Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-05
MANUFACTURING
And Kindred Solid interests of
Memphis.
Congresses, wagon Factories
and the cOOperase Company.
Large and Extensive Establishments
Built up from Small Be
81 ginnings.
What Pluck and Enterprise have
Accomplished.
Manufacturing Pays in all Lines and
Must be Built Up.
The Resources and Hope OF the
South.
What Pluck and Enterprise have
Accomplished.
Manufacturing Pays in all Lines AM
Must be Built Up.
The Resources and Hope OF the
South.

There is a popular idea that Mem
phis is merely a cotton market and
supply depot for the surrounding coun.
try. This is a natural mistake, arisin!
from the Importance Of the place as +;
cotton market. We have several -four.
ishing manufactures here, all doing {
good, safe business and paying as wei
or better than similar enterprises any.
where in the country. Such establish.
ments as we have are the result of in.
dividual enterprise, and have grown
up from small beginnings. That there
are not more of them is owing to sew.
eral causes, not the least of which il
that Southern people have an unae.
couNtable preference for goods made
at a distance, and will often cheerfully
pay a bigger price for an inferior arti-
Gle made in Yankeedom rather than
patronize a fair dealing Southern man.
ufacturer. Again, we have always
been simply a producing pe~ople-hew-
era of wood and drawers of water-for
other people, without attempting to
cultivate art, ingenuity and construct
i've talents. The man who cuts a wal
nut log in Arkansas, and floats it out
to the Mississippi, is content to pay
the freight on it to Cincinnati, or to
Boston and back, and then buy it in
the shape of bureau or bedstead at A
handsome profit toall who have handled
it on its journey. Manufacturing pays
wherever it has been attempted in the
South. We have TIE greatest abund-
ance Of raw material, a genial climate
and plenty Of unskilled labor. The
time is coming when our facilities
will be employed, and the millions of
money sent North every year will be
kept in circulation at home. Then,
and not till then, viii we begin to feel
self-sustaining, prosperous and indie
pendent. We must get out of the old
cotton raising burrows of life and open
new channels of industry and enter
prise. We need an infusion of
Yankee ideas, vigor, business tact and
gOaheadatiyess. No people can be
permanently prosperous under a sys-
tenn Of free labor where only M
is produced. We have no con-
troll whatever over the price of cotton
or the articles of necessity, comfort
luxury, which we buy from the
people who regulate the prices
of our cotton. Manufacturing has
been wonderfully successful and re-
munerative in Georgia, which is the
most prosperous State in the South.
The best cOttons raised at home are
manufactured there, and the goods
sold in distant markets at high prices.
The balance Of trade is in favor of
Jeorgia-that is, the people sell
than they buy from abroad. We
regret VIC cannot say so much for Ten.
1t is evident that we have
been wasting our capital and reducing
our resources b. adhering to this old
which was a success up to the
war, but never since. Necessity,
however. which is generally the start
point and prime factor in bold and
successful undertakings, has induced
considerable change for the better.
The importance Of variation and rota.
ion in crops has come TO be more
thoroughly understood. The planters
less on their merchants. and a
proportion Of them than for
nerly produce corn, cats, wheat. hay.
potatoes, pork, ETC., for their own
use, This is a good sign. Next and
greatest need is small factories
scattered about the aoagtry, where
here is good water power and an
abundance Of raw material to work
lp into yarns, cotton and wooden
furniture, Eagons, cotton
gins, harness. gearing, aud
various other articles required
agricultural and domestic uses.
What few manufacturing establish
Reqts we have pay handsomely, and
cannot account for the timidity Of.
small capitalists and good MECHANICS
10 regard to such undertakings. Il is
our purpose to-day to show what
IS being done by the men en-,
lged in Memphis in manuEae.
5uriDg aud kindred enterprises.
tAst this is one Of the points
D the South for new enterprises Of
he same Sind. Memphis can easily
'oDtrol the better portion of the trade
four OF Ave States, aRd become in a
years as noted for manufacturing
IS for paying a big price for cotton.
: nder such conditions the population
tka city would soon he doubled.
We Will begin With our cotton com
presses
Cotton Congresses.
No cotton mart in the Soutberd
states offers, or can possibly offer. such
facilities in cheap freights for cotton
On account Of the splendid machinery
used In reducing tba hulL, oe4Lo IL.