficulty
in getting as good and reliable white labor as
there is in New England, aud who cheerfully
work eleven hours per day. and could obtain
more if we had any, use for them. and many Of
trade in our own mill" He challenges any mill
in New England to show as great production of
go DIS per loom and yarn per spindle Ton the
same style OF goods or a cheaper cost OF manu-
featuring. He concludes by SAYING that the
s s